Gillen declares victory, Dems take critical seats in elections
By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com
Democratic challenger Laura Gillen declared victory in her bid for Congress, potentially defeating incumbent Congressman Anthony D’Esposito in a closely watched race.
Based on unofficial poll results from the Nassau County Board of Elections, Gillen was the projected winner, with 6,148 more votes that D’Esposito as of midnight on Tuesday.
Gillen, a former Hempstead town supervisor, ran on promises to reduce the rising cost of living on Long Island, expand reproductive rights and reform immigration.
“I am so humbled an honored to be your new Congresswoman,” Gillen said at the Democratic rally at the Garden City Hotel. “We knocked on 300,000 doors. We made over 600,000 phone calls. We put out a campaign that was a winning campaign that we will emulate in the years.”
In the 6th State Senate District race, Democrat Siela Bynoe was projected to have won the seat, defeating Republican challenger Thomas Montenfinise. According to unoffi-
cial results, Bynoe received 60 percent of the vote — more than 75,100 votes — to claim the seat that has been held by state Sen. Kevin Thomas since 2019. She spent the last decade as a county legislator, advocating for mental health services, police reform, affordable housing, and education on Long Island. “Together, we will move this county forward,” Bynoe said.
Judy Griffin, the Democratic challenger in the race in Assembly District 21, reclaimed her seat by more than 2,000 votes — a much larg-
er margin than in the 2022 election, when she lost by just 138 votes.
“I almost can’t believe that I found out before midnight that I won,” Griffin said.
She previously spent two terms in office, during which she secured more than $8 million for Long Island, passed common-sense gun laws, capped property taxes, and provided resources to help combat the opioid epidemic.
Prop 1, which aims to add protections against discrimination to the state Constitution won approval by 79 percent.
St. Agnes KoC Council marks 100 years
By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com
The St. Agnes Knights of Columbus Council No. 2548 celebrated its 100th anniversary last Saturday night at the Parish Center, commemorating a century of faith-driven service and dedication to the Rockville Centre community.
This milestone event was filled with heartfelt reflections on the council’s rich history, the impact of its charitable work, and a call to continue its service for generations to come.
Wevening, and the honor of celebrating a century of accomplishments. “It’s very exciting,” he said. “Tonight celebrates all the accomplishments of the last 100 years.”
e’re so very grateful for all the many ways you serve our parish, and that you’ll continue to serve our parish.
ThE
D’Aleo highlighted the importance of past leaders and their enduring impact. The organization has benefited from the wisdom and guidance of a halfdozen former grand knights, including John Macken, Richard Carl, Phil Paoli and William Kurrus, who have all played a role in the council’s revitalization over the past decade.
REV.
MIChAEL
Founded on Nov. 2, 1924, with 64 members, the council has remained steadfast in upholding the core principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism. Those values continue to guide its efforts today, as members work to make a difference in the community.
DuFFy Rector, St. Agnes Cathedral
Grand Knight Joe D’Aleo noted the significance of the
Under their leadership, and D’Aleo’s, the council has embraced modern challenges. Paoli’s tenure was notable for the introduction of digital tools, such as Zoom, which helped members stay connected and active during the pandemic, ensuring that the organization’s mission and sense of brother-
Continued on page 16
Adrienne Daley/Herald
TGI Fridays closes shop in Rockville Centre
By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com
TGI Fridays in Rockville Centre is among nearly 50 locations across the country that closed this past week, ahead of news that the casual dining chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Saturday.
Rohit Manocha, executive chairman of TGI Fridays, said that the primary source of the Dallas-based company’s financial challenges stem from the Covid-19 pandemic and structural capital issues.
“The next steps announced today are difficult but necessary actions to protect the best interests of our stakeholders, including our domestic and international franchisees and our valued team members around the world,” Manocha said in a press release. “This restructuring will allow our go-forward restaurants to proceed with an optimized corporate infrastructure that enables them to reach their full potential.”
TGI Fridays will use the time and legal protections provided through the restructuring process to “explore strategic alternatives to ensure the long-term viability of the brand.”
The Rockville Centre location at 761 Sunrise Highway, was removed from the company’s online store locator as of last week. Outside the building, a sign reads: “We regret to inform you that Fridays has made the difficult decision to close our doors.”
It is a major setback for the chain, which has been a staple in the casual dining sector
since the 1960s. However, it has seen a dramatic downsizing over the past decade, according to Newsday — dropping from 500 restaurants in 2014 to just 154 remaining locations.
TGI Fridays also closed its Westbury location this past week. Three other corporateowned locations in Bay Shore, Islandia, and Massapequa Park also closed back in January. Despite the ongoing restructuring, Fridays representatives will continue to operate in parts of Long Island, including locations in Valley Stream, Islip, Farmingville and Riverhead.
Experts attribute the closures as part of a larger trend affecting the casual dining industry. Bloomberg Law reporter Alex Wolf, who wrote about the Red Lobster bankruptcy in May, said that rising food and labor costs, coupled with shifting consumer behavior, have left many brands struggling.
He said the pandemic is “often cited as the genesis of despair, as many restaurants have struggled to adapt to changing consumer behavior, like spikes in delivery or takeout orders and diminished weekday lunch crowds.”
For now, the company’s remaining Long Island locations are unaffected, but the closures underscore the precarious state of TGI Fridays and the wider difficulties confronting the casual dining sector.
TGI Fridays on Sunrise Highway in Rockville Centre closed last week amid the casual dining chains financial troubles.
Daniel Offner/Herald
Fashion show helps raise nearly $130,000
Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition hits the runway once again
By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com
Hundreds filled the illustrious Garden City Hotel on Friday, Nov. 1, for the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition’s fifth annual fashion show. The highly anticipated event, which sold out weeks in advance, drew guests from across Long Island for an evening of food, fun, and fashions provided by Bloomingdale’s.
“The event was an enormous success, and it was our largest fundraiser to date, raising the most money we ever have in our eight years,” Erin O’Sullivan, co-president of the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition, said.
O’Sullivan said that this year’s fashion show raised nearly $130,000 for the nonprofit, which has continued to support breast cancer patients in the community with education and services for almost a decade. The organization donates all proceeds toward research, treatment assistance, and emotional support for women battling breast cancer.
Over the past eight years, generous contributions have allowed the Coalition to pledge $45,000 over three years to Mount Sinai South Nassau’s “Cold Cap” program. It is a form of scalp-cooling therapy that helps reduce hair loss during chemotherapy and aims to alleviate its emotional toll.
This year’s honoree, Nicole Graziano, is a 25-year resident of Rockville Centre. She has also been a member of the RVC Breast Cancer Coalition’s Board of Directors since 2017, where she currently chairs committees on fundraising and event planning.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Georgetown University and a Master’s degree in Nutrition from Columbia University. Her professional background includes work as a critical care nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and as a medical director at MacAndrews & Forbes.
In addition to her role with the coalition, Graziano has volunteered extensively, including serving as a cheerleading coach at St. Agnes and acting as a nutritional consultant and guest speaker at the Sandel Senior Center, where she provides dietary advice and prepares meals for seniors.
When the center’s kitchen required renovation, her family funded and facilitated the upgrades. Her father-in-law, Michael Graziano Sr., a kitchen designer, even donated his time and expertise to install new cabinetry, countertops, and appliances.
Graziano said that she always felt the coalition was comprised of two separate arms — one that raises money and one that dealt directly with the women the organization assists.
“But on the day of the (fashion) show, those two arms came together to hold up, support, embrace, and clap with thunderous applause for those great women who got on that stage and
made us all smile,” Graziano said. “I am so proud that this event has become the cornerstone of our fundraising efforts.”
She also expressed that the coalition will continue its work to provide support comfort and strength to any woman who comes to them for help.
“I know that it’s corny when they say, ‘If you love what you do, it’s never work,’” Graziano said. “But I love these women, and it is a privilege to do this work, and for me to be part of something that keeps growing and evolving while still keeping true to our original mission.”
The evening culminated with more than 20 of the coalition’s models taking to the runway in Bloomingdale’s fashions, celebrating their strength and resilience.
While the fashion show was an incredible way to cap off Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, the fight against Breast Cancer continues for the Coalition all year round. To learn more about the ways you can help the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition, visit RVCBCC.org.
Tim Baker/Herald photos
This year’s honoree Nicole Graziano dazzled in her gold dress.
RVC Breast Cancer Coalition co-presidents Peg McDonald, left, and Erin O’Sullivan, thank everyone in attendance for their continued support.
Merri Lupo was excited at the opportunity to hit the runway at the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition Fashion Show.
Joanne Muller-Frias sparkles on the runway.
Dawn Torre hits the runway at the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition Fashion Show on Friday, Nov. 1.
Thomas
J. Glynn
Thomas A. Glynn & Son Inc. Funeral Home
“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”
— H.P. Lovecraft
Many people are afraid of using a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) to protect their assets from being depleted for the cost of longterm care. Shining a bit of light on the subject may help eliminate this fear of the unknown. Contrary to what many believe, including many lawyers, CPA’s and financial advisors, you do not give up control when entering into the MAPT, even though it is called an irrevocable trust.
