Massapequa Herald Post 09-18-2024 by Richner Communications, Inc

HERALD Massapequa

By CAROLYN JAMES

Infusing local ingredients into distilled spirits. This has been John Pawluk’s dream since he opened Twisted Cow Distillery.

Through our Business First programs, like Main Street Revitalization and Vacant Space Revival, John qualified for more than $35,000 in incentives.*

He used those incentives to revitalize the space and save energy by installing products like a super-efficient blast chiller and LED lighting. All of which continue to reduce his electric costs.

The programs also help the local economy. Offering financial incentives for businesses to breathe new life into these empty spaces improves the economic stability and growth of our communities. A win-win.

It’s easy to apply for these no-cost programs, and we encourage business owners to look into all the rebates, grants, incentives, and support we offer.

See how we can help your small business. psegliny.com/businessfirst *Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project.

HERALD Massapequa

Also serving Farmingdale, Massapequa, Massapequa Park and Plainedge pOs

Suffolk County DA holds conference on Gilgo case ...Page 12

Nassau County Police Color Guard at ceremonies at TOBAY Beach 9/11. See Page 2 for more photos of local ceremonies including those at the Towers of Freedom Military Monument at John Burns Park and in Massapequa Park Village

Deadline September 23 for ASD budget advisory committee applications

By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com

Amityville School District residents who would like to be considered for a position on the school district’s ad hoc budget advisory committee have until Mon. Sept. 23 to fill out an application and return it to the district.

The committee will consist of 15 community members. School district officials will review all the applications on Wednesday Sept. 25 and select the prospective members. By early October, prospective members will be contacted by the school to confirm their interest and availability to serve on the committee.

Members will be asked to use their expertise in reviewing the school district’s 2025-26 pro -

posed budget and provide recommendations. School Board President Lisa Johnson noted that pr ospective members are not required to have experience in or a degree in finance and are asked to bring their combined experience as residents and concerned citizens of the district.

On Wednesday, Oct. 23, the board will appoint the selected members and the first meeting for the committee is Tues., Nov. 12, 7 p.m.

A paper application is available at the district office, 150 Park Ave., Amityville. They can also be emailed toebecker@amityvilleufsd.org.

Applications are also available on the school district’s website under the Board of Education tab. For more information call the district at (631) 565-6000.

Massapequans remember 9/11

Solemn ceremonies held at Towers of Freedom Military Monument and at TOBAY Beach

By MIKE POLANSKY Correspondent

A somber yet profound gathering of nearly 400 people convened at TOBAY Beach for the Town of Oyster Bay’s annual 9/11 Memorial and Walls of Honor Ceremony. In a moment of reverence, Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino assured the assembly, “We will guarantee you that your loved ones will never be forgotten— not in this Town.”

County Police Emerald Society’s pipe and drum band filled the air.

We send a clear and loud message around the globe that our resolve has not weakened, has not faltered, but it has been strengthened as each and every year goes by.

The Town’s 9/11 Memorial, a sacred repository of names, commemorates those lost on September 11, 2001. Adjacent to it stands the Walls of Honor, which each year expands to include those who have succumbed to 9/11-related illnesses. This year, the monument bore witness to the addition of names including Charles A. Afanasewicz, Thomas W. Anderson Jr., Daniel C. Bove, Anthony Cassio, Michael A. Coppola, Thomas James Gallo, Alan Paul Glueckert, and Roy H. Sonkin.

At the ceremony on September 9, Saladino reaffirmed his vow of remembrance with heartfelt conviction, stating, “With all the noise going on out there, we don’t forget. With all the divisiveness you may see on TV across the country, we don’t forget. With all those who want to take people in a different direction, we stand fast in the Town, and we will never forget your loved ones and honoring them in this special place.”

Joseph Saladino O’Bay

Supervisor

He underscored the ceremony’s significance, remarking that by participating, “we send a clear and loud message around the globe that our resolve has not weakened, has not faltered, but it has been strengthened as each and every year goes by.”

Following an introduction by Town Commissioner of Community & Youth Services Maureen A. Fitzgerald, who orchestrated the ceremony’s logistics, and the presentation of the Colors by the Nassau County Police Department Color Guard, the solemn notes of the Nassau

Tara Marie Cunningham, whose father Lawrence Byrnes’ name was added to the Walls of Honor in 2019, read aloud the names on the memorial. She was followed by Jeffery Zuzzolo, who recited names added in 2020, 2021, and 2023, including that of his mother, Arlene Zuzzolo.

The ceremony was marked

CONTINUED ON PAGES 11 & 12

Photo Credit/Herald

True tales of lost-and-found dogs

Tips and True stories about navigating the heartbreak of a missing pet

When a beloved pet goes missing, it can become an owner’s worst nightmare. Before diving into true lost-andfound dog stories, here are some general guidelines and tips for both pet owners and those who find lost pets.

Guidelines for Dog Owners:

• Microchip your pets and keep your registration information up to date.

• Consider using Apple AirTags, which have become more affordable. These can help track a lost dog via Bluetooth if the dog is wearing the tag.

• When your pet goes missing, distribute as many legible flyers as possible, contact social media lost-and-found sites, follow up on every lead, and expand your search area. Check local shelters in person frequently, and don’t be quick to assume your search is in vain. Recovery can take time. Once you find your dog, be sure to remove your flyers.

True Tale #1:

About 30 years ago, an ad in Newsday reported a missing dog from Valley Stream wearing a costume. Coincidentally, a stray dog in a costume was brought to the Babylon Shelter. Upon calling the ad, it was revealed that the Valley Stream home backed up to the Southern State Parkway. The dog likely got through a fence, and the costume helped identify it.

The rescuer, who lived in Babylon Town, must have driven the dog home after rescuing it from the parkway but was hesitant to mention “Valley Stream.”

On Long Island, if you find a lost dog without ID, take it to the municipal shelter in the town where you found it. If shelters are closed, the Town of Hempstead accepts stray dogs 24/7 if you go to the back door. Be honest about where you found the dog. Hempstead will contact the appropriate town shelter for transport the next morning. The Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island (VMCLI) in West Islip will hold stray dogs found in Babylon and Islip towns overnight, with the correct town shelters picking them up the following morning. These measures help prevent stray dogs from being hit by cars.

True Tale #2: Dogs can get lost through no fault of their owners. For example, a landscaper or delivery person might accidentally leave a gate open. Dogs may also escape from pet sitters, particularly when staying at the sitter’s home, as they may believe their owners have abandoned them.

Pets, Pets, Pets...

This was the case in 2011 when Kirek, a Border Collie, bolted from her sitter’s home in Lindenhurst while her owners were at an agility trial in Georgia. Two weeks later, a kayaker spotted Kirek on uninhabited Indian Island in Copiague. Babylon Shelter Animal Control Officer Kristin, who knew Kirek’s family from agility trials, rescued the dog from the island by canoe.

True Tale #3:

Lost flyers can be highly effective. You may need to hang up hundreds, but it only takes one to bring a dog home. Years ago, a friend boarded her Shepherd at a kennel and left her Lhasa with a friend. The Lhasa, who had a history of running away, escaped through an air conditioner vent. Despite a frantic search and many flyers, the dog was found after a flyer was seen at a deli. The finder had discovered the Lhasa shortly after its escape. The Lhasa was safely housed at Last Hope until its owner returned.

“Dashing Dan” rode the train all by himself from Wyandanch to Farmingdale in April 2011.

True Tale #4:

In 2011, a chubby Lab mix with a pink nose and a sunny disposition boarded the Long Island Rail Road at Wyandanch Station without a ticket and was escorted off at Farmingdale. The police took him to Long Island Veterinary Specialists in Plainview, where a veterinarian publicized the dog’s plight on TV news. The next morning, Babylon Shelter retrieved the dog. A young couple, unaware of the media attention, came to the shelter to reclaim their dog who had slipped out when a gate was left open. They lived near Wyandanch Station and quietly left the shelter, avoiding the media.

Despite media coverage, Dashing Dan was reunited with his owners solely because they reclaimed him at their local shelter. Some Long Island residents may hesitate to turn found dogs into town shelters, but this is often the best way to ensure the pet is reclaimed. If social media ads don’t yield results quickly, a dog has a much better chance of being returned if it’s taken to the shelter in the town where it was found, rather than being kept in a private home.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

The following are a list of public meetings and special events for the coming week: Please note: All meetings are subject to change without notice.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22

•Massapequa Chamber of Commerce Networking Luncheon: 12 p.m., Burgerology, 4225 Merrick Road, Massapequa. For more information call (516)-541-1443.

•Plainedge School District Board of Education Meeting: 7 p.m., Plainedge High School Innovation Learning Center, 241 Wyngate Drive, North Massapequa. For more information, please call (516)-992-7450.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24

• The Long Island Dahlia Society: 9 a.m., Bayard Cutting Arboretum, 440 Montauk Hwy., Great River. All are welcome. Come and learn how to care for your dahlias. Tubers will be available for sale starting in April. For more information call (631)-972-8829 (leave message) or visit www.longislanddahlia.org.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27

•Emotional Health Recovery and Support Group: 7:30 to 9 p.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9592, 55 Hickory Lane, Levittown. Free weekly, in-person meeting of Emotions Anonymous, a 12-step support group for anyone experiencing emotional difficulties. For more information, call Steve at (631)-332-0552 or Jill at (516)-220-7808. All calls are confidential.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28

•Town of Oyster Bay Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting: 7 p.m., Town Board Hearing Room, Town Hall North, 54 Audrey Ave., Oyster Bay. Call (516)624-6200 with related questions. Live streaming is available at oysterbaytown.com/town-board-livestreaming.

