Long Beach Herald 10-24-2024

The king and queen of Homecoming

Local author writes moving new memoir

By DANIEl oFFNER doffner@liherald.com

Edward T. Byrne’s powerful new memoir, “In Whom I Am Well Pleased,” recounts his grief as a father who in an instant is forced to confront what can only be described as “a parent’s worst nightmare” — the loss of child to suicide.

T

Former LBHS cheerleader builds successful youth program

By BRENDAN CARPENTER bcarpenter@liherald.com

Felissa Light grew up in Long Beach, went to the city’s schools, and showed her school spirit as a cheerleader.

There have always been youth sports in the city — football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, swimming. But outside of the Long Beach schools, there has never been cheerleading.

“There was no youth cheer here as of two years ago,” Light said.

So, she had an idea: create a youth cheer program for the Long Beach Bulldogs, which are part of the Nassau County Youth Football League.

“I’m a former Long Beach High School cheerleader — that’s my claim to fame,” Light said. “I had approached the head of the league, and he said people have always tried to bring cheerleaders to the league, but no one has been successful. They didn’t think I’d be successful, but I was overwhelmingly successful.”

Light, an advertising sales executive by day, is now in her second school-year “season” of showing young cheerleaders the ropes of sideline cheering. She has 150 of them, kindergartners through seventh-graders, divided into six squads of similar ages.

Sideline cheer takes place on the sidelines of sporting events — like football — to get the

Matthew McCaffrey and Summer Reed were crowned Long Beach’s Homecoming king and queen during the festivities last Friday night. On the field, the Marines beat Sewanhaka, 26-6. Story, more photos, Page 4. Continued on page 7

Byrne, 72, who lives in Long Beach, weaves together two narrative threads, about his son Matthew’s journey, growing up as an all-American boy on Long Island, and his subsequent descent, as post-traumatic stress from his dream job as a New York City firefighter sends him spiraling toward substance abuse, depression and eventually to the point of taking his own life.

ly through their grief. His priority became “getting them off the ash heap,” particularly his wife and daughter, who were at home when Matthew died there.

“I probably didn’t touch this until 2016,” Byrne told the Herald. “I made up my mind that it was probably worthwhile to do.”

ime makes a difference. It doesn’t let you get over it, but it lets you get past it.

EDWARD T. ByRNE Author

“You’re definitely shellshocked in the wake of something like this,” Byrne recalled of the aftermath of that devastating day in August 2014.

Byrne said that he began writing the memoir after two years of trying to help his fami-

The book would take Byrne until 2018 to complete, as he tackled the complexity of his son’s mental health crisis and addiction head on, learning more about him, and the thoughts that had haunted him for years that had never come to light. The book isn’t intended to cast blame on anyone, but it acknowledges that there were signs that Byrne now believes were “not taken seriously enough.”

“It was a tough book to write,” he said. “It’s a tough book to read. Hopefully it was worth the effort. Time makes a difference. It doesn’t let you get over (the loss), but it lets you get past it.”

Continued on page 26

Bob Arkow/Herald

City Council tackles key community issues

By ANGELINA ZINGARIELLO azingariello@liherald.com

The Long Beach City Council met on Oct. 1, addressing several critical issues affecting the community, including concerns over a proposed part-time position to help with the fire department’s paperwork backlog, the acceptance of multiple grants and ongoing infrastructure improvements.

Sam Pinto, a Long Beach firefighter, raised concerns about the proposed parttime role. He pointed out that no job opening or job description had been posted on the city’s website and questioned whether the role was necessary.

“I would like to point out that this type of work can be handled by membership at no additional cost,” Pinto said. “It can be done on duty if it’s only eight hours a week. We have four officers there right now that can handle the workload.”

Pinto also expressed concerns about potential nepotism in the hiring process, suggesting the council table the discussion until city management could provide clarity on the workload and whether simplifying existing processes could address the backlog.

“I think it’s not the best use of city resources and funds,” he added. “I think transferring $25,000 out of the trainee expense budget for this position is a wrong move, especially after the fact that members applied for paramedic training

this year, where this money from the training budget could have been utilized, and now it is being shifted away after they were given their lack of approval to attend a course. That type of work, the paramedic work, is the core duties of the fire department.”

The council also discussed accepting a grant to develop a Roadway Safety Action Plan. The plan, created in collaboration with the police department and other city agencies, aims to enhance public safety and reduce traffic accidents, particularly in high-incident areas like Long Beach Road and Park Avenue. The grant allocates funds for identifying traf-

fic issues and accidents, with the police department working alongside traffic engineering experts to develop potential solutions. In the second phase, additional funding can be requested to address these problems.

However, since the roads fall under Nassau County jurisdiction, the city will need to work with the county to secure funding for the necessary improvements.

In addition to the safety plan, the council received a grant of $80,000 for purchasing and planting several hundred trees in the North Park area and $20,000 to reimburse in-house city staff for the planting. Specific locations for the

trees have yet to be determined. The grant also allows for the city budget to be allocated for planting in other areas.

The council also reviewed another grant to repair and replace the city’s aging sand filtration tanks at the water purification plant. The filters, about 35 years old, need internal and external repairs. The grant will cover this work, including replacing the sand and gravel used in the filtration process. The city is applying for more grants to update other tanks in the system. The initial grant will fund the repair of at least two filters, and the city hopes to secure additional funding for three or four more. While the filters need to be cleaned and replaced periodically, the exact maintenance schedule is unclear. The system does not use reverse osmosis or a self-cleaning method.

Resident Christina Kramer raised concerns about whether a proposed $2 million filtration system would effectively address the issue of rusty, sedimentfilled water in homes.

“The filtration plan will filter the water that’s coming out of the wells, that’s at the beginning of the process,” Creighton explained. “So we will filter the water correctly. You will get clean water at the end of the filtration process.”

Majority of the items received unanimous approval, allowing the council to adopt them successfully.

Herald file photo

The Long Beach City Council tackled numerous things at the last meeting, including grants, infrastructure and trees.

Walking for Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Long Beach held its first Walk for Apraxia on Oct. 19, hosted by Apraxia Kids, a nonprofit headquartered in Pittsburgh. The walk started on the boardwalk outside the Allegria Hotel at 10 a.m.

The Allegria and the boardwalk welcomed all those in support, and the walkers hit the boards on a beautiful day.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech makes it difficult for a child to speak, and the disorder affects about 1 in 1,000 children. They know what they want to say, but find it nearly impossible to coordinate the movements of lips, tongue and jaw that are necessary to form the words.

Long Beach’s Bobby Sorise has had difficulty talking since he was a toddler — unlike his twin brother, Joseph, who speaks normally. He was not, however, initially diagnosed with apraxia, and his mother, Kristi RookSorise, and her husband, David, had no idea what his problem was. After several tests and studies, including one at Hofstra University,

Bobby was finally properly diagnosed.

Children who have apraxia typically have a large gap between their receptive and expressive abilities. They can understand language, but the ability to respond using language of their own is either deficient or absent. The child knows what he or she wants to say, but can’t say it correctly.

Diagnosis can be difficult, because of the similarity of the disorders.

Long Beach’s Acting Police Commissioner Richard DePalma attended the event as well. His daughter was diagnosed with apraxia when she was younger, and thankfully, was diagnosed early. He spoke at the event, bringing one more local family into the mix, highlighting the importance of understanding the disorder.

The walk and speakers helped the community better understand the disorder, how to recognize it and how to help.

–Brendan Carpenter

Skye Margies/Herald photos

Community members and the Apraxia Kids organization took to the boardwalk Oct. 19 to walk in support of the disorder.

Children had their faces painted before the walk.

Those with apraxia, and those without, all walked together during the meaningful day.

Krisit Rook-Sorise, who spearheaded the event, spoke to those in attendance about her own family’s story.

Nicole Kolenda, a pediatric speech language pathologist, spoke of apraxia and the importance of the day.

Long Beach homecoming under the bright lights

Long Beach High School celebrated its homecoming under the Friday night lights at Veterans Field on Oct. 18.

Before the game, students and families attended the annual homecoming carnival, sponsored by the student government organizations in the middle school parking lot. Attendees interacted with club members and participated in games and activities, all while displaying their Long Beach pride.

Later that evening, fans filled the bleachers at Veterans Field, sporting blue and white as they cheered on the Marines in a much-anticipated football game against the Sewanhaka Ravens. Before kickoff, senior cheerleaders and

football players were escorted by family and friends to the field to mark their final homecoming game. Long Beach fans kept the energy high, with the pep band in the bleachers and cheerleaders on the track rallying support for the team.

Halftime featured performances from the high school’s color guard, pep band, and varsity cheerleading squad, prompting attendees to dance and cheer for the student performances. Following the halftime show, Long Beach youth football players raced across the field in their annual Bulldog Dash. Summer Reed and Matthew McCaffrey were

and doctoral academic programs. Here you’ll think about your future in a whole new way.

OPEN HOUSE Sunday, November 17 at 1 PM

Bob Arkow/Herald

Long Beach senior football players were joined by their families before the game for their last homecoming.

Cheerleaders showed their school spirit and got the crowd into the game.

Timothy Miller showed his strength, stiff arming the defender.

Located in Rockville Centre, Molloy University is home to one of the premier NCAA Division II athletic programs in the East Coast Conference. Molloy is expanding its athletic offerings by

BROWN “Ari” Re-Elect Eric

New York ate ASSEMBLY

• FIXING the “Cashless Bail” Laws

• SUPPORTING the Police

• ENDING anti-Semitism and Hate Crimes

• SAYING “NO” to a “Sanctuary County” in Nassau

• STOPPING the Commuter Tax (Congestion Pricing) Permanently

New York ate A embly

GIANNA VENTURA

East Meadow Junior Field Hockey

AN HONORABLE MENTION ALL-COUNTY in 2023 after scoring 12 goals and setting up 6 others in her first varsity field hockey season, Ventura ranks among Nassau’s leading offensive weapons this fall and has helped the 11-1 Jets to a conference title. A right wing forward, she has 20 goals and 13 assists through a dozen games. She scored at least one goal in all but one game and has eight multi-goal performances including one hat trick.

GAMES TO WATCH

Thursday, Oct. 24

Field Hockey: Sewanhaka District at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Football: G.N. South at Long Beach 5 p.m.

Boys Volleyball: Lawrence at Calhoun 5:45 p.m.

Girls Volleyball: South Side at Lynbrook 6:45 p.m.

Girls Volleyball: V.S. North at Malverne 6:45 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25

Field Hockey: North Shore at Clarke 5 p.m.

Football: Plainedge at Island Trees 5 p.m.

Football: Massapequa at Westbury 5 p.m.

Football: Floral Park at Hewlett 6 p.m.

Football: Kennedy at Mineola 6 p.m.

Football: Carle Place at West Hempstead 6 p.m.

Football: Wantagh at Seaford 6 p.m.

Football: Oceanside at Farmingdale 6:30 p.m.

Football: Freeport at Port Washington 6:30 p.m.

Football: Floral Park at Lynbrook 3 p.m.

Football: Oceanside at Freeport 3 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 26

Football: Mepham at Sewanhaka 11 a.m.

Football: Carey at New Hyde Park 11 a.m.

Football: Garden City at Elmont 1 p.m.

Football: V.S. North at Lynbrook 3 p.m.

Football: V.S. Central at East Meadow 3 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a fall sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.

Long Beach improves to 3-3

By NIKO SCARLATOS sports@liherald.com

After what’s been a roller coaster season so far, the Long Beach football team has found itself in position to get to the postseason following a 26-6 Homecoming win over Sewanhaka last Friday night, improving its record to 3-3.

“We got the lead early which was big,” head coach Scott Martin said. “We have had to treat every game like it’s a playoff game.”

The advantage to this is the hope that going into postseason play, the Marines will be playing at their best. “The way that they’ve prepared allows them to be focused and stay in the game,” said Martin. “They’re willing to learn after losses and listen to the coaching staff which has only made us better.”

One of the key contributors this season has been captain Wyatt Katzen. The senior has been huge on both sides of the ball as a running back and linebacker. “He’s been huge on offense in shortyardage situations,” Martin said. “Combining that with the fact that he’s the quarterback of the defense, he allows the guys around him to stay calm.”

While Katzen has been the shortyardage option, sophomore Brody Riedel has stepped up nicely and become the lead back for this offense. “He’s a tremendous player already who has become the best running back on the team.,” said Martin. “He was held back at first due to his inexperience but he’s blossomed so nicely. There’s still more to learn but we have loved what we’ve seen in terms of his progression.”

In his first year under center, junior quarterback Charlie Conway has had a good year as well. “He does so well in the pocket,” said Martin. “He gives reassurance to everyone else on the field that gets the chance to play alongside him.” He has connected with both Zack Silva and Maximus Schimmel for passing touchdowns this season. Both Silva and Schimmel are juniors who have made big jumps in their production to the Marines this season.

The Marines also added senior kick-

Long Beach’s defense allowed just a single score last Friday night and beat Sewanhaka, 26-6, to make Homecoming a memorable one.

er, Jayden Zarco. The two time All-County soccer player kicks field goals and punts which can go a long way in helping the special teams department. With any .500 football team, there is always room for improvement. Martin knows that and wants to work on that the rest of the regular season. “We can definitely get better with our communication on defense,” he said. “We have had some breakdowns in our secondary but they’re a young group so I expect them to learn from it in the future.”