First, you reserve the right to change the trustee at any time. Yes, you must name one or more children as the trustee (manager) of the MAPT but it is a simple matter to change the trustee at any time for any reason or for no reason at all. It is up to you.
Secondly, you reserve the right to change who you leave your trust estate to upon death.
Circumstances change and your MAPT gives you the flexibility to “roll with the punches”.
Thirdly, while the MAPT only allows you to take the income (interest and dividends) from the trust, you may still make gifts of principal taxfree to your children at any time, in any amount. If you give more than $18,000 per person per year you must report the gift but there is no tax —the IRS just subtracts it from the amount you can give at death, currently over thirteen and a half million. We like to say that most of our clients are “comfortably under”.
Finally, you may revoke an irrevocable trust in New York on consent of all the parties. If you and your children all sign it may be undone. What if one of them will not sign? Not a problem. Remember we said you may change the trustee and who you leave it to. We simply remove the unwilling participant as trustee and beneficiary and then revoke the trust on consent of all the parties!
Crime watCh
aided
Rockville Centre police and fire units responded to reports that someone had fallen onto the tracks at the Long Island Raid Road station on Oct. 31. Emergency responders lifted the person onto the platform and transported them to an area hospital for medical treatment.
arrest
Police arrested Dejhon Robinson, 32, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, on Oct. 30. He was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and other vehicle and traffic law offenses after an investigation on Peninsula Boulevard.
Criminal misChief
A resident of Hempstead Avenue in Rockville Centre reported on Oct. 31, a juvenile threw a box filled with miscellaneous items at his house. Police officers stopped the juvenile a short distance away from the residence and placed him into custody.
harassment
A resident of Buckminster Road
reported on Oct. 28, she was being harassed at her home by an acquaintance.
A resident of Meehan Lane reported on Oct. 30, she was receiving harassing text messages from an unknown person.
A resident of Woods Avenue reported on Oct. 31, that an individual known to her was repeatedly coming to her house without her permission causing annoyance and alarm.
larCeny
A resident of Roxbury Road reported on Oct. 28, someone stole property from his unlocked motor vehicle, which was parked in the driveway of his home.
A resident of Arrandale Road reported on Oct. 31, someone stole property from his unlocked motor vehicle, which was parked in the driveway of his home.
UnUsUal inCident
A resident of Merrick Road resident reported on Oct. 30 that someone altered a check and cashed it without her permission.
People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.
fire watCh
in joining or just
Oct. 27 – Nov. 3 General Alarms – 10 Still Alarms – 7 Rescue – 4
Aided Cases (Ambulance) – 52 Mutual Aid Fire – 1 Mutual Aid Rescue – 0 Mutual Aid Ambulance – 0 Total – 74
have questions, please visit any firehouse on Sunday mornings and speak with one of the officers or call (516) 6789320. For emergencies dial 911 or (516) 766-0400.
To
General Alarms – 479 Still Alarms – 254 Rescue – 157
Aided Cases (Ambulance)
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&
Herald celebrates Halloween on Harvard Ave.
Thousands of trick-or-treaters and their families celebrated Halloween on Harvard Avenue in Rockville Centre. The street was bustling with excitement as children and adults came dressed in costume to celebrate the holiday. The Herald was thrilled to be part of this annual local tradition!
Throughout the evening, there was a wide array of imaginative costumes on display. Costumed superheroes dashed down the sidewalks, while whimsical characters sparkled through the front lawns. Others, meanwhile, embraced the spookier side of the holiday dressing up as bonechilling monsters and ghouls.
Families and friends wandered from house to house admiring festive Halloween decorations, as children eagerly filled their bags with candy.
Did you take a photo with the Herald front page on Halloween? If so, we want to print it in the newspaper. Email the photo to Pix@LIHerald.com. Please include the names of the people in the photo.
Also, if you post the photo to Instagram with the hashtag, “Herald Halloween,” and both follow and tag Long Island Herald, you will be entered to win a $100 VISA gift card. Tell your friends and family!
Real estate exec joins Bethany House board
Gloria Romanowski, a veteran real estate advisor at Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty in Rockville Centre, has been elected to the board of directors at Bethany House, a Baldwin-based nonprofit that provides emergency shelter to homeless women and their children.
“It’s a tremendous honor,” Romanowski said. “I’m blown away by it to tell you the truth.”
Romanowski, a secondgeneration Long Island native, served as an advisor and housing committee member with Bethany House for more than two years, before she joined the board.
“I hope to use the knowledge and expertise that I have developed as a global real estate advisory for the last 17 years to help advise and support Bethany House as we support and grow our horizons together,” she said.
Romanowski brings to the table nearly two decades of experience in the real estate industry, the last seven of which, she has spent at Daniel Gale Sotheby’s, where she has garnered both acclaim, as a member of the company’s Gold Circle, and recognition from Real Trends as one of the nation’s top-performing real estate agents.
Before transitioning to real estate, she managed Fortune 50 clients in New York City as an IT sales consultant and manager. Her background in high-level client relations helped shape her approach to the real estate industry. She currently specializes in Nassau County properties and coordinates global referrals through Sotheby’s international network, to match clients with like-minded real estate profes -
sionals around the world. Her outstanding performance in outgoing referrals has even earned her top ranking at the company.
Romanowski said her passion for real estate derives from her desire to help her clients achieve their goals, particularly in regards to Long Island’s unique market, for its combination of coastal living with urban accessibility.
She also maintains active memberships in both the Long Island Board of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors, to ensure her practices align with the highest industry standards.
Beyond her work with Bethany House, Romanowski serves on the board of the Phillips House Museum and remains actively involved in community initiatives throughout Nassau County. In her leisure time, she enjoys spending cherished moments with family and friends, embodying a balanced approach to both her professional and personal life.
Courtesy Jennifer Matthews
Rebecca Matthews dressed up as Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark.
Photos courtesy Daniella Moneta Siena Moneta enjoys trick-or-treating along Harvard Avenue in Rockville Centre.
Anthony Moneta dressed up as a junior firefighter.
–Daniel Offner
Courtesy Gloria Romanowski
Gloria Romanowski, a Rockville Centre real estate advisor, was elected to the board of directors at Bethany House.
HERALD SPORTS
South Side nipped by Garden City, 2-1
By ANDREW COEN sports@liherald.com
The South Side girls’ soccer team was less than 30 minutes from a repeat county championship before Garden City quickly showed why it entered last Friday’s Class AA finals with only one loss.
After being held off the scoreboard for the match’s first 50 minutes, the topseeded Trojans (15-1-4) struck for two goals in a less than three minute stretch en route to a 2-1 championship win marking the program’s first county title since 2016. Second-seeded South Side, which had defeated MacArthur 2-0 in the Class AA semifinals on Oct. 29, saw its season end at 9-5-2 .
“I’m proud of the team,” said South Side head coach Judi Croutier moments after the season-ending loss at Farmingdale State College. “They fought really hard and just came up one goal short.”
Garden City tied the match at 1-1 on a goal by Meaghan Lynch with 29:44 left in the second half when she knocked a shot into the bottom left corner of the
net off a pass from Chloe Benik.
The Trojans then converted the eventual winning goal with 26:52 left when Sienna Castellano scored off a rebound from a shot by LeeLee Gaffney that hit the post.
The county finals match played during unseasonably warm weather for Nov. 1. Marked a rematch of last year’s Class AA championship where the Cyclones knocked off Garden City 1-0 in overtime. Garden City’s triumph Friday advanced it to the Long Island Class AA final on Election Day evening at Hofstra against Suffolk County champion West Islip.
South Side took the lead with 13:05 left in the first half when Juliana Feranda scored off an assist from Brooke Doreste. Feranda took advantage of Garden City keeper Marisa Patrissi getting out of position when she charged toward the ball and placed a shot into an open net from around 18 yards away.
The Cyclones defense stood strong for much of the match against an explosive Garden City offense that has tallied three goals or more in nine match-
es this season. The backline, which recorded a clean sheet in the semifinals against MacArthur included Viv Haley, Molly Barry, Taylor Hansman, Sienna Connolly and Katori Martin. Junior goalkeeper Abby Gruner recorded three saves.
“The defense was great and they played hard,” Croutier said. “They had a lot of things coming down at them.”
The MacArthur win held at Cold Spring Harbor High School featured a first half goal by Feranda and an insurance tally in the second half by senior Jules Roberts. Senior Sarah Schaefer also had an assist and Gruner registered seven saves in the shutout victory to help advance South Side to the championship stage for a second straight fall.
The Garden City defeat ended the South Side career of six seniors in Charlotte Rathjen, Connolly, Hansman, Roberts, Sarah Schaefer, Lindsey Martorana and Jules Robert, who Croutier said left an indelible mark on the program.
“The six seniors are amazing,” she said. “They really helped lead this team.”
South Side’s Sophia Anisansel, center, battled with a pair of Garden City opponents for possession during last Friday’s county title game.
Eric Dunetz/Herald
Project 2025 plan for culture, health care
By Jenna ZaZa & Lori Saxena Special to the Herald
Third in a series.
Written by the conservative Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 is a 922-page book detailing overhauls of the executive branch and proposing radical policy changes regarding the economy, culture, education and health care.