• Emotional Health Recovery and Support Group: 7:30 to 9 p.m. Free weekly, virtual meeting of Emotions Anonymous, a 12-step support group for anyone experiencing emotional difficulties. For more information, call Steve at (631)-332-0552 or Jill at (516)-220-7808. All calls are confidential.

Calendar items are printed for non-profit organizations, as space permits, or when an event, service or information is being sponsored by a profit-making organization without charge to readers. Submit items to us at Richner Communications, attn: Beacon Editor, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530; or email: dconsola@liherald.com at least twothree weeks prior to the publication date in which the item must appear. Sorry, but openended requests without the specific dates of the events are not acceptable. While we make every attempt to accommodate each request, we cannot guarantee publication of any items. For more information, call 516-569-4000.

JOANNE ANDERSON

The same year, Kirek a Border Collie, escaped from her aunt's home in Lindenhurst while her pet parents were in Georgia. Over two weeks later, Kirek was rescued via canoe from a deserted island in Copiague.

Canine Companions volunteers work to help meet the growing demand of support dogs by those in need

By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com

Canine Companion service dogs are so popular that there is currently a waiting list of more than 500 people. According to Robert Monahan of Amityville, a third-time puppy raiser with the organization, there is a definite reason for this demand.“Canine Companion dogs are bred for intelligence and intuitiveness,” he said. “The training they go through is better than show quality.”

However, it is not simply the training that contributes to the organization’s success, it is also the dedication, passion and love of the organization’s volunteers,

Canine Companions is a not-for-profit organization that is also a founding member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI). It is committed to the highest standards of training, placement, utilization and education of service dogs who help their owners overcome physical, psychological and social barriers so that they can live more independent lives.

The organization breeds Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and a mix of the two breeds. At about 8 weeks old, the puppies go to a volunteer puppy raiser for approximately a year where it receives socialization, love and basic canine training including housebreaking and learning how to sit and stay.

After a year and a half with the puppy raiser, the dogs go into the training program with Canine Companions to become a service dog.

Puppy Program Manager and former puppy raiser Sharon McComb has been with Canine Companions for 10 years and said she is fortunate to have a career that is “immensely meaningful.

“I have such a sense of pride in what I do and the puppy raisers are truly irreplaceable, we cannot do what we do without them,” she said.

McComb said that the puppy raisers ‘selflessly’ say goodbye to the dogs to allow them to begin their more intensive training to become a service dog.

“They’re the backbone of our organization and dedicated to making a difference in someone else’s life,” said McComb.

But all of that good work came to a sudden halt during the pandemic when the airlines shut down and the puppies, which are bred in California, could not be transported to the east coast and to the puppy raisers.

All of that changed, however when a pilot, Josh Hochberg of Sonoma Jet Center, stepped up with a number of other volunteer pilots to use corporate jets to transport the pups.

“It sounded like a nice thing to do to help,” said Hochberg.

He said that the puppy raisers are there to greet him when he arrives.

“These are people who have them for 18 months, love them, pour their heart

and souls into them, and then have to say goodbye,” Hochberg said. “They are the amazing ones…I feel small in comparison.”

Even as the airlines opened, Hochberg continues to volunteer to transport the dogs and encourages other aircraft owners to become part of the project.

Since their founding in 1975, Canine Companions has graduated 7,865 teams. After graduation, the dogs are placed with those in need of their service. McComb described graduation day for the dogs as a “magical day.

“There’s always such pride in the puppy raiser and even though it’s sometimes challenging to turn over the puppy you cared for, when you see the lives you changed, it’s a beautiful moment,” said McComb. “It’s emotional, motivating and powerful.”

The graduation ceremonies are open to the public.

Anyone who needs a canine companion, is interested in becoming a puppy raiser or in volunteering to transport the dogs or otherwise get involved can contact Canine Companions at canine.org or can call (1-800)-572-2275.

“If people are at all debating or wondering if this is an organization to get involved with, please reach out to us,” said McComb.

Meanwhile, Monahan who has his third dog in training, Chauncey II, said that what he has enjoyed the most about being a puppy raiser is watching them grow.

“Chauncey is the cutest and most intelligent puppy we’ve ever had,” he said. “It’s very rewarding and you’re helping those in need.”

Canine Companions volunteers: Pam Goldfarb, Bob Goldfarb, Abigail Krill, Emily Tullo, Jen Krill, Amelia Krill, Yael Hochberg, Josh Hochberg, Robert Monahan and Jennifer Monahan with Chauncey II.

Volunteer Pilot Josh Hochberg and his daughter Yael.

Robert Monahan and his wife Jennifer with their Canine Companions’ puppy, Chauncey II.

Stony Brook hockey set to begin new era

By ANTHONY DICOCCO

Special to the Herald

Starting with the 2025-26 season, the Stony Brook hockey team will begin a new chapter of its story that may aid in expanding its recruiting reach across Nassau County.

Last month, the Seawolves announced that this upcoming season would be the team’s 14th and final year in the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League. Beginning with the 2025-26 campaign, Stony Brook is set to join a brand-new conference — the Atlantic Coast Conference Hockey League.

The ACCHL will have North and South divisions. Stony Brook, Pittsburgh, Delaware, Syracuse and Oswego State in the North. The South will consist of Alabama, Louisville, North Carolina State and the University of North Carolina.

Due to the conference relocation, Stony Brook players from Nassau County are hoping that more players from their area will be inclined to join the program. Currently, there are just three Nassau County residents playing on the team.

After initially failing to get into the university, the Massapequa native attended Farmingdale State for a year to “take care of business on and off the ice” before transferring to Stony Brook prior to last season.

As someone who identified Stony Brook as the total package for both academics and athletics, Valenti hopes that joining the ACCHL can be a needle mover for other Nassau County residents.

“After playing junior hockey in Connecticut for two years, I realized that I had everything that I needed regarding academics and hockey at home,” Valenti said. The new conference, he added, “is definitely exciting . . . and people need to realize it’s a (State University of New York) school. We’re going to be in a very competitive league and you get what you pay for. Stony Brook is a very good school for everything, and hockey is just the icing on the cake.”

“If you just see the logo of Alabama or UNC, it acts as an attractor for players in Nassau County and really everywhere,” Gusavitch said. “We have schools like Syracuse and Delaware

Forward Jake Gusavitch, a Massapequa native and first-year student, understands his peers’ reluctance to attend Stony Brook but hopes the name notoriety of the other schools in the conference, along with the opportunities they can bring, can help change that.

joining us along with the schools down south, so I think that’s a great opportunity to get some looks from scouts who are coming for the bigger schools. All in all, there are a lot of positives.”

Bethpage native and forward Lucas Puccia echoed that sentiment.

“There’s a lot of talent down there in the south,” the sophomore student said. “I think playing those teams will be pretty cool and competitive. Stony Brook is one of the top programs and a really good option for anyone on Long Island.”

Gusavitch also emphasized the bonuses of a limited traveling schedule, as teams in the North will only compete against the South’s teams during the playoffs. Due to Stony Brook’s hyperfocus on academics, he raised the point that less travel on the weekends allows for more time to get schoolwork done, which can be enticing for new recruits who live farther away in Nassau County.

In defenseman Teddy Valenti’s case, Stony Brook was always at the top of his college wish list despite living just under an hour away from the school.

While the Seawolves are guaranteed to finish their tenure in the ESCHL with the most championship wins (five) and regular-season championships (four), the last two seasons have not been kind to them. They have posted a combined 25-28-8 record, missing the American Collegiate Hockey Association National Tournament during each campaign. Choosing to concentrate on the new season, the Seawolves are putting the upcoming league change on the backburner, as they hope to capture their sixth ESCHL championship and their first national title.

“The mission is always the same,” Valenti said. “We had a very unsuccessful year last year. This year we’re playing in the same conference, and hopefully we can prove ourselves as a program. Then next year, when we move on to a different conference, those teams should fear us.”

Stony Brook will open its ESCHL farewell tour at The Rinx, where it will face off against the New York University Violets, on Oct. 4.

Anthony DiCocco is a reporter 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 Angelina Livigni

Stony Brook efenseman Teddy Valenti, right, covering Drexel forward Jimmy Jacobs.

September 11th lessons at MHS focus on bravery and resilience

To mark the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, ninth graders at Massapequa High School’s Ames Campus studied an event that was historical to them but painfully real to the adult in their lives.

Social studies classes were devoted to discussions of the tragedy and the aftermath, with much of the focus on the extraordinary efforts of first responders and citizens. Teacher Tara Camilleri reviewed with students what they already knew about Sept. 11 and showed them a video from the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum, which is located at the site of the World Trade Center.

Students in her class identified characteristics of the people who stepped up to help others that day, such as bravery, determination, empathy and resilience.

Tara Camilleri emphasized that these are traits they should always live by.

In Nicole Reiss and Paul Corr’s social classes, they showed students “Boatlift,” a documentary about the boat operators who helped approximately 500,000 people evacuate Manhattan. In the spirit of the teamwork shown by boat captains that day, each student then colored in a piece of an image to create a class poster commemorating the Sept. 11 attacks.