As for the positives, the line of scrimmage has played a huge role in all that success running the football. “It’s important to have a strong push at the line of scrimmage,” Martin said. “We continue to get better and better each week.”

Long Beach will finish its regular season with games against MacArthur, which is also 3-3, this Friday on the road at 7 p.m., and Mepham, which currently sits at 5-1 on Nov. 2 at 11 a.m., also on the road.

Bob Arkow/Herald

Light hopes to grow competitive cheer, too

crowd more involved and keep energy high. Compare that with competitive cheer, in which cheer teams compete against one another with more elaborate routines in an event where they are the focus.

Light recruited the participants for the youth program on social media by posting on all of the districts’ elementary and middle school pages. She got great responses.

“It just kind of took off,” she said. “It really had a mind of its own. Some squads are bigger than others, but in a community like this, like, how could there not be cheer?”

Light has some help leading the next generation of cheerleaders, with the high school’s varsity cheer coach, Lindsay Pichichero, by her side. Some of the high school cheerleaders help out as well.

“For many years, people in the town were tossing around an idea of starting a cheer program along with the Bulldogs football team,” Pichichero said. “Felissa took the initiative to do that. I just jumped on with her, and I brought in my high school girls as volunteers. I coordinate the cheer end of everything, while she coordinates the logistics end of everything.”

Light plans to take her younger cheerleaders to the “next level” in the coming years, by expanding beyond

Courtesy Felissa Light

skills at an earlier age. When they try out for the school district’s cheer programs, they bring those skills to the middle school, JV and varsity programs, Pichichero explained, taking Long Beach cheer to another level when it comes to the complexity of routines they can perfect for competitive events.

“We go up against towns that have had youth cheer programs for decades,” Pichichero said, referring again to the youth program. “It really gives the kids another thing to do, another opportunity to get started in something young, so they can start to build their skills and confidence.”

Light wants to bring more cheerleaders with her and Pichichero to compete in the Nassau-Suffolk Competition Association, another youth league in which cheerleaders learn and compete beyond sideline cheer. Other towns such as Oceanside and Wantagh compete in NCSA events.

sideline cheer to the competitive realm of the sport.

“Competition cheer is a combination of cheerleading and dance,” Light said.

“It’s a routine, it’s stunting, and you have to come to a different practice. It’s really the next step for the girls that have been doing sideline football to take it to the next level, and I expect this to grow.”

Pichichero has worked in the school district for 19 years, and has been the varsity cheer coach for seven years, after working with middle school and junior varsity cheerleaders.

The youth program is important, she said, because it gives young cheerleaders the chance to learn more advanced

Light took some cheerleaders from her sideline cheer squad to compete for the first time last weekend at Wantagh High School. She also runs a clinic for beginners that are interested in learning to cheer. It’s a small, six-week program.

Those who are interested in cheering for the Bulldogs can email LBBulldogsCheer@gmail.com. For more on the various cheer groups and teams, contact Light at (347) 707-0633.

Harvey’s Café opens at the Friedberg JCC

By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com

The Friedberg JCC in Oceanside marked a milestone on Oct. 15 with the grand opening of Harvey’s Café, a vocational training café named in honor of longtime advocate and former Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg. The café, a project designed to provide individuals with disabilities with hands-on training in the food service industry, was made possible in part through Weisenberg’s generosity and his commitment to supporting people with disabilities.

“This café is a testament to confidence, socialization, self esteem and food. We really wanted this, said Roni Kleinman, the JCC’s CEO. The South Shore is so underserved as far as funding for programs like this and having people come and support us and seeing the participants, greeting people, getting to serve meals, it’s all great.”

The café’s opening ceremony was attended by numerous community members, advocates, and volunteers, all of whom gathered to celebrate this new initiative. At the heart of the event was Harvey Weisenberg, whose lifetime of advocacy for individuals with disabilities has left an indelible mark on the community.

“People with disabilities have challenges, but they have courage,” Weisenberg said. “The most important value that comes out of interrelationships and

socialization is to know that love and happiness are combined. What we are doing today is providing a resource that offers love, understanding, and the opportunity for people with disabilities to be part of society and achieve their full potential.”

Weisenberg, who has personally secured over millions in funding for disability-related initiatives during his career, described his late son Ricky—who had cerebral palsy—as an angel who changed his life and motivated him to improve the lives of others. The creation of Harvey’s Café is a continuation of this work, offering training that not only teaches participants how to make sandwiches and serve customers but also how to build confidence, develop independence, and integrate into the community.

“It’s amazing,’ said Marcy Hallerman, senior program director at the Friedberg JCC. “It’s something we’ve been talking about since right after we reopened the building after Covid. How we could get our cafe reopened and also provide an opportunity for people with disabilities to learn career skills? Tt’s just amazing to see it come to fruition and have it actually happening.”

The café was a collaborative effort between the JCC and local volunteers, some of whom are already deeply involved in related programs. Andrea Calderone and her twin sister Dana, both volunteers at Harvey’s Café, were introduced to the project through the Cooking

with Stars program, which had already fostered their love for cooking. They completed months of training, from July to the café’s opening in October, learning food preparation, customer service, and other skills essential to the café’s operation.

“We love it,” Andrea said, beaming. “We come in every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. to work at the café, and then we head over to our cooking class. It’s been a great experience.”

The twins have a history of community involvement. Andrea works as a page at the Lynbrook Library, while Dana volunteers wherever she can. Their passion for helping others and contributing to meaningful projects like Harvey’s Café reflects the inclusive spirit of the JCC and its programs.

Rockville Centre resident Ashley Gazes, founder and president of the JCC’s Special Advocacy Coalition was a key figure in the development of Harvey’s Café,

“Harvey has always believed that people with disabilities should be a part of society and have the same opportunities as everyone else,” she said. “Thanks in part to his generosity, we can open this vocational café, a place where people with disabilities can learn the skills needed to work in the food service industry.”

Gazes emphasized that Harvey’s Café is not only a place for learning how to work in food service but also a space

where individuals with disabilities can grow more independent and gain the confidence they need to pursue paid employment. The café, she said, will help participants secure jobs in restaurants and cafés across Long Island, ultimately creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

Long Island’s most anticipated new oceanfront rental community is now open. At The Breeze, each apartment opens you to a world of

Courtesy Friedberg JCC

The ribbon was cut to officially open Harvey’s Café, marking the start of a new chapter in training for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Walk to End Epilepsy unifies hundreds

By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com

Walkers from near and far came together in East Meadow on Oct. 19 for the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island’s Walk to End Epilepsy in Eisenhower Park.

The foundation, part of the EPIC Long Island Family of Human Service Agencies, is based in East Meadow, with headquarters on Hempstead Turnpike.

Along with the foundation, the EPIC family also includes EPIC Long Island, which helps individuals with special needs and disabilities, and the South Shore Guidance Center, a mental health and behavioral clinic. The nonprofit’s name stands for “Extraordinary People In Care” — and the breadth of its services has grown out of its work with the epilepsy community, over the last six decades.

The Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island offers educational resources, free of charge, to individuals with epilepsy in need of information, referrals for doctors, or advocacy in various sectors of their life. It also provides generalized informational programs for the public to learn more about seizures and epileptic conditions.

“We provide education, we do training and certification for people in seizure safety, seizure first response,” Lisa Burch, the chief executive and president of EPIC family, said of its epilepsy branch, “reaching thousands of people annually, providing support, guidance, resources and information.”

Irene Rodgers, the associate executive director of development and epilepsy services with EPIC, explained that the likelihood of witnessing someone having a seizure is remarkably high — and not always caused by epilepsy, a brain disease that triggers seizures, or episodes of abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

“One in 10 people will experience a seizure in their lifetime,” Rodgers said. “It’s very important to know what to do when you see someone having a seizure, recognizing the signs and symptoms of seizures, and then also how to help a person after they have had a seizure.”

Some people experience a seizure and are quickly able to continue normal life

activities, while other seizures require medical attention, Rodgers said.

“There are so many other types of seizures and syndromes,” she said. “Some are very subtle. It could be where someone is appearing to just daydream and not be aware of their surroundings, and then they’re right back to whatever they are doing. So, seizures can have a wide range of symptoms — they can have a wide range of impact on the individual and their day-to-day functioning.”

Because the foundation’s services are free, Rodgers said they rely heavily on donations and fundraising activities — and the organization’s largest one is its annual walk, held in Eisenhower Park. Through the walk, the foundation aims to raise $100,000 and spread epilepsy awareness. As of press time, the foundation had raised just over $95,000 from this year’s walk, which signed up more than 550 people.

This year’s grand marshal was Natalee Weiss, a 16-year-old from Locust Valley who’s had epilepsy since she was 5. She decided to get involved with the Epilepsy Foundation, after seeing an advertisement for the walk in her local library several years ago, she told the Herald. A junior at Locust Valley High School, she’s a member of the Pre-Health

Kristallnacht

Club, for teens interested in pursuing careers in medicine.

“It’s been a challenge living with epilepsy,” Weiss said, “but with the help and support of EPIC Long Island, I’ve learned to accept it. Honestly, it’s helped me learn that there are other kids too who are also living with epilepsy.”

Of the walk, Rodgers said, “People can see there is such a sense of community, which oftentimes people who are

living with epilepsy feel alone, isolated. When everyone comes together in the park, it’s just a great feeling — a feeling of community, of support.”

Two years ago, Weiss traveled to Washington D.C. to take part in a program called Teens Speak Up, with the Epilepsy Foundation of America. The conference brings together teens living with epilepsy, family members and local Epilepsy Foundation office staff, to visit the nation’s capital, receive advocacy training, and meet with lawmakers to share their experiences and discuss issues that are vital to the epilepsy community.

Over the last few years, Weiss said she’s seen the walk grow — which is a great thing. “I feel like there’s a lot more people that show up now, which I am so happy to see,” she said. “It is definitely a bigger event, and I feel like we’ve been able to get this great group of people together to really advocate for such an important cause.”

“You might come to us as a person with epilepsy, looking for resources, but if you’re struggling with mental health — we have that too,” she said. “There’s this wholeness to what we do, and I think that’s what makes us really special and unique.”

To learn more about the Epilepsy Foundation and contribute to this year’s donation campaign, visit EPICLI.org, and hit the Epilepsy Foundation tab.

Estate Planning for the Estranged Child (Part Two)

Last week, we wrote about having compassion for the estranged son or daughter married to the narcissist when considering leaving an inheritance. But what about leaving an inheritance to the estranged child who is not in this situation.

The reasons for estrangement are as different as are families. As Tolstoy famously remarked, “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”.

One of the keys to resolving what to leave the estranged child is determining who in the family are they estranged from and for how long and for what reasons (if known).

Sometimes they are estranged from only one parent and the other parent does not wish to see that child disinherited. Sometimes they are estranged from the parents but not their siblings — or some but not all of their siblings. It’s complicated. Often, hope springs eternal that the estranged son or daughter will come back into the fold.

In cases like these we like to use a technique

we call “Schedule A”. Generally, in a trust or a will, you will find the dispositive provisions, i.e. who you are leaving it to and in what amounts, somewhere in the middle of the document. When you amend the trust, or prepare a codicil to the will, you may legally change your wishes. Nevertheless, all of the parties can see what it was before and what the change was. For example, if you left someone out and now you are putting them back in, they will clearly see that they were left out before, and vice versa! To avoid the hurt, confusion and possible litigation that these emotionally fraught situations may engender, we recommend using a “Schedule A” to the trust. Here, in the body of the trust we state that the wishes are provided in “Schedule A” annexed hereto which may be replaced from time to time with the same formalities as the execution of the trust. Now, when a change is made we destroy the old “Schedule A” replacing with the new one avoiding hurt feelings and misunderstandings.

Brittany Krilov/Herald photos

Walkers united in Eisenhower Park over the weekend for the annual Walk to End Epilepsy, hosted by the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island.

Thousands hoping to end breast cancer

Residents across the island gather at Jones Beach for annual Strides walk

By CHARLES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com

Thousands gathered at Jones Beach State Park last Sunday to take part in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, which aimed to raise awareness of the disease and raise funds for breast cancer research.

IThe event marked its 31st year, and participants made their way west on the park’s boardwalk, adorned in pink. The event, sponsored by Teachers Federal Credit Union, is one of the largest fundraisers organized by the American Cancer Society, a nationwide organization that is dedicated to eliminating cancer and improving the lives of those affected by it.

f I didn’t have the support that I had, I don’t think I would have been in the place that I am right now

JEnnIfER CAStLE Breast cancer survivor

According to Liz Wellinghorst, director of regional integrated marketing for the society’s northeast region, park officials and police estimated that around 77,000 attendees took part in the event, and matched last year’s total of around $2.3 million in funds raised.

“This event was brought about so that people who have an affinity for the issue of breast cancer can have the opportunity to get together and raise awareness and celebrate their own cancer journeys,” Katie Goepfrich-Schafer, executive director of the society’s Long Island chapter, said.

The money walkers raised will help fund the society’s research programs and patient-support services, which include transportation programs and Hope Lodge communities, where patients stay free during cancer treatments.

The walk drew people from across the South Shore and all over the country. Julie Allegretti, of Seaford, who has taken part each year since 2002, said she has known several people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer — a neighbor, a relative and a coworker.

“Everything that I’ve done always ties back into somebody being affected, or knowing somebody that’s been affected by breast cancer,” Allegretti said.

