Massapequa Herald 09_04_2024 by Richner Communications, Inc

HERALD Massapequa

Obituary: Herbert Payne, MFD Page 10

Youngster enjoys pushing the buttons on the sign installed at John Burns Park to help autistic children communicate better while at play.

Town parks become more playful

O’Bay installs signs to help autistic kids communicate

By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com

The Town of Oyster Bay has partnered with Rocco’s Voice for Autism to install autism communication boards in various parks to enhance accessibility for children with autism. This project, supported by the Warner Fund, features symbols and images to aid non-verbal communication, helping children express themselves and engage with peers.

“Rocco’s Voice for Autism is a truly inspiring organization working to ensure every child feels welcomed and included,” said Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino. “I share this mission, which is why we’re working to install play communication boards in our town parks.

He added that communication boards create a universal language for all children to play together— regardless of ability—and that the town welcomes the opportunity to foster an understanding and compassionate environment.

Installed in 15 parks, including John. Burns Park in Massapequa, the installation of the signs was completed in early August.

Anna Di Chiara of Rocco’s Voice for Autism noted the project’s origins, saying that their initial interaction with the town began when a meeting was set up to discuss the need for inclusive parks.

“The town was incredibly receptive and on board with us,” she said.

These boards, featuring images of com

Baseball field to get new turf makeover

By MIKE POLANSKY

The Town of Oyster Bay is embarking on a significant upgrade for the main baseball field at John J. Burns Park in Massapequa. The planned improvement will transform the natural surface infield into a state-of-the-art synthetic turf infield.

A Town spokesperson explained that the focus of the project is the infield, which endures more wear and tear during play. Replacing just this section is both more cost-effective and practical than overhauling the entire field, said Town officials.

Construction is expected to commence in late fall, with the goal of completing the upgrade in time for Opening Day 2025. The project is out for a competitive bid.

The Town highlights that synthetic turf fields typically have a useful life of up to 10 years. Despite their initial expense, they offer a more economical solution in the long run compared to maintaining natural grass and dirt surfaces. Additionally, turf fields can reduce the number of game cancellations due to weather, as they handle rain more effectively

than traditional infields.

The Synthetic Turf Council’s March 2024 report reveals that the U.S. currently has between 12,000 and 13,000 synthetic turf sports fields, with about 1,200 to 1,500 new installations annually.

While some studies suggest that turf fields may lead to a 20% increase in non-contact injuries, these findings primarily pertain to football fields. Town officials argue that baseball fields with artificial turf are more even and predictable, potentially reducing injuries and improving player satisfaction. It is expected that the bases on the upgraded Burns Park field will be set at 60-, 75and 90-feet to accommodate multiple levels and ages of athletes.

Former Little League coach Marco LaRocca, who was out at the field pitching to his son last weekend, voiced strong support for the upgrade.

“I think the change will be beneficial to the Town and to the players,” he said. “It will mean less upkeep for the Town and fewer injuries for the players.” LaRocca noted that natural grass fields often suffer from ruts and holes after rain, leading to ankle and leg injuries.

The Burns Park field serves

Amityville welcomes back staff members

New school year to focus on building bridges and breaking barriers

Building Bridges was the theme of the Amityville School District’s Superintendent Conference Aug. 28. The district welcomed all staff members back to the start of the 2024-25 school year Memorial High School, setting the tone for a year focused on collaboration, inclusivity and progress.

Superintendent Dr. Gina Talbert kicked off the day by acknowledging the challenges the district faced last school year.

“I am here to ask you to join me in taking the first steps toward a better year,” said Dr. Talbert. “We may not have the same rhythm as last year, but I believe that together, we can find a new harmony— one that is built on trust, resilience and a shared commitment to our students and to each other.”

Board of Education President Lisa Johnson also echoed these sentiments in her address to the staff and warmly welcomed all in attendance.

Dr. Talbert then outlined a series of goals for the upcoming school year centered on core academic areas, school culture and cli mate, parental and family engagement, and finance and budgeting. She also encouraged all staff members to identify their primary goals as educators, recognize any barriers in achieving these goals and reflect on what they can do to build a bridge from these roadblocks.

The district, in collaboration with all staff, looks forward to a year of growth and success ahead and thanks all employees for their continued dedication.

Massapequa

Toes in the sand, good book in hand...

“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. Get your copy of Gary Slavin’s novel today.

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Takes Action Coalition (MTAC) continues

its

Boat Smart, Boat Sober initiative

The Massapequa Takes Action Coalition (MTAC) is continuing its Boat Smart, Boat Sober initiative, aimed at enhancing water safety awareness and practices among local boaters. Drinking while boating poses a significant health and safety risk. It is also 100% preventable.

In collaboration with the Town of Oyster Bay, MTAC is working to raise awareness of this issue and to help keep residents safe this summer while on the water. This includes reducing boating accidents by promoting safe boating practices, as well as fostering an environment that encourages healthy decision making. MTAC invites the community to join this important effort to make our waterways safer for everyone.

It is important to realize that on the water, even small amounts of substances may greatly impair one’s ability to function in three critical areas: balance, coordination, and judgment. Pair this with environmental stressors such as glare, heat, vibration, and engine noise, and you can become quickly fatigued, greatly slowing your reaction time.

Alcohol can affect a person’s ability to understand what is happening around them, which in-turn, can decrease their

ability to react to an emergency or operate a boat. For new boaters, who are already unfamiliar with the water, the effects of alcohol or any substances may be even more dangerous. No one may operate a vessel on the waters of NYS while impaired or intoxicated through the consumption of either alcohol or drugs. Also, if you are under the age of 21 in New York State, it is illegal to drink alcoholic beverages.

For more information about the Boat Smart, Boat Sober initiative, please visit https://www.mtacoalition.com/aboutmtac/campaigns or contact Ashley Cimato at (516) 799-3000 x131 or acimato@ yesccc.org.

CORRECTION:

A story that appeared in last week’s edition about the Town of Oyster Bay shellfishing hearing incorrectly stated the total amount of underwater land in Oyster Bay Harbor. There are a total of 5,060 acres, 1,850 of which are covered by the Frank M. Flowers and Sons Inc. lease.

Happy 150th Birthday Nassau County

County

and LIU to host event recognizing this milestone

The 125 th anniversary of the founding of Nassau County will be celebrated on Sept. 14 at the LIU Sharks football game.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman announced a partnership with Long Island University to celebrate this milestone to allow residents to come together to not only recognize Nassau’s long and rich history but to also support the only Division 1 football team in the county.

“Nassau Day is a celebration of our local community and its rich history but also an invitation for families, friends, and football fans to cheer on the Sharks as they begin their season,” said Blakeman.

The game begins at noon, as the LIU Sharks face off against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in the Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium on the LIU campus in Brookville.

and plans, which was crucial for General George Washington’s strategic decisions.

Also central to the war was Raynham Hall, which British troops used as their headquarters. Patriot Samuel Townsend owned the home, which is now a popular museum.

Even though Townsend was arrested early in the war for his support of the Patriots, his son, Robert, remained active as an undercover agent for General Washington using the code name “Culper, Jr.” With the aid of his sister, Sally, he reportedly secured information that led to the exposure of Benedict Arnold’s plot to defect to the British and turn over West Point to their control.

More about Nassau County’s History can be found here:

•Nassau County Historical Society https://nassaucounty historicalsociety.org/ Raynham Hall Museum https://raynhamhallmuseum.org/ the-revolution/ •Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Nps.gov

The Nassau County Department of Tourism outlines the county’s history which goes back 500 years—centuries before Nassau County was designated. In 1524, Giovanni de Verrazano became the first known European to sail past Long Island’s south shore. More than a century later, Long Island was claimed by the Dutch as part of New Netherland. In 1648, Robert Williams of Hempstead purchased a significant piece of land from the Native Americans, which now is Hicksville, and parts of Jericho, Plainview, Syosset, and Woodbury.

The area again changed hands in 1664 when the English won New Netherland from the Dutch

During the Revolutionary War, Nassau County was a hotbed of activity and strategic importance, primarily due to its location close to New York City and the Long Island Sound.

The Culper Spy Ring, one of the most famous espionage operations of the war, operated within and around the area. While primarily based in Setauket, Suffolk County, their activities extended into what is now Nassau County, gathering intelligence on British troop movements

The Journey from 1899

The 20th century was a transformative period for Nassau County. Railroads and cars quickly turned the county into a haven for those people looking for suburban tranquility, away from the hustle and bustle of New York City. Picture the historical elegance of Garden City or the pioneering spirit of Levittown — each community tells a story of innovation, dreams, and the pursuit of a better life.

In recognition of the 125th anniversary, Nassau County will be providing free tickets to youth football leagues and organizations throughout the county. This initiative aims to inspire the next generation of athletes and offer them a chance to experience the excitement of Division 1 football up close.

“On behalf of Long Island University, I would like to thank County Executive Bruce Blakeman for including LIU in the Nassau Day celebration,” said Dr. Kimberly R. Cline, president, LIU. “We are proud to be the home of Nassau County’s only Division I collegiate football program and our teams and our athletes…on and off the field.

