HERALD UNIONDALE
Rei Wolfsohn/Herald LA Blacksmith, right, played the flute and Dave Brown played the guitar at a concert celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day at the Uniondale library last Saturday.
Jazz and history at Uniondale library
By Rei Wolfsohn Correspondent
Last Saturday, two days before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, musician LA Blacksmith and his band played jazz and shared some history about the civil rights leader with community members at the Uniondale library.
LA Blacksmith, a funk, jazz and soul artist based in New York City with a long history of performing with famous musicians, played flute and saxophone and sang, accompanied by Dave Brown on guitar and vocals, and James Prescott on keyboards. Blacksmith explored King’s history chronologically, performing songs that related to periods of his life. Throughout the concert, audience members clapped, sang along and danced in the aisles.
Just before singing Aretha Franklin’s version of Otis Redding’s “Respect,” Blacksmith described how King was born with the name Michael, as was his father. His father traveled to Germany with the Baptist World Alliance, and was deeply moved by stories of the atrocities against the Jewish people and others who were persecuted by the Nazis. After learning about the Christian reformer Martin Luther, King’s father changed both of their names.
Blacksmith emphasized King’s great oratorical skill when he mentioned the 1963 March On Washington for Jobs and Freedom. “A lot of time, the media thinks that it’s the only good speech he had,” Blacksmith said. “But he gave many, many good
Lawrence Road learns about MLK’s legacy
By Kelsie RADZisKi kradziski@liherald.com
Lawrence Road Middle School engaged students in a new observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, as a way to focus on the relevance of the civil rights leader’s legacy in today’s world. This lesson featured a video message from Yolanda Renee King, King’s 13-year-old granddaughter, to help students connect with his message of justice, equality and advocacy.
Adeola TellaWilliams, the school’s dean of students and academic services, explained that the goal of the new lesson was to go beyond the traditional assembly.
As part of the day’s activities, on the Friday before the holiday, students in all three grades watched the video, in which Yolanda Renee King discusses issues such as voting rights and gun violence — topics that have deeply impacted her family, most notably with the loss of her grandfather to a gunshot in 1968. The video highlighted how King, despite her youth, has taken it upon herself to carry on her grandfather’s legacy of activism.
e want our students to connect with history, and we want our students to stay present.
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and academic services, Lawrence Road Middle School
“We usually do an assembly, but we decided to do something a little different this year, where we wanted the students to really connect with King,” Tella-Williams said. “Not just in an assembly, but also in an intimate fashion in their classroom.”
Clips of King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered in Washington, D.C., in 1963, are also shown in the video, connecting with his granddaughter’s present-day sentiments.
“His dream was for his children to live in a nation free of prejudice,” King says in the video. “I am his granddaughter. I, too, share his dream, that every person in this nation will be afforded their constitutional
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Arena Football team to call Coliseum home
By MICHELLE RABINOVICH sports@liherald.com
Arena Football is coming back to Nassau County, and this time it’s in a brand-new league in the form of the ENTFLA – the Entertainment Football Association.
Spearheaded by Hall of Famer and former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Andre Reed, flanked by league owner Doug Freeman with a slight style different: other than the fact that it will be indoors, is that it will be on 7-on-7 format with a reduced play clock, along with the elimination of kicking on fourth down, leading to overall higher-scoring and higher-paced games.
Uniondale and Nassau Coliseum will be the home of one of four teams in the ENTFLA, with the other teams based in Morristown, NJ, Danbury, CT and Fitchburg, MA. The season is projected to run from June to August.
The emphasis of the new league in the land of Billy Joel and bagels was to bring professional sports to local, blue-collar families without breaking the bank, with an added emphasis on entertainment appropriate for the entire family while at a pro game, confirmed by its mission statement.
League advisor Tommy Benizio said the real purpose is to bring something that’s affordable, fun and entertaining, giving families in Long Island a place to come without driving hours and pay hundreds of dollars in tickets and parking passes to watch football live in an arena.
Plus, it’s meant to be fun.
“Between the players flying over the wall, landing in your lap and knocking your hotdog out of your hand, you catch a football you get to keep it, the cheerleaders, the mascot, the dancing and T-shirt canons, it is a fun and entertaining thing for three or four hours on Sat-
urday nights,” Benizio said. “So before you can come into the building we want live music and jumping castles for kids and a beer garden, it’s a party.”
With over 100 high school football teams on the island, the league’s owners hope for a close connection between the youth of Long Island growing in the sport they love, and the professionals engaged in it. Roosevelt High School football head coach Joe Vito is excited to see how a local pro football team will create an additional positive influence for his players.
“I’m excited to be able to have my team come here and see and maybe dream about maybe being this one day,” Vito said. “I try to expose our kids to a lot of things and coming to this is will be something they’ll be exposed to, so they’re excited to get the opportunity to come.”
Reed, the league commissioner, is key on the possibility of giving all types of NCAA football players another avenue to play the sport they love even if they don’t make it to the Show.
“We’re gonna be pulling kids from college, that pool, and a lot of these that are going to play in this league, when they play in this league, it’s another avenue for them to get to the Big Time,” Reed said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re at, if you’re good enough and display those attributes that a team might want, you can find somewhere to go and get a chance. We feel this league is about that.”
Each team will play 8 regular-season games.
“Anytime that we could have another opportunity to have more of our kids play professional football, is a great opportunity that we love as we coach the youth,” Vito said.
The nickname for the “Long Island” or “New York” franchise will be determined through a naming contest. Visit goentfla.com for more information.
LICM celebrates MLK day with a Louis Armstrong tribute from Jazz at Lincoln Center
By Rei Wolfsohn Correspondent
For Martin Luther King Day weekend, the Long Island Children’s Museum celebrated the life and music of Louis Armstrong by hosting Jazz at Lincoln Center through its partnership with the Tilles Center.
This six-musician band included Summer Camargo on trumpet, Dave Drake on piano, Charles Turner on vocals, Brandi Disterheft on bass, David Hawkins on drums and Justin Poindexter on guitar. Turner gently and slowly told the story of the Great Migration throughout the concert, involving the children in each song in some way.
“You see how when we’re playing with one another, no one is playing over another person,” Turner said. “There’s constant communication and care. Everyone gets to shine in that music democracy, where you can have your moment but you always come back to the collective. That’s what Louis Armstrong represents as well — freedom and democracy, and understanding that freedom does come with some kind of structure.”
The band started with “On the Sunny Side of the Street.” Then, Turner asked the children to share about someone in their family who migrated to America. He explained that the Great Migration was a moment in history when nine million African-Americans moved from the South to the North and West.
Turner spoke to the kids about how Armstrong moved from New Orleans to Chicago and followed that with “Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?”
“MLK day is a great day to celebrate one of the great American heroes who was active in bringing people together, and seeing that we’re all the same,” Erika Floreska, president of the Long Island Children’s Museum, said. “The more we can work together and come together and play together, the better off we’re gonna be. That’s what we try to do together here every day. But definitely on MLK day we want to celebrate that and do something. It’s not a day to have off, it’s a day to have on.”
For the next song, Turner asked the children to come up with a feeling that each musician would express during their solo. They chose anxious, tranquil, mad, happy and nervous. For this, the band played “Blue Skies.”
It was around this time that Stephen Bronner’s two daughters started to get “jittery.”
“One of my two girls might be talking about it in a few days, and going, ‘Oh, can we listen to that song again?’” he said.
After sharing an anecdote about Armstrong’s lover telling him to start his own band, leading him to moved to New York City, Turner explained what a solo is. He invited any kids who wanted to be on stage to dance together and take turns doing a solo dance. The song they danced to was
“Stompin’ at the Savoy.”
Before the second-to-last song, Turner asked all the kids in the audience to show him their smiles. Then the band played “When You’re Smiling.”
“Wow, where do I start?” Hayden Alexis, father of two, said. “It was amazing. The family interaction, it was a lesson, more than just a show.”
Before the last song, the band held a question and answer session for the audience. The children asked questions about the band member’s favorite kinds of music, favorite kinds of food and favorite beats to dance to. The show ended with Armstrong’s most famous song, “What A Wonderful World.”
“It was so, so wonderful,” Turner said. “Such a wonderful way to spend this weekend. Celebrating music with the kids, watching them dance and interact with the music, hearing about what their migration stories are...We said, ‘Can we just see your smile?’ And just seeing the light of children and their sincerity and their joy, it’s just such a joy to be around.
“And it just feeds us to do better as people, as musicians,” he added. “So
it’s just such a blessing to be able to share music with these kids today.”
Rei Wolfsohn/Herald photos
Kids got up on stage to dance with the band at the Long Island Children’s Museum’s Jazz at Lincoln Center concert on Jan. 19.
LICM’s Jazz at Lincoln Center celebrated Louis Armstrong for MLK weekend.
LA Blacksmith and his band share MLK’s story
speeches.”
Later in the concert, Blacksmith explained that King was considered a radical by FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Then he sang Sam Cook’s “Change Is Gonna Come.”
“Change is never easy, but it has to happen in order for movement to happen,” Blacksmith told the audience.
This kind of concert was appropriate for Blacksmith’s intentions as a performer, he explained. “I like it when people can walk away feeling inspired,” he said, “and feeling like they’ve had a good time.”
Among the audience members who were inspired was Karen Johnson, who decided to attend on a whim.
“I said, ‘Let me come on over,’” Johnson said, “and I was so glad that I did. Because while I enjoyed the music, I liked that the gentleman in the band talked about different things that happened, giving us news as well. It’s important for the library to do these types of things for the community.”
Coyscao Patterson came specifically to see Blacksmith and his band. “I had missed him the last time and I wanted to
really see them,” Patterson said. “And something to do with Martin Luther King, to celebrate his life and his legacy,
I definitely wanted to see that and experience it.”
Near the end of the concert, Black-
smith shared his own memory of when King died in 1968. Blacksmith was in his first year of high school.
“The whole school just emptied out,” he recalled. “And we started rolling through the streets. It got bad, it wasn’t pretty.”