Jason Gelardi, curriculum associate for social studies, said that in addition to the videos and news articles, teachers also served as a primary resource for students by sharing their own recollections of the day.

“As the years go by,” he said, “9/11 becomes further in the past. It’s reaching a quarter century. Everyone who’s old enough to remember it has a story.”

Gelardi added that age-appropriate Sept. 11 lessons took place throughout the district. At the elementary schools, students gained a basic understanding of the significance of the day and why it is remembered every year. Individual stories of humanity, triumph and tragedy were the focus in middle school and high school classes.

“We want to honor the day with the respect that it deserves,” he said.

courtesy/Massapequa School District

At Right: To commemorate 9/11, Ames students were encouraged to wear red, white and blue attire to school.

As part of a lesson on the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, ninth graders at the Ames Campus read and discussed a passage about resilience.

Grace Episcopal Church 19th Annual Harvest Fair

An easy read with a storyline that takes place on Long Island; great mystery with vibrant characters, familiar places and intrigue that will capture your imagination from beginning to end.

“George’s morning runs were predictable and uneventful. This morning, however, George’s detective radar picked up on some unusual activity. Keeping his pace steady, he watched a tall Italian-looking lady, garyslavinauthor.com

driving a black Range Rover, stop three quarters around the vehicle pathway, step out, pick up four pebbles, and put them on the left side of the bench in front of the vehicle.”

Follow George’s journey through intrigue and suspense in this story set in scenes of familiar Massapequa.

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Photos

Teachers Nicole Reiss and Paul Corr led a discussion about the 9/11 attacks and the extraordinary actions taken by citizens to help others.

LUKE VILLELLA

Oceanside Senior Football

A TWO-TIME ALL-COUNTY selection in baseball, Villella is looking to accomplish the same accolades this football season while leading the Sailors to a deep playoff run in Nasssau Conference I. He set the tone on opening night Sept. 6, rushing for a pair of touchdowns and throwing for a score in Oceanside’s 42-39 home victory over defending county and Long Island champion Massapequa. He threw for 189 yards, going 8-for-13 through the air.

GAMES TO WATCH

Thursday, Sept. 19

Girls Soccer: Lynbrook at Wantagh 5 p.m.

Girls Soccer: Oceanside at Garden City 5 p.m.

Boys Soccer: V.S. South at Seaford 6:30 p.m.

Girls Volleyball: Long Beach at Mepham 6:45 p.m.

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

Girls Volleyball: Farmingdale at East Meadow 6:45 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 20

Girls Soccer: Freeport at Uniondale 4:30 p.m.

Boys Soccer: East Meadow at V.S. Central 5 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Carey at Calhoun 5 p.m.

Boys Soccer: Kennedy at Elmont 5 p.m.

Football: Elmont at South Side 6 p.m.

Football: Wantagh at Locust Valley 6 p.m.

Football: Plainview at East Meadow 6:30 p.m.

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

Football: New Hyde Park at MacArthur 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 21

Football: Carey at Long Beach 11 a.m.

Football: Plainedge at West Hempstead 1 p.m.

Football: V.S. South at North Shore 2 p.m.

Football: East Rockaway at Lawrence 2 p.m.

Football: Clarke at Hewlett 3 p.m.

Football: Freeport at V.S. Central 3 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

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

HERALD SPORTS

Plainedge strives to defend title

By MARC BERMAN sports@liherald.com

Despite losing 13 seniors from the school’s first-ever Nassau County championship team, Plainedge girls’ soccer coach Mike Vitale thinks a repeat is possible.

An especially strong sophomore class – led by midfielder Avery Peters – has positioned Plainedge as an exciting top contender again after going 10-2-3.

Two years ago, it coasted to an undefeated record in the conference only to lose in the second round of the playoffs. The Red Devils reversed that 2022 disappointment by winning it all last season, topping Seaford, 2-1, in overtime in the Class A championship game.

The winning goal was scored by Maddison Wade, who returns as a senior to be perhaps Plainedge’s leading scorer this fall. However, this Plainedge group is so diversified, Vitale wouldn’t be surprised if the sophomore Peters leads the team in goals.

“It’s her knowledge of ball movement and space,’’ Vitale said of Peters. “She has a strong foot and can shoot from 40 yards out, on net. She just knows the game well. She’s smooth – no effort when she’s playing.’’

Peter played JV last season because the varsity was stacked with seniors. Now the club is rife with sophomore talent and more success is expected in the new, reshuffled Conference 1A, which pits Plainedge against smaller schools.

“I think we’re going to be up there,’’ Vitale said. “My sophomores coming in are very talented, probably more

talented than my seniors of last year with their skills. We’re a little smaller but more talented. I think we’ll hold our own.’’

Joining Wade on the attack will be fellow senior striker Lia Villari. “They’ll both be up there causing ruckus, hopefully,’’ Vitale said. “(Villari) is not as skilled some other girls, but gives 150 percent effort, going after every single ball. She’ll get some goals. She’s also a disrupter She makes defenses make mistakes.’’

The anchors of the defense are senior Mary Rose Varicchio and Michela Netto, a sophomore already earning newspaper accolades as a top 100 Long Island player. And Netto also earned a impressive internal accolade in being named a captain as a sophomore. She played on the varsity as a freshman.

“No one’s going to get around her,’’ Vitale said. “The girls look up to her. She’s sweet and smart and is a leader on and off the field. The girls respect her.’’

The conference championship team lost its top player in Conference Player of the Year Lucy Younghans, a midfielder, and the conference’s goalie-of-the-year award winner, Demetra Sideridis.

But the sophomore midfielders being elevated to the varsity will fill the holes, in the coach’s estimation.

Aside from Peters, there is much to be enthralled about in sophomore midfielders Allison Younghans, Amanda Martone and Sam Zaccaro.

“They’ve already proven to be able to move the ball around midfield,’ Vitale said. “Our biggest strength is we move the ball very well - better

this year than last yearbecause of the talented kids.’’

Plainedge opened its season Sept. 3 with a 1-0 non-league victory over Mepham on a Victoria Truncalli goal. But the litmus test was Sept. 11’s rematch versus Seaford, which has a more veteran

squad coming off its countyfinal battle against the Red Devils.

The game ended in a 1-1 tie with freshman Kenly Walsh scoring Plainedge’s lone goal. And that only bodes well for the soccer future in North Massapequa.

Derrick Dingle/Herald Plainedge’s Lucia Petruccelli, left, battled with Mepham’s Sofia Valladares during the opener for both teams Sept. 3.

Mikulin stresses commitment to constituents

By Mike Polansky Correspondent

iRepublican Assemblyman John K. Mikulin is seeking re-election against Democratic challenger Harpreet Singh Toor in the 17th Assembly District. Mikulin is also running on the Conservative line. A Bethpage resident, Mikulin graduated from Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville and earned a bachelor’s degree in government, a master’s in public administration from St. John’s University, and a law degree from Touro Law Center.

t’s a strain on our system, and we need policies that put our people first.

JoHn k. MikUlin 17th Assembly District

Before serving in the Assembly, he served as president of the Island Trees Public Library board and deputy Town of Hempstead attorney. He has been a member of St. James Roman Catholic Church in Seaford and lives with his wife, Corinne, and their newborn son.

The November ballot includes a proposed amendment to the New York state Constitution that would ban discrimination based on gender identity and pregnancy outcomes. Mikulin opposes the amendment, arguing it could allow transgender women to compete in female sports.

“If you are a biological male, you shouldn’t be competing in women’s sports,” he said.

On abortion, Mikulin criticizes New York’s cur -

rent laws, which he claims allow abortions up to birth. He is “pro-life” but would consider voting for less restrictive legislation after reviewing the bill.

Mikulin also advocates for ending New York’s sanctuary status, citing $2 billion in expenditures on services for undocumented immigrants since 2017.

“It’s a strain on our system, and we need policies that put our people first,” he said.

Mikulin opposes a new state law moving local elections to even-numbered years, fearing that national issues will overshadow local ones and ballots will become too complicated. He voted against the measure on the floor because, like fellow Republicans, he believes it will create ballots that are too large and confusing that will “drown out local elections.”

Mikulin supports maintaining state aid for local schools and opposes unfunded mandates from Albany. He also believes New York City receives a disproportionate amount of aid — an opinion he shares with his Democratic opponent.

Mikulin takes pride in addressing constituent concerns, and views his role as service-oriented. “Whether it’s a pothole, a road needing repair or an unemployment issue, I focus on what I can do to help,” he said.

Toor hopes to share his ideas at state level

By Mike Polansky Correspondent

Democrat Harpreet Singh Toor seeks the seat in the 17th Assembly District. He is challenging Republican incumbent John Mikulin.

Toor, originally from Punjab, India, has been a U.S. resident since 1982. He holds a bachelor’s degree in math and economics from Punjabi University.

His career includes roles with New York City agencies and as a tax accountant. Toor has run unsuccessfully for New York City Council twice and has held leadership roles with the Sikh Cultural Society. A widower with two grown sons, he lives in East Meadow since 1994 and appeared in “Learning to Drive.”

The November ballot includes a proposed amendment to the New York state Constitution that would ban discrimination based on gender identity and pregnancy outcomes.

ireproductive healthcare and autonomy.”