To purchase tickets for Nassau Day on September 14 go to athletictickets. liu.edu . Free tickets for youth football leagues will be arranged through local league coordinators. For more information about Nassau Day call 516-571-3131.

From

Above, family of President Theodore Roosevelt at Sagamore Hill in Nassau County. Sagamore Hill was the summer home of Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States.

Photo/Sagamore Hill, National Parks

Below, the Townsend Homestead, now known as Raynham Hall, 1840-1850, by Benson J. Lossing, for his “Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution.”

the collection of Raynham Hall Museum.

Baseball field to get smooth makeover

both the Massapequa International and Massapequa Little Leagues, as well as the town’s expanding softball program. The upgraded field will feature bases set at 60, 75, and 90 feet to accommodate various age groups and levels of play.

“Replacing the infield with synthetic turf allows for extended play time for athletes and brings a significant upgrade to this beautiful park,” said Saladino. “We are pleased to enhance the Massapequa community while remaining mindful of our budget.”

In other town matters, the supervisor announced that the town received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. The recognition, awarded by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA), is the highest form of recognition for governmental accounting and financial reporting. Oyster Bay was the only town in the “Large Municipal” category to win the award nationwide.

“This award represents a significant accomplishment by our Town and the way we have managed our finances,” said Saladino. “Since taking office, my administra-

tion has eliminated $44 million in deficits inherited from the prior administration while producing budget surpluses and earning 9 credit rating upgrades from Wall Street –all while cutting property taxes and repaving more roads than ever before! We’re proud to earn this recognition and will continue practicing fiscal restraint to protect taxpayers.”

The Town’s financial report is judged by an impartial panel, that looks at municipalities’ constructive ‘spirit of full disclosure’ to communicate its financial story and to motivate potential users and user groups to read the report. The GFOA, founded in 1906, represents public finance officials throughout the United States and Canada involved in planning, financing, and implementing thousands of governmental operations in each of their jurisdictions. (“Town Receives Highest Award for Financial Reporting”) GFOA’s mission is to advance excellence in public finance.

The Next meeting of the Oyster Bay Town Board will be held on Tuesday morning, September 10 at Oyster Bay Town Hall, 54 Audrey Avenue in Oyster Bay, starting at 10 a.m.

Children’s parks in O’Bay now more playful for autistic kids

CONTINUED FROM COVER mon objects and letters, allow children with autism to communicate their needs and interact more effectively.

Di Chiara emphasized their importance.

“Some children with autism are nonspeaking or non-verbal, so these boards provide a way for them to express their feelings and communicate what they want or need.”

Community feedback has been positive, leading to plans for broader expansion.

At the children’s playground at John Burns Park recently, a resident who was at the park with his two daughters said he thought the idea was a good one. “This is totally fine and will help these children with the struggles they sometimes have,” he said, asking that his name not be used.

Another resident, Jen Simon also thought the signs would be helpful At the park with her son Niko said the concept “Is very inclusive and that her son, who is not autistic, uses the signs to learn about the different activities at the park.

“It’s a very good thing; very nice,” added Liz Ambrosio who was at the park with her son, Vin.

“We’ve received numerous emails from parents asking us to install these boards in more locations. Our goal is to make them available in all public areas,” said Di Chiara.

Councilman Steve Labriola praised the initiative, stating, “This partnership exemplifies our dedication to creating an inclusive environment where every child can thrive.”

—Carolyn James contributed to this story

Marco LaRocca, who believes the new turf field at John Burns Park will be safer and more convenient, pitches to his son on the field on Sunday morning.

Requirements: Own

Please send your application to Tim Baker at: tbaker@liherald.com with the subject line or call "Freelance Photographer ” 516-784-8135

Pictured above are Internal Audit Division Head Richard Principe, Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, Town Comptroller Steve Ballas of Farmingdale, and Deputy Town Comptroller Christine Wiss of Massapequa Park.

Photo/HERALD

Amityville native serves with U.S. Navy in the Pacific Northwest

By Alvin Plexico, Navy Office of Community Outreach

Seaman Veneisha Meade serves the U.S. Navy at Naval Station Everett in the Pacific Northwest. Meade graduated from Walter G. O’Connell Copiague High School in 2016 and said the skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are like those she found in school and in her hometown of Amityville.

“Growing up, I learned it’s important to be your own person and not to follow your peers,” said Meade. “You have to follow your own dreams and follow your own path.”

Meade joined the Navy one year ago. Today, Meade serves as a quartermaster.

“I joined the Navy because I wanted to give my kids security,” said Meade. “I also wanted to go to school and didn’t want to worry about where the money would come from or how my kids would be fed. I felt like the Navy was the best way for me to get to my end goals.”

Naval Station Everett, one of only two Navy-owned deep-water ports on the West Coast, is home to the command staffs of Carrier Strike Group 11 and Destroyer Group 9, six U.S. Navy ships and one Coast Guard

vessel. The base enhances the nation’s ability to accomplish strategic objectives by supporting U.S. Navy and Coast Guard forces, according to Navy officials.

Meade serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security and has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“I’m proud to finally start school, which will help me achieve my goal of being a nurse,” said Meade. “I’m currently working toward a bachelor’s of nursing degree with Purdue Global University.”

Meade can take pride in serving America through military service.

“Serving in the Navy gives me a sense of purpose,” said Meade. “I feel like what I do in the Navy is important.”

Meade is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I want to send a shoutout to my aunt, Rusheida Wallace,” added Meade. “She’s a commanding officer in the Navy and pushed me to explore the opportunities available in military service. I also want to thank my mom, Kayon Perkins, and my children, Jayden, and Jaylaa.”

Photo by Alvin Plexico

Seaman Veneisha Meade of Amityville

Hofstra eyes return to national stage

By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com

Hofstra men’s soccer reached big heights in 2023, advancing to the NCAA Tournament’s third round stage for the second time in three years, but longtime head coach Richard Nuttall felt plenty was left on the table during the historic run.

The Pride led third-seeded North Carolina by a goal late in the second half before surrendering the equalizer with under five minutes remaining and eventually losing in penalty kicks following two scoreless overtimes. The heartbreaking loss was a big missed opportunity for Hofstra, who with a win would have hosted 11th-seeded Oregon State in the Elite Eight with a chance to punch a ticket to the prestigious College Cup.

“We are proud of what we accomplished, but we felt it was a lost opportunity,” said 35th-year head coach Richard Nuttall. “The reality is though we are punching way above our weight for what we are and I think we are the best midmajor in the country that is not a state school.”

Nuttall lost many key pieces from last year’s 14-3-5 team, but returns 12 players including All-America defender Pierce Infuso, a Merrick native who has returned for a fifth season as a graduate student. The Bellmore-JFK product was a third-team All-America honoree last season and an All-Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) First-Team selection.

“He is rock steady and does what he has to do,” Nuttall said of Infuso. “He is getting a lot of looks from MLS clubs and I believe that he has the ability to play at that level when he leaves here.”

Graduate student midfielder Roc Charles gived Hofstra an additional fiveyear veteran with Infuso returning for an extra year of eligibility. The Spain native is a co-captain with Infuso and scored a goal in Hofstra’s 4-1 win at American on Aug. 25.

Hofstra’s offense will be looking for new producers this season following the loss of leading leading scorers Ryan Carmichael and Eliot Goldthorp, who were both selected in the Major League Soccer

Super Draft. Also scoring in the American win with Charles were Pablo Hempelmann-Perez, Jacob Woznicki and Gabriel Pacheco with Laurie Goddard tallying an assist.

Woznicki, a graduate student who previously played at Stonehill College, then tallied two goals in Hofstra’s 2-0 win against Providence on Aug. 29.

Senior forward Teddy Baker, an England native, is expected to rejoin the team soon from injury after registering 11 points last season.

The backline led by Infuso, Pacheco, Eoin Farrell and Jack O’Malley posted a clean sheet in a season-opening 0-0 tie with Fordham on Aug. 22. Senior goalie Filippo Dadone, who replaced two time All-CAA keeper Wessel Speel in net, made five saves for his first career shutout.

Hofstra, which began the season ranked 17th nationally, was picked first in the CAA preseason coaches poll and is aiming for its fourth straight conference title, which would earn another automatic bid into the 48-team NCAA Tournament.

High expectations for Pride

The Hofstra women’s soccer team’s bid for its own three-peat last year and sixth CAA title in seven seasons fell short with

a heartbreaking overtime loss to Monmouth in the conference semifinals last November.

The Pride returned plenty of talent from last season’s 12-5-1 season and are fueled to write a better ending this fall. Hofstra was picked to finish second in the CAA behind Monmouth

“As much as it hurt, I think it was a valuable learning moment,” said 19thyear head coach Simon Riddiough of last year’s CAA semifinal defeat. “People sometimes underestimate the difficulty of winning championships.”

Hofstra lost last year’s leading scorer Wiktoria Fronc and will likely be relying on a scoring by committee this season rather than one dominant player, according to Riddiough. Potential offensive weapons who have emerged early this season include Millie Davies, Mathilde Braithwaite, Aimee Hodgson, Thorhildur Thorhallsdottir and Ellie Gough.

The bulk of last season’s defense is back in Olivia Pearse, Louise Hayden and

All-America defender Pierce Infuso, a Merrick native and graduate student, is one of a dozen returning players for the Pride.