This year, she was part of a team called the Beautiful Butterflies, and said she hoped to continue raising money to help advance research in breast cancer. Over the past five years, she said, the various teams she has joined for the event have raised over $12,000.

Jennifer Castle, of East Meadow, a recent breast cancer survivor, was taking part in her first Strides walk, having been diagnosed in March. Her Team Castle was made up of friends and family.

Thousands

“I think it’s just important that people understand that the only way that research is going to get better over the years is by not only participating in the walk and being there for your loved ones, but the donations are really important too,” Castle said.

After her diagnosis, she recounted, she underwent a lumpectomy and node removal to prevent the cancer from spreading. Over the summer she had four rounds of chemotherapy as well as cold capping, in which a head cap freezes hair follicles to prevent the hair loss that results from chemo. Castle kept 80 percent of her hair, she said, which made the experience less traumatic for her and her four children.

“Being able to see Mommy not losing her hair made it easier on everybody, including myself,” she said.

Castle added that having a strong support system is critical for anyone who is being treated for cancer. “If I didn’t have the support that I had,” she said, “I don’t think I would have been in the place that I am right now.”

For years, fundraisers such as the Strides walk have helped advance breast cancer research and treatment, according to Goepfrich-Schafer. Since 2013, she said, there have been many breakthroughs, including biomarker immunotherapy treatment, which uses the body’s own signals to help the immune system target cancer cells.

“I’ve seen cancers that had terrible outcomes 10, 15 years ago that are now treatable today,” Goepfrich-Schafer said.

According to the American Cancer Society website, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their

Dr. Lesley Rechter with her husband, Jeff. Lesley said she is a 26-year breast cancer survivor, and has raised over $20,000 per year in recent years.

lifetime, and that women between ages 40 and 44 “have the option to start screening with a mammogram every year.” Goepfrich-Schafer said she encourages women to go for those screenings when they’re of age, because early detection is crucial to surviving the disease.

She has been with the organization for 15 years, and has helped organize the Long Island Strides walk since 2013. Over the years, she has heard survivors sharing their stories on the boardwalk, bonding with those who walk to help raise awareness.

“It really just does an amazing job of bringing the community together,” Goepfrich-Schafer said.

For more information on breast cancer and the American Cancer Society, visit its website, cancer.org.

Michael Rechter/Herald photos

gathered at Jones Beach State Park last Sunday for the American Cancer Society’s Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk.

Nurses Delilah Storm, far left, Homyra Raaf, Judith Storm and Sofia Najmi walked on behalf of New York Cancer and Blood Specialists, in Bethpage.

Hundreds attend Herald Senior Health Expo

Oceanside’s O’Connell Gardens hosts fourth highly anticipated event in series of 2024 gatherings

By Alexa Anderwkavich

The O’Connell Gardens in Oceanside welcomed eager attendees for the Herald’s Senior Health & Beyond Expo, produced by RichnerLIVE, on October 10 — the fourth in a series of exciting Expos for 2024.

The Expo is a community-loved event where diverse businesses and innovative services share their products and refined knowledge with Long Islanders.

“We are so thrilled with the turnout today — over 400 attendees!” stated Amy Amato, Executive Director at RichnerLIVE. “It offers valuable opportunities for companies and guests to learn, engage, and access essential screenings, benefitting both attendees and businesses. And we are so excited to expand this expo to Suffolk next month on Nov. 3.”

Over 45 vendors offering health, wellness, and personal care insights filled the hall. They provided guidance on enhancing lifestyle through new products and programs, as well as advice on senior living arrangements, financial security, and more.

Guests received free flu and COVID vaccines, courtesy of Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation and free COVID test kits from Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s office.

Before noon, guests sat down for a panel discussion to hear experts discuss various topics, including consumer assistance programs and preparing for winter, advanced care directives, Medicaid asset protection trusts and estate planning, and the FCA Ombudsman Program. Guests also experienced an incredible segment from Mae Caime, CEO of aMAEzing Midlife & Beyond, called “Ageless Attitude,” — which got the crowd stretching and in motion!

“Never disappoints!” Caime said. “I love getting the crowd moving and grooving!”

Attendees received a goody bag — courtesy of Giftbag Sponsors Grandell Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Beach Terrace Care Center and Oceanside Care Center — filled with the special-event section, keepsakes and vital take-home information. At the end, the first 150 attendees also received a free to-go lunch provided by O’Connell Gardens and raffles winners were announced!

The Expo was made possible thanks to Silver Sponsors New York Department of Public Service, Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation, Centerlight Healthcare PACE and Long Beach Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (Cassena Care).

Guests and vendors are looking forward to the fifth and final expo of the year, scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 3, at the Suffolk Y JCC, at 74 Hauppauge Road in Commack, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Pablo Rendon and team of the Parker Jewish Institute for Healthcare and Rehabilitation.

Alison Fenech, of the Long Beach Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, at the podium.

NYS Department of Public Service Utility Consumer Program Specialist Xenia Vega, right, and Jill Wasser.

Tim Baker/Herald photos

Guests of the Expo enjoying their mindset, movement, and magic class guided by Mae Caime.

Speaker Daniel Miller, of Miller and Miller Law Group, with his wife.

A representative of the Oceanside Care Center with a vendor display.

Mae Caime, event host and CEO of aMAEzing Midlife and Beyond.

Kim Accardi and a colleague from FCA NYS Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman program.

A representative of Beach Terrace Care Center at its exhibitor table.

A representative of Silver Lining Home Care.

Project 2025 pushes controversial policies

By JENNA ZAZZA & LORI SAXENA Special to the Herald

Written by the conservative Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 is a 922-page book detailing overhauls of the executive branch and proposing what some consider as radical policy changes regarding the economy, culture, education and healthcare.

The controversial plans have Democrats in a tizzy, the Trump campaign distancing themselves from the ideas and saying they would embrace the mandate’s demise.

The Project would decimate the working and middle classes.

JOhN RIZZO Economist

Some of the project’s more significant policies include eliminating the Department of Education, transforming the Department of Health and Human Service into an antiabortionfocused “Department of Life,” and increasing the president’s control over independent agencies like the Department of Justice.

Despite Trump rejecting the project, six of his former Cabinet secretaries and over 140 people who played a role in the project also worked in his administration, according to a CNN report.

It’s clear that Project 2025 is an election year buzzword. It has both opponents and proponents. At its core, the initiative seeks to reshape the federal government, but its impact extends to the local level.

In the plans forward, the Heritage Foundation notes: “Every hour the Left directs federal policy and elite institutions, our sovereignty, our Constitution, our families, and our freedom are a step closer to disappearing. Conservatives have just two years and one shot to get this right. With enemies at home and abroad, there is no margin for error. Time is running short. If we fail, the fight for the very idea of America may be lost.”

The economy

The mandate criticizes the Federal Reserve’s monetary policies, recommending a major reform of the agency. Even with major reform, the project argues the Federal Reserve, also known as The Fed, would still cause “inflationary and recessionary cycles.” The report calls for abolish it outright, replacing it with either a free-banking system or reimplementing the gold standard.

A free-banking system allows banks to issue their own notes without government oversight or regulation. The gold standard system fixes the value of currency to a specified amount of gold. Up until 1970, the U.S. operated under the gold standard.

“A gold standard imposes very tight constraints on the government to spend,

The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 is a touchstone of controversy, proposing major changes to national policies.

especially in times of crisis like Covid,” said Stephanie Kelton, an economy and public policy professor at Stony Brook University. “This is why countries always go off the gold standard. There is a lot of economic instability in the gold standard.”

Kelton is a former chief economist on the U.S. Senate Budget Committee.

The project claims that the gold standard offers a more stable and less inflationary economy. It asserts that the gold standard will deter the government from arbitrarily issuing more money since a hard asset must back the dollars.

“When we were on a gold standard, the economy would have big booms and big crashes,” Kelton said. “You could say that it was stable if you look over a long period of time like a century or 50 years, but within that period of time, prices are crashing.”

According to economists, a free-banking system isn’t ideal either.

“We saw what unregulated banks did in 2008. It caused a great recession,”

John Rizzo, former Long Island Association chief economist, said. “If anything, we need more regulation not less.”

Long Island is among the top areas in New York state that was hit the hardest by the 2008 financial crisis. The state experienced the most subprime loans with either none or low documentation per 1,000 housing units, according to a report released by the state comptroller.

Long Island also had the most foreclosures, with one every 500 households or less, according to the same report. Congress created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to prevent another great recession and housing finance

bubble. Project 2025 also calls to eliminate the CFPB.

“A bunch of lending activity took place that never should have taken place. Banks steered people into buying homes that they couldn’t afford,” Kelton said. “So if we eliminate the CFPB, it just makes it more likely that something like that can and would happen again.”

Long Island’s unemployment rate is increasing, namely in Babylon town which follows the state rate of 4.9 by only 0.5 points, according to the state’s Department of Labor statistics. The entire region lags behind the state by 1.1 points. Unemployment insurance is also declining. As the rates climb, housing prices are too. The median sale price of a single-family home is nearly $800,000, up 11 percent from last year.

“The housing crisis nearly brought the global economy to its knees, it did, in fact,” Kelton said. “We need people whose job it is to watch out for stuff like this and to intervene and take action on behalf of consumers because, in many cases, people didn’t understand the risks they were taking.”

Project 2025 also proposes peeling back worker pay and protections, making fewer workers eligible for time-anda-half overtime pay by lowering the threshold, and permitting children to work in “hazardous jobs.”

“[The project] is an extreme antiworker agenda that’s more or less designed to allow employers to use and abuse workers as they see fit, pay them as little as possible, offer limited protections, unions, wages, benefits– the whole thing,” Kelton said.

All economists contacted for com-

ment had similar negative perspectives on the project’s economic plans.

The proposed income tax reform simplifies the system to a 15 percent rate for those earning up to about $168,000 and 30 percent for higher earners could have significant implications for Long Island’s middle-income residents. With median individual incomes of around $54,000 in Nassau County and $49,000 in Suffolk County, a large portion of Long Islanders would fall into the lower tax bracket, according to Census Bureau data.

However, many households are already struggling to afford basic necessities like housing, food, and transportation, according to a report by United Way of Long Island. Nearly 30 percent of households in Nassau and Suffolk County face financial hardship despite the region’s relatively low poverty rate of 6 percent.

“It’s blatantly in favor of large corporations and the 15 percent and 30 percent would have a devastating effect on lower and middle-income individuals’ financial situation and overall on the economy,” Rizzo said. “There will be an adverse impact on small businesses that account for 90 percent of the business on Long Island and the middle class. In fact there wouldn’t be a middle class any longer. The Project would decimate the working and middle classes.”

Jenna Zazza and Lori Saxena are reporters with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.

Courtesy George Giokas

Justice of the Supreme Court 2024 JUDICIAL CANDIDATES

Andrew Crecca

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 59

Legal career: Andrew Crecca, a figure in Suffolk County’s judicial system for nearly two decades, is looking to take on the state Supreme Court, next.

Appointed as administrative judge for Suffolk County, the 10th Judicial District of the Supreme Court in 2020, Crecca currently oversees operations. This role follows his tenure as supervising judge for matrimonial matters in the same court, from 2013 to 2020.

Crecca’s judicial career began in 2005 when he was elected to the county court in Suffolk. He has since served as an acting justice of the Suffolk Supreme Court from 2007 to 2010 and was elected as a justice of the Supreme Court in 2011, a position he will hold until 2024.

Along with his courtroom duties, Crecca has presided over the Integrated Domestic Violence Court in Suffolk County since 2007. He also served in the Suffolk Legislature.

James F. Matthews

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties

Legal career: James F. Matthews, a candidate for Justice of the Supreme Court in the 10th Judicial District, has over 40 years of legal experience.

Since 2015, he has served as an Acting County Court Judge in Suffolk County, presiding over civil and criminal cases, including business law disputes, personal injury matters and criminal trials.

He has also been an adjunct professor of law at Touro Law School His public service career includes a decade as Northport village attorney and nearly two decades as Huntington town attorney, responsible for municipal law, litigation and land use.

Matthews spent over 30 years in private practice, handling corporate and commercial law, litigation, and personal injury cases. He has a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law and a bachelor’s from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Alfred C. Graf

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 66

Legal career: A Suffolk County District Court judge since 2018, Alfred Graf is now aiming for the state Supreme Court.

Born and raised on Long Island, Graf graduated from Farmingdale High School in 1976. He enlisted in the Navy that same year and rose to the rank of Operations Specialist Third Class Petty Officer. He received an honorable discharge four years later.

Graf earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from SUNY Plattsburgh and his law degree from Touro Law School. His professional experience includes serving as a NYPD officer. He has also worked as an alternative education schoolteacher and as an attorney with his own private firm.

His political experience includes serving two terms as supervisor of the upstate Town of Brighton and was an assemblyman from 2011 to 20118 representing A.D. 5 in Suffolk.

Terence P. Murphy

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties

Legal career: Terence Murphy was elected to serve as a Nassau County Court judge in 2014. He previously served as a Nassau County District Court judge where he presided over the Veterans Treatment Court from 2010 through 2014. He is a member of the Nassau County Bar Association.

Murphy is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. He served 26.5 years active and military service and was deployed to Bosnia, Iraq and Kuwait. His active duty experience began in 1973 with enlistment after high school. Murphy served as legal adviser to multiple commanders.