The controversial plans have Democrats in a tizzy, the Trump campaign distancing itself from the ideas and saying they would embrace the mandate’s demise. However, six of his former Cabinet secretaries and more than 140 people who played a role in the project also worked in his administration, according to a CNN report.
At its core, the initiative seeks to reshape the federal government, but its impact extends to the local level.
“The next President has a moral responsibility to lead the nation in restoring a culture of life in America again,” Heritage Foundation officials wrote in the project foreword.
Culture
Project 2025 is steeped in dividing culture wars saying, “The next conservative President must make the institutions of American civil society hard targets for woke culture warriors.” Its top goal is to prioritize the nuclear family model “as the centerpiece of American life” by rolling back hard-fought LGBTQ+ and Black rights.
It calls for the reversal of the 2015 Supreme Court case that legalized samesex marriage in all 50 states. Widespread anti-LGBTQ+ policies could significantly erode cultural and familial support for queer individuals.
“This policy document gives extended protections that violate individual civil and human rights,” Kiana Abbady, board chair of Long Island Progressive Coalition, said. “There would be no such thing as non-traditional families, that would only be the nuclear family, and that goes back to the denial of LGBTQ rights.”
Child protection rhetoric of antiLGBTQ+ has a long history but the ideology behind the project’s “optimal childrearing” family structure emerged in the late 1990s from religious conservative groups. Saying that children grew up best in households with both a man and woman parental figure. That argument is considered to be false, according to the American Psychological Association.
“So when [the project] says they want to prioritize nuclear family values, that is coded language,” said Jillian Gaeta, co-founder of Roots to Revolution and a New York City public school teacher. “What that means is they think that women who don’t have children … that couples who are gay and adopting children also have less value in our society.”
The project proposes limiting opportunities for people of color by stamping out all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at the federal, state and local
Project 2025, a plan conceived by the conservative Heritage Foundation, could change the U.S. if Donald Trump is
level. DEI creates jobs, boosts the bottom line for companies and contributes significantly to the economy, according to research by McKinsey & Company.
According to a Suffolk County disparity study final report, persons of color “experience the greatest disparity, as they are significantly less likely to own a business.” It also discovered that there are statistically “significant disparities” in business earnings for minorities.
“The elimination of these programs that encourage economic advancement and economic opportunity for hard working Americans based on the color of their skin is abhorrent and it’s disappointing,” Abbady said.
Critics of the mandate argue that the proposed policies risk overextending government power to enforce rigid gender binaries and strip away support for marginalized communities.
“It was working on, for decades, to have the United States be a white, Christian, authoritarian nation,” Claudia Borecky, president of the Bellmore-Merrick Democratic club, said.
Health care
Project 2025 proposes decentralization of federal programs like Medicaid, increasing privatization, and implementing grant caps on health care.
A 2023 study in the international Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health of 1,695 healthcare facilities in Nassau County, revealed a disproportionate distribution of services, with the majority of facilities clustered in two affluent zip codes. Areas with high social vulnerability have a significantly sparser distribution of healthcare services.
Parts of Suffolk County are federally designated Medically Underserved
Areas due to insufficient access to primary care, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. These regions rely on federally qualified health centers and federal programs such as Medicaid.
Project 2025 aims to encourage health care funding that is specific to the needs of local communities and competition with private insurers. Decentralization could lead to reducing federal funding and limitations on Medicaid, which could exacerbate barriers in accessing medical care for vulnerable populations.
Currently, just over 25 percent of Suffolk County residents and a little more than 23 percent of Nassau County residents are enrolled in Medicaid, according to a United Hospital Fund report.
Michelle Jones, a nurse at Flushing Hospital, who is on the board of directors for the New York State Nurses Association, said these proposals would substantially increase the cost of health care if implemented.
“The cost of health care is going to skyrocket, and so is the cost of medication,” she said. “This, is going to put profit over patients and over the frontline workers who take care of these patients. This project will erode people.”
The project’s proposed health care policies also include reforming the Department of Health and Human Services into an anti-abortion-focused Department of Life.
Liberal organizations, such as EMILY’s List, have pledged to invest money and resources into flipping House seats currently held by anti-abortion Republicans.
“Project 2025 outlines tracking women’s pregnancies, including abortion, miscarriages, stillbirths ... dismantling sex education, and replacing birth con-
trol programs,” Yari Aquino, an EMILY’s List representative, said. “The way to stop Project 2025 from happening is to elect … Democratic pro-choice women up and down the ballot.”
The Long Island Coalition for Life remains determined to influence public policy in a direction that bans abortion statewide with no exceptions.
“Our ultimate goal is to protect every preborn son and daughter in the womb, to end abortion and to bring back respect for the right to life of all people,” Celeste Broyles, a representative of the Coalition, said. “We don’t discriminate against babies who may have been conceived in rape … all babies deserve the right to life.”
In 2022, former State Sen. Anna M. Kaplan and Assemblywoman Gina L. Sillitti highlighted ongoing local abortion restrictions. Several communities still had “trigger laws” on the books that were passed in the early 1970s and were intended to limit the establishment of abortion clinics and impose stringent regulations on access. Hempstead, Huntington and Oyster Bay towns and the villages of Freeport and Williston Park had local abortion restrictions.
“Every person should have autonomy over their body and have the right to discuss that with their provider.” Jones said. “Under the project, people are defined by their role in their family, but even then they are a single person with the right to make decisions.”
Jenna Zaza and Lori Saxena are reporters with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.
Jenna Zaza/Herald
elected president.
News briefs
American Legion hosts oratorical contest
The Nassau County American Legion invites all high school students, grades nine to 12, to participate in its annual oratorical contest for the chance to win up to $1,000 in scholarships.
Contestants will prepare an eight- to 10-minute oration on the United States Constitution with an emphasis on the duties and responsibilities of citizens. Points will be deducted for going under or over the allotted time, and it must be performed from memory.
It will be followed by a three to five minute discourse on one of four Articles or Amendments that will be selected by the American Legion on the day of the competition. The four topics assigned this year include the First, Seventh, 18th and 26th amendments.
The competitions take place at the county, district, zone, state department and national levels. Scholarships are awarded at each level. Prizes will increase as contestants advance to the next level.
For the district scholarship awards, students that place in third through
sixth place receive $150, second place will receive $500 and first place $600. For the zone scholarship awards, third through fourth place will receive $500, second will receive $800 and first place $1,000.
In addition to the scholarship money, the students who place first will advance to the next round of the contest.
Each school may enter three contestants in the Nassau County Oratorical Contest. The American Legion pays for travel expenses to the state and national competitions for the contestant and a chaperone.
Legion County Chairman Dennis Duffy must have received applications and prepared orations by midnight on Saturday, Nov. 23, either via mail or email. He will notify contestants of the location and time of the contest, which will take place in December.
For more information, visit nylegion. net/oratorical-contest.
–Xiomara Trinidad Perez
Local veterans to receive a stealthy surprise
The Ninja 4 Vets program was created nine years ago with the goal of teaching kids to appreciate veterans in their community by spreading kindness. One of the ways the program does this is by encouraging kids and their parents to stealthily deliver candy and presents to veterans across the community, as a thank you for their service.
Kids and parents are invited to participate on Thursday, Nov. 7, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Rockville Centre Fire Department on Maple Avenue. After enjoying a delicious pizza dinner, each
Fisherman hooks a massive coy
Ron Euliano of Oceanside was surprised when he found a large coy fish at the end of his lure. Now retired, having worked more than 40 years in Rockville Centre, he said he now enjoys a lot of his time fishing. He proudly referred to this as ‘one of the best fish I’ve ever caught.’ After a couple of snapshots the fish was released back into the waters unharmed.
participant will learn about their assigned veteran and create a custom poster that will be left on their doorstep. They will then ring the doorbell and quickly run back to their getaway car.
Anyone looking to share any leftover Halloween candy is asked to please place wrapped treats into a brown paper lunch bag. Pizza and drinks will be provided courtesy of Novus Real Estate and the Falvey Insurance Group.
–Daniel Offner
Courtesy Ron Euliano
Rockville Centre moms play for a cause
Flag-football fundraiser helps raise over $10,000 for the RVC Breast Cancer Coaition
By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com
The Rockville Centre Titans youth football program wrapped up its Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign in spectacular fashion with its first-ever Moms’ Flag Football Game fundraiser on Sunday, Oct. 27.
“The game was awesome,” said Dana Lozito, co-founder of the Titans. “We had five games going on simultaneously. Some of these women really came to play. They had moves. And we had spectators. The stands were full. You would have thought it was a Friday night football game.”
The unprecedented event, led by Titans moms Jessica Bifulco and Lisa Guerriero, garnered tremendous community support as the organization aimed to meet its $10,000 fundraising goal for the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition.
While the Titans have traditionally worn pink socks throughout October to show support, this year they decided to end the month with a fundraiser benefiting the Coalition.
“Kudos to Jessica and Lisa and the women from the coalition,” Lozito said. “We wanted to directly honor the women in our community and our program. It was a really heartfelt and emotional moment.”
Combined with $1,800 raised by the Titans last year, the organization presented a check for $11,800 to the coalition. Titans coaching staff volunteered as coaches and referees for the tournament, which concluded with a postgame celebration at Centre Station.