A woman in the audience, Catherine New, also shared her story of that day with Blacksmith and the other attendees. She was shopping in Brooklyn, and passed a woman who owned a record store on the block. The woman screamed loudly and said that King had been shot, and the entire street stopped dead in its tracks.
“There was no movement in the older adult people,” New recounted. “We just stood and cried because there was nothing else to do.”
Blacksmith spoke about the history of memorializing King in the decades after he died. He sang Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday Song,” and ended with “We Shall Overcome.”
“His desire for fairness and equality could not be extinguished,” Blacksmith said of King. “Martin Luther King never advocated for Africans to act like our oppressors.”
Uniondale is affected by PowerSchool data breach
school last September.
By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com
On Jan. 10, Uniondale school district superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil sent a district-wide letter on behalf of the school district that alerted staff and families about a global cybersecurity incident involving PowerSchool, the district’s Student Information System, during the last week of December.
According to the letter, potentially compromised data may have included student names, phone numbers, addresses, Social Security numbers and medical and grade information, as well as parent and guardian names, phone numbers and/or email addresses.
The Uniondale district was also informed that PowerSchool took “prompt action” to remedy the situation, the letter said. The company revoked compromised credentials, strengthened password policies and security measures, notified law enforcement and began their investigation for any evidence of data replication or public circulation, as outlined in the letter.
PowerSchool initially became aware of the data breach on Dec. 28, 2024, and reportedly took immediate action to contain the incident. As their immediate response, they said on their website that they “engaged our cybersecurity response protocols and mobilized a cross-functional response team, including senior leadership and third-party cybersecurity experts.”
PowerSchool said on their website that on Jan. 7, 10 days after the breach was first recognized, the company “proactively communicated this incident to the PowerSchool SIS customers affected by this incident, and we continue to sup-
port them through next steps.”
The company is continuing their investigation and said on their website that they are working closely with the affected school districts and schools to provide more information and resources, including credit monitoring or identity protection services if and when necessary, in a timely manner.
In response to this incident, PowerSchool is taking steps to prevent something like this from happening again. The company said it “regularly reviews and enhances its security policies and practices” as part of its commitment to “protecting the security and integrity” of their software.
As the “leading provider of cloudbased K-12 education software in North America,” PowerSchool services over 60 million students across 90 countries worldwide, according to their website.
“We take our responsibility to protect student, family, and educator data privacy extremely seriously,” it said on the website, “and we are committed to providing customers, families, and educators with resources and support as we work through this together.”
Other districts impacted, as reported by Newsday, were West Hempstead, Lynbrook, Glen Cove, Hicksville, Massapequa, Jericho, Middle Country, Smithtown Central and Nassau BOCES.
“We will continue to provide updates as we learn more about the incident,” the Uniondale district wrote in their letter, and people with questions or concerns are encouraged to call the school district at (516) 560-8800.
To learn more about the PowerSchool breach and how the company is working to resolve the issues, visit PowerSchool. com/Security/SIS-Incident/.
Rei Wolfsohn/Herald
James Prescott, left, Dave Brown and LA Blacksmith reveled in a successful concert honoring Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy at the Uniondale library on Jan. 18, two days before MLK Day.
Tim Baker/Herald
The Uniondale school district is one of a handful of districts on Long Island that were impacted by a PowerSchool data breach at the end of December. Above, Uniondale students returning to
LIRR record on-time rate isn’t whole story
By JUAN LASSO jlasso@liherald.com
With New York City’s new congestion pricing system now in place, Gov. Kathy Hochul rode the rails to Syosset earlier this year, urging city-bound Long Island commuters to leave their cars at home and embrace “world-class” public transit.
On Long Island, the tolling program is expected to increase commuters’ reliance on the Long Island Rail Road. Weekday ridership climbed from about 77 percent of pre-pandemic levels in 2023 to roughly 80 percent last year.
Transit officials, meanwhile, are highlighting the improved service of the railway system, emphasizing a propublic transit message to court suburban commuters looking to avoid the $9 toll to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. LIRR President Rob Free boasted that a higher percentage of trains operated on time last year than ever before.
“Our 95.6 percent on-time performance in 2024 is our highest non-Covid year in the history that we’ve been tracking on-time performance,” Free said.
Three years of growth and growing pains
An analysis of LIRR data over the past three years, however, combined with riders’ firsthand accounts, paints a fuller — and undeniably more complicated — picture.
The number of late trains nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023, from 8,691 to 17,064. The surge, Free contends, resulted from the increase in post-pandemic service over the last two years amid landmarks like the opening of Grand Central Madison terminal in 2023.
“We operated over 77,000 more trains in 2023 than in 2022,” Free said. “We’ve operated a little over 316,000 trains in 2024, compared to 302,000 trains in 2023. That’s a huge lift.”
The new service into Midtown Manhattan brought with it a complete overhaul of the system’s train schedules. Some service lines and connections were cut, while others added more frequent service.
By the end of November 2024, the number of late trains for the year dropped to 11,480, as disruptions eased — although the number of delays remained higher than in 2022.
LIRR’s own operations are main culprit for delays
Despite fears of commuter frustrations and confusion with the opening of the new terminal, the main cause of train delays in 2023 and 2024 wasn’t passenger-related interruptions. Instead, it was train operations — issues like scheduling conflicts, slow boarding and late departures. These were problems largely within the transit agency’s control that ate into the time passengers needed to board and disembark.
Other problems, like delays caused by train door malfunctions in an aging fleet, were up 79 percent in the first half of 2024, compared with the same period in 2023. And the much-needed upkeep of the LIRR’s ailing infrastructure, from
According to state data, while the LIRR achieved a record 95.6 percent on-time performance in 2024, the number of delays remain higher than in 2022 due to operational issues, infrastructure maintenance, and the impact of increased service volume.
Riders report overall satisfaction with their service but, complained about missed connections, and weren’t happy about the possibility of another fare increase.
signal repairs to track maintenance, has also been a major contributor to train delays over the past two years.
For his part, Free said that a “heightened focus on infrastructure maintenance” has helped, cutting switch failures by 31 percent in 2024, with further work focusing on improving safety and efficiency planned for this year — even if that means more delays.
Historic on-time rate, but average delays stay the same
LIRR trains are more punctual overall, but the average delay of a late train hasn’t gotten any shorter. Rather, wait times have held steady — between 11 and 12 minutes — over the past three years.
Given what he described as an “explosion” of service since the beginning of 2023, Free views this consistency in lateness as a sign of a functioning
system. In the nation’s largest transit system, with lines of service so “interconnected that one hiccup on one of our branches can have systemwide impacts on our total operation, the on-time performance we are achieving is nothing short of a miracle,” he said.
Still, critics point out that the data on train delays misses a key detail: the agency’s “on or close to schedule” standard allows for a grace period of up to six minutes. Delays under six minutes aren’t counted, masking a significant portion of minor setbacks that can still disrupt commuters’ plans.
Riders like Sasha Hanson, who commutes from Valley Stream to her interior design job at Stonehill Taylor in Manhattan, contends that these unofficial hold-ups can be just as vexing when they cause missed connections, particularly at Jamaica Station.
“It gets obnoxious, especially when transfer delays hit at the last minute— usually right as you’re getting off the train,” Hanson said. “It’s not like you can avoid it ahead of time on your commute.”
The “amount of trains that we operate through this terminal is a huge impediment to our operation,” admits Free. “We are looking to improve this situation by putting in higher speed switches, lengthening the platform, and installing a new signal system among other capacity improvements.”
Riders give LIRR high marks — but not for fares
Despite delays, last fall’s MTA survey found that 76 percent of nearly 22,000 commuters surveyed were satisfied overall with their service. Yet some commuters who speak well of the railway also balk at the idea of higher fares.
“I don’t think fares should increase, because it’s costing me a lot of money just to get to school,” said Raya Adiva, a Valley Stream resident and high school senior who depends on the LIRR to get to school in the city.
The specter of more expensive fares looms over commuters as the MTA Board approves a $19.9 billion budget for 2025, which includes plans for a potential 4 percent hike in fares and tolls.
“What’s important to keep in mind is that the price of a monthly ticket is still cheaper now than it was in 2019,” Free said. “The way we institute fares is predictable, so our customers know when it’s coming. We’ve done an incredible job of maintaining cost and giving people good value for their money.”
Data Wrapper Illustration by Juan Lasso/Herald
Tim Baker/Herald
Kelsie Radziski/Herald
Students at Lawrence Road Middle School learned about Martin Luther King Jr.’s granddaughter Yolanda Renee King, and how she carries on his legacy. Above, students at the school’s renovation ceremony in November.
In video, a young King connects with
Lawrence Road students
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right to vote, and what I know is we have work to do and a ways to go before we see his dream fulfilled.”
After watching the video, teachers engaged students in classroom discussion, and asked them to independently answer this question: “Dr. King fought for voting rights. What would Dr. King fight for today? How can his granddaughter’s message inspire you to continue the fight for important issues?”
In their responses, students mentioned a variety of issues they believe King would stand up for today, including stopping gun violence, ending world hunger, increasing voting equality, ending racism and promoting freedom. They also shared their inspirations, including to fight for what is right and to work to make the world better.
The lesson took place during an extended “advisory” period, a time when students gather for morning “circles” to have attendance taken and to check in with their teachers. During their “advisories,” students often learn about important historical issues, like the civil rights movement and the Holocaust, as well as diverse cultures and their holidays and religious observances, Tella-Williams explained.
Leigh Sumter, Lawrence Road’s assistant principal, said that incorporating Yolanda King’s message in this year’s MLK lesson helped students connect past struggles with present-day issues.
“A lot of times, they don’t make the connection to things that have happened so far in the past,” Sumter said, “and bringing Martin Luther King’s granddaughter into this makes them see that you can have power, even if
you’re youthful, even if you’re young — that you can still have a cause and fight for that and advocate for it.”
The tribute to MLK and his granddaughter was part of the school’s broader efforts to enhance students’ understanding of history. According to TellaWilliams, the Uniondale district strives to ensure that students not only learn about the past, but also recognize its relevance in their own lives.