Paul E. Hennings

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 63

Legal career: Paul Hennings is a resident of Suffolk County and has served as a District Court judge since 2019 and Acting County Court judge since 2022. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Providence College in 1983 and went on to earn his law degree at Catholic University Law School three years later. After law school, he joined the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office where he was an assistant district attorney until 1989.

Hennings began his career in private practice in civil litigation, trials and appeals in State and Federal Courts. He first served as an associate with Wortman, Furmuso, Kelly (1989 to 1996). Then he joined the law office of Ted M. Toboias, until 2005. He then joined Devitt, Spellman and Barrett, LLP where he practiced as lead attorney until 2008. He then became a partner at Lawrence, Worden, Rainis, and Bard LLP.

Deanna D. Panico

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties

Legal career: Deanna Panico is a partner at Bee Ready Fishbein Hatter & Donovan, LLP. She has been in private practice since 2011, specializing in employment law. Panico was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2011, the U.S. Eastern District of New York in 2012, the U.S. Southern District of New York in 2016, and the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in 2014.

She earned her undergraduate degree from Stony Brook University in 2007 and her law degree from St. John’s University School of Law in 2010.

Paul Hensley

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 63

Legal career: Paul Hensley was a judge for the district court of Suffolk County in New York. He was appointed to the court in 2002, elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2008. Hensley lost the 2014 election. Before his judicial appointment, Hensley served as a principal law clerk. His current titles are County Court judge, District Court judge and acting Supreme Court justice. Hensley has served as an acting Suffolk County Court judge since 2006, and was a law clerk for County Court Judge James Hudson from January 2001 until July 2002. From January 1999 to January 2001, Hensley was a law clerk for State Supreme Court Justice Leonard B. Austin. From March 1998 until January 1999, he worked as an assistant Huntington Town attorney.

Before that, Hensley worked for the Robert Plan Corp., and also served as a Suffolk County assistant district attorney. He received his law degree from SUNY Buffalo.

Gregg Roth

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties

Legal career: Gregg Roth is an attorney with over 30 years of experience in many sectors of law, including civil rights law, employment law, personal injury law, social security disability law and workers’ compensation law.

Roth received his law degree at Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law in 1993, and has been a member of the New York State Bar since 1994. He has served as a state principal law clerk for the past 11 years, and previously was the associate director for Drug Court programs February 2011 to April 2014.

An extremely accomplished legal professional for decades, according to people who know him, he’s been crossendorsed by the Democratic, Republican and Conservative parties in Nassau County as a nominee for the New York State’s Supreme Court.

Ryan E. Cronin

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties

Age: 43

Legal career: Ryan Cronin is a practicing attorney from Garden City. He received his law degree from the Washington University School of Law in 2008. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Loyola College. He was the Democratic candidate for Senate District 6 in 2012 and 2016, losing both times to incumbent Republican Kemp Hannon. He ran for Nassau County Comptroller in 2021 and lost to Republican Elaine Phillips. During his campaigns, Cronin focused on issues such as community safety, justice reform and access to legal resources. He emphasized a commitment to fairness and integrity in the judicial process.

Family Court Judge 2024 JUDICIAL CANDIDATES

Chris J. Coschignano

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 60

Legal career: Chris J. Coschignano is a seasoned attorney and a candidate for family court judge, practicing law since 1990. As a member and partner at his firm — Sahn Ward — he specializes in zoning and land use planning, real estate law, municipal law, economic development, and family law. His extensive experience includes managing complex zoning projects on Long Island, earning recognition for smart growth initiatives. He served as a councilman for the Town of Oyster Bay from 2001 to 2017 and has held various municipal roles since 1995, including counsel to the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals. Coschignano is active in community service, serving on multiple boards, including the Nassau County Bar Association and the Touro Law Center. He co-founded the St. Edward the Confessor Church’s Annual Summer Festival and coaches youth ice hockey. A recipient of numerous awards, he is committed to public service and education

2nd District Court Judge

Veronica Renta Irwin

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 50

Legal career: Judge Veronica Renta Irwin, currently serving on the Nassau County District Court, is running for re-election in the 2nd District.

Renta Irwin completed her early education at Brentwood High School before earning her degree from SUNY Albany and graduating from Hofstra Law School in 1999.

Starting her legal career in private practice, she founded her own firm, Irwin & Streiner, LLC, in Great Neck in 2001, focusing on personal ijury, guardianship and constitutional violations. Renta Irwin also has experience as principal law clerk for Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Sharon M.J. Gianelli from 2020 to 2024. She has also been involved in various legal organizations, including theLong Island Hispanic Bar Association, where is a past president, and as a board member of the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association. She also teaches at the School of Law at Hofstra University.

Lisa Daniels

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 58

Legal career: Lisa Daniels has over 25 years of legal experience, focusing on family litigation and guardianship cases.

Daniels holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and a Brooklyn Law School law degree She has been an adjunct professor, teaching family law and litigation at Hofstra University and Queens College from 1997 to 2001.

Daniels is a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Children and the Law and serves on its legislation subcommittees. She is also a member of the Nassau County Bar Association Family Court Advisory Committee. Daniels ran for county legislator in 2013 and eight years later.

In 1998, Daniels founded her law firm, addressing a wide range of family law issues, such as juvenile delinquency actions, abuse and neglect matters. She is listed on the New York State Court Part 36 Fiduciary List, serving as a court examiner, evaluator and guardian for incapacitated individuals.

Andrea C. Phoenix

Democrat

Age: 59

Legal career: Phoenix has served as a Nassau County District Court judge in the Tenth Judicial District since 2007, where she presides over the Nassau County Mental Health Court and the Drug Treatment Court. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Hampton University, a master’s degree in communication and education from The Ohio State University, and a J.D. from the Hofstra University, Maurice A. Deane School of Law.

Before her election, Phoenix practiced family law in private practice from 1992 to 2006 and was a staff attorney with Nassau Suffolk Law Services. She has led the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York and the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association, and she served on the New York State Unified Court System Family Violence Task Force.

She is also involved with the Amistad Black Bar Association, Theodore Roosevelt American Inn of Court, and community groups, including Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and The Links, Incorporated.

Joseph Nocella Jr.

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 60

Legal career: Joseph Nocella Jr. currently serves as a Nassau County District Court judge, having been elected to the position for the 2023 to 2028 term. County Executive Bruce Blakeman initially appointed him to the court in 2022.

Before becoming a judge, Nocella served as the town attorney for Hempstead from 2021 to 2022 and as chief of staff to the Hempstead Town Supervisor from 2020 to 2021.

From 2017 to 2020, he was the town attorney for Oyster Bay. Within Nassau County government, Nocella has an extensive background, including positions as Counsel to the Office of Housing & Community Development from 2014 to 2017, Managing Attorney in the County Attorney’s Office from 2011 to 2014, and Counsel to both the County Executive and the Nassau County Legislature from 2006 to 2008 and again from 2010 to 2011.

Sean Wright

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 54

Legal career: Sean Wright, a longtime Valley Stream resident, is running for District Court Judge in the 2nd District, bringing decades of legal experience and community service to his campaign.

Wright has spent more than seven years as a prosecutor for Valley Stream, where he handled ticket and building violation cases. Inn 2011 when he became a Hempstead Town attorney and worked as an arbitrator for both Queens and Nassau County. He has served as treasurer for the Friends of Bridge, a substance abuse counseling center, and has volunteered as an attorney adviser for High School Mock Trial, where he helped teacha new generation of legal minds. His dedication to local youth extended to the sports field as an assistant coach for the Valley Stream Green Hornets.

In 2016, Wright was appointed to the Valley Stream village board by Mayor Ed Fare after the resignation of Virginia ClavinHiggins

County Court Judge

Jeffrey A. Goodstein

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 57

Legal career: Jeffrey A. Goodstein is running for Nassau County Court Judge.

Goodstein has served as an acting justice of the Nassau County Supreme Court in the 10th Judicial District since 2012, appointed by Chief Administrative Judge A. Gail Prudenti. He also holds a position as a judge in the New York Court of Claims, appointed by Governor Andrew Cuomo in 2012 and reappointed in 2014.

Goodstein earned his law degree from Touro Law School and has served in various legal capacities throughout his career. He is also an adjunct professor at St. John’s University School of Law.

City Judge

City of Long Beach

Corey Klein

Endorsed by Republican, Conservative, and Democratic parties Age: 57

Legal career: Corey Klein was elected to the Long Beach City Court in Nassau County in the state’s 10th Judicial District in 2015. He filled the vacancy when Roy Tepper retired.

Klein received his law degree from Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law. He also has his master’s in business administration from Hofstra.

A lifelong resident of Long Beach, Klein served as the city’s corporation counsel before being named judge. He also served as a past president of the Long Beach Lawyers Association.

On the issues:

Anthony D’Esposito, a Republican and former NYPD detective, won the district in the 2022 midterm elections defeating Laura Gillen, and flipping the seat from Democratic to the GOP control for the first time in 25 years.

He said he is working hard noting as there are 75,000 more Democrats in the district than Republicans.

4th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Anthony D’Esposito

Party: Republican

D’Esposito’s platform continues to emphasize affordability, increased funding for local schools, and opposes “cashless bail” policies, which he says have contributed to rising crime. He also suports eliminating the cap on state and local tax deductions.

D’Esposito noted his work to retun money to the district for water cleanup in Hempstead village and to mitigate flooding in low-lying South Shore communities, a majority of the district, including his hometown of Island Park.

Along with partnering with local elected officials to make the communities more sustainable, considering the damage the area suffered after

Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

He said he is opposed to a federal ban on abortion.

On immigration he supported the House bill known as H.R. 2 that addressed issues regarding immigration and border security, including by imposing limits to asylum eligibility, but points to the Democratic-led Senate that did not put the measure up for a vote.

D’Esposito said he prioritizes public safety and said he strongly support Israel and Ukraine.

His re-election bid has been overshadowed by an ethics complaint. A Democratic action committee has accused him of hiring his fiancée’s daughter and a woman he allegedly had a personal relationship with for taxpayer-funded positions in his district office.

The allegations have prompted calls for an expedited investigation, though D’Esposito has denied any wrongdoing and views it as a personal, private matter.

Laura Gillen is mounting a campaign centered on supporting middle-class families, defending women’s rights, and tackling pressing social justice issues.

As a former Town of Hempstead Supervisor, Gillen made history in 2017 as the first Democrat to hold the office in over a century. Her tenure was marked by key accomplishments, including passing transparency reforms, modernizing the town’s digital infrastructure, and allocating over $59 million to repair local roads. She lost her re-election bid in 2019, but remained an active figure in Nassau County politics.

On the issues:

wake the Supreme Court overturning Roe V. Wade. She criticized D’Esposito’s support for anti-abortion policies, arguing that his stance is out of touch with the values of Long Island voters. She said she stands strong stand against the rise of antisemitism, particularly in the wake of increasing incidents in schools, synagogues and on social media. Her action plan is aimed at combating hate, which includes leveraging federal resources to improve safety in schools, providing more protection for synagogues, and increasing oversight of social media platforms to prevent the spread of hateful content.

Gillen has made it clear that her campaign is focused on delivering for Long Island families. She has emphasized her commitment to reinstating the State and Local Tax deduction, a key economic issue for many county residents.

Gillen is a staunch advocate for reproductive rights, vowing to fight for the restoration of legal abortion in the

Senate DiStrict 9

As a mother of four, Gillen said she brings a personal connection, emphasizing that she understands the challenges facing families in her district. She believes that her bipartisan approach as town supervisor, where she worked with a GOP-majority board, demonstrates her ability to get things done while staying true to her principles.

On the issues:

Patricia CanzoneriFitzpatrick is a familiar face, being elected to represent Senate District 9 in 2022. She’s seeking a re-election for a second term.

Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick began her career in public service well before becoming senator.

She’s spent time as a Malverne village trustee in the Village of Malverne — where she lives — as Malverne’s police and fire commissioner, and as the village’s deputy mayor and budget director.

too far. So, we need to bring it back a little bit toward the middle, so to speak, and give judges discretion.”

Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick also wants to support small businesses.

She says they should be allowed to operate without increased utility rates and increased taxes from the state.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our community. It’s very important to support small businesses,” she said.

On the issues:

James Lynch, a longtime psychiatrist, has been helping those struggling with severe mental illness.

He saw firsthand what it was like to be poor, at risk of homelessness and underserved. A newcomer for this position, he aims to do more.

Lynch spent time as a trustee and deputy mayor for Stewart Manor village, and said he enjoyed it, but decided he wanted to do more.

She says police need more funding, training, and trust based on their training and wants to continue working on bail reform and increasing discretion for judges.

“One of the first bills I proposed was allowing judges to have discretion,” Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick said. “I understood that there was a need for the bail laws to change, and I applauded that, but I think they went

She also hopes to offer more support to veterans, more mental health support in schools and to stop Nassau County from becoming a “sanctuary county” for illegal immigration.

She’s also not opposed to offshore wind energy options, but thinks it has to be implemented in a more efficient way than previously attempted.

He thought of Senate District 9, and threw his hat into the ring.

He hopes to “end one party domination” in Nassau County politics. He hopes to join their ranks, and hold them accountable.

“I’d like to see a change in the tone and the dynamics that don’t exist in Nassau County,” he said. “I don’t think some people are serving us as well as they should.”