Gabriella Marte. Pearse, a former standout at Seaford High School, proved to be a reliable leader of the backline with her tenacious play early in the season before a foot injury sidelined her in late August with timetable for a return to the field uncertain.

“I love her intensity and tenacity and her physicality,” Riddiough said. “I’m proud of the way she’s developed as a person as well and she’s becoming a really wonderful all round student athlete.”

The starting goalie spot was up for grabs entering the season following the departure of Skylar Kuzmich, who started in net for five seasons. Freshman Synne Danielsen of Norway and senior Mackenzie Sullivan of Arizona have both seen time in net so far.

Hofstra enters September unbeaten at 1-0-3 with a 2-1 win against Yale and ties against Ivy League contenders Brown and Columbia on its resume. The Pride kicks off the CAA schedule on Sept. 19 at home against College of Charleston at 7 p.m.

Former Seaford standout Olivia Pearse leads a talented and experienced Hofstra defensive corps.

Photos courtesy Hofstra Athletic Communications

STEPPING OUT

Extraordinary

The Jackie Mason Musical

BLOOMS

By Karen Bloom

Do you enjoy spending time outside to take full advantage of the season? While we transition into fall, there’s no reason to give up on summer’s blossoms just yet. Colors abound and late summer delghts linger on — for a while longer. With your favorite book, a nice container or cup of your favorite (iced) beverage and a gorgeous bunch of ﬂowers on your patio table, you can brighten up your days on your deck, patio or balcony — or even inside — and enjoy it all with a capital E.

Color explosion

Fall approaches with plenty of color

Floral décor that lasts

Many (bulb) ﬂowers are still available in all sorts of unbelievable colors and shapes. Of course you could always buy a beautiful ready-made bouquet. But why do that? Create a spectacular summer bouquet yourself with loose ﬂowers, leaves, and branches Display it on your tables — indoors and out — and enjoy the beautiful colors of typical summer bloomers like dahlias, gladioli and lilies.

Be creative with your planters to reﬂect your style and personality. Start out by choosing a sturdy vase or pot that is suitable for outdoor use. Or go for smaller vases scattered around the table to set a playful atmosphere.

Cut off the bottom of the flower stems diagonally, to help the flowers absorb water better and stay fresh longer. You’ll want to place your vase with flowers in the shade for best results. Regularly water your flowers to keep them fresh. Of course, on warmer days — and we’ll still have some of those remaining — you may need to do this every day. Also, if necessary, use rocks or sand to stabilize the vase and prevent it from toppling in windy weather. Complete the look of your patio table with a few cozy candles, lanterns or other seasonal items.

Nature thrives in the home garden

Thanks to their long flowering period, you can enjoy your florals for weeks or even months. Summer-flowering bulbs often attract pollinating insects as well, and thus contribute to biodiversity in your garden. Remove wilted flowers to extend the flowering period. Some summer bulbs, such as gladioli and dahlias, can be dug up after flowering and stored frost-free. You can then plant them again the following spring.

Certainly, there are so many choices. As you start to think about ideas for next year, that will add to your ﬂoral assortment, think beyond the summer bulbs gladioli, dahlias, lilies, and begonias. You might want to check out other unusual bulbous plants such as calla (Zantedeschia), pineapple lilies (Eucomis), freesias (Freesia) or blazing star (Liatris)

If you’ve planted lilies, you’ve got something special to delight your family and friends. If not,

consider doing so. The majestic blooms of lilies create an elegant look, whether on the balcony, terrace, or indoors. The variety of colors, from pure white and creamy yellow to deep red and purple, make them a great match for any style and taste. With their compact growth habit, potted lilies are perfect for use outdoors and indoors.

A bouquet of lilies always looks fabulous. With their rich range of colors, shapes, and fragrances, you’ll have plenty of choices every time, whether for yourself or to give as a gift.

And they move with the seasons. Lilies combine beautifully with seasonal ﬂowers. Try lilies in combination with typical spring bloomers in spring, and with dahlias and gladioli in (late) summer. In fall and winter, for example, a bouquet of lilies with some added branches looks great (and will last a long time). In other words: you can vary endlessly with lilies.

Little rays of happiness

Flowers instantly bring color into your home, but also do so much more. They make people happy. And you will notice this straight away.

The simple act of putting them in the vase will trigger a dose of happy hormones. In fact, ﬂower arranging has been shown to reduce stress. Taking a good look at every single one of the ﬂowers before arranging them in a vase (and don’t forget to smell them!) will get you feeling all Zen.

Keep summer’s colors going as we transition into fall and enjoy the season’s last moments around your home.

Laughs abound on the Landmark stage,The show, based on the playwright’s 10-year whirlwind romance with comedy legend Jackie Mason, featuring a hilarious cast of characters. It begins at a deli in Miami Beach in 1977, where Mason — then a 46-year-old comedian — spots college girl Ginger (played by Jackie and the playwright’s real life daughter Sheba Mason in the Off-Broadway production). Along for the ride is her overbearing mom, Mrs. Olivier, and ﬁve more off-beat characters. Soon Jackie is wooing Ginger each winter whenever he’s in South Florida churning up laughs with the South Beach set. The trouble is, he’s also wooing a ravishing young Latina server, and also someone else. Come along and join in on Mason’s romantic misadventures as Broadway stardom emerges and Sheba is born.

Friday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 8, 3 p.m. Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Visit LandmarkOnMainStreet.org for tickets and information, or call (516) 767-6444.

Classical Mystery Tour

Imagine The Beatles playing in concert with a symphony orchestra. What would that have sounded like? Find out for yourself when Classical Mystery Tour performs, joined by the Massapequa Philharmonic. The four musicians who comprise the CMT band look and sound just like The Beatles, but Classical Mystery Tour is more than just a rock concert. The full show presents some two dozen Beatles tunes sung, played, and performed exactly as they were written. Hear “Penny Lane” with a live trumpet section; experience the beauty of “Yesterday” with an acoustic guitar and string quartet; enjoy the rock/ classical blend on the hard edged “I Am the Walrus.” From early Beatles music on through the solo years, Classical Mystery Tour is the best of The Beatles like you’ve never heard them: totally live.

Saturday, Sept. 21, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Tickets available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

THE Your Neighborhood

Killer

Queen

Queenmania keeps on rockin’ as Killer Queen returns to the Paramount stage, Thursday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m., with their homage to the beloved band.

Formed in the UK in 1993, Killer Queen played their first public shows at London University, following in the footsteps of the real Queen who had their first shows there 22 years earlier. By 1995 Killer Queen’s UK popularity had grown to such an extent they secured a residency in London’s Strand Theatre attracting nationwide BBC coverage — the first tribute to have a show in the West End. Even though the band never had any connection to Queen officially their reputation continued to grow both in the UK and abroad.

In 1999 they returned from a tour of Europe and Russia for an awards ceremony hosted by Suggs from Madness. He announced they had won the award for “Worldwide Best Tribute Band” Fronted by Patrick Myers as Freddie Mercury, critics have described Myers’ resemblance to Freddie Mercury as “spooky;” his uncanny likeness was further proven when he recorded a #1 hit single singing as Freddie Mercury on Fat Boy Slim’s record “The Real Life.” Their expert musicianship, extraordinary energy, and accurate portrayal of the world’s greatest live band has rightfully earned them the title of Queen Royalty! Thrilling sell-out audiences across the globe the band recreates the high energy, powerful phenomenon that was Queen live. This quality, combined with Myers’ powerful threeand-a-half octave tenor range, expert musicianship and dynamic stage presence, has captivated audiences the world over. $54.50, $44.50, $39.50, $29.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.

Hempstead House tour

Sands Point Preserve is the backdrop to explore the elegant Gold Coast home that’s the centerpiece of the estate, Wednesday, Sept. 11, noon-1 p.m.; also Sept. 25. Visit the grand rooms inside the massive 50,000-square-foot Tudor-style mansion, the former summer residence of Gilded Age financier Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim. Tours are limited in size and tend to sell out. Arrive early to purchase tickets. $10. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.

Bocce ball fundraiser Massapequa Kiwanis invites all to their 12th Annual Bocce Ball Fundraiser, Saturday, Sept. 21, at John J. Burn Park log cabin. 10 a.m. registration, competition starts at 11 a.m.; includes bagel breakfast, lunch, buffet dinner. $60 per player, $30 non-players. To register or be a sponsor, visit massapequakiwanis.org. For information, contact Tony DeMayo at (516) 343-3435 or email awdemayo@optonline. net or Dianne Finkelstein, (516) 749-4849. 4990 Merrick Road, Massapequa.

Tribute concert

Plaza Theatricals continues its tribute series, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2:30 p.m., with “Mirror of Mathis.” Vocalist-impressionist

David Robbins thrills audiences with his 90-minute tribute to Johnny Mathis. His uncanny likeness and vocals that sound just like Mathis will leave you spellbound.

Singing along with Johnny Mathis since he was a youngster, by age 12 he was imitating Mathis and has been doing it ever since, delighting all. He performs at the Elmont Library Theatre, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. $40, $35 seniors. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical.com.