“We want our students to connect with history, and we want our students to stay present,” she said. “Whenever we have the opportunity to pay homage to those who came before us, we try to do that as much as possible, and make sure that our students understand history.”
In previous years, Lawrence Road has honored King with a variety of activities, Sumter said, including skits, musical performances and student presentations of King’s speeches. This year’s focus on his granddaughter offered students a different perspective, and an opportunity to connect directly with the message.
“In the particular interview that we referenced, she was 13 years old, the same age as our students right now,” Tella-Williams said. “The main thing we wanted to do in this activity was to have our students connect with King, but connect with King through his granddaughter, so they know that he’s real and he’s real through her.”
As part of the district’s ongoing commitment to honoring King, the school will also incorporate elements of his legacy into its Black History Month celebrations in February for the first time this year, according to Sumter.
The governor assesses the state of the state
By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com
Gov. Kathy Hochul kicked off her fourth year in office on Jan. 14 by outlining her proposed 2025 agenda in her State of the State address. That agenda includes more than 200 initiatives, many of which would have an impact on Long Island.
Here are some of the key proposals Hochul discussed.
Affordability
Unsurprisingly, Hochul began the address with the issue on every New Yorker’s mind: the cost of living. New Yorkers have seen rising prices in housing, food, utilities, transportation and health care. According to RentCafe, the cost of living in New York is 26 percent higher than the national average.
The governor proposed tax cuts, rebate checks and savings from free school lunches, an initiative that could save a family of five $5,000 a year.
“I’m calling for a sweeping middle-class income tax cut benefitting 8.3 million taxpayers making less than $323,000,” she said. “The tax cut I propose today and will fight for in the coming months will deliver the lowest tax rates in seven decades and save hardworking taxpayers $1 billion.
“But that’s just the start,” she added.
A proposed $3 billion in inflation relief rebates would provide one-time payments of $300 or $500 based on income level and tax filing status. The initiative would have to be approved by the State Legislature.
Hochul’s budget also includes expanding the state’s child tax credit. Under the proposal, families could see the credit increase by as much as three times the current amount — up to $1,000 per child under age 4, and
Tim Baker/Herald
Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her State of the State address on Jan. 14, discussing a wide range of policies. Above, the governor appeared at the Long Island Association’s State of the Region Breakfast on Jan. 10.
$500 for children ages 4 to 16. The changes would be phased in over two years.
She governor also proposed that households making up to $323,200 — roughly 77 percent of taxpayers — would be given an income tax break that could save households hundreds of dollars a year for roughly.
Education
Hochul unveiled a proposal that would offer free tuition to New Yorkers pursuing associate’s degrees in high-demand fields such as nursing, teaching, technology and engineering. The initiative would build on the state’s existing financial aid programs, and target residents between 25 and 55 seeking to learn new skills to look for jobs in essential industries.
Nearby states, including Massachusetts, have launched similar tuition-free college programs to address labor shortages and promote economic mobility.
Hochul also announced her support for universal free school meals. That would mean boosting state funds to expand an existing program that could reach 280,000 students who aren’t already covered.
Mental Health
Hochul, who is expected to seek re-election in 2026, took office in 2021 when residents statewide were grappling with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Many students faced — and continue to face — mental health challenges.
That has been a central focus throughout her administration. In her latest initiative, she aims to address concerns about random acts of violence committed by those with severe, untreated mental illness. Her agenda includes strengthening Kendra’s Law, which mandates outpatient treatment for certain people with mental illnesses who are not receiving care.
Additionally, Hochul is advocating for a Teen Mental Health First Aid program, to equip high school students with the skills to maintain their mental health and offer support to their peers. She also promoted mental health resources for after-school programs, to ensure students access to licensed health care facilities through state-funded programs.
Taking on human trafficking at prevention symposium
By REI WOLFSOHN Correspondent
In observance of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, several members of the Nassau County community came together for a symposium at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive & Legislative Building in Mineola last week to inform the public about human trafficking, and how to help prevent it.
The symposium detailed that there is a common misconception that human trafficking and human smuggling are the same thing, terms which are not interchangeable. Trafficking is the exploitation of sex or labor through force, fraud, or coercion. Smuggling is the importation of people into the country which avoids immigration laws. Over the past few months, Nassau County has seen more and more trafficking victims who are missing persons from other jurisdictions.
Christine Guida, the deputy chief of the special victims bureau with the Nassau County District Attorney’s office, has been managing these cases since 2012, and identified a common problem.
“A huge underlying theme is that victims do not identify as victims,” Guida said. “I never see someone come into my office and say, ‘I’m a victim of trafficking.’ They can admit to me every single thing the trafficker has done to them, but they will never believe that they are a victim.”
This is because they’ve been manipulated, put down and diminished, Guida said, and their sovereignty has been taken away.
“In the trafficking world there are always consequences,” Guida said. “You don’t make enough money in a night. You don’t text back the customers quick enough. You sleep too much, fall asleep with customers waiting…I’m constantly seeing victims that do not have a feeling of self-worth.”
According to Jessica Melton, the bureau chief of human trafficking at the Queens County District Attorney’s office, traffickers manipulate victims and survivors based on their vulnerabilities.
In observance of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a symposium was held last week in Nassau County featuring Jessica Melton, the bureau chief of human trafficking at the Queens County District Attorney’s office and Christine Guida, the deputy chief of the special victims bureau with the Nassau County District Attorney’s office.
affluent, sections of Nassau County,” Guida said. “It’s everywhere. It’s at every hotel. It’s at the hotels where you’re putting your families up that are coming to visit you for Christmas — the Marriott, the Hyatt — the nicer hotels that we have.”
Dr. Pepper Martin, president of the nonprofit Women Intended For Excellence, helped organize the symposium with Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow, who represents parts of Merrick, Bellmore, and Freeport.
At the symposium, she stressed the point that everyone can be affected.
A huge underlying theme is that victims do not identify as victims.
CHRIStINE GuIdA Deputy chief, Nassau County Special victims bureau
“This could be poverty, or facing discrimination, or being food insecure, or needing housing,” she said. “It could be people who have substance abuse issues, or mental health issues. Or fearing immigration consequences. Traffickers manipulate these fears.”
A misconception, Melton said, is that human trafficking always involves violence — but this is not the case.
“Some of these situations are violent,” Melton said. “But the majority of them, the trafficker uses very, very deep forms of psychological manipulation.”
A major theme of the symposium was that trafficking victims and survivors, as well as traffickers, can be anyone — and anywhere.
“I have cases in the wealthiest, most
“This is something that transcends socioeconomic status, ethnicity — it affects everyone,” Martin said. “We’re impacted emotionally, of course, but we’re also impacted morally, ethically and financially because of this issue…I don’t want to glorify it, but this is a crime that literally doesn’t discriminate.”
There is a Human Trafficking Intervention Court in Nassau County. Guida said the court has a special trauma-informed purpose — to assist victims of human trafficking, that also may have committed crimes, like prostitution.
“The purpose of this court is to ensure that persons in prostitution and people who are charged with these crimes do not end up with criminal convictions,” Guida said.
“What we want to do is flood them with services, and resources, and give them what they need to get out of the life of prostitution.”
The courts also make sure that the traffickers don’t get their convictions vacated like the victims and survivors. The district attorney’s office weeds through the cases and makes sure traffickers don’t go to that court.
“We’re not looking to send a traffick-
er or promoter of prostitution to this court,” Guida said. “We want the people being victimized to have their cases dismissed.”
They also want to get the maximum punishment for the traffickers.
“We try our best to get upstate jail time,” Guida said. “We always want to get sex offender registration, but it only comes with certain convictions.”
It’s difficult to both identify and
investigate these cases, she added. “Our evidence gets lost quickly,” Guida said. “It’s a lot of electronic media.”
There’s plenty community members can do to prevent human trafficking from occurring. “How can you help?” Guida asked rhetorically. “Be aware of the red flags. Be aware of your surroundings…If you see a location, a massage parlor or something that doesn’t seem right, you can make a complaint… an anonymous tip. Talk to your children, your nieces, your nephews, your friends, your congregation members. Talk to them about the red flags.”
For more on the symposium and information shared, visit WomenIntendedforExcellence.org. Additional resources about human trafficking are available at the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888, by texting 233733, or at HumanTraffickingHotline. org.
Rei Wolfsohn/Herald photos
Dr. Pepper Martin, president of the nonprofit Women Intended For Excellence, helped organize the symposium with Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow.
Morrison Mentors Day, community fun with ‘Aunt Ruthie’
By REINE BETHANY rbethany@liherald.com
The Second Annual Arthur Morrison Day brought 200 people to Kennedy Memorial Park last Sunday for actionpacked basketball games, tasty food, interactive displays of the educational work of Morrison Mentors, Inc. — and a ceremony to honor Recreation Supervisor Ruth Roberson.
Known as “Miss Ruthie” or “Aunt Ruthie” throughout the Incorporated Village of Hempstead, Roberson received citations from area officials, congratulations from local leaders whom she once mentored, a special photographic collage from village photographer Albie Douglas, applause, flowers and a beautiful plaque from family and friends.
She also received endless hugs.
The embraces were a giveback for the uncountable squeezes that Roberson gave to the children who came under her care once she began working at Kennedy Memorial Park in 1976. Under the title “recreation assistant,” and later, “recreation supervisor,” Roberson led three generations of children through weekly park activities.
“I became very protective of [the kids],” Roberson said in an interview with the Beacon in 2021. She became known for combining hugs with firm adherence to rules, particularly during the daily after-school open-play sessions in the park gym.
“Kids crave discipline,” she said, adding that, without it, “they are like whiffle balls bouncing off the walls.”
Roberson also volunteered with the Hempstead Police Athletic League, and wrote original poems for village commemorations like Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and 9/11.
Quotes from those who have known her tell the story.
“I’ve been coming here all my life,” said youth coach and mentor Larry Gore. “Ruthie is somebody that always made sure that things would go right, and we appreciate her from the bottom of our hearts.”