Lynch plans to combat climate change and the effect it’s had on local

communities. He’s for wind farms, for said he understands there’s work to be done in terms of community response.

He’s met with community members that have pushed back against wind farms — and found that the residents agreed be open to potential wind farms in the future.

Lynch said he also plans to work to keep taxes from increasing.

“I support a tax cap,” he said. “Nassau County, Town of Hempstead, my school district, has a tax cap. New York State Government, that’s a separate thing to deal with, but that’s how you solve it. It’s only slowing the rate of increase; it’s not stopping or lowering it. So I expect my taxes to stay the same.”

Laura Gillen Party: Democrat

Congressional District 4 includes the South Shore Nassau County communities from the western county border to Seaford.

James Lynch Party: Democrat

Patricia CanzoneriFitzpatrick Party: Republican

GENERAL ELECTION Candidates

Democratic Electors

Amendment to Protect Against Unequal Treatment

This proposal would protect against unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. It also protects against unequal treatment based on reproductive healthcare and autonomy.

A “YES” vote puts these protections in the New York State Constitution.

A “NO” vote leaves these protections out of the State Constitution.

Enmienda para Proteger Contra el Trato Desigual

Esta propuesta protegería contra el trato desigual basado en la etnicidad, el origen nacional, la edad, la discapacidad y el sexo, incluida la orientación sexual, la identidad de género y el embarazo. También protege contra el trato desigual basado en la salud y la autonomía reproductiva.

Un voto “SÍ” coloca estas protecciones en la Constitución del Estado de Nueva York. Un voto “NO” deja estas protecciones fuera de la Constitución del Estado.

Electores para Presidente y Vicepresidente

Kamala D. Harris (For President)

Republican Electors

This is not an

by your edition of the Herald. Specifi Herald may be found at LIHerald.com

Tim Walz (For Vice President)

Electores para Presidente y Vicepresidente

Donald J. Trump (For President)

JD Vance (For Vice President)

Representative in Congress District 4

Representante en el Congreso Distrito 4

Laura Gillen (D,CS)

United States Senator

Senador Estatal, Distrito

Justice

(R,C)

(1)

Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D, WF) Diane Sare (L) Michael D. Sapraicone (R,C)

State Senator District 9

Senador Estatal, Distrito 9

(1) James Lynch (D)

Patricia CanzoneriFitzpatrick (R,C)

ELECTIon’24

actual ballot, but a composite of several sample ballots so as to reflect all the districts within the communities covered Specific candidates for individual communities are identified in blue. Complete reporting on

running in districts covered by the LIHerald.com under the Elections ’24 tab. For election results after the polls close Tuesday night, go to LIHerald.com

Member of Assembly District 20

Hempstead Council Member District 5

(D) Christopher Schneider (R,C)

Justice of the Supreme Court

la Corte Suprema (Vote for up to Eight) (8)

F. Matthews, Jr. (D,R,C)

Roth (D,R,C)

Deanna D. Panico (D,R,C)

Terence P. Murphy (D,R,C)

County Court Judge

Jeffrey A. Goodstein(D,R,C)

Alfred C. Graf (D,R,C)

Paul E. Hennings (D,R,C)

Paul M. Hensley (D,R,C)

Andrew A. Crecca (D,R,C)

Family Court Judge

District Court Judge District 4

Juez

Michele M. Johnson (D,R,C)

Lisa A. LoCurto (D,R,C)

City Judge

Juez Municipal

Corey E. Klein (D,C,R)

On the issues:

Ari Brown is seeking re-election for his Assembly seat, emphasizing his commitment to combating antisemitism and addressing crime.

Brown, the first Orthodox Jewish Republican assemblyman in the state, is running for his third election since initially winning a special election in 2022.

Assembly District 20

Ari

Brown Party: Republican

As a 25-year veteran of the Cedarhurst village board and current deputy mayor, Brown brings a wealth of local government experience to his role, he said, including serving as the board’s liaison to the village’s Business Improvement District.

He serves on the Assembly’s state education and small business committees and is a ranking member of the local governments committee.

Antisemitism is at the forefront of Brown’s platform. He has introduced six bills aimed at addressing this issue, including legislation to strip scholarships from students engaged in antisemitic

acts and mandate sensitivity training.

Brown is also advocating for the elimination of cashless bail, arguing it contributes to increased crime and negatively impacts businesses, he said. He supports a tough-on-crime approach, drawing inspiration from former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s “broken windows” theory, Brown said.

Other key issues in Brown’s campaign include opposing the commuter tax — congestion pricing — and rethinking offshore wind projects. Brown said he has not been entirely against the idea, but has met with the leaders of these potential projects that would impact his constituents to propose alternative paths of travel for transmission lines. He has suggested less dense, non-residential areas for them He said that his diverse background and deep roots in the community make him well-suited to understand and address constituents’ needs.

Long Beach’s Tina Posterli is aiming to leveraging her experience in local governance and public policy to wrest the Assembly seat from Ari Brown.

On the issues:

Long Beach’s Tina Posterli is aiming to leveraging her experience in local governance and public policy to wrest the Assembly seat from Ari Brown.

Tina Posterli Party: Democrat

With a background in Long Beach City Council and as president of the Long Beach Board of Education, Posterli believes she brings a wealth of local knowledge to her campaign, she said.

Her platform is built on education funding, with Posterli aiming to secure resources for quality education while keeping property taxes in check, she said. Posterli plans to push for changes to the school foundation aid formula to ensure fair distribution of state funding across districts, she said.

In the past, Posterli secured $200 million for Long Beach’s infrastructure

improvements, she said.

She is also focused on flood mitigation and reproductive rights, an issue close to her heart, as she was a Planned Parenthood advocate.

Posterli said she supports Prop 1, which would enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution.

Addressing antisemitism in schools through early education initiatives is another priority for Posterli. On offshore wind, she advocates for a balanced approach that supports renewable energy while ensuring community input on project routes.

Posterli said her experience in crisis management, particularly in navigating the school district through the Covid-19 pandemic, underscores her readiness for the Assembly role.

She is prepared to tackle the community priorities, Posterli said, emphasizing her commitment to serving the diverse needs of A.D. 20 and her track record of connecting with various stakeholders to achieve common objectives.

Assembly District 20 includes Atlantic Beach, Cedarhurst, East Rockaway, Hewlett, Inwood, Island Park, Lawrence, Oceanside, Point Lookout and Woodmere.

Hempstead CounCil member distriCt 5

Chris Schneider, the newly appointed Town of Hempstead Councilman for the 5th District, is running in the November special election to continue his decades-long commitment to public service.

He was unanimously appointed to the board in August after the death of Chris Carini in July.

A Seaford resident and Wantagh High School graduate, Schneider’s career in government began in 2002, with roles in the Nassau County Legislature and the New York State Senate. He also held a senior leadership position at the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.

Schneider, 45, said replacing Carini was bittersweet, as Carini had been a close friend and collaborator for years. on the issues:

One of Carini’s legacies that Schneider is eager to support is the town’s Quality of Life Task Force, which addresses community issues such as

graffiti and illegal ads. Schneider said he plans to expand and strengthen the task force, as he believes preserving a community’s appearance has a direct impact on residents’ quality of life.

Schneider has also represented Seaford on the Nassau County Police Commissioner’s Community Council since 2022, advocating for school safety, monitoring illegal smoke shops, and ensuring police stay responsive to community concerns. He supports the town’s efforts to remain fiscally responsible and says he is committed to finding ways to “do more with less” amid rising costs.

He emphasizes the importance of communication and accessibility. He has connected with local civic leaders, fire departments, clergy, and veterans’ organizations to understand their needs and ensure he’s available to address community concerns.

“I’m accessible if they have a problem,” he said.

Former Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams is returning to politics with a clear focus on making the Town of Hempstead more affordable for all residents. on the issues:

The Democrat and Freeport resident, sees affordability as the town’s most pressing issue.

Abrahams, 50, served in the Nassau County Legislature for over two decades, where he said he helped stabilize the county’s finances and spearheaded infrastructure projects.

His time in office focused on keeping parks safe, maintaining roads, and ensuring that communities thrived. Now, his top priority is addressing the rising cost of living in Hempstead, particularly the lack of affordable housing for young people and middleaged families.

He expressed concern about the town’s recent $2 million tax levy increase, arguing that rising fees for services like pool passes, parking

permits, and sports leagues are unfairly burdening residents. He has vowed to scrutinize any proposed tax hikes and fiscal decisions to ensure they benefit taxpayers.

Abrahams also highlighted the importance of infrastructure, noting his past work in mitigating flooding in Freeport. He plans to focus on maintaining town roads and improving drainage systems to prevent flooding and disrepair.

He also said he wants to ensure that residents have access to essential services, like safe roads, well-maintained parks, and reliable public safety. His campaign aims to provide an alternative voice on the Town Board, advocating for policies that lower costs for residents.

“We cannot have a blind eye to what we do in the town, in regards to the increasing of tax or park fees or anything along those lines,” he said. “We have to lessen the burden, not add to it.”

Kevan

Abrahams

Party: Democrat

Chris Schneider Party: Republican

Counselmanic District 5 includes Bellmore, Freeport, Leittown, Lido Beacg Point Lookout and Seaford.

Town approves preliminary 2025 budget

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

Town of Hempstead residents are expecting to pay more taxes next year — $5 more for those who live in villages, and $65 more for those who live in unincorporated areas.

The Town Board approved the preliminary 2025 budget on Oct. 1, adopting a $549 million spending plan, an increase of 4.9 percent. The tax levy will increase from $346 million to $389 million — a jump of over 12 percent that will far exceed the state tax cap of roughly 2 percent.

Town Comptroller John Mastromarino stated at a budget hearing on Oct. 15 that the town has managed to postpone tax increases over the past few years by utilizing reserve funds. But, he said, those funds are now running low, which is necessitating the tax increase.

“The town hasn’t had a tax increase in four years,” Mastromarino said. During that time, he added, the cost of living across the country increased by almost 28 percent, “and what we were doing was utilizing the reserves to protect our taxpayers,” Mastromarino said.

“The reserves were used, the taxpayers were protected, and it’s now at a point where we just can’t do it anymore,” he said.

Mastromarino said that the town used $22 million of reserve funds.

Where your tax dollars could go

School districts: 64 percent

Nassau County: 14 percent

Special districts: 10 percent

Villages: 7 percent

Towns: 4 percent

Cities: 1 percent

Before the budget hearing, community members rallied outside Town Hall, organized by members of the Nassau County Legislature’s Democratic caucus, who oppose the proposed tax increases. They accused the board of lacking transparency and failing to adequately inform the public about budgetary changes.

Attendees highlighted the already high cost of living that many residents are struggling with as they face the need to find additional funds to meet their tax obligations.

Former County Legislator Kevan Abrahams, who is challenging Republican Town Councilman Christopher Schneider to serve the balance of the term of Christopher Carini, who died in July,

spoke at the rally.

“There’s no transparency — there’s no visibility,” Abrahams said of the board’s budgeting process. “They try to do this in the cloak of darkness and they’re trying to squeak it past you. It’s called a sneaky weasel tax.”

In a letter about the budget proposal distributed among those who attended the hearing, Town Supervisor Donald Clavin stated that the spending plan was “fiscally responsible” and would enhance the town’s quality of life.

“Residents love the Town of Hemp -

Town Supervisor Donald Clavin addressed board members during a budget hearing on Oct. 15, at which they discussed the preliminary 2025 budget of $549 million.

Hernesto Galdamez/Herald

stead, and for many good reasons,” Clavin wrote. “Our beaches, parks, and nature preserves are second to none. We have some of the finest restaurants, shops, and small businesses around. Our schools, athletic programs, community organizations, senior centers, and other public resources are among the best in the nation.

“This superlative quality-of-life experience paired with top-notch government services is what continues to make Hempstead Town a great place to live, work, and raise a family,” he added.

SHOP WHAT'S NOW UNIQLO

Memoir confronts mental health stigma

Matthew Byrne was a 2002 graduate of Bowdoin College who spent his summers as a lifeguard at Jones Beach. The attacks on Lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001, during his senior year, sparked a passion in him that led him to join the ranks of New York’s Bravest. In 2006, he achieved his dream of becoming a New York City firefighter.

His service was marked by both heroism and heartbreak. He responded to a seven-alarm fire at Deutsche Bank in 2007, an inferno that claimed two of his fellow FDNY firefighters and left 155 injured. He also experienced profound grief after a car ran over two young children in Chinatown, where he was stationed. In their final moments, he held them in his arms. These experiences left him with invisible scars.

His father said that in writing the book, he learned more about what had been haunting Matthew for years that had never come to light. When he got hurt on the job, he was prescribed opioids to help with the pain, and became addicted to them.

Post-traumatic stress, addiction and depression were unwanted companions in Matthew’s life, which ultimately led to his resignation from the FDNY in February 2014, when the family lived in Rockville Centre. He began the work of regaining control of his life, with the unwavering support of his parents and

four siblings. That, apparently, was not enough, and on Aug. 24, 2014, Matthew died from suicide. He was 34.

In his memory, his Jones Beach colleagues held a memorial paddle-out a week later, with his family and friends. It was a fitting tribute to a man who had dedicated so many of his summers to watching over others in the ocean.

In the memoir, Edward Byrne was determined to address his son’s suicide truthfully and openly. He explained that the story serves as both a “cautionary tale” and as a “wake-up call” about the ongoing mental health crisis in the United States.