“Everybody raved about it,” Lozito said, adding that she hopes to make the fundraiser an annual tradition.
Dana and her husband, Bill Lozito, established the volunteer-run Titans football program 10 years ago to provide young athletes, including their two sons, with a chance to play football in their hometown while learning life lessons that go beyond the field.
“Football is different from other sports,” Lozito told the Herald. “Everyone has to be doing their job and working together on every play to be success-
ful. Those lessons help kids build resilience and teamwork, which are skills they’ll need for life.”
Laura Altman, a board member of the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition and a former Titans mom, played a crucial role in organizing the event.
“The Titans’ efforts are about more than just football. They’re about giving back,” Peg McDonald, co-president of the Rockville Centre Breast Cancer Coalition, said. “The moms put together a unique and fun event that truly exemplifies community spirit, and we are so grateful for their support.”
The Titans’ dedication to breast cancer awareness has been longstanding. In past years, the team has worn pink accessories and raised $1,800 from a bake sale.
This year’s Moms’ Flag Football Game represents their largest and most successful initiative yet. To learn more about the Rockville Centre Titans youth football team, visit RVCTitans.com.
Tracy Murray charges through the defense.
The Rockville Centre Titans youth football program recognized Dyanne Bifulco, left, Kathleen Sadora, Molly Larom, Kristen Kassl, Laura Altman, Jill Oswald, Ellen Blaney, and Chloe Scheile, eight moms who have battled with breast cancer.
Matthew Bifulco, 11, clockwise from left, breast cancer survivor Dyanne Bifulco, Luke Bifulco, 12, Ella Brennan, 4, Joshua Bifulco, 7, and SJ Brennan, 6, enjoy the flagfootball event on Oct. 27.
Tim Baker/Herald photos
Barbara McCarthy, clockwise from left, Adrianne Delaraba, Ciara Byrne, Lori Quinn, Ann Walier, Kristen Orsillo, Stephanie Muir, Lisa Guerriero and Liz Cavanaugh participate in the RVC Titans moms’ flag football game.
Kristin Rudolph sprints toward the endzone.
Pence reflects on Jan. 6 at LIA luncheon
By ROKSANA AMID
ramid@liherald.com
One week before Election Day, former Vice President Mike Pence spoke candidly to about 700 people at the Long Island Association’s annual fall luncheon at the Crest Hollow Country Club, in Woodbury. In an hour-long interview led by LIA President Matt Cohen, Pence, 65, spoke with conviction to a politically diverse crowd about the state of American politics, his break with Donald Trump, and the Republican Party’s future.
Pence didn’t mince words when expressing his views on the current political landscape, telling attendees he could not support the Democratic ticket of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, but he also acknowledged his decision not to endorse the Republican ticket.
“I could never support the Democrat ticket,” Pence said. “But I’m also not endorsing our ticket. I have real concerns about the direction of the Republican Party today.”
Pence’s remarks reflected his unease with what he described as a growing populist influence in the GOP, a shift he feels strays from the party’s conservative principles. He voiced worries about those in the party who, he believes, are increasingly willing to “walk away from our allies and American leadership in the world” and ignore the national debt,
while “marginalizing the sanctity of life.”
One of the most poignant moments of the luncheon came as Pence recounted his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, when a violent mob attacked the U.S. Capitol, some chanting threats against him.
Pence explained that he was guided by the oath he took on President Reagan’s Bible, which he considered both a commitment to the American people and a promise to God.
High ceilings
“The Bible says in Psalm 15, ‘He keeps his oath even when it hurts.’ I know something about that,” Pence said, adding that it is against the spirit of the presidency to dictate what votes were or were not counted.
As Pence described it, his differences with Trump surfaced only in the final days of their administration, when Trump, influenced by a group of lawyers outside the administration, became convinced that Pence had the authority to
overturn the election results. Despite their disagreements, Pence recalled that he and Trump “never had a cross word” throughout their four years together, and even reconciled shortly after Jan. 6, parting “very amicably.” He noted, however, that as time went on, Trump returned to much of the same rhetoric that had fueled the events of Jan. 6, solidifying their separation.
Pence’s said that the Republican Party needed to return to what he described as “mainstream conservatism.” He spoke of the importance of maintaining strong American leadership on the world stage, fiscal responsibility, limited government and traditional values. As he sees it, the GOP must decide whether to adhere to those principles or follow “the siren song of populism unmoored to conservative principle.”
Beyond his concerns about his party’s trajectory, Pence expressed a broader worry for the nation’s divided politics. “Our politics are more divided than any time in my life,” he said. “But I’m not convinced the American people are as divided as their politics.” He added that he hoped we would ultimately unite to face common challenges.
Pence closed on an optimistic note, acknowledging that while many Americans feel their values are being “trampled on and disrespected,” the U.S. can still uphold its role as “the leader of the free world.”
Roksana Amid/Herald
Long Island Association President Matt Cohen spoke with former Vice President Mike Pence about a range of topics, including his break from Donald Trump, the future of the Republican Party and the importance of upholding constitutional values.
Nassau Legislature adopts 2025 budget
By WILL SHEELINE wsheeline@liherald.com
The Nassau County Legislature has approved County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s proposed $4.2 billion budget for 2025. The plan, which keeps property tax rates flat and prioritizes investments in law enforcement and children’s early-intervention programs, sparked considerable debate and split votes on key legislative committees.
“I’m very pleased that the Republican Majority unanimously passed our no tax increase budget over the objections of Democrats who wanted a tax increase to give them more money to squander away on wasteful spending,” Blakeman said in a statement after the vote on Oct. 30. His office did not respond to requests for further comment.
The Legislature’s Finance Committee voted unanimously to advance the budget, while the Rules Committee was divided, with Republican members in favor and Democratic members, including Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, abstaining. DeRiggi-Whitton cited concerns over the budget’s reliance on reserves, the lack of movement on assessment reform, and financial uncertainties as reasons for the Democratic caucus’s stance.
Blakeman’s budget allocates significant funds for law enforcement and public safety, setting aside resources for two police cadet classes and two correction officer classes, totaling 206 new hires. The allocation is designed to address anticipated retirements and maintain adequate staffing in the Nassau County Police Department, which currently has 2,576 officers.
The spending plan also funds 38 additional full-time positions, primarily in health and human services as well as law enforcement, which will bringing the county’s workforce to 7,517.
Despite the additions, DeRiggi-Whitton said she was
U sing such a large chunk of reserves in one year leaves us vulnerable to future budget challenges, especially if unexpected costs arise.
DELIa
DeRIggI-WHIttoN
Minority leader, Nassau County Legislature
concerned about the budget’s anticipated 30 percent reduction in police overtime expenses. She argued that the assumption lacks justification, given historical trends and expected police demands, noting that similar overtime cuts in the past have led to strain on publicsafety services.
“There’s no real evidence to back up the notion that we’ll see a decrease in overtime needs,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “With the same head count, expecting a 30 percent reduction seems overly optimistic and potentially risky for the county.”
The budget includes a $22 million boost in funding for early intervention and preschool services, bringing the total allocation to $185 million. The funds support speech, occupational and physical therapy services for children with special needs. Earlier this year, the county increased its reimbursement rates for service providers, addressing what had been among the state’s lowest rates.
Blakeman’s proposal keeps property taxes flat, in keeping with his commitment to avoid new tax burdens. But DeRiggi-Whitton argued that the spending plan falls short of delivering on Blakeman’s original campaign promises of tax relief and a reformed property assess-
ment system.
“For the third year in a row, we’re seeing a budget that doesn’t address his campaign’s core promises,” she said. “Homeowners are still waiting for the tax cuts and assessment reform that were central to his platform.”
Another sticking point for DeRiggi-Whitton and her Democratic colleagues is the budget’s heavy reliance on reserves, specifically federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. According to the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, the county has a $207.4 million operating deficit, which the administration plans to offset by drawing on nearly $200 million in reserves. DeRiggiWhitton likened this to dipping into a household’s savings account to cover ongoing expenses.
“This one-time money is being used to patch budget gaps instead of creating sustainable financial plans,” she said. “Using such a large chunk of reserves in one year leaves us vulnerable to future budget challenges, especially if unexpected costs arise.”
In addition to the budget, legislators approved several key appointments during the meeting. Joseph Adamo, who had been serving as acting county assessor, was confirmed as the permanent assessor, despite questions about his certification status.
Jose Lopez was also confirmed as the permanent commissioner of the Department of Social Services, receiving bipartisan support. Lopez has served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, and brings extensive experience to the role.
The Legislature also approved a pay increase for Nassau County election commissioners, raising their salaries from $180,000 to $210,000.
The budget’s passage in the Republican-majority Legislature shifts the focus to NIFA, which will review the county’s financial plan. Its meeting to discuss the budget is scheduled for Nov. 20.
STEPPING OUT
Join the party with
Magical moments on ice and his pals
By Karen Bloom
Ailey II
The latest dose of Disney magic arrives with a rockin’ start to the holiday season. Disney On Ice glides into UBS Arena with “Let’s Dance,” on Nov. 13, to the delight of families who enthusiastically embrace every Disney moment. This time around Mickey and the gang are groovin’ at the DJ table and everyone’s on the guest list.