“I’ve known Ruthie from day one,” said Morrison Mentors founder and executive director Doron Spleen. “I’ve
and a commemorative collage by photographer Albie Douglas.
been coming to this park for years on top of years. A round of applause for Ruthie!”
R“I was raised right here in this park,” said Matthew Harris, founder of the antiviolence youth group SNUG (Should Never use Guns), “where Arthur and Miss Ruthie were watching over us, and getting on us and disciplining us. … Now we appreciate it.”
uthie is somebody that always made sure that things would go right.
lARRY
GoRE
Hempstead youth coach, mentor, organizer
“Everybody that comes through here refers to her as ‘Aunt Ruthie,’” said Parks and Recreation
Supervisor Yolanda Hutcherson, daughter of three-time mayor James A. Garner. “That’s generational love and wealth into our community.”
“You have raised many generations here,” said Rev. Dr. Sedgwick Easley, “and how fitting it is that we celebrate you on MLK weekend.”
Roberson attends Union Baptist Church, where Easley is the pastor.
The outpouring from families, friends and dignitaries evoked heartfelt comments from Roberson. She thanked God first.
“I stayed here,” she said, “because each generation [of children], as they got older, they came back with their kids, and I promised them I’d look out for their kids. It just turned into forty-
something years.”
As the ceremony ended, Arthur Morrison Day continued its busy roster of community basketball games in the gym, food and camaraderie in the multipurpose space, and STEM activities provided by Morrison Mentors in the auditorium.
HEmpsTEAd’s ImmoRTAl ARTHuR moRRIsoN
Few would predict that a child adopted from the New York Foundling in the early 1960s would become so beneficial a community personage as did Arthur Morrison. Morrison taught math and Spanish at Hempstead High School while also coaching basketball. He became a full-time employee of the Hempstead Department of Parks and Recreation in 1976, and is remembered for his extensive volunteer work. Across 44 years, several thousand children received tutoring and mentoring from him after school at the park, or came to the gym each Tuesday night to play basketball with Art’s League. In 2012, Doron Spleen started Morrison Mentors, with Morrison’s support. The organization now trains youngsters in STEM knowledge across Nassau and Suffolk counties. The Annual Arthur Morrison Day, organized by Spleen and youth coach Larry Gore, unites the broad community that has developed from the influence of a man that many call “a father to Hempstead.”
Morrison died in 2020, age 72.
— Reine Bethany
Photos courtesy Reine Bethany
Surrounded by family and friends, Ruth Roberson, fourth from right, displayed awards honoring her 49 years with the Hempstead Department of Parks and Recreation,
Area dignitaries commended Ruth Roberson last Sunday for her near-five decades of service at Kennedy Memorial Park. Standing, left to right, are Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow, Hempstead Deputy Mayor Jeffery Daniels, Assemblyman Noah Burroughs, Ruth Roberson, Hempstead Village Trustee Kevin Boone, and Nassau County Legislator Scott Davis.
STEPPING OUT
Photos courtesy LICM
In the Orion spacecraft, future astronauts interact with buttons, levers and sounds as they learn facts about what it takes to bring humans to the Moon, and eventually to Mars.
Space explorers need to utilize limited resources on the moon to live and survive. At this work station, children transport objects to and from the surface using foam blocks.
for an out-of-this-world
adventure
‘Moon to Mars’ touches down at Long Island Children’s Museum
By Danielle Schwab
Calling all future space explorers! It’s time to set course to the moon, and beyond, with opportunities for kids to fuel their imaginations and dream bigger — and farther — than ever before.
“Moon to Mars” has rocketed into Long Island Children’s Museum, on view through May 4. The traveling exhibit, — created by Omaha Children’s Museum and designed with support from NASA’s Deep Space Exploration Systems at Johnson Space Center — brings the wonders of space to life for young learners. Through six immersive play zones, future explorers get a first-hand look at current space technology and discover the possibilities of future missions.
“We have the resources to bring a really complex topic to life for children, where they can understand what makes a mission possible like what tools are used or why astronauts need to wear protective clothing,” says Ashley Niver, the museum’s director of education.
Inspired by the current realities and the future dreams of space travel, the exhibit’s connection to real NASA technology is what makes it so compelling. Kids can climb aboard the Orion Spacecraft, designed to carry astronauts on future Artemis missions — using buttons, levers and sounds — or take the wheel of the Lunar Rover to explore the moon’s rugged surface.
“With the recent advancements in space exploration, like the launch of the James Webb telescope and the evolution of SpaceX, it’s the perfect time to introduce an exhibit focused on the future Artemis Mission,” Niver says. “We have so many leaps in space exploration and so many new things on the horizon.”
Clearly, creating advanced space technology is no simple feat. It involves creativity, problem-solving and much trial and error on the part of a diverse team. Young space explorers have the chance to dive into that engineering process, designing and building their very own rockets, and then launching their creations across the room.
“There’s a lot of engineering components that come into this, involving critical thinking for kids. These people [the spacecraft systems developers] have an incredible amount of skill and knowledge about space and creating these structures, but there are still things that they might realize don’t work, and to solve the problem,” Niver adds.
“The exhibit offers children endless opportunities to nurture their curiosity through the most effective way we know they learn: play. It also provides a valuable opportunity for parents to discover ways to incorporate big concepts like space exploration, physics and engineering into play at home. Whether it’s building a Martian landscape with pillows or creating a rocket ship out of a cardboard box, these activities spark storytelling that encourages imagination and inspires the ‘big thinkers’ of tomorrow.”
After young “explorers” have landed at their destination, there’s still much to be discovered. Visitors can get geared up in a spacesuit and explore a new world.
Among the components, kids can construct a new base using pulleys and blocks at the Moon Base Builder to make the planet or moon inhabitable.
Once the base is complete, step through the lunar leaps and feel the changes in gravity as you walk — or jump.
• Now until May 4
• $18 museum admission, $16 seniors 65 and older
• View the LICM events calendar at licm.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800
• Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City
“You could take a leap and you have to work really hard to jump far on the moon. You wouldn’t have to do that because you don’t have the gravitational force pulling you as strong,” Niver explains.
Additional learning opportunities are found at the Space Academy Kiosk video display. It covers all things space exploration such as life in space, spacesuits, and real-life astronauts.
Each activity shows the boundless nature of space in kidfriendly fashion, perhaps even inspiring some future astronauts and space engineers.
“They can step into the role. It helps kids to connect to something that isn’t exactly what they know, they could put on a costume or a spacesuit and really embody that character. Hands-on play is a great way to engage them in content or topics that may be a little bit more foreign to them,” Niver says.
“The astronauts, at one point, were kids too. They dreamed of the same thing as you. You can understand the path that they went through that led them to their current career,” she adds.
As always, related programming enhances the exhibit experience. This time around, the museum is partnering with its Museum Row neighbor, Cradle of Aviation Museum.The Cradle’s portable, inflatable planetarium dome, the Digitalis Planetarium, will be in residence Feb. 17-21, for more space exploration. Families can discover the majesty of the stars and our universe during a 30-minute presentation led by a trained Cradle of Aviation educator. Four planetarium performances will be offered each day.
The LICM stage also gets in on the act with the futuristic production of “Interstellar Cinderella,” Feb. 7-March 21. Set in 3017, Cinderella is a space engineer who is looking to revolutionize space travel with her new invention.
While the exhibit is “in orbit” be sure to check out more related programming; information is on the museum’s website.
Acrobats of Cirque-tacular
Families will enjoy a new take on circus-style thrills when the Acrobats of Cirque-tacular visits the Landmark stage,. Cirque-tacular features one dazzling circus feat after another in a high-energy, family-friendly flurry of fun. Indulge your curiosity and celebrate your senses as this troupe of acrobats, aerialists and circus specialty artists bend, twist, flip, and fly into everyone’ hearts. Cirque-tacular’s performers — an ever-changing cast of elite aerialists, acrobats, contortionists, jugglers, specialty acts and world-record holders from Broadway and Las Vegas stages — are hailed as “mesmerizing”, “incredible”, and “truly impressive.” The performers are revered as cutting edge leaders of the new American vaudeville movement. Explosive music that complements the performance and act adds to the fun.
Saturday, Jan. 25, 2 p.m. $38. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or (516) 767-6444.
‘Dancing with the Stars’
Dancing with the Stars is back on tour to heat up winter with a dazzling live production. See the ballroom brought to life in this new edition featuring everyone’s favorite Dancing with the Stars pros and special guests. They’ll perform glittering new numbers as well as some of the unbelievable showstoppers featured in season 33. The high-energy show puts the dancers in the spotlight, showcase their dynamic moves as seen during the series, along with some lively new twists. The tour delivers an unforgettable night of electrifying dance performances from worldrenowned dancers who topped the leaderboard.
Tuesday, Jan. 29, 7:30 p.m. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com, tillescenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
Intergalatic adventures take flight.
Your Neighborhood
THE
Feb. 1
‘Easy come, easy go’
Queen-mania rocks on. Almost Queen returns to the Paramount stage with their homage to the beloved band, Saturday, Feb. 1 , 8 p.m. They don’t just pay tribute to the legendary band, Almost Queen transports you back in time to experience the magic and essence of Queen themselves. The band — featuring Joseph Russo as Freddie Mercury, Steve Leonard as Brian May, Randy Gregg as John Deacon, and John Cappadona as Roger Taylor — is “guaranteed to blow your mind” with iconic four-part harmonies and expertly executed musical interludes. dynamic live performance showcasing signature four-part harmonies and intricate musical interludes. The band’s authenticity shines through in their impeccable attention to detail and genuine costumes, while their live energy and precision captivates fans of all ages with an unforgettable concert experience. Almost Queen’s concerts are a true testament to the band’s love for Queen’s music.
The carefully curated setlist featuring Queen’s best-loved songs, like “Somebody to Love,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Fat Bottomed Girls,” and “Radio Ga Ga,” along with lesser known tracks. And of course, no Queen tribute concert would be complete without classics like “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions!” It’s no wonder fans keep coming back for more. $79.50, $59.50, $49.50, $39.50, $34.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY.com.