“This can happen to anybody,” Byrne emphasized. “There are underlying conditions that you might not be catching or appreciating. You need to be on top of your game.”

He said that while in some sense the writing process was cathartic, he felt it was important not to shy away from some of the negatives. As he wrote, he said, he noticed how some friends vanished — “Maybe they think sorrow is contagious” — while others unexpectedly stepped forward.

“First you’re kind of pissed off at them,” he said. “Then you realize they just can’t handle it, and some people are better equipped for that than others.”

By sharing all the details, good and bad, Byrne hopes that the story will help others by breaking the stigma attached to

mental health issues and suicide, so that others reading the book, who might be living through a similar experience, will understand that there is nothing to be ashamed of, and perhaps will be moved to seek help.

Now, 10 years after Matthew’s death, his father hopes that his book can reach parents in communities like Rockville Centre and beyond, to give families the heads-up they may need to avoid similar loss, to help them better understand mental health issues, and to help them find the strength to survive tragedy.

“Rockville Centre parents I think are very much of this mindset that ‘It can’t happen to us,’” Byrne said. “And yet it did, and very quickly. Despite our best efforts along the way.”

The impact is already resonating throughout the community, including the RVC Moms Facebook group, Chaminade High School’s senior religion class, and fire department counseling programs.

In addition to his newfound career as an author, Byrne is an attorney with 45 years of experience in construction law. He is a graduate of Bowdoin College and Columbia Law School. His first novel, “Love’s Not Over ’Til It’s Over,” is a Vietnam-era family drama published in 2017, after what he refers to as “a very long gestation period.”

He continues to keep a law office in Rockville Centre, and now lives in Long Beach, in a home that his family rebuilt

the cover of edward

features a high school photo of matthew, a longtime Jones Beach lifeguard who went on to become a firefighter.

after Hurricane Sandy.

In the memoir, Byrne transforms his family’s tragedy into a beacon of hope and awareness for others, to remind readers that by sharing our darkest moments, we may help others who are working to find their way through darkness of their own.

For more about the author visit EdwardTByrne.com. His book, “In Whom I Am Well Pleased” is available for purchase on Amazon and digital booksellers.

Courtesy Edward T. Byrne

Byrnes’s memoir

STEPPING OUT

Get your scare on with Halloween-inspired shindig

Ghoul out with some festive merrymaking

By Karen Bloom

The countdown is now on to spooking and assorted revelry. The signs of that festive day are all around us as all those ghouls, witches and wizards look forward to Oct. 31.

So throw on a costume and act like a kid — with or without the kids. Transform your house into a spooky (or mildy spooky lair) with party tricks and Halloween treats. Set the scene with a mad scientist-themed sweets table and carry it home with a crazy good menu featuring frightfully yummy appetizers, some mocktails for the kids (and non-drinkers in your crowd) and, of course, treats.

Dress up the details: Many folks can’t wait to dress up for a Halloween party, but that’s not so for everyone. Don’t make costumes mandatory. Instead offer a table of accessories that anyone can borrow and use to alter their appearance. Goofy glasses, strange hats, adhesive mustaches, or masks can be fun.

Have fun with Halloween cuisine. Cookie cutters can turn sandwiches, desserts, biscuits — just about anything — into different shapes. Foods also can be made a tad more spooky simply by renaming them or presenting them in interesting containers. Beverages can be offered in jugs or old bottles and labeled “potions.”

Try these tricked-out treats for same tasty spooking.

Witches Finger Sandwiches

Entice guests into your lair with some witchy fingers

• 1 (11-oz.) can refrigerated breadsticks

• 6 small slices pepperoni

• 12 (2/3-oz.) slices cheese

• 3/4 cup finely shredded lettuce

Heat oven to 375°F. Separate dough into 12 strips. Place flat on ungreased cookie sheet; do not twist. With sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut 2 small triangles from one end of each dough strip to form a point that resembles a fingertip. Lightly score breadsticks in center to resemble knuckles. Cut each pepperoni slice into 2 pointed ovals to resemble 2 fingernails. Place 1 pepperoni piece on each breadstick.

Bake at 375°F. for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. If necessary, reapply “fingernails” with small dot of ketchup.

puffs to resemble ghosts onto the remaining baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until dried and firm, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven, close the door, and cool until completely dried, about 1 hour more.

Dip the tip of a toothpick into melted chocolate and dot chocolate “eyes” on each of the ghosts.

Spiderweb Cheesecake

Snare your guests with some spider web cheesecake. Use your favorite 9” cheesecake recipe.

Topping:

• 1/3 cup heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

• 1/3 cup milk, cream, sour cream or ricotta cheese

Web:

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chunks or chips

First, make your favorite 9” cheesecake, one using a graham cracker crust. Add 1/4 cup black cocoa to the crust, before pressing it into the pan. Bake the cake as directed; remove from the oven, and let it cool.

To make the topping: Whip the heavy cream with the sugar just until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the sour cream just until combined.

Spread the topping over the cooled cheesecake.

Rock the Dock

Ambrosia, John Ford Coley and Peter Beckett (The Voice of Player), come together for a magical night performing all of their 1970s and ‘80s Billboard Top 40 Hits, on the Tilles Center stage, Yacht Rock the Dock shines the spotlight on the original artists, with Elliot Lurie, as they reinvigorate their many beloved tunes. Enjoy Ambrosia’s everlasting hits including “How Much I Feel,” “You’re the Only Woman” and “Biggest Part of Me.” John Ford Coley, most known as half of the Grammy-nominated duo England Dan and John Ford Coley, performs many memorable hits, including “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight,” “Love Is The Answer” and “Nights Are Forever Without You.” These songs are the soundtrack to a generation.Today’s so-called smooth yacht rock music scene would not be yacht rock without the contributions of these Grammy winning artists.

Friday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Tickets available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

‘Old Time Rock’

Split each breadstick. Cut each cheese slice into strips and place in breadstick, overlapping strips. Top each with lettuce. If desired, serve with mustard, mayonnaise or ketchup. Serve warm or cold. Note: Place leftover small triangular dough pieces on cookie sheet; bake until crisp. Use as croutons or nibblers.

Spooky Bones and Ghosts

Chase the demons away with a few “bones.”

• 2 large egg whites

• 2 drops fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

• 7 tablespoons white sugar, or more to taste

• 2 chocolate chips, melted, or as needed

Preheat oven to 225°F. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

Whisk eggs whites and lemon juice together in a bowl until thick, white, and foamy. Add sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking constantly, until meringue is shiny, thick, and holds its shape.

Transfer meringue to a piping bag. Pipe 12 bone shapes onto a prepared baking sheet. Pipe 12

To make the chocolate web: Heat the cream until it begins to simmer, then pour it over the chocolate and stir. The chocolate will begin to form one mass. Keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted — the cream should be hot enough to melt all the chocolate. If not, reheat briefly.

Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag fitted with a small tip (or a zip-top bag with one corner cut to form a 1/8” opening). Pipe one central dot onto the cream topping, then six concentric circles around the dot, spaced 1/2” apart.

Beginning with the center circle, gently pull a toothpick through all the circles toward the outer edge. Wipe the toothpick clean and repeat, moving clockwise and dragging the toothpick through at every eighth segment of the circle to complete the web pattern.

Peter Lemongello, Jr., the son of Long Island’s legendary star, returns to the Landmark stage. He takes his audience on a nostalgic musical journey from the 1960s through the’ 80s with his “Old Time Rock ‘N Roll” show. Accompanied by his eight-piece band, Peter delivers an engaging performance that evokes pure emotion. He continues to honor his father’s legacy — Peter Lemongello was the first artist to sell over a million albums on TV, through an innovative TV commercial campaign that paved the way for music video infomercials and MTV. A special highlight is Peter Jr.’s heartfelt tribute to his father, performing the hit “Do I Love You,” written by Paul Anka, which his Dad debuted on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.”

Friday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or by contacting Gene DiNapoli at (917) 567-5842.

Witches Finger Sandwiches Spooky Bones and Ghosts Spiderweb Cheesecake

THE Your Neighborhood

America

The perennial classic rock favorite is back on the road again as founding member Dewey Bunnell celebrates the band’s 54rd anniversary, appearing on the Tilles Center stage, Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m. Billed as “Ride On Tour 2024, will draw on the band’s deep catalog of hits including signature song “A Horse With No Name,” a Number One hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1972. Bunnell and America’s co-founder Gerry Beckley (along with former band mate Dan Peek), who met in high school in London in the late 1960s, quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of that tune. Forty plus years later, these friends continue to make music together (although Beckley has now retired from touring) thrilling audiences with their timeless sound. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners discovered there was always much more to America than surface perceptions. The combination of Beckley’s melodic pop rock and Bunnell’s use of folk-jazz elements, slinky Latin-leaning rhythms and impressionistic lyric imagery contrasted well with Peek’s more traditional country-rock leanings and highly personal lyrics.

On their way to becoming a global household name, America’s journey found them exploring a wide variety of musical terrain. Their best-known tunes, including “I Need You,” “Ventura Highway,” “Don’t Cross The River,” “Tin Man,” “Lonely People,” and “Sister Golden Hair” were beloved as cornerstones of 1970s Top 40 and FM rock radio. From their formative years, America has been a band capable of transcending borders with its uplifting music and positive message. Embracing a rainbow of divergent cultures, America’s audiences continue to grow, comprising a loyal legion of first, second and third generation fans, all bearing testament to the group’s enduring appeal. Tickets start at $35. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

‘The Birthday Party’

Looking for something to do this Halloween season that isn’t just for kids? Visit Sands Point Preserve for an exclusive, immersive theatrical production, “The Birthday Party,” held in a secluded opulent mansion, Friday, oct. 25, also oct. 31 and Nov. 1. For those who attended Archie’s last “Birthday Party,” rest assured, there are new surprises in store.

Guests will be blindfolded and escorted to a secret location on the porperty, Villa Vanitas, to celebrate the enigmatic Lord Archibald Axel Von Finkelshorn Chatterton’s 30th birthday. He is a witless charmer on the cusp of a life-changing revelation, and everyone’s invited to witness his journey on a night that promises to be unforgettable and delightfully unpredictable. Cocktail attire preferred. $175 per person. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy. org or call (516) 571-7901.

Spooky Fest is back

A Halloween experience not to be missed, Spooky Fest is an outdoor adventure perfect for families, whether you want to be scared — or prefer seasonal fun of the non-scary kind. Join in the fun at the Center for Science, Teaching and Learning, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout October. Along the way in the updated and beautifully lit up Enchanted Walk you will see dinosaurs, aliens and friendly witches, costumed characters and more, including the Mystical Garden. Get your fortune told, make a craft and dance with the Halloween DJ, along with face painting and the Amazing Glow tent. For those who want a scare, venture into the Haunted Woods, where zombies and dinosaurs hang out. Admission starts at $22. 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre. Visit CSTL.org for call (516) 7640045 for more information.

Historical Society Murder Mystery Play

Attend the Historical Society’s annual murder mystery play, Friday through Sunday, Oct. 25-27, at 8 and 2 p.m., respectively. Enjoy this entertaining event and help solve the murder in 1950s Brooklyn. Participants are encouraged to dress up. With light refreshments, beverages and 50/50 raffle. $40 members; $45 non-members. 226 W. Penn St. For more information, visit LongBeachNY.gov.

Drug Take Back Program

The Long Beach Police Department once again partners with the Drug Enforcement Administration and Long Beach Aware to hold a Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Saturday, Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-noon. Drop off potentially dangerous prescription medications at the collection site at Long Beach City Hall, 1 W. Chester St. For more information, visit LongBeachNY.gov.

Posh Pets Charity Event

Posh Pets invites all to their Posh-a-thon charity event, in Kennedy Plaza, Sunday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. For additional information, visit PoshPetsRescueNY.org

Arts Council Tie Dye Workshop

Long Beach Arts Council hosts a Porchfest ’25 fundraising event. Participate in a hands-on tie dye workshop, Thursday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m., at Dox, 10 Broadway, Island Park. Registration required. For more information, visit LongBeachNY.gov.

Halloween in the Plaza

Celebrate Halloween in the Plaza at the final Arts in the Plaza event of the season, Saturday, Oct. 26

With a costume parade and dance party for the entire family, starting at 11 a.m. Trick-or-Treat and shop from local artists and vendors. Studio Noir also provides entertainment. 1 W. Chester St. For more information, visit ArtsInThePlaza. com or Facebook.com/ artsintheplaza1.

Having an event?

In concert

Musical quintet Sybarite visits Adelphi University’s Performing Arts Center, Friday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m. The ensemble is known for bridging genre gaps to bring unexpected musical combinations together to create unique, dynamic, and intoxicating concert experiences. Equal parts passion, grit, and musical ecstasy, it’s an intoxicating cocktail of genre-breaking artistry expressed through the virtuosity of violinists Sami Merdinian and Suliman Tekalli, violist Caeli Smith, cellist Laura Andrade, and double bassist Louis Levitt. The group is constantly evolving, defying categorization, and keeping audiences on their toes. Tickets start at $35. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. Visit Adelphi.edu/pac for tickets and information or call (516) 877-4000.