Audiences feel the electric atmosphere from the get-go as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy remix favorite tunes into colorful stories. “Wish,” an homage to Disney’s 100th anniversary that debuted in the show last fall before the film’s release in theaters — is back in a big way. Now, the entire Kingdom of Rosas is in the spotlight. Wish, Asha, Valentino, Star, and King Magnifico come together for “This Wish,” “I’m a Star” and “This Is The Thanks I Get?!” Go on a journey to Arendelle and the Enchanted Forest in “Frozen 2” with Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf as they are reminded that “Some Things Never Change.”
Also escape to the Pride Lands with Simba and Nala. Audiences should “Be Prepared” as Scar and the hyenas plot to take over the throne. Timon and Pumbaa remind us it’s best just to say “Hakuna Matata” as everyone celebrates the “Circle of Life” as represented in “’The Lion King.”
Skilled maestro Sebastian strikes a chord “Under the Sea” when he conducts Ariel, her seven sisters and a colorful orchestra of sea creatures. Everyone will be singing along as Ariel serenades Prince Eric in “The Little Mermaid.”
And, of course, everyone will immediately “Know The Way” when Moana journeys from the island of Motunui to save her home from Te Ka.
These unforgettable characters and their adventures come alive as audiences are transported to world where imaginations soar — and in true Disney spirit “anything can happen if you just believe.”
So it goes with Mikaela Hyryläinen. The skater, who grew up and still makes her home in Finland, joined the Disney On Ice ensemble in 2019 after concluding her competitive skating career — and is living her dream. Proof that ‘Disney magic’ knows no boundaries.
A Disney fan since childhood, naturally, her first experience with the ice spectacle came about in 2006-07 when she attended a production as a young child with her Mom in Helsinki.
“I remember telling my mother that I enjoyed it so much that I would love to do something similar in the future. So that’s actually where everything started for me.”
Of course, Hyryläinen is quite partial to Elsa.
“Elsa’s my favorite since she comes from the Nordic countries like I do. She has these powers with snow and ice. It’s something that when I was growing up I really enjoyed, playing in the snow and all that. It’s cool that Disney has a character like her.”
As always the skating brings a new dimension to the stories we know so well. Solos, pairs, fast-paced ensemble numbers, along with acrobatic routines, keep everyone in awe of what they’re seeing.
awe of what they’re seeing. not
As Hyryläinen puts it: “We not only do the show on the ice, we also bring it into the air.”
She is especially enthusiastic about a segment in “The Little Mermaid” — Under the Sea — when the seven daughters of Triton ‘fly’ with aerial hoops.
Ailey II, which bills itself as “the next generation of dance,” continues its 50th anniversary of bringing “offthe-charts energy” to the stage. Ailey II is universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the country’s finest early-career dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s outstanding and emerging choreographers. Founded in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble and led by Sylvia Waters for 38 seasons, Ailey II has advanced Alvin Ailey’s vision for more than five decades. The program includes Ailey’s Streams, an abstract exploration of bodies in space, danced to a percussion score; Houston Thomas’ world premiere Down the Rabbit Hole, a continuation of the choreographer’s Follow the White Rabbit (2022; also Francesca Harper’s Luminous, a work that pays homage to the 50th anniversary of Ailey II and the artists who paved the way for future generations.
“They do splits and spins and all sorts of exciting tricks in the air,” she explains.
Expect to see acrobatic stunts throughout the show.
“We have swaypoles, freestyle skaters leaping off ramps, also other kinds of aerial acts that are so special. They help us tell the stories on an even deeper level.”
• Wednesday through Sunday. Nov. 13-17; times vary
• Tickets start at $30; available at DisneyOnIce.com
• UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont
While the entire production always gets an enthusiastic response, audiences are especially fond of the “Circle of Life.”
“We see Simba and Nala on the Pride Rock and there are all kinds of different animals. We have flamingos, giraffes, impalas, obviously Timon and Pumbaa and even Zazu. It’s a huge celebration of Simba and Nala and their new cub,” she notes.
In fact ‘celebration’ is an apt descriptive of the entire spectacle. The show encourages fans, as per the Mouse House, to “celebrate the magic of courage, love and adventure.”
And that pretty much sums it up for Hyryläinen.
“There’s nothing more heartwarming than seeing young kids whose eyes light up when they see you and see certain characters on the ice,” she says. “They’re singing so loud, they’re clapping, they’re dancing, they’re having the best time. I’m so happy bringing the Disney magic to all the kids who attend our shows.
“I’m living my best life, getting to bring the stories to life. Plus, this job has taken me to so many cool places in the world. I couldn’t be more grateful for the path I chose.”
A final takeaway from Hyryläinen: “As long as you believe in the magic, as long as you have goals, as long as you have dreams, there’s nothing to stop you.”
Photos courtesy Feld Entertainment
What starts out as a party transforms into an adventure with Mickey and his crew spinning tunes to get it all going.
Friday, Nov. 8, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35. Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Tickets available at tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
The Seven Wonders
The Seven Wonders “go [their] own way’ when the band brings their popular Fleetwood Mac show to the Madison Theatre. The concert features all your favorite Fleetwood Mac songs — “Go Your Own Way,” “Dreams,” “You Make Lovin’ Fun,” “Rhiannon,” and more — delivered in a powerful performance by a band whose chemistry is as electric as the original. Certainly not your average tribute band, these musicians take it to the next level. While their collective performance experience spans decades, their presence and energy are vivacious, paying homage to the live show of the original Fleetwood Mac. Their onstage charisma invokes the styles of the original band in its prime. It’s a true testament to music’s timelessness.Their performances have been turning heads since their inception.
Friday, Nov. 8, 8 p.m. $50-$60. Madison Theatre, Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Ave., Rockville Centre. Tickets available at madisontheatreny.org or (516) 3234444.
Whiskey & Wings Benefit
Enjoy a tasty evening that pairs Buffalo wings and whiskey, benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association Long Island Chapter, Thursday, Nov. 7, 5-8 p.m., at Amber Court of Westbury. With raffles and 50/50. 3400 Brush Hollow Road, Westbury. RSVP to Laura LaFauci at llafauci@ ambercourtal.com or call (631)383-4341.
Talking birds
The South Shore Audubon Society invites all to a lecture program, “Galápagos Species: Why Birders’ Life Lists May Be Wrong,” with Prof. Russell Burke, of Hoftstra’s Biology Department, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m., at Freeport Memorial Library. The Galápagos Islands are famous for unusual animals and plants. Counting them all requires thinking about what we mean by the term “species.” Discussion involves determining what a species is. 144 W. Merrick Road (at S. Ocean Avenue) in Freeport. For more information about the program or South Shore Audubon, go to SSAudubon. org.
Ninjas4Vets
Each year, before Veterans Day, kids and their families drive around the village, stealthily dropping off “Thank You” signs, care packages and flags at the homes of Rockville Centre veterans in a display of appreciation for their service to our country. Parents and kids are invited to participate, Thursday, Nov. 7, 6-8 p.m., at the Rockville Centre Fire Department. Participants will enjoy a delicious pizza dinner first, after which they will be given their assignment and create custom posters to be left on their doorstep. 103 Maple Ave.
Veteran’s Day
Rockville Centre village officials will gather to honor veterans, first responders, and Gold Star families at the American Legion Post 303’s ceremony, Monday, Nov. 11, 10:30 a.m., at the Recreation Center. Rain or Shine. 111 N Oceanside Road.
Having an event?
Art explorations
Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art. The drop-in program continues Saturday, Nov. 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.
Items on The Scene page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.
On exhibit
Nassau County Museum of Art ‘s latest exhibition
“Seeing Red: Renoir to Warhol,” reveals the many meanings, connotations, and associations of this powerful color in art. Evoking strong emotion, red can represent the human condition. Its myriad variations have come to signify authority as well as love, energy and beauty. Red warns us of peril and commands us to stop, but it can also indicate purity and good fortune. Red boldly represents political movements and religious identities. From the advent of our appreciation for this color in antiquity to its continued prominence in artistic and popular culture, this exhibition spans various world cultures through a range of media.
It features more than 70 artists, both established and emerging, ranging from the classical to the contemporary. American portraitists such as Gilbert Stuart imbued red in their stately paintings of prominent individuals to conjure authority. Robert Motherwell, Ad Reinhardt, and other major abstract painters displayed a deep fascination with red in their commanding compositions that evoke a sense of chromatic power. And, of course, Andy Warhol is known for his bold and imposing silkscreened portrait of Vladimir Lenin saturated in bright red to his signature Campbell’s Soup Cans. On view through Jan. 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Board games from days gone by
Enjoy an evening of learning and playing historic games at Old Westbury Gardens’ Westbury House, Friday, Nov. 8, 7-9:30 p.m. The Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo takes visitors on journey through 5,000 years of board game history, from its roots in ancient times to more familiar examples from the time of the Phipps family. A brief lecture on board game history includes a presentation of each of the featured games. All are fully playable, and you can try them out yourself.