Family fun with the grandparents

Celebrate Grandparent’s Day at Farmingdale Library, Saturday, Sept. 7, 10-11 a.m. Children are invited to bring grandparents to the library for stories, songs and fun. Online registration underway, 116 Merrits Road, Farmingdale. For more, call (516) 249-9090 or visit farmingdalelibrary.org.

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.

Art explorations

Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art. The drop-in program returns for a new season, Saturday, Sept. 21, 9, noon-3 p.m. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork.

Kids and their adult partners connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. Registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit NassauMuseum.org for more information and to register or call (516) 484-9337.

Having an event?

Storybook Stroll

Bring the kids to Old Westbury Gardens for another storybook adventure, Saturday, Sept. 7, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Stroll the gardens and listen to Jen Arena’s “Acorn Was A Little Wild!” Later create a unique take home craft. The stroll starts at the Beech Tree (next to Westbury House), ending at the Thatched Cottage. For ages 3-5. Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information visit OldWestburyGardens.org or contact (516) 333-0048.

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.

NEW YORK’S WRONGEST RUNNING COMEDY!

On exhibit

Nassau County Museum of Art ‘s latest exhibition

“Seeing Red: Renoir to Warhol,” reveals the many meanings, connotations, and associations of this powerful color in art. Evoking strong emotion, red can represent the human condition. Its myriad variations have come to signify authority as well as love, energy and beauty. Red warns us of peril and commands us to stop, but it can also indicate purity and good fortune. Red boldly represents political movements and religious identities. From the advent of our appreciation for this color in antiquity to its continued prominence in artistic and popular culture, this exhibition will span various world cultures through a range of media. It features more than 70 artists, both established and emerging, ranging from the classical to the contemporary. American portraitists such as Gilbert Stuart imbued red in their stately paintings of prominent individuals to conjure authority. Robert Motherwell, Ad Reinhardt, and other major abstract painters displayed a deep fascination with red in their commanding compositions that evoke a sense of chromatic power. And, of course, Andy Warhol is known for his bold and imposing silkscreened portrait of Vladimir Lenin saturated in bright red to his signature Campbell’s Soup Cans. On view through Jan. 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.

Sept. 28

Art League of L.I. exhibit

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

BRUCE A. BLAKEMAN NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE

Herbert E. Payne, former commissioner of the Massapequa Fire Department, at 92

By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com

Herbert E. Payne, a Korean War veteran and 68-year member of the Massapequa Fire Department that his daughter Carol Hetterich described as the second “love of his life,” died on July 14, 2024. He was 92 years old.

Mr. Payne was born in South Ozone Park, Queens on September 5, 1931, to Noel Payne and Iris Ball. Graduating from Brooklyn Tech in 1949, he married Eleanor Rasmussen on June 8, 1952.

Mr. Payne then went on to serve his country in the United States Army from 1952 to 1954. Upon return, he moved his family to Massapequa in 1955 and went into business with Sinetar Brothers to form Asphalt Pavers.

“He was a partner with the two broth-

ers and in the winter they did plowing and in the other months it was commercial paving,” said his daughter. “He was a hard worker.”

He worked there until his retirement in 1998.

Mr. Payne was also a 68-year member of the Massapequa Fire Department, joining in 1956, and was commissioner for 25 of those years. His daughter said that he was attending meetings right up until the last week of his life.

“It was his home away from home,” his daughter said, adding that her father felt very comfortable there and loved his friends. “He started every day there,” she said.

Mr. Payne was known for his loyalty

Continued on page 24

Obituary notices

Obituary notices, with or without photographs, can be submitted by individuals as well as local funeral establishments. They should be typed and double-spaced. The name of the individual or funeral establishment submitting the obituary should be included. A contact phone number must be included. There is no charge for obituaries.

Send to: execeditor@liherald.com or 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530

HERBERT E. PAYNE

What’s all the buzz about honeybees?

Pinelawn arboretum hosts education event to teach the importance of bees in the environment and our lives

By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com

It was, perhaps, one of the sweetest events of the season.

On Sunday, August 25, Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum hosted its 6th Annual Honeybee Experience, an event created to educate the community about the essential role of honeybees in our environment. This free event offered attendees, of all ages, a unique opportunity to observe these fascinating yet endangered insects up close, in a safe and engaging setting—a perfect addition to any summer bucket list.

Pinelawn has had a Honeybee Hive Program since 2017, dedicated to supporting the honeybee population and promoting pollination by maintaining five honeybee hives that are home to over 500,000 bees. Over 315 community members attended this educational event. Day one was open to the public, and on day two 115 Girl Scouts were invited to attend the event. Master Beekeeper Steve Chen led the event, offering an in-depth question and answer session and a hands-on learning experience.

The event featured educational activities for children including honeybee-themed arts and crafts and a “Find the Queen” activity, where participants can search for the queen bee within an observation hive. Attendees learned the difference between yellow jackets and honeybees, had the chance to taste fresh honey directly from the combs, and test their knowledge in a trivia game at the conclusion of each session, with a jar of honey awarded as the prize.

“Honeybees are vital to the health of our ecosystem. Our beautiful grounds here at Pinelawn benefit so greatly from the honeybees we have onsite who pollinate our trees and facilitate wildlife,” said Justin Locke, President of Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum. “Yet what many don’t realize is that honeybees are facing increasing threats. By hosting events like the Honeybee Experience, we aim to raise awareness and foster a deeper understanding of these incredible creatures. Our goal is to inspire our community to take small, meaningful actions that contribute to the preservation of honeybees and the environment they help sustain.”

For more information on Pinelawn Memorial Park and Arboretum, or to schedule a tour of the property, visit www.pinelawn. com or call 631-249-6100.

Uncovering the importance of bees in our environment, first-hand.

Honeybees, many wild native bees, and other pollinators are in decline. Some beekeepers have reported annual hive losses of 30% or more due to many causes including viruses, pesticide use, habitat loss, and climate change. To further support the honeybee population, Pinelawn is offering 100 percent raw honey, harvested directly from its own hives during the event.

Honeybee Fun Facts:

• The honeybee is the only insect that produces food consumed by humans.

• A single hive can house between 40,000 to 80,000 honeybees.

• These incredible pollinators can fly up to 5 miles at speeds of 15-20 miles per hour.

• During a single foraging trip, a honeybee may visit between 50 to 100 flowers.

Photos / Pinelawn Arboretum Youngster gets a close and up-front experience touching a bee hive carefully,...very carefully.

Group listens as Master Beekeeper Steve Chen explains about Honeybees.

Photos / Herald

INCORPORATED VIL -

LAGE OF MASSAPEQUA PARK

NASSAU COUNTY, NEW YORK

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN pursuant to the provision of the State of New York, that a Public Hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals in the Incorporated Village of Massapequa Park on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at 7:00 PM in the Village Hall, 151 Front Street, Massapequa Park, New York 11762 for the following purposes:

Case No. 4448 To consider the variance application of Mr. Denis Tarpey, 171 Massapequa Avenue, Massapequa Park, NY 11762 to maintain two (2) ductless mini splits in front and rear yard in violation of Village Code.

Such proposals are in violation of the following Village Codes:

Chapter 345-31 (B1) Rear and Side Yards which states: Must maintain a 15 foot rear yard setback to all structures. Existing mini split mounted to rear wall of residence is located seven (7.0) feet from north property line.

Chapter 345-30 (D2) Permitted Structures in Front Yards which permits only a front covered portico, porch, egress window well and a temporary storage container. Existing mini split mounted to the west wall of the residence located approximately 28.5 feet from west property line.

Case No. 4449 To consider the variance application of Ms. Melissa Mauceri, 136 Atlantic Avenue, Massapequa Park, NY 11762 for a proposed one (1) story front addition in second front yard, proposed emergency escape rescue opening and maintain two (2) central air conditioning condensers and one (1) mini split unit without the required setbacks and proposed lot coverage exceeding allowable All in violation of Village Code.

Such proposals are in violation of the following Village Codes:

Chapter 345-30 (A) Front Yards which states: Minimum front yard setback must be 25 feet. Proposed one (1) story addition in the second front yard to be located 10.2 feet from the north property line. Proposed emergency escape rescue opening to be located in the side yard two point three (2.3) feet to south property line. To maintain two (2)

air conditioning condensers three point six seven (3.67) feet and one (1) mini split two point nine six (2.96) feet from south fence line.

Chapter 345-28 (C) Lot and Building Area which states: In a residential district the maximum lot coverage permitted shall be 30%. Proposed lot coverage is 37.3%.

Case No. 4450 To consider the variance application of Mr. Kenneth Erker, 100 Violet Street, Massapequa Park, NY 11762 to maintain a six (6) foot solid fence forward of both north and west foundation in violation of Village Code.

Such proposal is in violation of Village code Chapter 345-40 (B1) Fences and Similar Obstructions which states: On corner plots, the front shall be limited to nonopaque, not solid fences no higher than 48 inches. The street side (side yard) shall be entitled to a six (6) foot opaque (solid) fence, provided a minimum 13 foot setback from the property line is maintained. Existing six (6) foot fence in front yard runs east flush with north foundation then bumps forward 22 feet from north front property line. Existing six (6) foot fence in the second front yard starts approximately one (1) foot west of the southwest foundation and runs parallel to west house foundation and stops nine point four (9.4) feet from west property line.