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

On stage

See Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull,” presented by Nassau Community College Theater and Dance Department, opening Friday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.; also Saturday, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 27, 2 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 29-30, 7;30 p.m. Delve into the lives of Arkádina, a famous — but fading — actress, and that of her lover, Trigórin, a well-known author. They arrive at her brother Sórin’s country estate for the summer, just as son Konstantín is staging an experimental new play he’s written and directed, starring his girlfriend, Nína. Chekhov’s first successful naturalist play follows the lives of young artists as they navigate life. Thematically, it’s a study of the arts and the artist, the lack of real satisfaction to be found there, the pretense and mediocrity that pervade the practice, and yet the power and mystery that are possible. $12; NCC students free $10 veterans, alumni, seniors 60+, students and NCC employees. Nassau Community College’s Little Theatre, Garden City. For tickets/information, visit nassau.booktix.com or NCC.edu or call (516) 572-7676.

Dog Days Weekend

Enjoy the glorious grounds of Old Westbury Gardens with your pooch (leashed of course), Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 26-27, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. With dog parade and costume contest on Sunday, 3-5 p.m. Prizes awarded to best dog costumes, including Prettiest, Most Handsome, Most Original, Best Duo or Group, Funniest. Costume contest participants must register. Advance ticket purchase for weekend events required. Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information, visit oldwestburygardens.org or call (516) 333-0048.

Mah Jongg club

Do you play Mah Jongg and want to meet other community members who play? Join in the game, at Long Beach Library, Wednesdays at

Raising, playing for the L.B. Waterfront Warriors

The Long Beach Waterfront Warriors held its 17th annual fundraiser on Oct. 19 at The

Community members packed the bar to show their support, donating money and having a good time. There was an open bar and food, a 50/50 and raffles. Shattered, a Rolling Stones tribute band, took the stage inside and rocked out during the event.

The Waterfront Warriors aid the wounded, ill and injured veterans and their families. The Long Beach Waterfront Warriors brings wounded, ill and injured veterans and their families to Long Beach for a relaxing vacation and a variety of activities. They also provide assistance to veterans hospitals and other needy and deserving institutions.

–Brendan

Carpenter

Public Notices

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13. Publication Title: LONG BEACH HERALD.

14. Issue Date for Circulation

Data Below: SEPTEMBER 26,

2024

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11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR STRUCTURED ASSET INVESTMENT LOAN TRUST MORTGAGE PASSTH5ROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-BNC3, Plaintiff, Against LYDIA LAMOUTH, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 04/03/2019, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 11/7/2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 159 E Chester St, Long Beach, New York 11561, And Described As Follows:

ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in The City Of Long Beach, County Of Nassau And State Of New York.

15. Extent and Nature of Circulation: a. Total No. Copies: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 6000; Actual No. Copies of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 5500.

b. Paid Circulation (By Mail and Outside the Mail): (1) Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions stated on Form 3541: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 35; Actual No. Copies of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 22. (2) Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 1136 Actual No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date, 914. (3) Paid Distribution Outside the Mails including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, and Counter Sales, and Other Non-USPS Paid Distribution: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 1913; Actual No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date, 1740. (4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 0; Actual No. Copies

Section 59 Block 108 Lot 65, 66, And 67. The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $477,177.88 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 607220/2017 Brian Davis, Esq., Referee. 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.

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

Dated: 9/9/24 File Number: 560-2175 SH 149318

for notices online at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC, -againstKAREN S. ROBERTSON, IF LIVING, AND IF SHE/HE BE DEAD, ET AL.

of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 0. c. Total Paid Distribution: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 3084; Actual No. Copies of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 2676 d. Free or Nominal Rate

Distribution( by Mail and Outside the Mail) : (1) Free or Nominal Rate OutsideCounty as Stated on Form 3541: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 1015; Actual No. Copies of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 952(2)Free or Nominal In-County as Stated on Form 3541: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 337 Actual No. Copies of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 0(3) Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other classes Mailed Through the USPS: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 0; Actual No. Copies of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 0. (4) Free or Nominal

Rate Distribution Outside the Mail: Average No. Copies

Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 500; Actual No. Copies of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 900 e. Total Free or Nominal Rate

Distribution: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 1852; Actual No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date, 1852. f. Total Distribution: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 4936;

AMENDED 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 August 8, 2024, wherein MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC is the Plaintiff and KAREN S. ROBERTSON, IF LIVING, AND IF SHE/HE BE DEAD, 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 November 19, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 23 VINTON STREET, LONG BEACH, NY 11561; and the following tax map identification: 59-225-66 & 67. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND SITUATE LYING AND BEING IN THE CITY OF LONG BEACH, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Actual No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date, 4528. g. Copies Not Distributed: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 1064 Actual No. Copies of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 972

h. Total: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 6000; Actual No. Copies of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 5500.

i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months, 62.48 Actual No. Copies of Single Issue

Published Nearest to Filing Date, 59.10%.

16. This Statement of Ownership will be printed in the October 24,2024 issue of this publication.

17. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner: Stuart Richner, Owner; Date: October 1, 2024 I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material information requested on the form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties). 1275285

Search for notices online at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 609244/2022. David S. Ziedman, Esq. - Referee. The Referee does not accept cash and only accepts bank checks or certified checks made payable to David S. Zeidman, as Referee. The Referee will not accept any checks made payable to a third party. 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. 149544

PUBLIC AND LEGAL NOTICES… Printed in this publication can be found online. To search by publication name, go to: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com TO PLACE AN AD CALL 516-569-4000 x 232

Alice Moreno/Herald photos

The community came out to show their support for veterans and the Waterfront Warriors on Oct. 19.

Debbie Michaelis and Erin Grisafi manned the raffle table, handing out tickets to guests who wanted to participate.

Inn in the West End.

Shattered performed, playing all the Rolling Stones’ hits.

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE

Full Time/Part Time

Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department.

Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc.

STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines.

Salary Range is $16 per hour to $23 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time Positions Available!

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Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience.

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Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

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EDITOR/REPORTER

Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to mhinman@liherald.com

EMAIL MARKETING SPECIALIST

Herald Community Newspapers is seeking a motivated and knowledgeable

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MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

Medical Reception/Accounts Receivable

Part Time- back-office work. Rockville Centre. Must be friendly, well-spoken. Computer literacy necessary. Back office includes collections/account receivable, verifying insurance and researching claims and some billing. Must be flexible (days/evenings). $18-$19/ Hourly. Email resume drsmnw@optonline.net or fax resume 516-763-4218.

MULTI MEDIA

ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $33,280 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $33,280 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators

Victorian Colonial Fixer-Upper

What can we do with our Helene-damaged home?

Q. Our home in Asheville, North Carolina, was damaged by Hurricane Helene. The insurance company was contacted, and several busy contractors have looked at the property as they passed by. One commented that many homes need to be completely rebuilt, because they’re missing parts that protect them from hurricanes, such as “tecos.” What are tecos, and why do they make a difference? Can they be added without tearing our house down? This may push us to just sell, as is, and move on, at a large loss. What can we do?

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BETH DAVID CEMETERY Elmont, Individual Cemetery Plot Available. For Information Call Leslie. 212-662-2650.

A. . First, Teco is a brand name for metal connectors that hold lumber building parts together, giving any home greater resistance to being pulled apart by wind. Unfortunately, the company went out of business in the 1990s. It’s a brand name, not a generic term — it’s like saying Kleenex instead of facial tissue. But the name stuck, and is often used by people who have no idea that you can’t get a Teco anymore, but it’s easier than saying joist hanger or connector.

The most-used brand today is Simpson, which is far more sophisticated, for a much wider variety of engineered connections. The key word is “engineered,” and I emphasize it because most users of these products often use the wrong connectors for the wrong purposes. For example, your home, if it’s not completely in splinters, can be saved, but you have to use the right connectors, utilizing manufacturer charts and selecting the right ones based on wind resistance calculations. I’m sure I just lost most readers, because almost nobody actually calculates, or desires to respect, the right use of the right connector, so people go to the store and buy a box of what looks best, what is most available or what costs the least.

While filming the documentary “Hell or High Water,” which never got released due to lack of funding, I got to meet with officials, from (the equivalent of) the mayor to the head of the building department in Moore, Oklahoma, after third-graders were killed in their concrete elementary school by the fastest winds ever recorded, 313 miles per hour. The neighborhood was gone. People were rebuilding. I questioned why building permits were issued and yet nobody was using the connectors to reconstruct. The superintendent of the building department answered with frustration, knowing that it’s a code requirement, that “most people can’t afford the cost of the connectors.” Nine years later, I saw an article about the state of Oklahoma now strictly enforcing connector requirements.

You don’t have to walk away from your home. The base and top of the wall studs, the roof rafter connections and the corner hold-downs can be retrofitted, which will give you additional wind resistance of approximately 30 mph, and as a nationally certified damage assessor, I have seen firsthand that the right connectors save property and lives. Good luck!

with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes,

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opinions

Law school bonds formed decades ago are still strong

Few possessions in life are more valuable than lasting friendships. I’ve been more than blessed with friendships that began almost 60 years ago, when I was a student at Notre Dame Law School, and remain strong all these decades later. That was clear when we got together again at Notre Dame last week.

I entered Notre Dame in 1965. From my home in Queens to the campus in South Bend, Indiana, was about 800 miles by car. In life experience, the distance was light years. I had no clue what to expect. My life up to then had been almost entirely confined to Queens, where I grew up; Brooklyn, where I went to high school and college; and Manhattan, where I was born, and where, during my last two years of college, I worked loading and unloading trucks and freight cars at the Railway Express Terminal on 10th Avenue.

My out-of-state ventures had been limited to New Jersey: a two-week summer rental when I was 9, a handful of one-day visits to relatives and two nights at Palisades Amusement Park. In

New York, I took the ferry once to Staten Island, made the occasional trip to Jones Beach and journeyed to the Bronx for a handful of Yankees games and once to watch the football Giants practice at Fordham. I had never eaten in an actual restaurant, my dining experience limited to White Castle and pizza joints.

The Notre Dame campus was as impressive as advertised, with its famed Golden Dome glistening in the Indiana sun and more trees and manicured grass than I’d seen anywhere except Central Park. The law school was a three-story Gothic structure that radiated seriousness of purpose. I opted to live in Fisher Hall, the graduate student dorm, rather than an off-campus apartment mainly for convenience: It was a two-minute walk from the law school and next door to the dining hall.

had gone away to college, and I had no idea what dorm life was like.

C atching up with four longtime, far-flung friends from Notre Dame.

We were all willing to work together and help one another out — very different from the cutthroat competition at many law schools. That was a great defense against the dean of the law school, who took pride in the number of first-year students who flunked out or bailed out. His welcoming greeting to us had set the tone: “Look at the man on your left and the man on your right. Before long, one of you won’t be here. And damned be he who first cries, ‘Enough, enough!’”

Fortunately, the six of us survived the dean’s first-semester bloodletting, with Ward and Weiss doing exceptionally well and the rest of us doing well enough.

Rosemary, who was a student at neighboring St. Mary’s, during my first semester, and her becoming an integral part of our group. We got married at the start of my final semester before graduation.

After graduation, everyone did well: Manning in Chicago, Ward in Maine, Curtin in New Jersey, Weiss in St. Louis and Bonenberger in West Virginia. Though we were many miles apart, we stayed in close contact over the years, including at five-year class reunions, even holding weekly Zoom meetings during Covid.

Then, last summer, Manning, who was in many ways our magnet, died, and we decided to have our own minireunion. So last week we were together again in South Bend.

Most important, the law students living around me in Fisher Hall were great guys. Dick Manning, Tom Curtin, Tom Ward, Charlie Weiss and Lanny Bonenberger became lifelong friends. For the most part we all had similar upbringings, Catholic school-educated. Every one of us except Ward, whose father was a doctor, was the first in our family to go to college. And every one of the others

Why I’m voting

FSometime in the spring of our first year, there was a climactic power struggle between the dean and the Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, president of the university, over the starting date for the law school in the fall. Their grand compromise was to give the dean his starting date, but to throw the law students off campus. It was my first experience as collateral damage! But the six of us found a house to rent in South Bend, and our friendships grew stronger than ever.

Adding to all this was my meeting

There were changes. Fisher Hall and the house we rented have been demolished. The law school building is many times larger than it was. But among us, nothing had changed. We walked the campus, reliving good memories, retelling old stories, talking about our children and grandchildren. We were thankful for our bonds of friendship, which had been forged in another century and have grown only stronger over seven decades. A great gift.

Go, Irish!

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

for Kamala Harris

or the past year, politicians and political commentators have described the upcoming election as the most consequential in American history. To be realistic, all elections have consequences, but there is no doubt that this one will have a dramatic impact on my family, and countless others, for years to come. With less than two weeks to go until Nov. 5, I am weary from the back-and-forth discussions I have had with family members, friends, neighbors, and political allies and adversaries. Happily, all of those talks have been cordial, and it has been worthwhile to listen to all opinions. These exchanges have better prepared me to explain why I will vote for Kamala Harris for president. Before explaining the basis for my vote, I need to rebut some of the arguments that I have heard from supporters of Donald Trump. Some have made the claim that Harris is “anti-Israel.”

They point to the fact that then-President Trump moved the American embassy to Jerusalem, but they have not offered any proof that as a candidate, Harris has failed to support Israel. She has shown her unhappiness with its prime minister, but Benjamin Netanyahu is not Israel.

itrust her, and believe she is the best choice for challenges both at home and abroad.