Long Island Choral Society auditions
Long Island Choral Society, under the Direction of Michael C. Haigler, holds auditions for new members for the final concert of their 96th Season. Auditions are by appointment only and will be held Mondays, continuing Jan. 27 , also Feb. 3 and 10 , Garden City Community Church. The Berlioz Requiem is a piece known for its power and beauty that offers a rare musical performance opportunity while bringing the Choral Society’s 2425 concert season to an exciting close.
If you love to sing consider auditioning to be part of this treasured Long Island tradition. Those interested can schedule an audition by calling (516) 6526878 or via e-mail at audition. info@lics.org. 245 Stewart Ave., Garden City.
Art Explorations
Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art. The drop-in program continues, Saturday, Feb. 1, noon-3 p.m. Kids and their adult partners talk about and making art together. While there, enjoy reading and play in the Reading Room, and contribute to The Lobby Project, a collaborative art installation. Registration required. 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit nassaumuseum.org to register or call (516) 484-9337.
Comic showcase
Plaza Theatricals’ rolls into 2025 with the latest edition of the 50+ Comedy Tour, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2:30 p.m. Laugh along with an all new lineup of some of the funniest comedians on the scene. And they all have one thing in common: they’re all over age 50!
Hosted by Long Island Comedy Festival’s Paul Anthony, the lineup includes “Banjo” Les Bayer and Chris Monty. $40, $35 seniors. Get in on the fun at Plaza’s stage at Elmont Memorial Library, 700 Hempstead Tpke., Elmont. Elmont. For tickets, call (516) 599-6870 or visit PlazaTheatrical. com.
Rockville Centre Choral Society Recruitment
Like to sing? The Rockville Centre Choral Society wants you! The non-sectarian chorus sings in Lynbrook and around the South Shore. New members are welcome. The chorus sings a variety of genres: pop, folk, showtunes, light classical and standards. All voices are welcome. No experience necessary. RCCS meets Wednesdays, 7:45-9:30 p.m., and performs two concerts yearly. Rehearsals are held at St. James United Methodist Church, 11 St. James Place, Lynbrook. For more information, email rvcchorus@ gmail.com or call (516) 599-5705.
LI TODAY welcome to CommunITy VoIces
Reflecting on 2024: A Milestone Year for Sands New York
The Sands New York project has achieved remarkable strides in 2024, building unprecedented support and solidifying its place as a cornerstone of Long Island’s future. Through tireless community engagement and collaboration, the project has become a unifying force, bringing together residents, leaders, and organizations with a shared vision of economic growth and revitalization.
From hosting local events to forming partnerships with esteemed community groups like EAC Network, Family & Children's Association, the regional Chambers of Commerce, and Island Harvest, the Sands team has made listening, learning, and giving back central to its mission.
This year, the voices of support have been louder and more diverse than ever. From civic leaders to grassroots advocates, Long Islanders from every walk of life have come together to contribute to the Sands project and champion its potential to transform the region. At public hearings and community forums, Sands has been met with unprecedented enthusiasm, a testament to the shared belief in sustainable development, good-paying jobs, and long-lasting benefits for the Long Island community.
Behind this progress is a dynamic team of Long Islanders committed to making Sands New York a reality. Together with the community, Sands New York aims not only to enhance the economic landscape but also to contribute as an integral part of the Long Island community. Looking to 2025, Sands remains steadfast in their commitment to collaboration, innovation, and delivering on the promise of a brighter tomorrow.
Check out our Sands New York 2023-2024 highlight reel at the QR code to the right.
Next Step for Sands Draft Environmental Impact Statement
The Sands New York team expressed gratitude to the hundreds of Long Islanders who showed up for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) hearing on Dec. 9 to share their voice in support of Sands New York. The DEIS, a 29,000+ page, 6ft tall document, is the most comprehensive environmental impact statement ever presented on Long Island, reflecting Sands’ steadfast commitment to sustainable development, community engagement and local investment.
The DEIS is now available for public review online at nassaucountyny.gov and comments may be submitted through Jan. 21.
Michael Levoff, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Public Affairs at Las Vegas Sands, told local media, "Sands is committed to a thorough and transparent review of our multi-billion-dollar project at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, evidenced by the 29,000-page, comprehensive environmental impact statement which showcases the many ways this transformative project will be a net benefit for all Long Islanders. We appreciate the constructive input from the public. We are also deeply grateful for the support we've received from residents and local organizations who believe that job creation, sustainable development, and meaningful investments in historically underserved communities can all be delivered as we work to bring the Sands New York project to life."
Sands invites residents, stakeholders, and local leaders to sign a NEW letter of support at the QR code on the right.
Partnering with Sands New York has been transformative for NOM Media, showcasing how strategic collaborations between corporations and local businesses can drive remarkable growth. Their commitment to empowering local entrepreneurs aligns perfectly with our mission of delivering innovative marketing solutions that create real impact
Theodore Massillon Founder / C.E.O. NOM Media
In a short amount of time, Sands has shown itself to be a valuable regional partner that genuinely cares about serving our community and improving the quality of life of Long Islanders. We believe they will make a dramatic difference in the lives of families across the region.
Theresa Regnante, President and Chief Executive Officer, United
United Way of Long Island Receives Major Gift from Sands New York
The holiday season shined a little brighter for 125 children facing hardship, thanks to a generous donation from Sands New York to United Way of Long Island. The funds provided children from EAC Network and Family & Children’s Association, Housing Help, and United Way’s YouthBuild program, the opportunity to shop for toys at Target in Westbury, spreading holiday cheer to those who need it most.
This initiative ensured children under the age of 10 experienced the magic of the holidays in a meaningful way. On Dec. 11, volunteers from Sands New York and United Way of Long Island accompanied the children during their Target shopping experience, helping them select toys that spark joy and creativity.
“We are so grateful to Sands New York for their incredible generosity,” said Theresa Regnante, President and CEO of United Way of Long Island. “This partnership exemplifies the spirit of giving and community, promising these children a holiday to remember. Their smiles are the true testament to the power of compassion.”
The initiative highlighted the importance of corporate philanthropy in fostering stronger communities and enriching lives across Long Island. Collaborations like these ensure that every child, regardless of their circumstances, can experience the joy and wonder of the season.
“The holiday season is about bringing
people together and creating moments of joy.
At Sands New York, we’re honored to partner with United Way of Long Island to bring smiles to children’s faces and share in the true spirit of giving,” said Tracey Edwards, Senior Vice President and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer for Sands New York. “Our team of volunteers was deeply moved by the resilience of the children and families we met, and this experience reminds us of the power of coming together as a community to make Long Island a place where everyone feels supported and valued.”
“It was an incredible experience for our team at Nassau Coliseum to be part of this event. Partnering with Sands New York and United Way of Long Island allowed us to contribute in a meaningful way, and seeing the children’s faces light up made it all the more rewarding,” said Joe Zino, General Manager of Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. “It was a powerful reminder of what the holiday season is truly about.”
For more information about United Way of Long Island and its programs, visit www.unitedwayli.org.
Sands New York Launches a New Lighting Program for the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Sands New York joined Uniondale Community Council, Uniondale Community Land Trust, Uniondale Empowerment Resource Center, Uniondale Fire Department, John J. Byrne Community Center, and the Genesis program in hosting the Uniondale Holiday Kickoff on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.
A short program included remarks from Sands executives and local elected officials, welcoming residents and ushering in the holidays. Youth from the Uniondale community officially lit the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in red and green, beginning a rotation of holiday colors throughout the season.
The event featured face painting, make-your-own ornaments, live entertainment with The New York Holiday Singers, hot chocolate and sweet treats, photo opportunities with Santa Claus, and more.
LI TODAY
Sands Raises a Glass to Long Island at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
During the holiday season, the Sands New York team toasted with friends and family at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum to celebrate the achievements of 2024, and the journey ahead in 2025.
Tracey Edwards said, "We’re incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support we’ve received from our community and partners throughout 2024. This year has been filled with remarkable achievements, and it’s truly inspiring to see what we’ve accomplished together. As we look ahead to 2025, we’re excited for all the great work we will do together! Thank you for standing with Sands - and continuing the momentum towards the final Sands New York integrated resort, and its transformational impact on our community. ”
Celebrate Black History
Month through art
Local artist Aaron Scott a member of the Long Island Black Artist Association, displays his works at Uniondale Library. Scott addresses social issues through his artwork in watercolor, acrylic and other formats, and he is drawn to the beauty of nature, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2-3:30 p.m. 400 Uniondale Ave. For more information, visit UniondaleLibrary.org or call (516) 489-2220.
Respite: A Lifeline for Individuals and Families
Respite is a flexible care service that can be tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual and family. It can be a way to ease the burden of caring for a loved one. This virtual program is presented by the Family and Children’s Association Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Program, Thursday, Jan. 30, 6:30-7:30 p.m., through the Uniondale Public Library. For more information or to register, visit UniondaleLibrary. org or call (516) 489-2220. 400 Uniondale Ave.
Tax Forum
Receiver of Taxes Jeanine C.
Driscoll hosts a tax forum, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 7 p.m., at Baldwin Park. Discuss property tax exemptions, challenging your tax assessment, payment dates and locations and tax discounts. No fee. Baldwin Park, 3232 Grand Ave. For more information, call (516) 538-1500.
Lunar New Year
Welcome the Year of the Snake at Long Island Children’s Museum, Saturday and Sunday, Jan 25-26, noon-4 p.m. Stop by to learn all about the Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival and learn about this special year, which is believed to bring an abundance of opportunities and fortune. everyone.
Enjoy dance and musical performances, on the LICM stage, view live artisan demonstrations and create themed take-home crafts. For ages 3 and up. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or licm.org.
Having
an event?
Saturday Space Lab: Space Telescopes and the Wonders of Lunar New Year
Explore different space telescopes that orbit our planet and capture images of our solar system and the far reaches of the universe, at .Cradle of Aviation Museum, Saturday, Jan. 25, noon-1 p.m. Discover the history, traditions and significance of Lunar New Year, which is around the corner at the end of the month. $12 adults, $11 for children and seniorsCharles Lindbergh Blvd, Garden City. To buy tickets or to learn more, call (516) 572-4111 or visit CradleOfAviation.org.