Case No. 4451 To consider the variance application of Mr. Stephen Kursar, 319 Maryland Avenue, Massapequa Park, NY 11762 to erect a six (6) foot fence in the second front yard too close to property line in violation of Village Code.

Such proposal is in violation of Chapter 345-40 (B1) Fences and Similar Obstructions which states: On corner plots, the front shall be limited to non-opaque, not solid fences no higher than 48 inches. The street side (side yard) shall be entitled to a six (6) foot opaque (solid) fence, provided a minimum 13 foot setback from the property line is maintained. Proposed six (6) foot fence to start at southwest corner of home adjacent to planter and go to the west property line with a zero (0) foot setback and then run and stop at north property line and then proceed east along north property line.

Case No. 4452 To consider the variance application of Mr. George Varsam, 12 Lin-

coln Avenue, Massapequa Park, NY 11762 to take down an existing detached garage and build an attached garage too close to side property line, a partial second floor addition and to install an emergency escape rescue opening, all on an undersized lot, all in violation of Village Code.

Such proposals are in violation of the following Village Codes:

Chapter 345-32 (C) Modification of Yard Requirement for Garages: All garages attached to residential buildings in Residential A and AA Districts shall extend not more than five (5) feet beyond the rear of the building and shall be at least five (5) feet from the side line of the property. Proposed attached garage to extend nine point eight three (9.83) feet beyond rear house line and garage to be 11 inches from north side property line.

Chapter 345-31 Rear and Side Yards which states: Must maintain a five (5) foot side yard setback. Proposed emergency escape rescue opening to be installed in the south foundation one point three (1.3) feet from south side property line.

Chapter 345.28 F Certificate of Occupancy. After December 29, 1999, the minimum lot area to be erected or altered shall, as stated in the existing law of 345-28, have a minimum lot area of 8000 square feet, and each lot shall have at least 80 feet in front and rear and shall be at least 100 feet in depth on both sides. Therefore, if a house is on 40 X 100 or less than 6000 square feet ( dimensions not necessary), any alteration to that home will require a variance. Interior alterations are excluded as they are not regulated by Zoning. Existing lot is 50 X 100, so any additions do require a variance since lot is less than 6000 square feet.

Case No. 4453 To consider the variance application of Mrs. Sarah Sgaglione, 72 Lindbergh Street, Massapequa Park, NY 11762 to relocate air conditioning condensers from rear to side yard in violation of Village Code.

Such proposal is in violation of Chapter 345-31 Rear and Side Yards which states: Must maintain a five (5) foot side yard setback. Proposed units to be relocated into the east side yard leaving approximately three point five (3.5) feet from east property line.

Case No. 4454 To consider the variance application of

Mr. William Dougherty, 173 Garfield Street, Massapequa Park, NY 11762 to maintain a first floor bump out, a brick fireplace without the required side yard setback both on an undersized lot in violation of Village Code. Such proposals are in violation of the following Village Codes:

Chapter 345-31 Rear and Side Yards which states: Must maintain a five (5) foot side yard setback. Existing brick fireplace is located four (4) feet from the west side property line.

Chapter 345.28 F Certificate of Occupancy. After December 29, 1999, the minimum lot area to be erected or altered shall, as stated in the existing law of 345-28, have a minimum lot area of 8000 square feet, and each lot shall have at least 80 feet in front and rear and shall be at least 100 feet in depth on both sides. Therefore, if a house is on 40 X 100 or less than 6000 square feet ( dimensions not necessary), any alteration to that home will require a variance. Interior alterations are excluded as they are not regulated by Zoning. Existing lot is 40 X 100, so any additions do require a variance since lot is less than 6000 square feet. By order of the Zoning Board of Appeals August 29, 2024 24-659 9/4

Notice is hereby given that a license, Application ID: NA-0340-24-128539 for liquor, beer, wine, and cider has been applied for by the undersigned to sell liquor, beer, wine, and cider at retail in a Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 347 Glen Cove Ave, Store 3, Sea Cliff, NY 11579, County of Nassau, for on premises consumption at Zyberaj LLC. 24-654. 8/28, 9/4

Notice is hereby given that a license, Application ID: NA-0240-24-130804 for beer, wine, and cider has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer, wine, and cider at retail in a Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 910 Carmans Road, Massapequa, NY 11758, County of Nassau, for on premises consumption at Parisis Pizza Group Inc. 24-653 8/28, 9/4

Notice is hereby given that a license, Application ID number NA-0340-24132278, has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer, wine, liquor and cider at retail in a restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 18 Jericho Turnpike, Jericho, NY 11753, County of Nassau, for on premises consumption. Spice & Chicken Corp. 24-656 9/4, 11

Notice is hereby given that a license, Application ID number NA-0340-24132725, has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer, wine, liquor and cider at retail in a restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 199 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501, County of Nassau, for on premises consumption. Lucharitos Mineola LLC 24- 658 9/4 11

Notice of formation of Glamwithnikki LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 6/5/2024. Office located in Nassau County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC Northwest Registered Agent LLC at 418 Broadway, Ste N, Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: any lawful purpose. 24-643. 8/7, 14, 21, 28, 9/4, 11

Read the Legals and Keep Informed

Meet some of our

scholars

•Lauren Macaluso of Massapequa, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

•Mario Mannarino of Massapequa Park, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

•Bianca Mannino of Massapequa Park, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

•Jessica Marco of Massapequa, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

•Briana Marques of Farmingdale, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

•Jack Matassa of Massapequa, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

•Sarah Mccarthy of Massapequa Park, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

•Jillian Mcdonough of Farmingdale, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

•Nicholas Monty of Massapequa Park, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

•Kayla Mushorn of Massapequa, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

•Jacqueline Nemecek of Farmingdale, attending Adelphi University, was named to the Spring 2024 Dean’s List.

HEWLETT-WOODMERE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Assistant Director for Special Education Services

Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools (HWPS) is located on the south shore of Long Island and is consistently ranked as one of the highest performing Districts on both state and national levels. The District educates approximately 2800 Pre-K through 12th grade students across five schools. Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools is dedicated to providing all students with enriching and exciting educational experiences in caring, student-centered environments.

We are seeking an innovative, experienced, and collaborative administrator to provide support and guidance to the District's P-12 special education programs.

Required qualifications: NYSED certification in administration (SDA/SDL).

Preferred qualifications: Minimum eight years' experience as a building level/district administrator; requires extensive knowledge of current special education law, non-public school mandates, and STACs; experience chairing CSE meetings, budget process, and supervision and observation of staff; the ability to communicate effectively with students, parents, staff, and community members.

Interested candidates must apply on OLAS by September 20, 2024 at:

www.hewlett-woodmere.net

Completed OLAS application must include: cover letter, resume, and letters of recommendation. Equal Opportunity Employer 1268222

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted

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

HANDYPERSON WANTED

Immediate Opening at our Garden City Location DESIRED SKILLS: Electrical * Welding * Carpentry Mechanical * Plumbing Part Time/Fulltime (benefits available with full time) $18-$30 per hour based on experience Richner Communications, Inc 2 Endo Blvd Garden City, NY 11530 Send resume to careers@lixtherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 ext 211

AND EASTERN SUFFOLK COUNTY

Photography is for pictures to accompany press releases to local papers, in school district newsletters and on school district social media pages. Call or email for details: redelson@zeccmail.com or 516.205.1951. In the subject line of email or if leaving a phone message, indicate Riverhead/Suffolk photographer inquiry. PHOTOGRAPHER WANTED

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

MULTI MEDIA

ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

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

Public relations/communications firm is seeking a photographer to cover school district events at schools in Riverhead and other eastern Suffolk County communities. Most assignments are during the school day with some evenings and weekend shoots. $75 per hour (travel time at 50%).

PHOTOGRAPHER WANTED RIVERHEAD AND EASTERN SUFFOLK COUNTY

AND EASTERN SUFFOLK COUNTY

Public relations/communications firm is seeking

photographer to cover school district events at schools in Riverhead and other eastern

PHOTOGRAPHER WANTED

County communities. Most assignments are during the school day with some evenings and weekend shoots. $75 per hour (travel time at 50%).

Photography is for pictures to accompany press releases to local papers, in school

and on school district social media pages. Call or email for details: redelson@zeccmail.com or 516.205.1951. In the subject line of email or if leaving a phone message, indicate Riverhead/Suffolk photographer inquiry.

OUTSIDE SALES

ZECCWEB.COM info@zeccmail.com

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

and

to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

HomesHERALD

Preparing to sell in an area that flooded

Q. We live in an area that was flooded, and have a few items to take care of before we sell. My husband put in a deck when we first moved in, around 1982. It has been there so long, but the real estate people told us it still needs a permit. It’s only 24 inches off the ground. They also mentioned that it’s too close to our back property line, but we’re next to a waterway and have no neighbors behind us. Is that still the same problem? Our fences are new and so are the front steps, which we rebuilt to add planters and a bench. What can you tell us about what we should do before we sell?

A. Take a lovely vacation and relax, enjoy yourself and then prepare for a lot of minutia that will likely delay your ability to sell, unless you negotiate the price down for a buyer who can persuade a lender that they will take over the list of items you mentioned. In situations like this, there are many peripheral issues.