Toor, influenced by his experience when his wife was pregnant during cancer treatment, believes government should not regulate abortion access, but said he has not yet taken a position on the amendment.

While acknowledging issues at the southern border, he believes immigration should be addressed at the federal level.

n the Sikh religion, like all the religions of the world, we are supposed to share.

HaRPReeT TooR Challenger, 17th Assembly District

Toor supports equal treatment but shares concerns about transgender athletes in women’s sports, suggesting they should compete in a separate category.

“I don’t want to keep transgender males from competing, but let them compete in their own category,” he said.

Voters will be asked to approve a measure on the ballot that would legalize abortion in the state constitution. While the Equal Protection of Law Amendment doesn’t explicitly mention abortion, it is designed to protect against anything the government does to affect a person’s “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and

“It is not a question of New York alone or the blue states. It is an American issue that needs to be addressed collectively,” he said, advocating for continued support for immigrants while seeking to re duce taxpayer costs.

In the meantime, he favors continuation of the status quo in New York while at the same time “robustly making efforts to find jobs for the immigrants and take other action to lessen the cost to taxpayers,” he said.

“In the Sikh religion, like all the religions of the world, we are supposed to share,” Toor added.

He agrees with his opponent and opposes another question on the ballot, which would, if approved, move local elections to even-numbered years, bringing them in line with state and national elections.

He maintains that if there is a “wave” for one party in a combined election year that the system of checks and balances that are essential in a democratic society will be hurt.

“From that perspective, if it hurts checks and balances, I cannot support it,” he said.

Also, like his opponent, Toor opposes the state levying unfunded mandates on schools, emphasizing that

Mikulin’s challenger, Harpreet Toor, says he believes government should not regulate abortion access, but is undecided on the Equal Protection of Law Amendment.

all state mandates should be fully funded.

Reflecting on his mother’s philosophy, he emphasizes that effective handling of issues leads to lasting results.

“Money will come and go, but issues handled properly will stay until time ends,” Toor said.

Herald file photo

Republican Assemblyman John K. Mikulin, of Bethpage, who is seeking re-election, opposes Proposal 1, the state Equal Rights Amendment.

Harald file photo

Local Worship Schedules and Services.

Registration has kicked in for fall co-ed fitness classes

The Town of Oyster Bay announced that residents who are interested in maintaining or improving their levels of fitness can register for the Town’s popular Co-Ed Fitness Classes at the Hicksville Athletic Center. Classes run for 10 weeks and are offered to individuals 18 years of age or older.

“The Town’s popular fall co-ed recreational programs provide a great outlet for our residents to exercise and stay in shape while making new friends,” said Councilwoman Vicki Walsh. “These fun classes offer an opportunity to stay physically active, creating an optimal environment for fitness and forging new friendships!”

This fall, residents can participate in a variety of fitness classes that will be held at the Hicksville Athletic Center:

•Ballroom Dancing: Saturdays, from 7pm to 8pm, beginning Oct. 5;

•Cardio Kickboxing: Thursdays, from 7:30pm to 8:30 p.m., beginning Oct.

•Pilates: Mondays, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., beginning Sept. 30;

•Yoga: Residents can choose their session from the following: Saturdays (beginning Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.), Sundays (beginning Sept. 29) from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., Tuesdays (beginning Oct. 1) from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursdays (beginning Oct. 3) from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., and

•Zumba: Mondays (beginning Sept. 30) from 6:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., or Wednesdays (beginning Oct. 2) from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Registration is now available online at oysterbaytown.com/sports. Residents must upload proof of residency (tax or utility bill) and a valid identification card such as a driver’s license. Non-residents may register at a slightly higher fee. Mats will not be provided; patrons must bring their own mats to Yoga and Pilates. The schedule is subject to change. If a session is cancelled, make-up day(s) will be attempted. For more information, or to inquire about special holiday scheduling, please call (516) 797-7945 or email tobparks@oysterbay-ny.gov

Assemblyman Durso holds 3rd annual pancake breakfast to honor local veterans for their service

Assemblyman Michael Durso, in coordination with the Massapequa American Legion Post 1066, recently held his 3rd Annual Veterans’ Appreciation Pancake Breakfast and Resource Fair honoring our nation’s heroes for their service and sacrifice.

This free event brought together veterans from across the 9th Assembly District along with numerous government agencies and local organizations that offer support services to the veteran community. Participating vendors included the NYS Department of Veterans’ Affairs, NYS Department of Public Service, Town of Oyster Bay Tax Office, Beyond The Badge NY, EOC Suffolk, Catholic Health Services, Friends For Life Home Care, Paws of War, Long Island Cares, Nassau County Veterans Service Agency, Long Island State Veterans Home, Suffolk County Veterans Service Agency, Canine Companions, Island Harvest and so many more.

“I was honored to welcome veterans and local veterans’ organizations to our 3rd annual appreciation breakfast and resource fair,” said Durso. “We can never thank our veterans enough for all that they have sacrificed for our freedoms and their continued contributions to our communities. It was truly an honor to serve them breakfast while providing them with valuable information.”

If you were unable to attend this year’s event and would like information on available veteran resources, please call Assemblyman Durso’s district office at 516-541-4598.

Above: Assemblyman Durso with veterans.

Right: Assemblyman Durso (center) with Neil and Ann Cecora.

L to R: Oyster Bay Councilman Tom Hand, Massapequa Park Mayor Daniel Pearl, NYS Assemblyman Michael Durso, Suffolk County Legislator Steve Flotteron, NYS Senator Alexis Weik, Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes Jeffrey Pravato, and Nassau County Legislator James Kennedy.

Photos courtesy/ Assemblyman Durso

Ceremonies at Towers of Freedom

At rigth, Oyster Bay Receiver of Taxes Jeff Pravato and Oyster Bay Councilman Tom Hand at ceremonies at the Towers of Freedom Military Monument.

Below left, George and Megan Nash and detection canine, Dorsey, who scoured the site prior to commencement of the services. Nick Tangorra, Towers Freedom Board member, sings at the cermonies last Wednesday.

Photos/Herald

Solemn services held at TOBAY Beach, MPK Village and Towers of Freedom

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

by the presence of local clergy who offered prayers and reflections. Father Christopher Costigan of St. Martin of Tours in Bethpage began with the opening prayer. Pastor Rebecca Sheridan of Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Syosset followed with a prayer, interwoven with the reading of names on the Walls of Honor. Joel Levenson, Chaplain of the New York Army National Guard, and Rabbi of Midway Jewish Center in Syosset closed the ceremony with a final, resonant prayer.

CEREMONIES AT THE TOWERS OF FREEDOM MILITARY MONUMENT

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH 7:00PM

In addition to services held at TOBAY beach, services were held at the Towers of Freedom Military Monument at John Burns Park, where approximately 500 people gathered. There was the traditional “ringing of the bell” at 8:46 and 9:03 a.m. to remember the times the planes struck the Twin Towers. There were comments from public of Massapequa School Board President Gary Baldinger.

Ringing the first bell at 8:46 a.m., the time the first tower was struck was 9/11 Twin Towers survivor was Richard Milhaven.

Ringing the second bell at 9:03, the time the second tower was struck was Carolyn James, editor of the Mass-

apequa Post Herald.

For further information, contact FF Ken Haskell, L-175 at 516-353-4115, or at 718-965-8312 or visit the memorial’s website at https://shorturl.at/USzWf.

MASSAPEQUA PARK REMEMBERS

Mayor Daniel Pearl and the Board of Trustees held an evening remembrance ceremony in front of Village Hall. Mayor Pearl also remembered all the first responders, volunteers, and countless other brave men and women who, without fear, question or hesitation rushed into action on that day and in the weeks that followed.

“And our thoughts go out to them and their families as they continue to battle with 9/11 related illnesses,” said Mayor Pearl.

Mayor Pearl and the Board of Trustees concluded the ceremony by remembering Village residents Chief Thomas T. Haskell, Jr., Lt. Anthony Jovic, Sgt. Timothy Roy, Michael Pascuma, Jr., Ronald G. Heorner and all those who tragically lost their lives on September 11th.

Veterans of Foreign Wars, Sgt. Peter F. Colleran, Jr. Post 7763 provided the color guard for the ceremony, the National Anthem was sung by Veronica Nastasi and resident Maureen Caffrey, played Amazing Grace on the bagpipes.

STEPPING OUT

a vision of the power of the YONIA FAIN’S JOURNEY —

HUMAN SPIRIT

By Danielle Schwab

An artist’s life can take many twists and turns. Certainly that is case of Yonia Fain. He reinvented himself repeatedly, yet his dedication to art remained unwavering throughout his 100 years.

Hofstra University Museum of Art welcomes fall with a look at the esteemed artist, poet, author and educator, through its new exhibit, “Yonia Fain (1913-2013): Tracing History.”

The museum’s assemblage of Fain’s art and personal ephemera offers a comprehensive view of his life and global inﬂuence, on view through Dec. 16. Fain was a member of Hofstra’s Fine Arts, Design and Art History faculty from 1971 until his retirement in 1985; he was named faculty emeritus on his 100th birthday.

Around 50 of his works — he bequeathed his archive to the museum — are on display, curated by Assistant Director of Exhibitions and Collections Kristen Dorata, including paintings, drawings, sketchbooks, and poetry.