Icebreaker Marathon, Half Marathon
& 5K
Start off the New Year on the right foot with a series of races at Eisenhower Park, Saturday, Jan. 25. The Icebreaker Marathon and other races are slated to begin around 9 a.m. in the park’s Field 2, near Parking Lot 2. To register and for more information, visit EliteFeats.com/25icebreaker.
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, the original “Deco at 100” coincides with the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Paris International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts (Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes) which publicly launched the movement. The direct follow-up to the well-received 2023 exhibit,
“Our Gilded Age,” it comparably links the period’s signature innovation in the decorative arts, Art Deco, to the fine arts.
The exhibit encompasses significant cultural advancements during Long Island’s Roaring Twenties/Jazz Age movement, including votes, jobs, and the automobile for women, the beginnings of suburbia with commutation for work, and planned residential communities, which all defined the era, while the following decade brought economic reversals and the WPA program. Works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Fernand Léger, Guy Pène du Bois, Gaston Lachaise, Elie Nadelman, and Reginald Marsh, among others, along with art deco stylists of poster art and graphics, and photography will convey the Art Deco spirit along with its furniture, decorative arts, and fashion.
Like “Our Gilded Age,” the social scene of Long Island’s Gold Coast, and its personalities — both upstairs and downstairs — will be portrayed, along with the ongoing relationship with the immediate urban context of New York with its skyscrapers and deco-styled architecture. On view through June 15. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
Hempstead House tour
Feb. 16
Sands Point Preserve is the backdrop to explore the elegant Gold Coast home that’s the centerpiece of the estate, Sunday, Feb. 16, noon-1 p.m. and 2-3 p.m. Visit the grand rooms inside the massive 50,000-square-foot Tudor-style mansion, the former summer residence of Gilded Age financier Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim. Tours are limited in size and tend to sell out. Arrive early to purchase tickets. $10. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.
NUMC restoring its fiscal health
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
Nassau University Medical Center reported significant improvements in its financial health at the end of last year, due in part to significant financial reforms introduced in late-2023, despite an ongoing funding battle with state officials that hospital administrators say threatens its long-term stability.
NUMC, Long Island’s largest public safety-net hospital, serves all patients, including the uninsured and undocumented, regardless of their ability to pay for medical care.
In November 2023, Matthew Bruderman, board chairman of the Nassau Health Care Corporation, which oversees NUMC’s operations, unveiled an aggressive financial sustainability plan.
The plan called for the hiring of a chief financial officer, the implementation of timely monthly financial statements, the renegotiation of many of the hospital’s contracts, the creation of a financial dashboard with daily cash balances available, and an updated charge master and billing software. Those reforms and additional upgrades to services have resulted in a substantial turnaround for the hospital — without any financial assistance from the state, hospital officials said.
NUMC ended 2024 with nearly $80 million in its cash reserves, up from $28 million in December 2023 — a whopping $49 million increase. Recent financial reports also show that NUMC’s revenue was up $6.2 million in November 2024, and its operating expenses were down $1.7 million, when compared to 2023 numbers.
The reforms produced the hospital’s first on-time budget ever, and the fiscal improvements slashed the projected budget deficit for the hospital by more than 56 percent over 12 months, according to a Dec. 31 hospital news release.
NUMC’s financial turnaround has transpired despite currently pursuing legal action against New York state for allegedly orchestrating a ruse to withhold Medicaid reimbursement payments the hospital was entitled to, since at least 2001. In November, a notice-of-claims was sent to the state, outlining NUMC’s plan to file a lawsuit for $1.06 billion.
TNassau University Medical Center reported improvements in its finances to close out
Matthew Bruderman,
of the Nassau Health Care Corporation, which oversees the hospital’s operations, unveiled a financial sustainability plan in 2023, which has contributed to the improvements.
told the Herald: “We are continuing to work with Nassau County on an appropriate solution for the future of NUMC. Our concerns are the fiscal health of the hospital and patient care.”
Bruderman said, “the course of treatment we laid out last year for the longterm fiscal health of the hospital is working,” adding that the finance authority and the state continue to mislead the public about NUMC’s finances.
his is the most significant financial improvement NUMC has shown in years.
MEg AN RyAN President, chief
executive
and chief legal officer, Nassau Health Care Corporation
The following month, the hospital also filed a suit against the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority, claiming gross negligence and abuse of power. The finance authority assumed financial oversight over NUMC in 2020, citing poor financial conditions but failing to acknowledge the state’s actions, which included a reduction in aid, the hospital said.
The state, in response to the claims,
“We’ve proven conclusively that if Albany would only comply with federal Medicaid law and restore even a portion of our aid, NUMC will be profitable,” Bruderman said. “While NUMC was barely making payroll when I arrived, the hospital (ended) 2024 with $80 million in the bank. Unfortunately, despite our progress, we’ve seen little interest on the part of state to choose patients over politics.”
During the last year, NUMC has also expanded its clinical services, revamping a multitude of patient areas, and received the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization that evaluates and accredits health care organizations and programs nationwide. NUMC also received an elevated safety grade from the Leapfrog Group, another nonprofit that collects and publishes data on health care safety and quality.
“This is the most significant financial
improvement NUMC has shown in years,” Megan Ryan, president, chief executive and chief legal officer of the health care corporation, said. “NHCC has made tremendous progress to enhance NUMC’s financial health and ensure the hospital moves toward longterm fiscal sustainability. Our staff have played an invaluable role in making this reform program a tremendous success.”
Ryan also expressed frustration with the ongoing funding dispute with the state.
“It is beyond comprehension that while we continue to improve, the State continues to ignore their legal obligation to provide critical funding for our at-risk
patient population,” she said. “The reform program is proving that with the support to which we are legally entitled, NUMC will not only survive but be profitable and a model for other safety-net institutions.”
2024 fiNANciAL REfORM REpORTs fOR NUMc
•Cash on hand: increased nearly $50 million
•Revenue: increased $6.2 million
•Expenses: decreased $1.7 million
•Projected deficit: reduced by $100 million
Jordan Vallone/Herald
2024.
board chairman
Herald file photo
The hospital in East Meadow increased its cash on hand and its revenue, while decreasing expenses and its projected deficit.
Public Notices
LEGAL NOTICE
FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU
In the Matter of an Article 10 Neglect Proceeding File#: 637016
Docket#:NN-09966-24
Nassau County Department of Social Services (Petitioner)
Donna Rose M. Stahl (Respondent)
Henry M. Stahl (DOB: 10/19/2024)
SUMMONSPUBLICATION (INPERSON)
To: Donna Rose M. Stahl 748 Goodrich Street, Uniondale, NY 11553
A petition under Article 10 of the Family Court Act has been filed with this Court requesting the following reliefs: PrePetition Application and Neglect. YOU ARE HEREBY
SUMMONED to appear IN PERSON before this Court
on:
Date/Time/Part: February
6, 2025 at 11:00 AM in Part 2
Purpose:In Person Appearance and Preliminary Proceeding
Presiding:Hon. Robin M. Kent
Location: Courthouse, 1200 Old Country Rd., Westbury, NY 11590
Floor:3
Room:303 to answer the attached petition and to be dealt with in accordance with the Family Court Act. Please bring this notice with you and check in with the Court Officer in the Part.
Be sure to arrive at the courthouse prior to the time listed above.
Do not be late as there is a limited window of time for your case to be heard. If you fail to appear as directed, a warrant may be issued for your arrest.
Dated: December 18, 2024
John Aiken, Chief Clerk TO THE ABOVE-NAMED
RESPONDENT:
The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. Robin M. Kent of the Family Court, Nassau County, dated and filed with the petition and other papers in the Office of the Clerk of the Family Court, Nassau County. 150804
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF Nassau, U.S. Bank Trust National Association, as Trustee of the FW Series I Trust, Plaintiff, vs. Martha Fernandez, ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on December 7, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501
on February 11, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 391 Second Place a/k/a 391 2nd Place, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Uniondale, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 50, Block 110 and Lot 2. Approximate amount of judgment is $678,249.36 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #611392/2022.
Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No. 210770-1 150903
LEGAL NOTICE
SUMMONS Supreme Court of New York, Nassau County U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCAF ACQUISITION TRUST, Plaintiff -againstMICHAEL CHARLESTON, AS ADMINISTRATOR, HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF DESILIA CHARLESTON; STEPHANIE MONTOUR, AS ADMINISTRATRIX, HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF DESILIA CHARLESTON; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF DESILIA CHARLESTON; NASSAU COUNTY CLERK; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (EASTERN DISTRICT) O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORKVILLAGE OF MINEOLA; PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; “JOHN DOE” and “JANE DOE” said names being fictitious, it being the intention of Plaintiff to designate any and all occupants of premises being foreclosed herein, Defendants. Index No. 608120/2024. Mortgaged Premises: 196 Valcour Avenue Uniondale, NY 11553
Section: 50 Block: 18 Lots: 262-263. To The Above Named Defendant(s): YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if
designated as a Defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. If you fail to appear or to answer within the aforementioned time frame, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECTIVE of the above captioned action is to foreclose on a Mortgage to secure $$319,000.00 and interest, recorded in the Nassau County Clerk’s Office on May 20, 2004 in Liber Book M 26796, Page 89, Control Number 1339, covering the premises known as 196 Valcour Avenue, Uniondale, NY 11553.. The relief sought herein is a final judgment directing sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the mortgage described above. Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is located. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. FRIEDMAN VARTOLO, LLP 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160 Garden City, New York 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff. 150905
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST Patrick J. Cruz, Gobin Joseph, Indira Cruz, Gumercinda Joseph, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 16, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 7, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 1276 Menard Street, Uniondale, NY 11553. All
that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Uniondale, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 50, Block: 37, Lot: 325. Approximate amount of judgment $515,219.87 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #614665/2019. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the NASSAU County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2.nycourts.gov /Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the court appointed referee will cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Heather D. Crosley, Esq, Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-092664-F00 83746 150856
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU --------------------------------x Index No.: 615470/2023 NOTICE OF SALE Hon. Rhonda E. Fischer A.J.S.C. Assigned Justice SNG Capital Investors, LLC, Plaintiff, -againstX13Y11P LLC, Rudy Zamor, Marie M. Ligonde, NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, People of the State of New York and “John Doe #1”through “Jane Doe #12” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises described in the complaint, Defendants.
Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale entered in the Nassau County Clerk’s office on November 26, 2024, I the undersigned referee named in the judgment, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps at the Nassau County Supreme Courthouse at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, New York
11501, “Rain or Shine” on Tuesday, February 13, 2025 at 2:00 P.M., the premises directed by the judgment to be sold and described in the judgment as follows:
Known as:466 Emerson Street, Uniondale, New York
Section 50., Block 122 Lot 693
Premises sold subject to the terms and conditions in the Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and the Terms of Sale on file in the Nassau County Clerk’s Office, all unpaid taxes, city and state real property transfer tax, assessments and water rates which are at the time of sale a lien on the premises, together with such interest or penalties as may have lawfully accrued thereon to the date of payment. That if proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns then the Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction.
Dated:Yonkers, New York December 10, 2024
s/Michael H. Sahn, Esq. Referee
Plaintiff’s Attorney: Veneruso, Curto, Schwartz & Curto, LLP s/Joseph R. Curto
By: Joseph R. Curto, Esq. 35 East Grassy Sprain Road, Ste. 400 Yonkers, New York 10710 914-779-1100 150503
LEGAL NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that a license, number “Pending”, for beer, wine and cider, has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer, wine and cider, at retail in a restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 925 Nassau Road, Uniondale, Nassau County, New York 11553-3242, for on premise consumption. Restaurante Latino & Deli, Corp. 100 N. Broadway, Hicksville, New York 11801 151001
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Town Law and Municipal Home Rule of the State of New York, both as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on The 4th day of February, 2025, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day to consider the enactment of a local law to amend Section 202-1 of the code of the Town of Hempstead to INCLUDE “PARKING OR STANDING PROHIBITIONS” at the following location: ROOSEVELT
LEE STREET (TH 583/24)
South Side -NO PARKING ANYTIME - starting at a point 292 feet east of the east curbline of Pennsylvania Avenue, then east for a distance of 40 feet.
ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place aforesaid.
Dated: January 21, 2025 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD
DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 151100
LEGAL NOTICE
PUBLIC NOTICE OF NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER’S SALE OF TAX LIENS ON REAL ESTATE
Notice is hereby given that commencing on February 18th, 2025, will sell at public on-line auction the tax liens on certain real estate, unless the owner, mortgagee, occupant of or any other party in interest in such real estate shall have paid to the County Treasurer by February 13th, 2025 the total amount of such unpaid taxes or assessments with the interest, penalties and other expenses and charges against the property. Such tax liens will be sold at the lowest rate of interest, not exceeding 10 percent per six-month period, for which any person or persons shall offer to take the total amount of such unpaid taxes as defined in Section 5-37.0 of the Nassau County Administrative Code. Effective with the February 2019 lien sale Ordinance No. 175-2015 requires a $175.00 per day registration fee for each person who intends to bid at the tax lien sale. Ordinance No. 175-2015 also requires that upon the issuance of the Lien Certificate there is due from the lien buyer a Tax Certificate Issue Fee of $20.00 per lien purchased. Pursuant to the provisions of the Nassau County Administrative Code at the discretion of the Nassau County Treasurer the auction will be conducted online. Further information concerning the procedures for the auction is available at the website of the Nassau County Treasurer at: https://www.nassaucount yny.gov/526/CountyTreasurer Should the Treasurer determine that an inperson auction shall be held, same will commence on the 18th day of February 2025 at the Office of The County Treasurer 1 West Street, Mineola or at some other location to be determined by the Treasurer.
A list of all real estate in Nassau County on which tax liens are to be sold is available at the website of the Nassau County Treasurer at: https://www.nassaucount yny.gov/527/Annual-TaxLien-Sale
A list of local properties upon which tax liens are to be sold will be advertised in this publication on or before February 06th, 2025. Nassau County does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities. Upon request, accommodations such as those required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in all services, programs, activities and public hearings and events conducted by the Treasurer’s Office. Upon request, information can be made available in Braille, large print, audiotape or other alternative formats. For additional information, please call (516) 571-2090 ext. 1-3715.
Dated: January 23, 2025 THE NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER Mineola, NewYork
TERMS OF SALE
Such tax liens shall be sold subject to any and all superior tax liens of sovereignties and other municipalities and to all claims of record which the County may have thereon and subject to the provisions of the Federal and State Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Acts. However, such tax liens shall have priority over the County’s Differential Interest Lien, representing the excess, if any, of the interest and penalty borne at the maximum rate over the interest and penalty borne at the rate at which the lien is purchased.
The Purchaser acknowledges that the tax lien(s) sold pursuant to these Terms of Sale may be subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/or may become subject to such proceedings which may be commenced during the period in which a tax lien is held by a successful bidder or the assignee of same, which may modify a Purchaser’s rights with respect to the lien(s) and the property securing same. Such bankruptcy proceedings shall not affect the validity of the tax lien. In addition to being subject to pending bankruptcy proceedings and/or the Federal and State Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Acts, said purchaser’s right of foreclosure may be affected by the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement
Act(FIRREA),12 U.S.C. ss 1811 et.seq., with regard to real property under Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation(FDIC) receivership.
The County Treasurer reserves the right, without further notice and at any time, to withdraw from sale any of the parcels of land or premises herein listed. The Nassau County Treasurer reserves the right to intervene in any bankruptcy case/litigation where the property affected by the tax liens sold by the Treasurer is part of the bankruptcy estate. However, it is the sole responsibility of all tax lien purchasers to protect their legal interests in any bankruptcy case affecting their purchased tax lien, including but not limited to the filing of a proof of claim on their behalf, covering their investment in said tax lien. The Nassau County Treasurer and Nassau County and its agencies, assumes no responsibility for any legal representation of any tax lien purchaser in any legal proceeding including but not limited to a bankruptcy case where the purchased tax lien is at risk. The rate of interest and penalty at which any person purchases the tax lien shall be established by his bid. Each purchaser, immediately after the sale thereof, shall pay to the County Treasurer ten per cent of the amount for which the tax liens have been sold and the remaining ninety per cent within thirty days after such sale. If the purchaser at the tax sale shall fail to pay the remaining ninety per cent within ten days after he has been notified by the County Treasurer that the certificates of sale are ready for delivery, then all amounts deposited with the County Treasurer including but not limited to the ten per cent theretofore paid by him shall, without further notice or demand, be irrevocably forfeited by the purchaser and shall be retained by the County Treasurer as liquidated damages and the agreement to purchase shall be of no further effect. Time is of the essence in this sale. This sale is held pursuant to the Nassau County Administrative Code and interested parties are referred to such Code for additional information as to terms of the sale, rights of purchasers, maximum rates of interest and other legal incidents of the sale. Furthermore, as to the bidding, 1. The bidder(s) agree that they will not work with any other bidder(s) to increase, maintain or stabilize interest rates or collaborate with any other bidder(s) to gain an unfair competitive
advantage in the random number generator in the event of a tie bid(s) on a tax certificate. Bidder(s) further agree not to employ any bidding strategy designed to create an unfair competitive advantage in the tiebreaking process in the upcoming tax sale nor work with any other bidder(s) to engage in any bidding strategy that will result in a rotational award of tax certificates.
2. The tax certificate(s) the Bidder will bid upon, and the interest rate(s) bid, will be arrived at independently and without direct or indirect consultation, communication or agreement with any other bidder and that the tax certificate(s) the Bidder will bid upon, and the interest rate(s) to be bid, have not been disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder, and will not be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any other bidder prior to the close of bidding. No attempt has been made or will be made to, directly or indirectly, induce any other bidder to refrain from bidding on any tax certificate, to submit complementary bids, or to submit bids at specific interest rates.
CorreCtion
Public Notices Public Notices
Uniondale, NY 11553-2008. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being at Uniondale, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau, State of NY, Section 50 Block 572 Lot 0015. Approximate amount of judgment $248,768.87 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 004891/2014. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed Property established by the 10th Judicial District. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”
Janine T. Lynam, Esq., Referee
LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC
Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792
Dated: January 10, 2025 151134
LEGAL NOTICE
3. The bids to be placed by the Bidder will be made in good faith and not pursuant to any direct or indirect, agreement or discussion with, or inducement from, any other bidder to submit a complementary or other noncompetitive bid.
4. If it is determined that the bidder(s) have violated any of these bid requirements then their bid shall be voided and if they were the successful bidder the lien and any deposits made in connection with said bid shall be forfeited.