For example, the waterway may be either a local or state jurisdiction that limits how close you can build to a “protected” environment. As if that’s not enough, your municipality is one of the few that has many outstanding requirements that it claims it notified every homeowner about right after Hurricane Sandy. Prepare for the ambush of having to get a “proof of loss statement from the National Flood Insurance Program.”

I have heard time and time again, “Oh, we had no damage,” which is great, since the national clearinghouse that compiles records about every property will prove that. If it turns out that there was a large payout from private insurance or public funding, the NFIP letter will show that more is needed, including recent building plans, a possible plumbing permit, electrical inspection and documents to close out a repair permit — yes, even from over a decade ago.

When I arrive at a home and have to go into detail about how many requirements there are and how strict they’ve become, I always think of our custodian in elementary school. His name was Gus, and I remember his large, round face and how disgusted he was when he was called to a classroom where a child had thrown up lunch from the cafeteria. I identify with Gus, because mopping up these not-so-simple messes, the ones that someone told you were simple, is getting more complicated the longer people wait.

This doesn’t seem to be the case in every jurisdiction, mostly the largest ones. Many decks built long ago don’t meet recent code standards, and there’s no such thing as “grandfathered.” The hours spent explaining these things, and then reexplaining them when a handyperson doesn’t install the correct connectors or takes a shortcut with a required footing support, add up to more cost and animosity. Good luck!

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Cable/TV/Wiring

In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-782-4069

Cleaning Services

MARINA'S CLEANING SERVICES: Cleaning Homes, Apartments, Condos, Offices. Experienced. FREE Estimates. 10% Off With This Ad. Serving Long Island. 516-670-7764

Electricians

E-Z ELECTRIC SERVICES, INC. All Types Residential/Commercial Wiring, Generators, Telephone/Data, Home Entertainment, Service Upgrades, Pools, Spas. Services/Repairs. Violations Removed. Free Estimates Low Rates. 516-785-0646 Lic/Ins.

Exterminating

PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-866-448-8311 Have zip code of property ready when calling!

Handyman

P.E.B. CRACKERJACK HANDYMAN: Repairs In Carpentry, Roofing, Masonry, Sheetrocking, Chimney. Small Paint Jobs. General Maintenance. No Job Too Small. Licensed/ Insured. Lic#H0101670000. Mike Cleburne 516-830-1316

Home Improvement

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Miscellaneous

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Plumbing

PLUMBER! PLUMBER! PLUMBER! FREE ESTIMATES! Heating, Repairs, Installations. $25 OFF New Customers. 24 Hour Emergency Response. Family Plumbing. 516-599-1011.

Power Washing

POWERWASHING ALL SURFACES: Houses, Fences, Concrete/ Brick, Decks/Sealing. . ANTHONY & J HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC. 516-678-6641

Telephone Services

CONSUMER CELLULAR - the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-844-919-1682

Sprinkler Syst./Irrig.Wells

Tree Services

FRANCISCO'S TREE SERVICE AND LANDSCAPING: Tree Removal, Stumps, Fertilization, Planting, Land Clearing, Topping. Free Estimates. Lic# H206773000. Office 516-546-4971, Cell 516-852-5415

Satellite/TV Equipment

DIRECTV- All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Direct and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call DIRECTV 1-888-534-6918

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Health & Fitness

ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 1-855-399-2719

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Your lawn may be killing you — and many other creatures

You know those little yellow flags stuck on lawns in your neighborhood? Think of them as tombstones.

Those markers signify a recent application of pesticides, a broad category of chemicals designed to kill insects, weeds and fungi. There’s some evidence that they can kill animals and people, too.

Roundup, one of the most common herbicides, has been banned or restricted in some states and countries due to fears of its impact on human health and the environment. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, is listed by the World Health Organization as a probable carcinogen.

Pesticides like this one are being applied with abandon on Long Island’s lawns, endangering the Island’s only aquifer while threatening the health of its human residents as well as the birds, bees and household pets that share our biosphere.

“Several types of cancer, immune-

response deficiencies, neurological diseases and birth defects have been associated with exposure to lawn chemicals,” a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency publication states.

Suffolk County registered by far the heaviest doses of pesticides used among New York counties in 2021 — 6.5 million pounds, according to the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. Nassau ranked as the sixth most chemically doused county, with 1.6 million pounds of pesticides used to keep homeowners’ grass weed- and bug-free.

PSociety of the United States, which included Trepanier’s comment in a report last year.

“Rates of lymphoma in pets of pesticide users are significantly higher than occurrences in the pets of non-chemical users,” the Mid-America Research Council added.

esticides are being applied with abandon on Long Island’s yards.

In reporting on the DEC finding, Newsday observed, “Far too much pesticide is poured to attain lawns that could be mistaken for putting greens, with far too little concern for the environment, experts say.”

Research shows clear links between herbicide exposure and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and bladder cancer in humans, Lauren Trepanier, professor of internal medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, says. Both of those cancers are also common in dogs, notes the Human

Pretty much no living things — except lawn grass — co-exist well with pesticides. Butterflies, lightning bugs and honeybees, along with every other type of insect, are killed by chemicals that are advertised as fatal to mosquitoes.

In fact, scientists say we’re in the throes of an “insect apocalypse.” And if present death rates continue, they add, there won’t be any insects left alive a century from now. That will be bad news not only for the bugs themselves, but also for birds, flowers and food. Insects are responsible for pollinating 75 percent of all flowering plants, including about onethird of the crops consumed by humans.

Birds are experiencing just as precipitous a population decline as bugs. A study published in 2019 by Science, a research journal, found that 3 billion North American birds have died off

since 1970 — a loss of nearly 30 percent of their total numbers.

Pesticides kill birds both directly and indirectly. Birds ingest poisonous chemicals when they mistake pesticide granules for food, the New York Audubon Society points out. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute adds, “Birds that eat insects are literally at a loss when insecticides cause a drop in the number of insect prey available, especially when they have young to feed.”

But here’s some good news: The damage pesticides are doing to suburban environments, and the entire planet, can be greatly mitigated if homeowners like those on Long Island make a simple choice. They can replace their lawns (which are pretty to look at but otherwise useless) with shrubs, trees and native plant species that are well adapted to the local climate and pests. And they can save lots of time and money as well if they give Mother Nature the chance to reproduce benignly.

Kevin J. Kelley was a congressional staff member in the 1980s, and is a retired journalist and journalism professor who worked for newspapers in New York, Vermont and Kenya and taught at St. Michael’s College in Vermont. He lives in Atlantic Beach.

Reading about local schools? Consider yourself lucky.

i’ve been in the local news business a long time. Not long enough to remember the first handwritten newspaper, distributed in Venice in 1566, or the first printed news sheets, published in Germany in 1605, but I go back.

I can recall cutting and pasting printed stories on boards, each one a page of the paper. If the story didn’t fit, you just cut a paragraph or two from the bottom. Thus the importance of the first sentence or two, known as the lede, and the first three paragraphs, which basically told the story. We used typewriters and yellow paper to write, which my editor would periodically rip up, declaring, “You have no right to desecrate the language of Shakespeare.” She was a stickler. We had no computers — until the morning we came in to work and found that our Smith Coronas had been replaced by Kaypros.

I was hired away from the late South Shore Record, owned by the indomitable Florence Schwartzberg, by Leatrice Spa-

nierman, a brilliant editor and a natural newspaperwoman. Leatrice, who recently celebrated a fabulous birthday, was socially, intellectually and emotionally intertwined with the Herald brand. We turned out big local papers in those days at our Lawrence headquarters.

Our team wrote 10 to 20 local stories every week, and our motto was, “Everything that happens anywhere in the world has a Five Towns angle.” And it was true. If a ship hit an iceberg in Antarctica, for sure there was someone who knew someone on board.

W ay too many American towns and cities have lost newspapers in recent years.

Local lowlifes freaked out more if they landed in the Nassau Herald police blotter than if their mug shot had appeared in The New York Times, because their kids might see the paper. We journalists lived and worked in town. Our reporters went to all the village and school board meetings. We covered football games and charity balls. Everything was copy.

This is all to say that local newspapers are essential to a functioning democracy, and I am grateful to have enjoyed this golden age of local journalism. This is also to say that across the country, small papers are closing. As reported on CBS News recently, “Accord-

ing to an Associated Press analysis of data compiled by the University of North Carolina, more than 1,400 towns and cities in the U.S. have lost a newspaper over the past 15 years. The loss of a reliable local news source has many consequences for the community. One of them is the inability to watchdog the actions of government agencies and elected officials.”

This is also to say, stay true. Subscribe to and read and advertise in our papers. We need to mind what’s going on in our schools, and to do that we need reporters to monitor the board meetings, and to do that we need to pay them.

The local paper covers everything from potholes to parades. If you want the scoop on former Congressman George Santos, read about it in the Herald. Are you concerned about County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s idea for a kind of armed militia to prepare for emergencies? The ongoing debate over a casino license for the county? These stories need to be covered in our local newspapers, and we need the staff and the readership to support our efforts.

The dailies look at news through a wide-angle lens; our focus is more intense.