• Now through Dec. 16

• All programs require advance registration; call (516) 463-5672 or visit events.hofstra.edu to RSVP

• Emily Lowe Gallery, behind Emily Lowe Hall, Hofstra University’s South Campus, Hempstead

“This exhibition is focusing on his journey, offering a vision of the human spirit,” says Museum Director Sasha Giordano. “We wanted to emphasize the aspect of being a refugee, being a displaced person having to move from place to place. The works of art that were chosen are from the many different places he traveled.”

Born in Ukraine in 1913, Fain fled Bolshevik Russia with his family to Warsaw, Poland. After the Nazi invasion in 1939, he and his first wife fled on foot to Vladivostok, Russia. There he was conscripted into the Russian army as an artist.

Refusing to create propaganda art as demanded by the Nazis and Russian authorities, Fain, with his wife, obtained falsiﬁed documents, traveling from Siberia to Japan, eventually landing in the Shanghai Ghetto for the remainder of World War II.

Fain continued to use art as a form of expression, making a living painting portraits of Japanese soldiers and their families, also writing poetry.

“Firsthand experience is key to understanding Yonia Fain’s prolific artistic oeuvre, from his early drawings in prewar Warsaw to the many paintings in New York after 1953,” Jan Burzlaff, postdoctoral associate in Holocaust Studies at Cornell University, writes in the exhibit catalogue. She continues: “To paint is to share the experience,” Fain reflected in a testimony given to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in June 1999. His work seeks to lend voice to all Jews who experienced Nazi rule, the vast majority of whom did not leave a trace. … The exhibition allows for precisely such a window into historical experience. In the process, because his creations do not fit neatly into the two dominant categories of abstract or realist representations, they also invite a much-needed reevaluation of Holocaust and postwar art.”

After the war ended, Fain set his sights on mural painting in Mexico, becoming friendly with fellow artists Diego Rivera and Ruﬁno Tamayo. In 1953, he immigrated to the U.S.; his works featured in prominent museums. Fain also continued writing, authoring ﬁve books of Yiddish poetry and serving as the president of the Yiddish Pen Society.

“His journey speaks to those who are displaced and pushed to the margins and stripped of identity in society,” Giordano says.

Fain’s art mixes representational technique with elements of abstract expressionism, employing

broad brush strokes, diagonals and dark marks.

“He really can’t be put comfortably into one style of art,” Giordano adds.

One of Fain’s prominent pieces “Occupied City, 2008,” shows an abstract landscape with overlapping buildings drawn in the background.

“It gives a sense of people living on top of each other in an enclosed space, in a trapped space, which reﬂects his lived experience,” Giordano notes.

Fain also used color to invoke deeper reﬂection. “Despite the subject matter being very traumatic, he uses a lot of bright and soft pastel colors. It plays to this dichotomy that exists in his work. He’s showing you hope, but he’s showing you despair. He’s showing you betrayal, but he’s showing you empathy.

Museum visitors can also interact with biographical material, including a timeline of the artist’s life and a video recording in which he discusses life in the Shanghai Ghetto. Additionally, everyone is invited to read Fain’s poetry and then submit a poem in response to the exhibit experience.

Fain’s extraordinary conviction to art during a time of adversity shows the enduring strength of human resilience and beckons us to explore the past.

“We should revisit history. We should re-examine these stories. We should consider people whose stories may trace a similar path of hardship today,” says Giordano.

As always, related programming enhances the viewing experience, including an exhibit tour on Oct. 23.

1964 … The Tribute

‘The “British Invasion” returns anew, when “1964 The Tribute” takes its audience on a musical journey back to that unforgettable era in rock history. Since the early 1980s, this reincarnation of the Fab Four has been thrilling folks all over the globe with what Rolling Stone Magazine has called the “Best Beatles tribute on earth.” Choosing songs from the pre-Sgt. Pepper era, “1964” astonishingly recreates an early ‘60s live Beatles concert, with period instruments, clothing, hairstyles, and onstage banter. The band focuses on the quintessential moment in history, when The Beatles actually played before a live audience. Only a precious few got to experience when The Beatles toured the world in the early ‘60s. Who actually felt the “mania” that brought them to world acclaim. “1964” meticulously re-creates the “magic of those live performances with artful precision and unerring accuracy.

Friday, Sept. 20, 8 p.m. $65, $40, $30, $19.64. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

‘… Rollin’ on the river’

Step into a virtual time machine and journey back to the glory days of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s with Commotion — the electrifying Creedence Clearwater Revival tribute band. The musicians pride themselves on their commitment to faithfully reproducing the iconic CCR sound. From the soulful voice of Steve McLain to the mesmerizing guitar solos of Jimmy Ryan, every riff, melody and rhythm comes to life with precision. McLain possesses a vocal prowess rivaling the one and only John Fogerty. With his husky timbre, emotive delivery and uncanny ability to recreate Fogerty’s raw energy, be transported back to when CCR ruled the airwaves. They are joined drummer Mark Ellis and bassist George Foster, who deliver those infectious beats that were CCRs trademark.

Friday, Sept. 20, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $45. Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at MadisonTheatreNY.org or (516) 323-4444.

Photos courtesy Hofstra University Museum of Art; Gift of the Estate of Yonia Fain Yonia Fain’s life is represented through his contemplative art, such as “Occupied City” (top left), “rouble Moving Into Harmony and Light,” (top right) and “Rage” (bottom right).

Your Neighborhood Irish Night in Brady Park

THE

Jessie’s Girl

Take out that neon once again and give your hair its best ‘80s ‘do. Those crazy days are back — as only Jessie’s Girl can pull off, on the Paramount stage, Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m. The band of NYC’s top rock/pop musicians and singers gets everyone into that “Back To The Eighties” vibe with the latest edition of their popular concert experience. With a lineup including four pop-rock vocalists dressing and performing as ‘80s icons, backed by a dynamic band, this is the definitive 80s experience. Throw on top of that: a load of super-fun choreography, audience participation, props, costumes, and confetti — and you have a party that audiences don’t want to leave. Jessie’s Girl has mastered over-the-top renditions of the some of the most unforgettable songs, all while dressed up as the iconic characters of that decade.

Theater meets live music, covered in ‘80s glitz. There’s no decade like the ‘80s — and no one does that era quite like Jessie’s Girl Throw on your best neon, use extra hair spray and head to Back To The Eighties — because it’s time to party like it’s 1989. $45, $37.50, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

South Shore Chiefs 12U West Cooperstown Fundraiser Clothing Drive

The South Shore Chiefs 12 U West baseball team hosts a Cooperstown Fundraiser Clothing Drive, Monday, o ct. 14, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. New and gently used clothing, shoes, jackets, handbags, jewelry, etc., as well as linens, bedding, toys, sporting equipment, small household electronics and goods is accepted.

VHS tapes, CDs, books, furniture, and fragile or large items are not accepted. All items must be in a drawstring plastic bag. The team receives money for every pound collected. 106 Broadway, Massapequa Park. If early drop off or pickup is needed, text Amy at (516) 660-2168.

Saturday Morning Yoga

Join instructor Evelyn Regan for yoga, Saturday, Sept. 28 , 10-11 a.m., in the community room at Plainedge Public Library. For more information, call (516) 735-4133. 1060 Hicksville Rd., North Massapequa.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 15 presents their Irish Night in Brady Park on Saturday, Sept. 21. Bring your lawn chair and blankets and enjoy a night of great entertainment. There will be Irish coffee, soda bread, hot dogs and soft drinks available. Also on sale, there will be Irish knitting and memorabilia. For more information, call the Village of Massapequa Park at (516) 798-0244. Brady Park, Lake Shore Drive, Massapequa Park.

Volunteer with the Massapequa Chamber of Commerce

The Massapequa Chamber of Commerce invites chamber members in good standing to volunteer at the their table at the Columbus Lodge 2143 Italian Feast and Festival, Sunday, Sept. 29, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., along Broadway in North Massapequa.Volunteers will be able to promote their own business, hand out cards and personalized giveaways, and meet and greet with the thousands of attendees at the feast. The rain date is scheduled for Oct. 6. To register, visit business. massapequachamber.org. For more information, call the Chamber at (516) 541-1443, visit massapequachamber.org or email massapequachamber @gmail.com.

Paws Walk returns

National scholarship program

Now through Sept. 30, applications are being accepted for the spring 2025 semester for the Hope For The Warriors Military Spouse and Caregiver Scholarship Program. Since 2006, Hope For The Warriors has awarded Military Spouse and Caregiver Scholarships twice a year.

The nationwide program recognizes and rewards post9/11 spouses and caregivers for their strength, fidelity and resolve despite adversity as they assume critical roles in the financial well being of their families. Scholarships vary from $1,800 to $2,500 and are applied toward higher education at an accredited U.S. university, college, or trade school. To receive an application and learn about all scholarships offered for the spring 2025 semester, visit hopeforthewarriors. org and connect to services.

Car Show Long Island

Check out the annual fall classic, Car Show Long Island, Sunday, Sept. 22 , 11 a.m.4 p.m., at TOBAY Beach. Presented by Supervisor Joseph Saladino and the Oyster Bay Town Board, the event will have a free concert, food truck corral, awards, vendors and more. Additional parking and shuttle service will be available at Jones Beach Field 5. Show gates will open at 8 a.m. and the rain date is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 29. This event is free to spectators. For more information, call (516) 7974121 or visit carshowli.com. TOBAY Beach, Ocean Pkwy, Massapequa.