Games include: Senet, The Royal Game of Ur, Three Man’s Morris, Six Man’s Morris, Nine Man’s Morris, Twelve Man’s Morris, Mancala, Go, Chess, The Royal and Most Pleasant Game of The Goose, Backgammon. The Landlords Game (transition to the modern Monopoly). $15. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.
TONY AWARD® WINNER JAMES MONROE IGLEHART IS “ A KNOCKOUT LOUIS ARMSTRONG! ”
Public Notices
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY
COMPANY. NAME:
Curated Concierge, LLC.
Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 10/11/24. location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to:12 Vanderveer Court,RVC NY 11570
Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity.
149581
LEGAL NOTICE
Village of Rockville Centre
Nassau County, New York Notice of Board of Zoning Appeals Hearing Date: November 13, 2024
Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 340 Rockville Centre Village Code NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Appeals of the Village of Rockville Centre will hold a Zoning Appeals Hearing at the Eugene J. Murray Village Hall 1 College Place, Rockville Centre at 7:00 p.m.
LEGAL NOTICE
November 13th, 2024 at 7:00 PM Case # 30-2024 - Erik Mahler
Proposal for a minor subdivision and to construct a new singlefamily dwelling with a lot size of 4,000 square feet where 10,000 square feet is minimum lot size required, and a lot frontage of 40 feet where 80 feet is the minimum required within a Residence A district for minor subdivision.
Premises known as 17 Cumberland StreetParcel B Case # 31-2024 - Joseph DiFigueroa
To construct a mixed-use building within a “Business A District” which requires a ten foot (10’) front yard setback where zero feet (0’) front
yard is proposed, fifty six (56) parking spaces required for the medical office use where zero(0) parking spaces are provided, where roof top dining is proposed which requires approval of the Board of Appeals and is subject to a substantial Occupancy Permit from the Board of Appeals.
Premises known as 24
South Park Avenue
Case # 34-2024 - Erik Mahler
Proposal for a minor subdivision and to maintain a nonconforming dwelling (front yard, side yard) on a substandard lot with a lot size of 4000 sq feet where 10,000 sq ft is the minimum required lot size, and a lot frontage of 40.0 feet where 80.0 feet is the minimum required within a Residence A district for a minor subdivision.
Premises known as 17
Cumberland StreetParcel A
Case # 35-2024 - Gregory Stanclik - Adjourned from October 9th, 2024
To construct an 18’ x 12’ in-ground pool with a proposed lot coverage of 34.6% where 30.0% is the maximum allowable, and impervious surface coverage of 52.0% where 45.0% is the maximum allowable within a Residence A district.
Premises known as 29 Allen Road
Case # 37-2024 - John & Melissa Grushinsky
To construct a rear onestory addition, attached garage addition, and covered rear patio with a proposed side yard setback of 7.3 to the attached garage and 7.9 feet to the covered patio where 10.0 feet is the minimum required, and an aggregate side yard of 15.2 feet where 20.0 feet is the minimum required within a Residence A district.
Premises known as 39 Milburn Street
Case # 39-2024 - Donna Pandolfi
To construct an 16’ x 32’ in-ground pool with a
A century of service, charity, brotherhood
hood continued even in difficult times.
Kurrus, the immediate past grand knight, built on this foundation, leading the council to national recognition. Under his leadership, the council earned the prestigious Star Council, McGivney Award and Columbia Award.
And its growth has been extraordinary. Membership has increased from just 10 active members to over 100 in the past decade, providing new energy and resources for many charitable initiatives.
proposed impervious surface lot coverage of 59.6% where 45.0% is the maximum allowable, and a rear yard setback of 7.0 feet where 10.0 feet is the minimum required within a Residence A district.
Premises known as 119 Fenway Public work session: Case # 23-2023 - Peter & Molly Lucas
Extension of time request to obtain permits.
Premises known as 42 Woodland Avenue
Dated: November 1, 2024
BOARD OF APPEALS OF THE VILLAGE OF ROCKVILLE CENTRE, Rockville Centre, New York
J. Robert Schenone, Chairman Patrick D. O’Brien, Secretary Information and records for appeals cases are available at the Office of the Secretary of the Board of Appeals, 110 Maple Avenue, RVC, NY 149866
Search for notices online at: www.newyorkpublicnotices.com
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU
HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE’S FINANCIAL REALTY MORTGAGE SECURITIES
TRUST, SERIES 2006-1, -againstFRANCISCO M. RODRIGUEZ, ET AL.
NOTICE OF SALE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on October 13, 2023, wherein HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE’S FINANCIAL REALTY
MORTGAGE SECURITIES TRUST, SERIES 2006-1 is the Plaintiff and FRANCISCO M. RODRIGUEZ, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will
sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on December 10, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 394 PINEBROOK AVE, ROCKVILLE CENTRE, NY 11570; and the following tax map identification: 35-415-895. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE COUNTY OF NASSAU, STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 011891/2008. Mark Ricciardi, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES. 149858
To place a notice here call us at 516-569-4000 x232 or send an email to: legalnotices@liherald.com
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: THE IMAGE AND STYLE CONNECTION, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York, (SSNY) on 10/16/24. NY Office location: Nassau County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of the process to: 189 Raymond St, Rockville Centre, NY 11570. Purpose: To engage in any lawful act or activity. 149777
Former Grand Knight Edwin Lambert said the organization has seen not only an increase in membership, but also a number of younger fathers interested in volunteering in the church community. The growth in membership has also facilitated the publication of a regular newsletter, Knightline, which features stories about council members and the rich history of St. Agnes Cathedral.
The Rev. Michael Duffy, its rector, praised the Knights of Columbus for its unstinting support of parish activities. From organizing the annual Christmas tree lighting and ushering at Masses to providing crucial transportation for priests, the Knights have consistently answered the call to serve.
“We call on the Knights of Columbus to drive them, and they respond at the drop of a hat,” Duffy said. “We’re so very grateful for all the many ways you serve our parish, and that you’ll continue to serve our parish.”
Duffy also reflected on the council’s revitalization, commending their involvement in community events like basketball free throw contests, the annual Parish Bazaar, pasta nights and the Super Bowl Pancake Breakfast.
These gatherings have not only strengthened the parish community, but also brought joy and connection to countless families in Rockville Centre. “In the past four years, I’ve seen this Council come alive,” Duffy added. “We’re very grateful for the men who’ve just signed
up, for those who’ve been knights for many years, and those who’ve just joined.”
In addition to their service, the Knights’ financial contributions have made a lasting impact. Their $2,000 annual donation for designated seminarians helps support the future leaders of the church. They also support veterans and their families through coat drives and other outreach efforts, making clear their commitment to aiding those in need.
The Rev. Patrick Flanagan, associate professor and chair of theology and religious studies at St. John’s University, gave the keynote address last Saturday, sharing his historical perspective. The Rev. Michael McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus in 1882, and 42 years later the members of the St. Agnes Knights of Columbus formed its council.
“I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to share this moment in your history,” Flanagan said. “It has been a pretty phenomenal journey. You’ve done extraordinary things, and as you move forward, I would encourage you to even think about (doing) greater things.”
The evening concluded with a performance by members of the St. Agnes Choir, led by musical director Michael Bower, and a buffet-style dinner. Continued from page 1
the evening concluded with a performance by the children of the St. a gnes Choir.
Daniel Offner/Herald photos
ignatius mascarenhas, left, grand Knight Joseph d’aleo and the rev. michael duffy, of St. agnes Cathedral, celebrated 100 years of faith-driven service in rockville Centre.
deacon thomas mcdaid, margaret mcdaid and mary marengo enjoyed the celebration on Saturday night at the St. a gnes parish Center.
CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE
Full Time/Part Time
Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department. Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines.
Salary Range is $16 per hour to $23 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com
DELI COUNTER HELP: Overnight Position 10pm-6am/ 2pm-10pm/ All Shifts. Experienced Preferred. Oceanside 24Hr. Bagel 516-678-7070
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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
EDITOR/REPORTER
Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@liherald.com
EMAIL MARKETING SPECIALIST Herald Community Newspapers is seeking a motivated and knowledgeable Email Marketing Expert to join our team. If you have a passion for crafting effective email campaigns and a knack for data-driven decision-making, this role is for you!
RESPONSIBILITIES: Set up and manage email campaigns from start to finish. Analyze data to identify target audiences and optimize email strategies. Craft compelling email content, including writing effective subject lines. Monitor and report on campaign performance.
REQUIREMENTS: Degree in Marketing, Business, or related field. Strong understanding of data analysis and marketing principles. Experience with email marketing is preferred but not required.
POSITION DETAILS: Flexible: Part-time or Full-time. Salary range: $16,640 to $70,000, depending on experience and role. Join our dynamic team and help us connect with our audience in meaningful ways! Apply today by sending your resume and a brief cover letter to lberger@liherald.com
MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour.
Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
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Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $33,280 + commissions and bonuses to over $100,000 including commission and bonuses. We also offer health benefits, 401K and paid time off. Please send cover letter and resume with salary requirements to ereynolds@liherald.com Call 516-569-4000 X286
OUTSIDE SALES
Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $33,280 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours
Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250
PRINTING PRESS OPERATORS
FT & PT. Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for Printing Press Operators in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges from $20 per hour to $30 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
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Replacing concrete with glass in a high-rise condo?