The North Shore Coalition Against Substance Abuse’s annual golf outing was in one of our papers last week, and I saw a story out of Freeport about Petros Mestheneas, who was named Firefighter of the Year. And to prove my point about there being a local angle to every story in the world, Boston’s new archbishop is a Valley stream native and a former auxiliary bishop of Rockville Center.

In the Nassau Herald, Melissa Berman wrote the quintessential local news story about a 100-year-old oak tree that was cut down to build a parking lot. It’s a terrific local story, with ties to larger issues of overdevelopment and housing needs vs. parking needs.

In recent Heralds there was coverage of the county’s Jimmy Buffett tribute at Eisenhower Park, the clam-eating contest in Island Park and the Chabad Hebrew School of Merrick, Bellmore and Wantagh accepting enrollments for the new school year. There were obituaries of Ana Mercedes Hernandez, Joseph C. Smetana, Robert “Bob” Heggy and Joyce Marino Corso.

The obituaries are the guiding light of local newspapers, reflecting the past of the community and its people, reminding us of the special ties that bind friends and neighbors together. Copyright 2024 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

Ira L. Cahn - Founder

HeraLd editoriaL

As schools reopen, drivers know the drill

“school’s Open — Drive Carefully” has been the annual refrain in a back-to-school safety-awareness campaign that is now nearly 80 years old. But it’s worth repeating every September.

HERALD

Driving carefully in and around school zones is crucial in the effort to ensure the safety of children, parents and school staff. School zones are areas in which there are likely to be children crossing streets, walking along sidewalks, riding bikes and meandering as only kids do. They are less aware of traffic dangers, and their presence necessitates heightened caution from drivers.

A study by Safe Kids Worldwide found that 25,000 children are injured every year in school zone accidents nationwide. The Transportation Research Board found that vehicles near schools account for 43 percent of all pedestrian accidents involving children ages 5 to 9.

And it’s no surprise that speeding is a significant factor in school-zone accidents. The risk of a pedestrian fatality increases dramatically with vehicle

Letters

Curran’s wrong about the ‘war on women’

To the Editor:

speed. The American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that someone on foot who is struck by a vehicle traveling 25 mph has a 25 percent chance of sustaining serious injury or dying, but that risk increases to 50 percent if the vehicle is traveling just 10 mph faster. School zones commonly have speed limits of 20 mph or less, so adhering to those limits is vital to minimize those risks.

Distracted driving is another major concern near schools. A study by the National Safety Council found that distracted drivers cause one in every four car crashes nationwide. In school zones, texting or talking on a phone or fiddling with dashboard technology can have catastrophic consequences for a child who may suddenly dart into the street or cross without warning.

School zones are most congested during drop-off and pick-up times. According to the National Center for Safe Routes to School, parents driving their children to school account for 25 percent of morning traffic. The volume increases the likelihood of accidents, particu-

In his recent column, “The real war on women in New York,” Assemblyman Brian Curran suggests that “the fate of women’s reproductive health” in New York will not be affected whether or not Prop 1, the New York Equal Rights Amendment, passes in November. Simply put, this is not true, and echoes the same reassurances we heard right before Roe v. Wade was overturned.

Prop 1 is in fact our crucial opportunity to ensure that the fate of reproductive health care is secure in New York. It’s an opportunity we cannot let go to waste.

Prop 1 will guarantee access to reproductive health care — including abortion, birth control, and in vitro fertilization — in the New York Constitution so it is permanently shielded from government interference.

Before Roe v. Wade was overturned, many of us took for granted that our reproductive freedom would always be protected. Since then, reproductive health care like abortion, contraception, and IVF has been under attack across the country. While New Yorkers may assume that we are insulated from these battles, the reality is that the state law covering our reproductive rights can be repealed or changed based on who is in the State Legislature or the governor’s mansion. That’s why we need to pass Prop 1: to cement our reproductive rights in the State Constitution so they can’t be rolled back by politicians down the line.

Further, Prop 1 will close loopholes in the Constitution that could allow government discrimination

larly when drivers are in a rush. Along with potential injuries, there are legal consequences for school-zone scofflaws, starting with hefty fines for speeding in those zones, often doubled or tripled during school hours. And here on Long Island, red-light cameras have been installed at busy intersections near schools, and more buses are being equipped with cameras to catch one of the most potentially dangerous vehicular infractions of all, passing a stopped bus with its red lights flashing — in either direction.

Whether you’ve seen “Schools Open — Drive Carefully” for dozens of years or are a new driver, common sense dictates that following that single instruction is key to helping ensure that children arrive at school safely and return home safely each day, along with the administrators, teachers and other staff to whom we entrust them. Do your part by slowing down and keeping your eyes on the street and the crosswalks — in other words, giving school zones your undivided attention when you’re at the wheel.

against people based on their age, disability, ethnicity, whether they are pregnant, or whether they’re LGBT — because those in power shouldn’t be able to take advantage of any New Yorker, especially the most vulnerable among us.

All New Yorkers deserve the freedom to control our own bodies, lives and futures. Prop 1 puts the power to stand up for these freedoms in the voters’ hands.

SAShA AhujA Campaign director,

New Yorkers for Equal Rights

Long Islanders can’t fight climate change alone

To the Editor:

Every time someone writes a column against fossil fuels, such as Lauren Krueger’s “To beat the heat on Long Island, we must fight fossil fuels,” I cannot believe what I’m reading. It’s total nonsense! Nothing that the united States does will impact climate change, global warming or whatever else you want to

To beat the heat on Long Island, we must fight fossil fuels

scorching, sweltering, suffocating. We’re all struggling to keep our cool these days, as a dangerous heat dome hovers over much of the country and threatens lives and livelihoods. Here in Nassau County, we’ve experienced successive weeks of extreme heat that has disrupted everything from our transit systems to our enjoyment of the outdoors. this after last summer, when historic wildfires in Canada brought barely breathable, smoky air to our state. We can choose to stay indoors all summer, or we can be honest about how we got to this overheated moment. We know exactly what is causing this dizzying change in our climate. emissions from burning fossil fuels — oil, gas, coal — produce greenhouse gases that blanket the globe and trap the sun’s heat. And we know that global carbon emissions have been steadily increasing, warming our oceans and atmosphere. but even in the face of damning evidence, the fossil fuel industry won’t

back down. Companies continue to drill new wells, build new pipelines and sell oil, gas and coal to burn, trapping us all under heat domes that aren’t just unbearable, but lethal.

Why haven’t we moved away from burning fossil fuels? because fossil fuel corporations have used their resources to block necessary climate action at every turn.

the industry itself predicted global warming with uncanny accuracy.

Decades ago, the fossil fuel industry documented a sophisticated scientific understanding and predicted with uncanny accuracy how the globe would heat. Next, its leaders developed a multipronged effort to undermine the scientific data they themselves had uncovered, so they could stymie policies that would reduce the use of fossil fuels. Part of that campaign was a sustained effort to frame climate change as a matter of individual actions (like recycling or turning off the tap while brushing your teeth) instead of structural policy change.

Rather than investing in solutions, these corporations spent billions of dollars on the systems that have enabled them to continue to frack, mine, extract and, most important, pull in constant, breathtaking profits — even while the

Letters

call it, and “beat the heat on Long Island.” Nothing!

According to Google, as of November 2023, the top five countries, by percentage of carbon emissions, were: China, 30.9 percent; the U.S., 13.5 percent; India, 7.9 percent; Russia, 4.7 percent; and Japan, 2.9 percent. China and India are responsible for almost three times the carbon emissions of the U.S. In addition, China continues to put new coal-fired electric generating plants online. China is laughing at us!

China gets nearly 60 percent of its electricity from coal, the U.S., 16 percent. If the U.S. gets rid of fossil fuels for our cars and electrical generation facilities, it will have a very limited effect, or no effect, on beating the heat on Long Island. All it will do is drain our wallets and pocketbooks, and make some people feel good. “Look at me! I’m saving the environment!”

RobeRt KRALICK Glen Head

Vance, and Trump, demean military service

to the editor:

Nothing raises this veteran’s ire

planet got hotter and hotter. this included investing in policymakers and politicians, from state houses to the halls of Congress to the Supreme Court, as well as universities. today, legislation that would — and should — enable us to invest in clean-energy solutions is routinely quashed because of the powerful sway of the fossil fuel industry. Its profits are valued over our very lives. So where do we go from here?

Simply put, to the streets: to the state houses, to Congress, to the ballot box. And we need to do it together. Amid a summer that is already one of the five hottest ever, we need to wield our collective power as voters, as citizens, as consumers. We need millions of people to stand up to those billions of dollars. We need to demand the kind of big, systemic changes that are our only hope to slow the pace of change and give us a chance to survive. because, make no mistake, we have the means to change course on this path of destruction. Just as humans created coal-powered trains and oil furnaces, we have invented clean-energy solutions such as solar-, wind- and water-powered electricity. but we need to demand this change.

that’s why I’m joining other people of faith and climate activists from all over at the ongoing Summer of Heat protests, which take place outside the headquarters of the major financial institutions in Manhattan. If we can persuade the executives of these institutions how much we care about this, and manage to cut off funding to the fossil fuel industry, we will be taking a huge step toward dismantling that industry.