Having an event?

Sept. 21

Annual Bocce Ball Fundraiser

Massapequa Kiwanis invites all to their 12th Annual Bocce Ball Fundraiser, Saturday, Sept. 21 , at John J. Burn Park log cabin. Registration begins at 10 a.m. and the competition will start at 11 a.m. Sponsored by Inter-County Bakery Supply, the day of bocce includes a tournament, bagel breakfast, barbecue lunch, buffet dinner and choice of beverage. With entertainment for all. $60 per player, $30 for non-players. To register to participate or be a sponsor, visit massapequakiwanis. org. For more information, contact the bocce chairperson, Tony DeMayo at (516)-343-3435 or email awdemayo@optonline.net or contact President Dianne Finkelstein at (516)-749-4849. John J. Burns Park, 4990 Merrick Road, Massapequa.

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.

Get ready to lace up your sneakers and leash up your furry friends because the Paws Walk returns Sunday, Sept. 22, starting at 9 a.m., at Belmont Lake State Park. Participants will be able to sign-in and grab a light breakfast at 8 a.m. Sponsored by Long Island Cares, the 5K route is perfect for runners, joggers and walkers of all levels. Please bring a non-perishable pet food item for a chance to win a BarkBox full of pet goodies or bring a non-perishable human food item to enter a raffle for a great human treat. The cost is $40 per person in advance, $45 on day of the event. Includes a race t-shirt. Kids 12 and under can participate for free. To register, visit events.elitefeats.com/24pawswalk. For more information, visit licares.org or call (631) 582-3663. Belmont Lake State Park, 625 Belmont Ave., West Babylon.

Long Island Harmonica Club Workshop

Massapequa Public Library hosts a Long Island Harmonica Club Workshop, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 7-8:45 p.m. Come down to the library and play the harmonica with fellow music enthusiasts. Beginners are welcome. For more information, call Lee Gundel at (516) 798-4607 ext. 6304 or email lgundel@massapequalibrary.org. 40 Harbor Lane, Massapequa Park.

Art League of L.I. exhibit

Sept. 28

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Art League of Long Island presents “Retrospect - The Individual Art of Collaboration in Reconstructive Surgery.” The exhibit delves into the interplay between personal artistry and collaborative efforts in the context of breast reconstruction, showcasing how the healing process can transcend medicine to become an inspiring narrative of restoration and personal resilience. This unique exhibition explores the intersection of medicine and art through the lens of two accomplished breast reconstruction surgeons, Dr. Ron Israeli and Dr. Jonathan Bank, whose careers and artistic endeavors are deeply intertwined.

The works on display show the multifaceted nature of artistic expression in medicine and surgery. Their work emphasizes the importance of collaborative creativity in the healing process, offering viewers a unique perspective on the emotional and physical aspects of breast reconstruction. On view Sept. 28 through Oct. 18. Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery at Art League of Long Island, 107 East Deer Park Road, Dix Hills. Visit artleagueli.org for more information.

Town holds tribute to fallen NYPD officer Jonathan Diller

Marshall Tucker Band performs

The Town of Oyster Bay held the region’s largest National Night Out celebration with a special tribute to fallen New York Police Department (NYPD) Detective Jonathan Diller of Massapequa, which included a free concert performed by the world-acclaimed Southern rock band, The Marshall Tucker Band. The event, which included ceremonies honoring Diller and all law enforcement, was held at John J. Burns Park in Massapequa on Wednesday, August 21. This was one of many free summer concerts held throughout the Town. For information on other town events, go to oysterbaytown.com.

BECOME A NEW ON STAGE BECOME A NEW JUL 10 THROUGH AUG 24 2025 NOV 14 THROUGH DEC 29 2024 JAN 16 THROUGH MAR 2 2025 MAR 13 THROUGH APR 27 2025 MAY 15 THROUGH JUN 29 2025

BECOME A NEW SEASON TICKET HOLDER TODAY!

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Musicians, top photo Jr. Mack, middle, Chris Hicks and below Doug Gray.

Photo Tim Baker/Herald

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time

Positions Available!

Busy Print Shop in Garden City is Hiring Immediately for Full Time and Part Time Drivers. Must Have a Clean License and BoxTruck Driving Experience. Hours Vary, Salary Ranges from $17 per hour to $21 per hour Night Availability is a Must. Please Email Resume to careers@liherald.com or Call (516)569-4000 x239

DRIVING INSTRUCTOR

Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome!

$20 - $25/ Hour Bell Auto School

516-365-5778

Email: info@bellautoschool.com

EDITOR/REPORTER

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

EMAIL MARKETING SPECIALIST

Herald Community Newspapers is seeking a motivated and knowledgeable Email Marketing Expert to join our team. If you have a passion for crafting effective email campaigns and a knack for data-driven decision-making, this role is for you!

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Set up and manage email campaigns from start to finish. Analyze data to identify target audiences and optimize email strategies. Craft compelling email content, including writing effective subject lines. Monitor and report on campaign performance.

REQUIREMENTS:

Degree in Marketing, Business, or related field. Strong understanding of data analysis and marketing principles. Experience with email marketing is preferred but not required.

POSITION DETAILS:

Flexible: Part-time or Full-time.

Salary range: $16,640 to $70,000, depending on experience and role.

Join our dynamic team and help us connect with our audience in meaningful ways! Apply today by sending your resume and a brief cover letter to lberger@liherald.com

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

To Deliver Papers To Businesses in Massapequa, Amityville and Babylon 2 Days Per Week

Must Have Own Vehicle/Van

This is an independent contractor role for Richner Communications Compensation based on stops starting at $275/week If Interested contact Jim at jrotche@liherald.com or 516-569-4000 x211

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE open-

ings 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

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

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A column went ‘clunk’

TQ. We were sitting in our living room and heard a loud clunk. We went to investigate, thinking something spooky or structural had happened, maybe in our attic. It turned out that a steel post in our basement had just rusted out and fallen over, probably from saltwater during the hurricane flooding we had. Should we be concerned? The floor seems to be level, and not bouncy or anything. What should we do? Can we replace the column to save money?

A. Sometimes things do go bump in the middle of the night. (People sometimes ask me if these questions are real. You actually called me about this, as a former client, and I was able to stop over and look at the problem.) You were right to be concerned, and to react quickly instead of waiting to see what could happen next.

I can report that your crawl space went through a significant amount of repair, but is in otherwise pristine condition after the flooding occurred. Unlike many people I meet with, you took pictures of the stripped bare structure, and could show me the ones you kept in a computer file. That was important in determining what to do next, because the main beam supporting the house is partially enclosed with marine plywood and has several adjustable columns, which I never recommend for permanently supporting loads, especially in a potential flood-prone crawl space under a home.

Now I have photos to prove what I have often said about adjustable columns, the ones with either pegs or adjustable screws or, like your columns, both pegs and a large adjustable screw at the top. I am in favor of full steel columns that aren’t lightweight, but rather have heavyweight sidewalls of ¼-inch-thick steel.

It isn’t that the adjustable columns aren’t strong enough. My concern is that they be installed correctly and how long they will last, especially in a corrosive environment. Almost every adjustable column I have ever seen is installed incorrectly, upside down. The manufacturer specifically instructs that the adjustment portion of the column should be at the bottom, not at the top. After installing a correctly calculated spread footing, the column is installed so that when the floor slab is poured in place, the concrete will enclose the screw adjustment section of the column.

In a flood zone, I always recommend that plastic be in place around the base of the column before the concrete pour is made, to keep saltwater from directly contacting the steel. Even though the steel must be coated with rust-preventive paint, concrete acts like a sponge, and the salt builds up and remains around the steel after each flooding episode. Even better, I recommend solid concrete block columns to support the beam in a flood hazardprone area. They will last a hundred years longer than the steel. You can do the work yourself and avoid things that go bump in the night. Good luck!

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It’s a good time to review back-to-school

safety

As we enter the fall season, our roads are once again at full driving capacity. With school underway, the addition of buses picking up and dropping off students, kids on bikes hurrying to school, and harried parents dropping their children off before work or picking them up after school adds to that congestion. With that in mind, I thought it would be a good time to review some back-to-school traffic safety tips. Most of them aren’t new, but they can serve as a reminder to drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians as they navigate our busy roads.

School zone driving safety tips

n Always keep to the speed limit in a school zone.

n Watch out for school crossing guards, and obey their signals.

n Slow down, and follow all traffic laws when entering a school zone.

n Always stop for school buses that are loading or unloading children.

n Never pass other vehicles while driving in a school zone.

Riding your bike to school

n Keep your phone in your pocket, silenced, while riding.

n Always wear a bike helmet.

n Obey the rules of the road. They are the same for all vehicles, including bicycles.

n Stay on the right side of the road and ride in the same direction as traffic.

n If possible, ride with someone else. There’s safety in numbers.

n Never ride a bike while wearing headphones, talking on a cellphone or texting.

Walking to and from school

Dn Go straight home after school. Don’t go anywhere else without parental permission.

n Don’t talk to strangers, and never get into a stranger’s vehicle.

n Parents, teach your children to recognize and obey traffic signals and signage.

ownright scary statistics on accidents and deaths should give us all pause.

n Keep your phone in your book bag, silenced.

n Leave early enough to arrive at school at least 10 minutes early.

n Always use available sidewalks and streets.

n Walk with other students. There’s strength in numbers.

n Cross streets only at designated crosswalks.

n Always look both ways before crossing.

n Never cross streets between obstacles (parked cars, bushes, etc.).