Q. We have a condo in Florida, and read your column even when we’re there, which is half the year. Our condo board is proposing “improvements,” aside from all the regulatory issues we’ve been hit with due to building collapses and storms. Our building faces the ocean and is 17 stories tall. It has spectacular views and large balconies. One proposed renovation is to remove the concrete walls between the balconies, which we were told are not structural, and replace them with glass walls to improve our views and modernize the building. Aside from the huge cost increase we will be forever paying, do you think that’s a good idea? The board hired engineers to look at it, and they say it can be done. We are concerned about glass not holding up to hurricanes, since all of the balcony doors and windows had to be replaced with specially made strong frames and glass. What should we tell our board?
A. Your address helped me look at the satellite view from my computer. I’m skeptical about whether this would be an improvement. Certainly it would add glitz and glamour to the building, probably making the value as sky-high as the cost and the height. I understand why you live on a high floor, considering the views.
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But any building has to be examined as the sum of its many parts. Its appearance is only part of the equation. There are three basic components to what is defined as “architecture”: appearance, function and structure. To a trained professional, the composition will fail if the three components aren’t working together in a harmonious way.
In your building’s case, there are certain aspects that are taken for granted, but to an engineer or architect, the placement of those vertical fin walls not only accentuates the “verticality,” giving the building an illusion of greater height, but the fins act as a wind break to the balconies, which reduces the tendency for the wind to whip across the face of the building. This whipping wind is, at times, dangerous, and is referred to as the Bernoulli effect. This phenomenon sucks roof shingles off homes and gives lift to airplanes. It’s also the reason your toilet draws waste down the pipes when water flows from above the bowl downward.
In your case, the removal or replacement of those walls may actually negatively alter the function of the building’s integrity to withstand high winds in the name of glitzy appearance. I wouldn’t recommend the jack-hammering and saw-cutting of the fins unless I first spoke to the original designers to find out if it was their intention to have those spines on the outside of the building to strengthen against natural horizontal movement, and whether they intended them to break up the high winds in extreme hurricane events. Sometimes it’s better to leave a design alone when the conclusions are better but not well understood than to tinker and ruin the integrity.
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If only politics could emulate Notre Dame-Navy football
I’ve been a lifelong lover of sports, particularly baseball and college football. The rivalries. The tension. The thrill of victory. The agony of defeat. Watching warriors in the arena.
Having said that, I’m generally not one of those guys who equate the gridiron, the playing field, the rink, the tennis court or the boxing ring with the challenges of everyday life or those facing the nation. But there are exceptions. One in particular. I truly wish that the almost century-long football rivalry between the U.S. Naval Academy Midshipmen and Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish could serve as a model for the world of politics and government.
Beginning in 1927, Navy and Notre Dame have played each other 98 times on the gridiron, missing only the 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic. While Notre Dame has pretty much dominated the series, winning 82 of the games, this rivalry transcends so much of what passes for college sports
and “student-athletes” today.
While every Notre Dame-Navy game is intense and hard-fought, there is no trash talk or demeaning the other team or its players. At the end of the game, no matter who wins or loses, the players on both teams stand respectfully together for the playing of their respective alma maters.
At the end of the game, no matter who wins, the players on both teams stand together.
A further differential between this and other rivalries is that these players are truly students, who must meet academic standards. Notre Dame always ranks at or near the top of colleges across the country in the percentage of athletes who graduate and receive degrees. Navy has similar standards, and its graduates are also obligated to serve five years of active military duty after graduation. Understandably, this has made it increasingly difficult to recruit top high school players who have dreams of going on to make millions of dollars in the National Football League rather than being shot at in combat. Certainly since the Vietnam War, Navy hasn’t been the football powerhouse it was during the 1940s and ’50s.
While Notre Dame has managed dur-
ing most of these years to compete at a high level, it has never considered dropping Navy from its schedule, thanks to a commitment it made after World War II, which Notre Dame survived only because of Navy. As a private Midwest school with no large benefactors at the time and so many students being drafted into the war effort, Notre Dame was faced with imminent financial collapse. The Naval Academy saved the day by setting up a major training base on the Notre Dame campus, providing the university with fiscal solvency and ensuring its survival as an academic institution — and a football colossus.
The Fighting Irish won the national championship in three of the four years following the end of the war.
Realizing and appreciating how obligated it was to Navy for its very survival, Notre Dame made a solemn commitment to keep Navy on its football schedule for as long as Navy wanted. So the rivalry and the series have continued all these years. But it goes beyond a financial obligation. There is a mutual respect between the schools that’s reflected at every level, including Notre
Dame’s emulation of Navy with its firstrate naval Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.
No matter how often I’ve seen it, I am always moved by the pregame ceremonies, with each school acknowledging the other’s traditions, and the postgame alma mater camaraderie among the players, no matter how hard the battle or how bitter the defeat.
Think how gratifying it would be if our national leaders could follow the lead of Notre Dame and Navy. Fight hard but respect the other side. Look for common ground in the national interest without fear of being labeled a Republican In Name Only or a traitor by your own party.
No, politics is not college football. But our political leaders could learn something by emulating the best of college football, exemplified by the Fighting Irish and the Midshipmen.
And yeah, Notre Dame did beat Navy in this year’s game, 51-14, on Oct. 26. But even in the win-at-all-costs world of college football, the score was almost secondary in this unique traditional rivalry. Go Irish! Go Navy!
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
EIt’s
time for a new era of political civility
lection Day has come and gone. While the results are unofficial or pending, the passing of this period is the happiest thing that has happened to me in years. By any measure, the 2024 election season has been a brutal, emotional and unsettling time. Our nation has been bruised, battered and ripped apart by the tensions that elections can cause, and now, happily, the campaigns have come to an end. Depending on the results, we will soon either be talking about the winners’ plans for the future or steeling ourselves for days and weeks of bitter court battles. It may be that the lawyers will be fully engaged in what they do best, but it’s long past time for the country to begin thinking about how we can start the healing process that is so badly needed.
So much of the division that we have been experiencing is the product of a political system that has no referee to stop any foul play or ugly communica-
tion. I have witnessed many campaigns over the years, and I have been involved in my own. But more recent campaigns have sunk to levels of conflict that previously were impossible to imagine.
The root cause of the bitterness can be attributed to the candidates, but the real cause is money, money and money. Since the U.S. Supreme Court allowed unlimited expenditures in elections, billions of dollars have poured into shadow committees, none of which care about dignity, decency or fair play. These “dark” committees, whose backers are unknown and well hidden, are not reluctant to drag campaigns into the gutter.
Rlaw that would change how the political system is funded. But there are too many elected officials who like the current system and have no desire to clean it up. Many of them represent safe districts, and are happy to be able to beat up a challenger using phantom funding.
ecent campaigns have sunk to levels of conflict previously unimagined.
The average voter has no idea who or what is behind a political television commercial, except those that mention a candidate by name and voice that candidate’s approval. But there are countless commercials, mailings and social media postings that are misleading. They may mention some committee, but you will never know who is really behind the presentation.
You would think that members of Congress, who are often the object of smear campaigns, would want to pass a
The use of untraceable money isn’t just something that is connected to the campaign process. The same donors spend fortunes throughout the year, wining and dining legislators, favoring them with extravagant trips and coming up with countless other imaginative ways to curry favor with members of Congress. Some legislators get so much financial support from some industries or special-interest groups that it’s fair to say that they’ve been captured and are fully owned by them.
If the divisions in our country are linked to too much money in the system, how can America be healed? The answer is in the hands of the public. It may be unfair to suggest that the voters have any responsibility for the bitterness that we have experienced, but voters can’t be excused from helping to cure a government evil.
The thing that makes certain elected officials happy is the fact that average citizens are too busy to monitor the conduct of their legislators. Over the course of a typical year in office, members of Congress vote on dozens of bills, and the people back at home have no knowledge of how they vote. It’s the responsibility of the media to devote more space to reporting on how our representatives vote.
But to make our world a little more civil, voters must demand that Congress make a serious effort to clean up our corrupt campaign system. At least once or twice a year, call your congressman or congresswoman and ask what he or she is doing to change how we elect our officials. Don’t talk to a staff member. Insist on talking to the person who represents you.
It isn’t a hopeless task to seek changes in the election process. Nothing is written in stone, and you can make things happen. It’s time for an American political climate change.
Jerry Kremer was an assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? jkremer@liherald.com.
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HERALD
aNow the real work begins
s the Herald reaches your mailbox, the election results may or may not be fully tallied.
Regardless of outcomes, one truth remains constant: Long Island is our shared home, and its future depends far more on what unites us than what divides us.
Although the voting machines are making their way from the gymnasiums of schools and recreation centers back into storage, democracy doesn’t pack up and leave town when the polls close. The real measure of our community’s strength is found in how we work together on the other 364 days of the year. And on that score, Long Island’s story is nothing short of remarkable.
Look around our communities. The volunteer firefighter rushing to an emergency call isn’t asking whether the home in danger voted red or blue. The teacher staying late to help struggling students isn’t checking their parents’ party registration. The civic association working to preserve local wetlands isn’t conducting political litmus tests at its meetings.