Three months into the election madness, some people tell me they “don’t know enough about Kamala.” I view that as an excuse not to vote for a woman. My response to them is, “Where does Trump stand on abortion, child care tax cuts, more housing opportunities for people of modest means and tax breaks for middleincome families?”

I frequently hear people describe the vice president as “too liberal.” They reference her former support for Medicare for All and her past opposition to fracking. Harris has modified her positions on a number of issues, as has Trump’s vice presidential nominee, J.D. Vance, who is now in lockstep with Trump — after once calling him a “Hitler.”

I choose Harris over Trump for a

number of reasons. I trust her, and believe that she will be an honest president. I don’t believe that she will make private deals with campaign donors, or craft laws that will favor a handful of wealthy donors like Elon Musk. Above all, she won’t lie, lie and lie some more at every opportunity.

Thanks to President Biden’s hard work, America has the respect of world leaders once again. NATO is once more a united force in Europe, and the only firewall we have against Russia and Vladimir Putin. Harris will be a strong supporter of NATO and Ukraine. That will make our country safer. She will uphold our alliances with Asian nations and oppose China’s efforts to harm Taiwan.

Harris will appoint qualified people to major positions in her cabinet, and has pledged to seek bipartisan advice on key issues. There are countless thought leaders in America who would gladly give their time to the government if they thought their views would be respected. Above all, she will not sell out the nation to domestic or foreign

interests.

Harris will protect a woman’s right to choose. She has pledged to reinstate Roe v. Wade, and will appoint judges to the Supreme Court who will protect women’s rights. She will appoint an attorney general who will follow the Constitution, and be the people’s lawyer and not the president’s lap dog.

Harris will maintain our support for Israel. She has seen the powerful support that Biden has provided, including his latest pledge to give Israel guided missiles and U.S. military support to back them up. She will honor those commitments.

Rather than recite the reasons why I do not support Trump, I’ll defer to America’s top generals, who have called him dangerous and unfit to be commander in chief. To add to their opposition, I could further quote all of Trump’s former cabinet members who oppose his re-election.

Enough said.

Jerry Kremer was an assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? jkremer@liherald.com.

Don’t miss

your chance — get out and vote

as we approach a pivotal election that portends high political drama, there’s never been a better time to stress the importance of voting. Every vote counts, and participation is more than a right — it’s a crucial responsibility that shapes this nation’s democracy.

This is not about whom to vote for. It’s about making the most of the privilege of voting.

Early voting is now underway in parts of the country, and in the state of Georgia, the turnout has already made headlines. On the first day of early voting, more than 300,000 Georgians cast their ballots — more than double the number who voted that day in 2020.

That could signal the beginning of another record turnout for the presidential election. Four years ago, both eventual President Joe Biden and the incumbent, Donald Trump, garnered the most votes ever in a presidential election. Biden won with some 81 million.

The heightened enthusiasm, to put it most politely, for next month’s election underscores why every eligible voter should make his or her voice heard.

This year, Election Day falls on Nov. 5, but early voting provides flexibility for those who may not be able to vote on that day. In New York, early voting gets under way this Saturday and ends on Nov. 3.

Early voting gives voters the chance to skip the long lines and cast their ballots at a time and place that is convenient for them. It’s a safeguard against last-minute emergencies or unforeseen obstacles that might occur on Election Day.

The surge in early voting is a promising sign for democracy, but it also sends a larger message about civic engagement in today’s highly charged political climate. Voting is one of the most direct ways individuals can influence the policies that shape their lives.

Whether the issues voters are focused on are health care, education, the economy, social justice or abortion access, the winning candidates, and measures on the

New York state elections are all about the major parties

To the Editor:

As New York voters prepare for the Nov. 5 elections, it is apparent that candidate choices are limited now more than ever. The Herald Roundtable articles, for example, are limited to coverage of Democratic and Republican candidates. The anti-democratic impact of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s electoral

Early voting locations

■ Oyster Bay Ice Rink 1001 Stewart Ave., Bethpage, NY 11714

■ Elmont Public Library 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont, NY 11003

■ Floral Park Recreation Center 124 Stewart Ave., Floral Park, NY 11001

■ Freeport Recreation Center 130 East Merrick Rd., Freeport, NY 11520

■ St. Paul’s Recreation Center 295 Stewart Ave., Garden City, NY 11530

■ Glen Cove City Hall 9 Glen St., Glen Cove, NY 11542

■ Great Neck House 14 Arrandale Ave., Great Neck NY 11023

■ Hempstead Rec. Center/Kennedy Park 335 Greenwich St., Hempstead, NY 11550

■ Hofstra University 1000 Fulton Ave., Hempstead, NY 11549

■ Hicksville Levittown Hall 201 Levittown Pkwy., Hicksville NY 11801

■ South Shore Jewish Center 191 Long Beach Rd., Island Park, NY 11558

■ Lawrence Country Club 101 Causeway, Lawrence, NY 11559

■ Long Beach City Hall 1 West Chester St., Long Beach, NY 11561

■ Massapequa Town Hall South 977 Hicksville Rd., Massapequa, NY 11758

■ Temple Beth Am 2377 Merrick Ave., Merrick NY 11566

■ Nassau County Board of Elections 240 Old Country Rd., Mineola NY 11501

■ Michael J. Tully Park 1801 Evergreen Ave., New Hyde Park, NY 11040

■ Plainview Mid-Island Y JCC 45 Manetto Hill Rd., Plainview, NY 11803

■ Port Washington Library 1 Library Dr., Port Washington, NY 11050

■ Rockville Centre Recreation Center 111 N. Oceanside Rd., Rockville Centre, NY 11570

■ Gayle Community Center 53 Orchard St., Roslyn Heights, NY 11577

■ Syosset Public Library 225 S. Oyster Bay Rd., Syosset NY 11791

■ Valley Stream Presbyterian Church 130 S. Central Ave., Valley Stream, NY 11580

■ St. Francis De Chantal Church 1309 Wantagh Ave., Wantagh, NY 11793

■ West Hempstead Public Library

Hempstead Ave., West Hempstead NY 11552 ■ Yes We Can Community Center

Garden St., Westbury, NY 11590

Williston Park American Legion 730 Willis Ave., Williston Park, NY 11596

ballot, will help determine the future of those issues. By casting your vote, you become part of the collective decisionmaking process that steers the direction of the country.

For those who feel disillusioned or disengaged, it’s important to remember that democracy works best when it’s fully inclusive. Every election offers the opportunity to hold public officials accountable, to approve or reject ballot measures, and to influence the future of local, state and national policies.

When large numbers of people opt out of the process, fewer voices shape the policies that affect everyone. Voting is a way to speak up, even when the system feels

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“reforms” has become abundantly clear with this year’s elections in our state. Having made it virtually impossible for independent third-party candidates to appear on the ballot, drastically changing longstanding ballot access laws and regulations in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, this fall we find ourselves with only Democrats and Republicans listed on our ballots. In a manner similar to what Republicans have done elsewhere, New York Democrats have suppressed the vote and stifled

imperfect or frustrating. By casting your vote — whether early or on Election Day— you are exercising a power that should never be taken for granted. “My vote doesn’t matter” is simply not the case.

So if you can’t vote on a busy Tuesday, Nov. 5, make a plan to do so between now and the Sunday before Election Day. Or take advantage of the time you still have to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. Be part of the conversation, have a say in the issues that matter to you, and help ensure a future that reflects the will of all Americans.

Voting isn’t just a privilege; it’s a duty that upholds the foundation of our democracy. Your voice matters. Let it be heard.

meaningful political debate on the issues that face us all. We urge Gov. Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature to reverse these draconian changes to our election law as soon as possible. New Yorkers deserve more voter choice, more democracy. Thanks to the Cuomo “reforms,” New York is the only state to have just two candidates for president appearing on the ballot. This has happened in only one other state in the past 40 years, Oklahoma. Many voters now feel faced with two unsatisfactory

opinions

Join the necessary fight against spotted lanternflies

the Herald and other publications have detailed the negative impacts of the invasive spotted laternfly on long island, and while the population of these unwelcome insects continues to require intervention to prevent their unchecked spread across our region, there are steps that every long islander can take in their own backyard to protect against them.

At the long island Conservancy, we are eager to share some tips that will make a positive impact — and in some cases, multiple positive outcomes by eradicating not only this invasive insect, but also invasive plants that serve as the lanternfly’s primary food source.

First off, much like the mTA’s famous slogan, if you see something, squish something! This fall, keep your eyes peeled for egg masses, and make sure to destroy them through the spring. removing the tree of heaven, an invasive non-native plant, is a top priority when it comes to proactive ways to erad-

icate the lanternfly. The tree of heaven is a fast-growing, invasive species across north America that you may not recognize by sight, but you certainly can by scent — it’s also known as the stinking sumac, stink tree, stink weed, and a variety of other names including “stink.”

The plant is spreading with the same vigor as the lanternfly, and removing it eliminates the insect’s favorite food. mechanical removal is possible: Girdle it, rip it out and remove it; whatever you can do to set them back. make sure to follow up to ensure it doesn’t regrow.

a species displaced halfway across the world.

s quash them, plant milkweed, and yank out all the tree of heaven you can find.

many land managers and conservation professionals have warned against mechanical removal, encouraging the use of herbicides instead. in our experience, this isn’t necessary; while the removed/damaged trees will sucker up, if you pull the suckers biweekly for a growing season, the roots will give up the ghost and the problem can be eliminated.

The tree of heaven is a significant problem in our region, not just because of the smell, but because it chokes out beneficial native plants. in the case of the lanternfly, the plant is essentially the closest thing to “home cooking” for

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choices: a candidate who is engaged in sowing pernicious and deadly seeds of ethnic and ideological conflict, and another who supports wars and continuing our nation’s complicity in an ongoing genocide.

The Green Party urges all progressive voters to write in “Jill Stein” in this year’s election. Don’t stay home, and don’t waste your vote!

Jim Brown Chair, Green Party of Nassau County Island Park

Kremer summed up Trump, but there’s more

To the Editor:

in his oct. 10-16 column, “A historic election for all the wrong reasons,” Jerry Kremer presents several compelling reasons to reject Donald Trump’s “desperate campaign” for president.

But voters should consider other factors as well. Conservatives, in particular, ought to ask whether Trump adheres to three principles they surely hold dear: family values, law and order, and patriotism.

Do republican parents really want their children to view this potential president as a role model? Should kids

if getting rid of that awful smell isn’t enough incentive, early scientific research suggests that lanternflies that feed on the tree of heaven sequester toxins, called quassinoids, that make our native birds extremely less likely to eat them. So the lanternflies are essentially exempt from the food chain, another reason why so many have managed to thrive in our competitive environment. This is, by the way, why they have those bright red warning colors!

And the tree of heaven isn’t the only invasive species of plant that supports the lanternfly population. Porcelainberry and other species that originated in Asia are key sources of food. Every pernicious invasive species removed means more available space for native, healthy species to grow and thrive on long island.

when it comes to native species, there are a few to consider planting, like milkweed. i’ve seen dead lanternflies on milkweed plants — it appears that the dopey insects feed on them and poison themselves. (if you need a bonus reason to plant milkweed, the influx of mon-

arch butterflies is lovely!) while taking steps to remove invasive plants in your yard and replace them with native species is proactive, some people are well past that point — they’re dealing with infestations. in that case, you may be ready to set up a trap around a native host tree. observe where the lanternflies congregate most on your land and set your trap up there. while they tend to like walnut and sumac the best, they’ve been seen on maples, birches, sycamore and other trees. Building a trap is easy — you can find a step-by-step guide at https://extension.psu.edu/how-to-builda-spotted-lanternfly-circle-trap.

For saplings that aren’t big enough for a proper trap, just knock the bugs into a soapy dish. Some will hop away, but they’re quite easy to catch this way, and if you do this once a day, over time you’ll see fewer of them returning. while combating the spotted lanternfly has been compared to trying to keep water off the beach because there are so many, by eradicating invasive species like the tree of heaven, we are helping to protect our environment now and for years to come.

Frank Piccininni is the president of Spadefoot Design and Construction and a co-founder of the Long Island Conservancy.

Framework by Tim Baker

seek to emulate a philanderer and a vulgarian incapable of telling the truth?

How do those professing to “back the blue” square that stance with support for a convicted felon? is someone charged with racketeering and 51 other criminal offenses a credible champion of the rule of law?

Are red-white-and-blue all-Americans oK with a candidate who orchestrated the attempted overthrow of the country’s constitutional order? Does denigrating members of the U.S. armed forces demonstrate love of country?

Trump defiles all three of the values most Americans regard as sacrosanct.

This is not to say that Kamala Harris is without personal flaws of her own. She’s imperfect, both as a candidate and a human being. Besides, voters should be assessing a candidate’s policy positions, not only his or her personal behavior. And Harris’s record and her proposals can be fairly criticized from a conservative perspective.

But character does matter. And on that score, Donald Trump is utterly unqualified to hold the nation’s highest office.

KEvin J. KEllEy Atlantic Beach

Election Letters to the Editor policy

In the interest of fairness and transparency during the election season, we will not publish letters in the Oct. 31-Nov. 6 issue, the final one before Election Day, that criticize a candidate or a specific issue. This is to ensure that no last-minute submissions are published without sufficient opportunity for rebuttal. Readers are encouraged to send letters to execeditor@liherald.com.

A crisp, patriotic day in Eisenhower Park - East Meadow

Frank piccininni