ASchool bus safety tips for motorists

n If you are approaching a school bus from either the front or behind, and its yellow lights are flashing, the bus is preparing to stop.

n When a bus’s red lights are flashing, you must stop. It’s the law. This includes buses that are on the opposite sides of divided highways, on multiplelane roadways, in parking lots and on school grounds.

School bus safety tips for students

n Remember to look carefully in both directions — left, right and left again — when crossing a street.

n Wait for the bus at a designated bus stop, and stand well back from the curb.

n Make eye contact with the driver and wait for the driver to signal you before crossing in front of the bus.

n When getting off the bus, look to the rear of the bus before stepping off the bottom step.

To reinforce the important of traffic safety, recent data released by the state Department of Transportation shows that Long Island’s roads have become more dangerous and deadly. Last year alone, there were over 84,000 vehicle crashes on Long Island roads, an increase of 4 percent over 2022.

Those crashes resulted in 216 deaths and more than 26,000 injuries, including 1,400 serious or life-threatening ones. In Nassau County, 66 people died in crashes, and in Suffolk County, which is larger geographically and has more roads, there were 150 deaths.

DOT data for the first five months of 2024 showed nearly 23,000 collisions, with 51 deaths and 356 people seriously injured. There were 379 reported pedestrian collisions and 185 collisions involving bicyclists from January to June.

Those are downright scary statistics, and will hopefully give all of us pause, and motivate us to make a concerted effort to keep traffic safety top of mind throughout the school year ahead and beyond as we carry forward with our busy lives.

John Giuffré represents Nassau County’s 8th Legislative District.

Seeking post-pandemic healing in the woods

cold wind, as loud as a trumpet, whipped across the summit of Mount Marcy, New York’s highest peak in the Adirondacks, on Aug. 17. I could see only feet in front of me, because the mountain, at 5,344 feet above sea level, was enveloped by clouds. Then a light rain started to patter across the rocky slab at my feet.

I was in a dreamscape, surrounded by massive boulders and tall piles of rocks called cairns, intended to guide hikers through stormy conditions. Then, out of the fog, two 20-something hikers appeared like apparitions, wearing nothing more than shorts, T-shirts and sneakers, each carrying but one small water bottle. The two moved across the steep, slippery rock like cats, seemingly unfazed by the increasingly concerning weather. One pulled out a short joint and inhaled it all at once. He and his hiking partner stood at Marcy’s highest point and joked that they were the highest men in New

York. Then they asked if we — my son, Andrew, my soon-to-be son-in-law, Matteo, and I — would like our photo taken at the summit. We did, and the fellow toking the joint obliged.

The pair were from Massachusetts, but mostly hiked in New Hampshire, they said. They had never climbed Mount Marcy before. I remarked that I had last made the ascent 45 years ago.

“What were you, 3?” the smoker asked.

“Actually, I was 12.”

“Whoa.”

DI’m a nearly lifelong Long Islander accustomed to a virtually flat landscape, and the Adirondack High Peaks region has lived in my imagination since I first visited the area as a Boy Scout with Troop 79, in Suffolk County, during my middle school years. I could never reconcile in my mind the massiveness of the mountains, the sheer grandeur of them. Even as a child, I understood how special they were, and how fortunate I was to visit them.

take in the spectacular view (on a clear day, it’s said you can see Mount Royal, in Montreal, 65 miles away, from Marcy’s summit), but my older self understood how privileged I was to be in this place. To be consumed by the weather was an experience unto itself, one part eerie, one part mystical.

espite the fog atop Mount Marcy, I understood how privileged I was to be there.

I had decided during the coronavirus pandemic that I wanted — I needed — to return to Mount Marcy, and I wrote about that desire in a Herald column in March 2021, “Reflections on a pandemic year.” I was the Heralds’ executive editor at the time, and like so many people then, I was exhausted, mentally as well as physically, having covered the pandemic for a year. My mind often wandered to the forests of my childhood, both on Long Island and in the Adirondacks and Catskills. I longed for the quiet and solitude of the woods.

I climbed Bear Mountain, in New York’s Hudson Highlands, with my wife, Katerina, in June. It was a distressingly hot day, but we made it. Then Andrew and Matteo proposed that we climb Marcy this summer, and I was all in. I didn’t hesitate. Now it’s on to Katahdin, in Maine, hopefully in one of the coming summers.

The experiences of climbing Bear Mountain and Mount Marcy were made more special and lasting in my memory because I shared them with family. Only my daughter, Alexandra, was missing, but I’m certain she will be trekking with us into the mountains in the near future.

Like so many, I was hyper-focused on my work during the pandemic. It was all we had. I still love my work — now as a full-time Hofstra University journalism professor. But to this day, more than a year after the official end of the “Covid19 emergency” in May 2023, my mind often drifts to the woods, to nature. It is there that we find the psychic and spiritual healing that so many of us still so desperately need.

On the day Andrew, Matteo and I made our ascent, the weather was less than ideal. A younger version of me might have been disappointed not to

“I hope to climb Bear Mountain, Mount Marcy and Mount Katahdin again, and perhaps others as well,” I wrote. “I hope. I hope. I hope. We must keep hope alive to remember why we should do all we can to survive these terrible and terrifying times.”

Scott Brinton is an assistant professor of journalism, media studies and public relations at Hofstra University’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication. ©Scott A. Brinton. Comments? scott.brinton@hofstra.edu.

JoHn GiUFFRÉ

HERALD

HeraLd editoriaL

History is passed down in our fire departments

History is often perceived as something static — a collection of events consigned to textbooks, memorialized in museums, or commemorated on anniversaries. It can feel as though history lives on dusty bookshelves, far removed from our daily lives.

But history isn’t merely a record of the past, frozen in time. Rather, it is a living, breathing thing, continuously shaping the present and influencing the future.

History evolves as it is interpreted, re-examined and passed down through generations. One way to understand its dynamic nature is by noting how institutions like fire departments are now hiring young people who were born after Sept. 11, 2001 — a day that still feels so recent and vivid to many of us.

This milestone is a potent reminder that history is an ever-evolving force that defines generational perspectives, values and narratives.

Many of us remember where we were and what we were doing on 9/11, as do members of older generations who remember where they were when they heard that President John F. Kennedy had been shot, or that Pearl Harbor had been attacked.

For firefighters — and especially those who serve in New York City and on Long Island — no date holds deeper meaning than Sept. 11. The bravery of the many first responders who ran

Letters

The latest on New York’s push for state and federal ERA

To the Editor:

toward the hellish chaos at the World Trade Center, intending to save lives, has become emblematic of the courage and sacrifice inherent in their profession.

That fire departments are now hiring people who were not alive when the towers fell highlights the inevitability of generational change and the idea that history is always moving forward, even when it feels as if time has stood still.

These young recruits are entering a world shaped by the consequences of 9/11, yet they engage with it in a different way. For them, Sept. 11 is, yes, history, but not a memory — a chapter learned in school rather than a harrowing, indelible life experience.

This generational shift forces us to confront the duality of history: it is at once deeply personal and profoundly collective. For those of us who lived through 9/11 — and particularly the millions who could see the smoking wreckage from their homes or offices, with no need of a television screen — the event has become part of the fabric of our lives. For those born afterward, it is something learned about and appreciated through second-hand accounts.

Nonetheless, their presence in firefighting gear yet to be soiled signals that history is alive, breathing new life into the institutions that helped shape it. Eerily similar to the refrain repeated by Jewish people immersed in their

own living history since the Holocaust, “Never again,” fire departments across the United States, as far removed from New York as Alaska, echo the phrase, “Never forget.”

There, the Kenai Fire Department — more than 4,500 miles from ground zero — commemorates 9/11 every year as if its members, too, were just a truck ride from where the planes hit.

“The greatest thing we can do to honor the lives lost on 9/11 is to strive to be the people we were on Sept. 12, when we all came together, we all felt like one nation, one people,” Jay Teague, chief of the Kenai department, said at its Sept. 11 ceremony last week, as reported by KDLL public radio. “We get lost in the daily strife, the daily frustrations, and we lose that sometimes, but I think that’s probably the best sentiment we can end on, is that we should strive to be the people we were on Sept. 12.”

As young recruits join firehouses in New York City, on Long Island and across the country, they bring with them a new understanding of public service, informed not only by the legacy of 9/11, but the challenges they have faced in the post-9/11 world, marked by heightened security, shifting global politics, a pandemic and a divided country.

This generational handoff underscores the vitality of history. It is not static; it does not belong solely to the past. Rather, it lives on through the people who reinterpret it and shape it anew.

As election season heats up, the League of Women Voters of Central Nassau and partners such as New Yorkers for Equal Rights and the New York Civil Liberties Union continue to advocate for and educate about Proposal 1, appearing on state ballots in the upcoming election, through postcarding, phonebanking, canvassing and public appearances. We remind New York voters to “flip their ballot” on Nov. 5 and vote on Prop 1, which expands on the current state Equal Rights Amendment to include protections against discrimination for all New Yorkers.