What binds our communities together runs deeper than partisan politics. We
letters
Peter King always fought for us
To the Editor:
I enjoy former Congressman Peter King’s commentary in the Herald, and I’ve appreciated his efforts to support Long Island through the years.
The various natural disasters that have recently occurred across the country bring back memories of Superstorm Sandy and Sept. 11, and the many federal and state officials who fought King’s efforts for relief. I think it would make an interesting column to see how many of those elected officials are now clamoring for similar relief in their jurisdictions.
ToM JAffA Rockville Centre
So who collects all those lawn signs?
To the Editor:
Election Day has come and gone. It reminds me of the 1960s television show “The o uter Limits.” With the end of around-the- clock commercials by politicians, political parties, political action groups and special-interest groups, we
all want our children to thrive in Long Island’s excellent schools. We share concerns about protecting our sole-source aquifer — the water beneath our feet that sustains every one of us. We worry about young families being priced out of our neighborhoods, and about our seniors being able to age in place in the communities they helped build. We take pride in our beautiful shorelines and want to preserve them for future generations.
These challenges don’t come with party labels attached. Potholes don’t care how you voted. High property taxes affect everyone’s wallet. Delays on the Long Island Rail Road don’t discriminate based on political affiliation. The solutions to these shared challenges won’t come from political grandstanding, but rather from the often unsung work of community engagement: attending town halls, participating in school board meetings, joining civic associations, supporting local businesses, and staying informed about local issues.
Whether it’s addressing water quality concerns, tackling the housing crisis, preparing for rising sea levels or ensuring that our downtowns remain vibrant,
the solutions will come from sustained community engagement, not just periodic trips to the polls. This means neighbors working with neighbors, towns collaborating with towns, and citizens engaging with their government at all levels.
As your community newspaper, the Herald has chronicled Long Island’s journey through countless election cycles. We’ve seen the political pendulum swing back and forth, but we’ve also witnessed something more fundamental: the enduring strength of our communities when residents commit to the daily work of democracy.
So whether you’re pleased or disappointed with Tuesday’s results, remember that the most important work happens between elections. Get involved. Stay informed. Attend local meetings. Join community organizations. Talk with neighbors who see things differently than you do. Model behavior you’d be proud for your children to emulate.
The ballot you cast on Tuesday mattered. But what you do today, tomorrow, and every day after could matter even more. Let’s all work together for a prosperous Long Island.
now return control of your TV to you — until the next election cycle. No more telephone robo calls, text messages or candidate campaign mailings clogging mailboxes and weighing down our hard-working postal employees.
finally, some peace and quiet! Candidates who claimed they cared about the environment should now do their part. Winners and losers should have their campaign staff and volunteers pick up all the
L.I. urgently needs sustainable waste management
as Long Island grows, so does the stress on the region’s infrastructure, resources and properties. With nearly 3 million residents calling Nassau and Suffolk counties home, Long Island is facing a waste management crisis of unprecedented proportions.
Long Island produces approximately 7 million tons of waste annually. This immense volume, comprising everything from household trash to commercial and construction debris, is straining a region that is already stretching its waste management infrastructure upsettingly thin. And with the imminent closure of the Brookhaven Landfill, the region’s last major landfill, the crisis will only escalate, underscoring the critical need for sustainable solutions — particularly waste-to-energy systems — to address the growing environmental and logistical pressures. There’s no other way to put it, really: Current waste management practices on Long Island are becoming increasingly unsustainable.
Landfills are a dead end. They’re shutting down all over the Northeast, forcing
waste to be transported farther and farther — an ecological and environmental catastrophe burdening residents, businesses and municipalities alike. Longdistance transportation of waste adds to traffic congestion, exponentially increases the likelihood of illegal dumping, pollutes the air, and exacerbates greenhouse gas emissions.
Long Island urgently needs a more sustainable waste management strategy.
wReworld, a leader in sustainable waste solutions for over three decades, offers a solution to this growing crisis. With four strategically located thermomechanical treatment facilities — in Westbury, West Babylon, East Northport and Ronkonkoma — we’ve been instrumental in helping Long Island manage its waste more efficiently. These facilities are waste ecosystems, and employ a variety of sustainable capabilities that extract valuable resources from what many of us toss in our kitchen bins at home.
manner.
e can no longer rely on outdated methods that damage our environment.
Throughout our more than 30 years on Long Island, we’ve been focused on working with community groups and environmental advocates to lead the way in developing and implementing advanced solutions to help the region achieve its environmental goals. The journey toward a sustainable future, however, is a collective one. It requires the active participation of residents, businesses and municipalities in waste reduction, recycling and support for sustainable waste management practices.
municipalities throughout the year across Long Island to help organize pharmaceutical take-back events. This gives residents a way to safely and responsibly dispose of expired and unused prescription drugs. By facilitating proper disposal methods, Reworld and its municipal partners are helping reduce the risk of contamination, and help keep our communities safe and healthy by protecting critical infrastructure.
For example, each of these facilities houses waste-to-energy technology. By converting waste into renewable energy, we reduce the Island’s reliance on landfills while simultaneously generating electricity, thus contributing to the region’s energy needs in a sustainable
Letters
thousands of campaign signs that litter our roads and highways. Perhaps they could use leftover campaign funds to hire homeless or unemployed people to collect this litter, along with people who have been sentenced to perform community service.
If candidates refuse to clean up after themselves, your local village, town or county department of highways or public works should do the job and send candidates the bill.
LARRy PENNER Great Neck
Let’s turn the seasonal page, not just on weather
To the Editor:
We are entering a different season in America. It’s not a season everyone likes or voted for, but it’s changing. For some it’s better, for some it’s worse. For some it’s good news, and for some it’s bad.
your perspective colors your season. If you love autumn, then you have enjoyed the current season in much of America. you haven’t enjoyed it if you’ve been in the path of a hurricane, but you’ve enjoyed it if you live in most any other place in America. We’ve had a dry fall, but it’s been beautiful.
Political seasons are hard on the nation. We’ve been inundated by political advertisements for months. The presidential campaign went on forever. We are so ready to move on.
There’s always a new season around the corner. It’s best for all of us if we can make the best of each one. They pass by, so enjoy them, love them, roll with them.
Try to make the best of your current season in life. It’s not always easy. We don’t like the seasons when we’re sick, and seasons that are difficult, and even harsh and cruel, come to us all if we live long enough. So, enjoy the good ones.
DR. GLENN MOLLETTE
Comments about our stories? Send a letter to the editor to execeditor@liherald.com.
Our commitment to sustainability also extends to our metal-recovery services, where we recycle over 60,000 tons of ferrous and non-ferrous materials each year. To put this in perspective, the recovered metal could form a chain of paperclips that wraps around the Earth 85 times. This dedication to resource recovery highlights our mission to minimize waste and maximize the value of discarded materials.
For example, improper disposal of medications, whether flushed or thrown away, can lead to pharmaceutical contamination of groundwater, potentially affecting both the environment and public health. That’s why we partner with
In addition to community programming, Reworld is also driving innovation in sustainable waste solutions on Long Island by implementing new technology at our facilities. We’ve developed advanced thermal-treatment methods and integrated high-efficiency combustion systems with cutting-edge environmental controls. Our Long Island plants operate with an unprecedented level of efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Long Island stands at a critical crossroads. The decisions we make today will shape the future of our waste management infrastructure. We can no longer rely on outdated methods that damage our environment and strain our communities. By embracing sustainable practices, we can reduce landfill dependency, lower our carbon footprint and create a healthier, cleaner environment for future generations.
Adel Omrani is president, East Region, of Reworld.
Framework by Lisa LaMagna & Billy Reyes
In between changings of the guard at Buckingham Palace — London
aDeL omrani
The Heritage Club at Bethpage 99 Quaker Meeting House Road Farmingdale
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MICHAEL J. DOWLING
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER NORTHWELL HEALTH
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President & Chief Executive Officer
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& Professional Services
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Girl Scouts of Nassau County
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Long Island Association, Inc.
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President
Long Island Children's Museum
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Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Minority Millennials, Inc.
DIANE MANDERS
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Habitat for Humanity of LI
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Chief Executive Officer
AHRC Suffolk
JEFFREY L. REYNOLDS, Ph.D.
President & Chief Executive Officer
Family and Children's Association
LUIS VAZQUEZ
President & Chief Executive Officer
Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
REAL ESTATE:
JOSEPH A. FARKAS
Chief Executive Officer & Founder Metropolitan Realty Associates LLC
RETAIL:
ROBERT KAY
Chief Executive Officer
Lifetime Brands, Inc.
SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT:
CHRIS R. VACCARO
President & Executive Officer
Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame
TECHNOLOGY:
AMY E. NEWMAN
Senior Vice President, Administration
Canon U.S.A, Inc.
TRANSPORTATION:
ROBERT FREE
Acting President
Long Island Rail Road
MARLON TAYLOR
President New York & Atlantic Railway
COREY J. MUIRHEAD
Executive Vice President
Guardian Bus Company
MICHAEL D. TORNABE
Chief Operating Officer
Guardian Bus Company *List still in formation