People of all backgrounds need to show up with spiritual audacity, educating, energizing and mobilizing our communities to act. When people realize that generations to come may face ever more devastating disasters — droughts, fires, floods, famines — they need the inspiration to turn despair into action. bottom line? If we want to beat the heat, we need to keep fossil fuels in the ground, unburned. Which means challenging the fossil fuel industry with moves to cut off funding from banks, asset managers and financial firms.

I think of the quote from Deuteronomy: “It is not beyond us in heaven.” Indeed, humans can make a new future. We have the capacity. We have the science, the resources, the people and the power. It is in our hands and in our hearts, and we can do it. We must.

Lauren Krueger is the co-leader of the Nassau County Dayenu Circle. She lives in Merrick.

Framework by Tim Baker

more than candidates who demean veterans, and by extension, those on active duty. on Aug. 8, the Republican vice presidential nominee, J.D. Vance, accused Democratic vice presidential candidate tim Walz — with little evidence — of “stolen valor,” saying he lied about seeing combat “in war.” t hen Vance drew a comparison between his four years of service, during which he was a combat correspondent in the Marine Corps, and Walz’s 24 years of service, during which he achieved the highest enlisted rank in the Army National Guard. Neither Walz nor Vance has seen, as Vance says, “any real fighting.” In either case, their choice to serve was commendable and should not be a topic of criticism. t he underlying issue is the one that deserves every patriot’s attention: the disdain for those in uniform by the draft dodger at Mar-A-Lago. there is well-cited evidence of former President Donald t rump demeaning veterans, including remarks made about the sacred grounds of U.S. military cemeteries in Normandy, France, and Arlington, Virginia. He categorizes us as suckers and losers. He is the last person this apolitical veteran would choose to be commander in chief of our

William Keller is a 21-year Navy veteran

who served in Vietnam and on six ships, two of which he commanded. He was also a professor of national security affairs at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

The hats were courtesy of Let’s Sing Taylor — Eisenhower Park, East Meadow

LaUren krUeGer

Sydney Norton Thorne, Amityville HS Graduate, at 70

By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com

Sydney Norton Thorn, 70, an Amityville High School graduate died Aug. 29, 2024, in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her husband, Peter, and daughter, Margot, by her side. She was described by her family as a remarkably compassionate person, who dedicated her life to helping others.

“She touched many people with her unique ability to provide infinite support, love, and guidance to those around her,” said her brother Townsend Thorn of Amityville.

Her husband of 30 years described her as a person who made everyone feel comfortable and safe in her presence, attributes that helped the many people she helped over the years as a social worker.

“We both had difficult jobs as social workers, so it was wonderful to be able to go home and feel her warmth and love and understanding at the end of the day,” he said.

Ms. Thorn was born November 18, 1953, in Amityville, to William and Barbara Thorn. She attended Amityville High School before heading to Ohio Wesleyan, and then finished her undergraduate degree at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

She graduated from Smith College

with a master’s in social work in 1982 and began her lifelong career as a clinical social worker, providing therapy, first primarily for children and adolescents, and later with adults who had experienced trauma, becoming an early practitioner of EMDR therapy.

In 1994, she married Peter Pollard, her loving husband of 30 years, and they welcomed their daughter, Margot in 1996. Ms. Thorn considered being Margot’s mom to be the richest experience of her life, said her family.

A lover of animals and deeply inspired by nature, Ms. Thorn grew up on the water, and throughout her life relished scuba diving in the ocean, and swimming in lakes, rivers and her flower-surrounded, backyard pool sanctuary.

But her adventurous spirit did not stop there. She was also an avid birder and traveled to South Africa, Peru, Ecuador, and more on exciting bird-watching expeditions. She had many treasured pets throughout her life. From beloved

dogs and horses to reptiles and rodents, her compassion stretched well beyond humans as she cared for creatures, great and small.

She was also an enthusiastic traveler, visited many countries, states, and national parks with her family, backpacked around much of Europe in her youth, and even recently, continued to find joy in traveling, refusing to let illness interfere. With her most recent trip to Iceland, just a few months ago, she checked off a long-time item on her bucket list, to see the Northern Lights.

She and her husband lived in Massachusetts and were part-time residents of Washington D.C., where the couple relished their time, especially during the New England winters. She spent many days in D.C. passionately perusing the Library of Congress, attending congressional hearings, and visiting a seemingly non-stop schedule of museum exhibits and events. Year round, she and her

husband would frequent the botanical gardens and Arboretum to enjoy daily walks, delighting in the annual appearance of the cherry blossoms, lilacs, azaleas, and wisteria, said her family.

“We know that she will be forever at our sides when we swim, ride, walk or sit, savoring the natural world,” said her daughter.

Ms. Thorn is survived by her husband, Peter Pollard of Hatfield, Massachusetts, and daughter, Margot Pollard of Brooklyn, as well as her three siblings: Katie Thorn of San Jose, California; William Thorn and his wife Carol of Arlington; Townsend Thorn, and his wife Kathleen of Amityville; her brother-in-law, Jay Pollard, and his wife, Nancy Pollard; her sister-in-law, Penny Pollard, and her spouse Eileen Monahan, and many beloved nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

The family plans to hold a Celebration of Life at a later date.

Arrangements were under the direction of the M.B. Kilmer Funeral Homes. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ms. Thorn’s name can be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104; or the Equal Justice Initiative, 122 Commerce Street, Montgomery, AL 36104; or any charity of your choice that serves people who have been marginalized.

Earline V. Jefferson, 95, longtime Amityville resident

By CAROLYN JAMES

Earline V. Jefferson who lived in Amityville for most of her adult life, died July 13, 2024. She was 95 years old and described by her family as a woman who harbored a strong affection for Amityville and believed strongly in giving back to the community she loved.

“She loved everything about Amityville: the parades and the shopping and al the events,” said her granddaughter Luna Jefferson. “She moved out of Amityville once, but quickly moved back because she said she missed all of those things and the sense of community that Amityville offered.”

cjames@liherald.com theran Church in Amityville. She was a member of the Amityville Historical Society, the Amityville Senior Citizens, HSJ Ladies Auxiliary and Babylon Historical Society and the Hunter Squires Jackson Post American Legion Ladies Auxiliary.

She was also a woman who thought of others.

“When my grandmother was growing up, she saw how her mother reached out and helped those in need,” said Luna. “That sense of responsibility stayed with her throughout her life.”

Mrs. Jefferson was a member and taught Sunday School at St. Paul’s Lu-

Mrs. Jefferson was born in Harlem, to Earl and Gertrude (Bloomfield) Chatfield. She moved to Amityville in her early 30s and worked for the New York Telephone Company for 33 years rising from the position as a cleaning lady to an administration assistant in Manhattan.

Her friend and fellow member of the American Legion, Jackie Jackson remembers her as a strong leader who knew how to manage people.

“She was treasurer of the American Legion Auxiliary, and she was very good at the job,” said Jackson. “She just knew how to deal with people in a caring way.”

She was also a member and volunteer of a breast cancer coalition for decades

Even in her 90s, Mrs. Jefferson maintained a strong sense of independence.

“If there is one word to describe my

grandmother, it is ‘hip,’” said her grandson Patrick.

He and Luna spoke about how their grandmother taught herself to use the computer and cell phones, not hesitating to call them up when she needed some technical advice.

“She always wanted to stay on top of things,” said Patrick, who added that Mrs. Jefferson was active and independent right up until the time of her death.

“She was our best friend,” said Luna. “We were always together.”

Mrs. Jefferson was predeceased by her sons Richard and Patrick, her sister Debra

Chatfield and aunt Hannah Gaskins. In addition to her grandchildren Patrick and Luna, she is survived by her other grandchildren, Laverne, Richard O’Neka, Patrick and Tito, as well as by 12 great grandchildren and six great, great grandchildren; a brother Keith Chatfield and a sister Denise Chatfield Bond.

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Powell Funeral Home, 67 Broadway, Amityville where a memorial service was held by the HSJ Ladies Auxiliary. The Rev. Thomas Cusanelli conducted the funeral service there followed by interment in Pinelawn memorial Cemetery.

Herbert E. Payne, former commissioner of the Massapequa Fire Department, at 92

Continued from page 10

and trustworthiness, and his daughter said that he always gave “spot-on advice to whoever sought out his thoughts or opinions.”

“He was a complete gentleman,” said Massapequa Fire Department member Mike Hanna. “He was one of our members that people could trust and he always did the best for the Massapequa Fire Department.”

In his free time, Mr. Payne enjoyed spending time with his family, fishing the Great South Bay on his boat, and golfing. His daughter said that she would golf with him at least once a week at the Peninsula Golf Course in East Massapequa.

“We were very close,” she said, adding that he was very loved and will be missed by many people.

Herbert E. Payne is predeceased by his parents Noel Payne and Iris Ball, his wife Eleanor Payne and his son Jeffrey E. Payne. He is survived by his daughters Gail Misa of Coram and Carol Hetterich and her husband David of Massapequa.

He reposed at Massapequa Funeral Home, South Chapel, 4980 Merrick Road, Massapequa Park on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. A service was held on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Seaford. Burial was private.

SYDNEY NORTON THORNE

EARLINE V. JEFFERSON