Moreover, LWVCN recently joined the Sign4ERA. org team — which advocates for the long-overdue certification and publication of the federal ERA — when the organization’s chair, former New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, and her colleagues visited Garden City on Sept. 1 to ask U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito for his support. D’Esposito, who represents the 4th Congressional District, is one of a few remaining members of Congress needed to sign a House discharge petition that would bring HJ Resolution 25 — removing the deadline for

opinions

Honoring our immigrant ancestors

immigration has been a contentious topic for the past few years, as the migrant crisis at the southern border has continuously grabbed headlines, prompted intense debate and served as a major policy point for candidates in elections across the nation.

While Americans have always, and likely will always, disagree on how to handle this issue, there’s no denying the increasingly vitriolic, outlandish and in many cases outright racist language used to describe these immigrants.

Every American is a descendant of immigrants, whether your ancestors came here on the Mayflower, through Ellis Island or, in recent decades, on a plane. My ancestors came from Italy, Scotland, England, France and Germany, some as early as the 1600s and some as late as the early 1900s.

So it’s disappointing, as someone who was raised to take pride in my family’s history, who learned about the struggles that my Italian and Jewish relatives faced when they arrived, to see how willing many Americans are to assume the worst about all immigrants.

There are some who will say, “I don’t hate all immigrants — just the illegals who come to our country to steal our jobs and murder us.” While I can appreciate the very real worries about gang members or criminals arriving in our neighborhoods, I’d like to ask a simple question.

How do you think your immigrant ancestors would feel if someone accused them of eating dogs?

iI can promise you, most of our ancestors did face discrimination when they came to this country. In the mid-1800s, when waves of Germans and Irish arrived, and decades later, when Italian, Greek, Russian, Jewish and more people came here in droves, they faced the racist backlash that many immigrants are still facing today.

their journey over. They drew caricatures, published cartoons calling Irishmen “wild beasts,” and ran political campaigns on a platform that the Irish were not fit to be members of civilized society.

t’s frustrating to see many Americans assume the worst about immigrants.

According to Kevin Kenny, a professor of history at Boston College, “Native-born Americans criticized Irish immigrants for their poverty and manners, their supposed laziness and lack of discipline, their public drinking style, their Catholic religion, and their capacity for criminality and collective violence. In both words and pictures, critics of the Irish measured character by perceived physical appearance.”

Sound familiar?

The Know Nothing Party of the 1850s was a nativist political movement that opposed Catholic immigration into the country. They ran on a platform of keeping America Protestant and “pure,” rejecting the notion that Catholics and non-Anglo-Saxon peoples had anything to offer our young nation.

The Know Nothings used slurs to insult the many Irish immigrants who had fled the Great Famine, many of whom endured hellish conditions on

Letters

the ratification of the ERA — to the House floor for a vote.

Since Virginia was the 38th state to ratify the ERA in 2020, we have the threefourths majority of states needed to affirm it as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution. As of Sept. 1, the discharge petition had been signed by 214 House members, and needed 218 signatures to move to a floor vote. So if you live in District 4 — which includes Atlantic Beach, Baldwin, Carle Place, East Meadow, Elmont, the Five Towns, Floral Park, Franklin Square, Freeport, Garden City, Garden City Park, Hempstead, Long Beach, Lynbrook, Malverne, Merrick, New Hyde Park, Ocean-side, Rockville Centre, Roosevelt, Seaford, Uniondale, Valley Stream, Wantagh, West Hempstead and Westbury — and you support the ERA, contact D’Esposito’s office, at desposito.house.gov, as soon as possible, and ask him to sign Discharge Petition No. 6. This federal equal rights legislation is long overdue, and we are close to making history by seeing it finally published in the Constitution, where, arguably, it always should have been.

On Tuesday, which, auspiciously, was both Constitution Day and National Voter Registration Day, representatives of the LWVCN, the National Council of Jewish Women and the New York chapter of the National Organization for Women were scheduled to visit D’Esposito’s office to

discuss the urgency and significance of the federal ERA, not only for New Yorkers but for all Americans.

SUSAN CUSHMAN, PH.D. LWVCN advocacy chair

Garden City

Funding from Washington and Albany is crucial to LIRR’s operations

To the Editor:

The Long Island Rail Road still needs to reach a state of good repair for its existing fleet, stations, elevators, escalators, signals, interlockings, track, power, yards and shops. That also includes more stations reaching compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Maintenance programs for all operating assets also need to be fully funded, and completed on time, to ensure riders safe, uninterrupted, reliable service.

Since its creation in 1964, the Urban Mass Transit Administration — which since 1991 has been known as the Federal Transit Administration — has provided billions of dollars to pay for many of these capital improvements. The LIRR’s share of the FTA’s annual grants to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority

I’m not saying people don’t have a right to be concerned about illegal immigration. It’s a serious issue that has remained unresolved through far too many administrations of both parties. But we must remember that our words have meaning, and that when we make blanket judgments about people or groups, we are, as the adage goes, cutting off our nose to spite our face. Because immigrants have always been the backbone of this country, from the day of the signing of the Declaration

of Independence — which features the signatures of eight immigrants — to today. From early arrivers like Tadeusz Kosciuszko, who built Fort West Point and helped the Americans win the Battle of Saratoga, to later ones like Andrew Carnegie, the tycoon who dominated the steel industry in the 19th century — neither of whom had ‘legal’ documentation when they arrived — immigrants have always had an outsized impact as workers, innovators and leaders.

Arguably the most famous immigrant in our history, Alexander Hamilton, came to New York as a boy with nothing, and ended up one of our most influential Founding Fathers. I wonder what people these days would call the immigrant orphan child of a prostitute from the Caribbean with no formal schooling.

Immigration is difficult. It is a quagmire that provides immeasurable benefits while, conversely, creating serious social, economic and political pressures. But we should never resort to reductive and hateful stereotypes.

Every immigrant, no matter how he or she came here, is a human being, and should be treated as such. Don’t make the same mistake the people who called my relatives “wops” and “dagos” did, and assume they have less to offer.

Will Sheeline is a senior reporter covering Glen Cove, Glen Head, Oyster Bay and Sea Cliff. Comments? WSheeline@ liherald.com.

Framework by Tim Baker

averages 15 percent. In 2024, this should total $270 million of $1.8 billion in federal grant funding.

The state Department of Transportation also provides Statewide Transportation Operating Assistance on an annual basis to the MTA and the LIRR. Let’s give thanks to both Washington and Albany for continued financial support for our LIRR, the

nation’s largest commuter railroad. LARRY PENNER Great Neck

Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a director of the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.

Pride sculpted in sand — Town Park Point Lookout

Police release sketch of Gilgo Beach victim

By Christie Leigh Babirad cbabirad@liherald.com

Suffolk County Police and the county’s District Attorney’s Office are seeking the public’s help in identifying a young man whose remains were found at Gilgo Beach in 2011. Called “Asian Doe” by the Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force, the victim’s facial rendering was

developed and released in the hope that someone will recognize him and come forward.

“This is a significant development in the case because there aren’t a lot of Asian profiles currently in our genealogy databases,” said S.C. District Attorney Ray Tierney at the press conference. “This will hopefully help us in determining who he was.” Tierney, alongside representatives

from local, state and federal law enforcement partners presented the renderings of the victim on Monday. Until now, police were only aware that the man was of Asian descent, but further forensic analysis showed that there is a strong likelihood that he is of Southern Chinese descent, Han Chinese descent.

While police discovered the remains in April of 2011, the homicide most likely occurred in 2006 or earlier, said police. The homicide was ruled as blunt force trauma. “This victim suffered a violent death,” said Tierney. “This person certainly had a life and loved ones and it’s important that this victim get their name back so the people who cared for him can get answers.”

It is believed that “Asian Doe” worked as a sex worker prior to his disappearance and may have identified as a woman since he was found wearing women’s clothing. “We will not stop in the pursuit of justice for the victims of these homicides,” said Tierney, adding that “Asian Doe” remains nameless despite the best efforts of police.

Asian Doe’s” remains were found in the area surrounding Gilgo Beach, near where the remains of six women were found. Rex A. Heuermann of Massapequa Park is charged in those murders, but police have not associated him with Asian Doe.

While police work tirelessly to solve the case, Massapequans noted over the

weekend that once, again, their community is in the news.

“Every time something happens with the Gilgo Beach case, things get stirred up in Massapequa and Massapequa Park,” said Massapequa Park Village Mayor Daniel Pearl, who early in the investigation met with Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick J. Ryder and addressed families living near the Heuermann home to answer questions and assure them that they would work hard to ensure as little disruption to them as possible.

At John Burns Park on Sunday morning, families were cheering on their children playing soccer and baseball. “I tell people who ask me about it that this is a beautiful community and that just one terrible person or incident does not define us,” said a woman walking there.“

Matthew Barle, who was raised in Massapequa, said while you never expect these types of things to happen in your back yard, “Massapequa is still a beautiful community.”

Anyone with informationon the identification of the victim is asked to contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS, or via email or mobile app atsuffolkpd.org/ Alerts/Crime-Stoppers. Translation services are available and a reward of up to $2,500 from Suffolk County Crime Stoppers is being offered for information leading to the identification of the victim.

—Carolyn James contributed to this story

Above, S.C. District Attorney Ray Tierney speaks to reporters at press conference. Inset, renderings of “Asian Doe” Photo/Herald

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