Dated: January 23, 2025 THE NASSAU COUNTY TREASURER Mineola, New York 151098
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR STRUCTURED ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION
MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-BC4, -againstHAZEL E. SHAMBERGER, 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 February 9, 2023, wherein U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR STRUCTURED ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 605953/2018. Nicholas Ferrar, 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. 151143
LEGAL NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Bank of America, N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST
David A. Nobrega; et al., Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 8, 2015, and Amended November 3, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 27, 2025 at 2:30PM, premises known as 1298 Birch Street,
MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-BC4 is the Plaintiff and HAZEL E. SHAMBERGER, 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 February 25, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 504 DECATUR STREET, UNIONDALE, NY 11553; and the following tax map identification: 50-122-104, 242, 243, 680 & 681. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK
SUMMONS Supreme Court of New York, Nassau County WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS OWNER TRUSTEE OF THE RESIDENTIAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES TRUST VIII-A, Plaintiff -againstFRANZ CASIMIR AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF MAGNOLIA STEPHENSCASIMIR; KATHIA CASIMIR AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF MAGNOLIA STEPHENS-CASIMIR; PAUL CARLSON AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF MAGNOLIA STEPHENSCASIMIR; UNKNOWN HEIRS TO THE ESTATE OF MAGNOLIA STEPHENSCASIMIR; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (EASTERN DISTRICT) O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; “JOHN DOE” AND “JANE DOE” said names being fictitious, it being the intention of Plaintiff to designate any and all occupants of premises being foreclosed herein, Defendants. Index No. 615759/2023. Mortgaged Premises: 679 Midwood Street, Uniondale, NY 11553 Section: 50 Block: D02 Lot: 2 To The Above Named Defendant(s): YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a Defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. If you fail to appear or to answer within the aforementioned time frame, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF
NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECTIVE of the above captioned action is to foreclose on a Mortgage to secure $150,733.07 and interest, recorded in the Nassau County Clerk’s Office on July 25, 2016 in Book M 41383, Page 712, Instrument Number 2016-71557, covering the premises known as 679 Midwood Street, Uniondale, NY 11553. The relief sought herein is a final judgment directing sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the mortgage described above. Plaintiff designates Nassau County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is located. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. FRIEDMAN VARTOLO, LLP 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160 Garden City, New York 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff. 151124
LEGAL NOTICE
Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU ACTION TO FORECLOSE A MORTGAGE INDEX #: 614513/2023 U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR RCF 2 ACQUISITION TRUST Plaintiff, vs JEFFREY B. ALTIDOR AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF GUITEAU J. ALTIDOR, PEGGENS ALTIDOR AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF GUITEAU J. ALTIDOR, CHELSEA C. ALTIDOR AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF GUITEAU J. ALTIDOR, PIERRETTE M ALTIDOR AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF GUITEAU J. ALTIDOR, COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SERVICES OF NASSAU COUNTY, BANK OF AMERICA, NA, NAVIENT CREDIT FINANCE CORPORATION, UNKNOWN HEIRS OF GUITEAU J. ALTIDOR IF
In last week’s brief ‘Gillen sworn in as a Congresswoman’ a few of the people in the photograph were misidentified. In the photo were Owen Finegan, Myles Finegan, House Speaker Mike
Johnson, Chris Finegan, Congresswoman Laura Gillen, Austen Finegan and Laine Finegan. The correct date of the swearing in was Jan. 3.
L et us K now
News Brief items including awards, honors, promotions and other tidbits about local residents are welcome. Photographs may be emailed as well. Deadline for submissions is noon Thursday, week prior to publication. Send to execeditor@liherald.com
LIVING, AND IF HE/SHE BE DEAD, ANY AND ALL PERSONS UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, CLAIMING, OR WHO MAY CLAIM TO HAVE AN INTEREST IN, OR GENERAL OR SPECIFIC LIEN UPON THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THIS ACTION; SUCH UNKNOWN PERSONS BEING HEREIN GENERALLY DESCRIBED AND INTENDED TO BE INCLUDED IN WIFE, WIDOW, HUSBAND, WIDOWER, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNEES OF SUCH DECEASED, ANY AND ALL PERSONS DERIVING INTEREST IN OR LIEN UPON, OR TITLE TO SAID REAL PROPERTY BY, THROUGH OR UNDER THEM, OR EITHER OF THEM, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE WIVES, WIDOWS, HUSBANDS, WIDOWERS, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNS, ALL OF WHOM AND WHOSE NAMES, EXCEPT AS STATED, ARE UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, SLM PRIVATE CREDIT STUDENT LOAN TRUST 2006-B, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON BEHALF OF THE IRS, PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, MARY ALTIDOR JOHN DOE (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.) Defendant(s). MORTGAGED PREMISES: 434 Chester Street Uniondale, NY 11553 To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if
the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Nassau. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs of Guiteau J. Altidor Defendant In this Action.
The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Jeffrey A. Goodstein of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Thirteenth day of January, 2025 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau, in the City of Mineola. The object of this action is to foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below, executed by Guiteau J. Altidor (who died on April 4, 2020, a resident of the county of Nassau, State of New York) dated the February 20, 2008, to secure the sum of $331,224.00 and recorded at Book 32872, Page 791 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk on April 10, 2008. Said Mortgage was subsequently modified by a Loan Modification Agreement executed by Guiteau J. Altidor on April 16, 2013 and recorded February 24, 2014 in Book 39526, Page 441 in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by
an assignment executed January 19, 2017 and recorded on February 6, 2017, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Instrument Number 2017-00013263. The mortgage was subsequently modified on May 30, 2018. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed May 8, 2020 and recorded on June 22, 2020, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Instrument Number 2020-50228. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed December 8, 2020 and recorded on December 29, 2020, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Instrument Number 2020-128377. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed September 14, 2021 and recorded on October 5, 2021, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Instrument Number 2021-129916. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed November 17, 2022 and recorded on December 16, 2022, in the Office of the Nassau County Clerk at Instrument Number 2022-117439. The property in question is described as follows: 434 Chester Street, Uniondale, NY 11553 NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this Foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE
ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: January 13, 2025 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221
The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 84201 151073
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LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF Nassau, U.S. Bank Trust National Association as Trustee of Tiki Series IV Trust, Plaintiff, vs. Bernice Osuji, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on June 11, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on February 26, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 712 Campus Street, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Uniondale, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 50, Block 265 and Lot 67. Approximate amount of judgment is $525,746.06 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #610628/2022. Fabiana Ida Talarico, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 221656-1 151118
LONG B EACH PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Exciting and growing Merrick company looking for a detail-oriented, motivated individual to join our team, part-time. Primary responsibilities include order processing and ful llment in a modern, comfortable o ce environment, not a warehouse. Opportunity to grow and take on more responsibilities as the business expands. Perfect for a stay-at-home parent.
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DRIVING INSTRUCTOR
Help Wanted
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 $16.50 per hour to $23 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com
DRIVERS WANTED
Full Time and Part Time
Positions Available!
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
Company Car/ Bonuses. Clean Driving Record Required, Will Train. Retirees Welcome! $20 - $25/ Hour Bell Auto School 516-365-5778
Email: info@bellautoschool.com
EDITOR/REPORTER
Part Time & Full Time. The award-winning Herald Community Newspapers group, covering Nassau County's North and South Shores with hard-hitting news stories and gracefully written features, seeks a motivated, energetic and creative editor/reporter to join our dynamic (and awesome) team! This education and general assignment reporting position offers a unique experience to learn from some of the best in the business. Historically, reporters who have launched their careers with us have gone on to The New York Times, Newsweek, Newsday, the New York Daily News, New York Post, CNN, BBC, NBC News and The Daily Mail, among many others. We look for excellent writers who are eager to learn, enhance their skills, and become well-established and respected journalists in our industry. Salary range is from $20K to $45K To apply: Send a brief summary in the form of a cover letter describing your career goals and what strengths you can bring to our newsroom, along with a resume and three writing samples to jbessen@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 $16.50 per hour to $20 per hour.
Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
MULTI MEDIA ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT
Inside Sales
Looking for an aggressive self starter who is great at making and maintaining relationships and loves to help businesses grow by marketing them on many different advertising platforms. You will source new sales opportunities through inbound lead follow-up and outbound cold calls. Must have the ability to understand customer needs and requirements and turn them in to positive advertising solutions. We are looking for a talented and competitive Inside Sales Representative that thrives in a quick sales cycle environment. Compensation ranges from $34,320 + 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
OFFICE ASSISTANT PT
Flexible Hours. General Office Duties. Phones, Filing, Light Bookkeeping. $20$25/ Hour. Salary Commensurate With Experience. Email info@cousinsmetal.com Or Call 516-536-7755
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 $34,320 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
NYU Langone Health is recruiting participants for an exciting new study exploring why and how some people with dementia experience a return of mental clarity as they approach the end of life.
NYU Langone Health is recruiting participants for an exciting new study exploring why and how some people with dementia experience a return of mental clarity as they approach
These episodes are known as paradoxical lucidity. If you have a loved one suffering from advanced dementia, they may eligible for this study.
These episodes are known as paradoxical lucidity. If you have a loved one suffering from advanced dementia, they may eligible for this study.
If interested, please contact the Parnia Lab research team at 917-227-0932 or pl@nyulangone.org.
If interested, please contact the Parnia Lab research team at 917-227-0932 or pl@nyulangone.org
HomesHERALD
The fires in L.A. got us wondering
Cozy Cape: Your Dream Home
This Robin won’t rest until you are in your new NEST!
Q. I, like many others, am upset about the terrible fires happening in California. We were discussing it the other day, and are wondering what your opinion is about how these fires spread so quickly, considering that we were also having high winds at the same time. Are our homes safe? Do we have better building regulations? Could the same thing happen to us that’s happening in California? What can we do to prevent this and what do you think California should do?
A. It can happen here. We must all listen, observe and learn from this tragedy to avoid repeating it in our own communities. I have often written about the beginnings of rules and regulations, which began after the great fire of London in 1666 and, in this country, after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. It took many decades and many lives lost to recognize that building codes were needed, however.
Unfortunately, the typical response, historically, is to immediately express horror, but as time goes on, become complacent that something that bad couldn’t happen here. Yes, it can happen anywhere, and certainly in communities where the buildings are closer together. So we need to listen when we’re told that it could happen, and realize why fire could burn down any community where nature’s forces work against our best planning.
We have seen the devastation, and some of us realize the many elements that contribute to disaster, such as drought, high winds, finish materials that combust and lack of ability to escape, to name a few. Our building codes are focused on life safety and limiting fire spread. At the right temperature, nearly everything burns.
California has similar codes, but many buildings were constructed prior to the newest, more stringent codes and did not have safety requirements for one- or two-hour resistive surface materials, interior sprinklers or opening protective devices like special shutters that drop to enclose spaces and reduce fire spread. Our roofs, siding, fences and interior materials, just like California’s, can ignite readily when hot embers land on them.
Rebuilding in California will have to include interior sprinklers, non-combustible exterior materials and community training in what to take, when to evacuate and how to do so safely without blocking the path of emergency responders. I expect that we will see greater distances between dwellings and backyard structures, less vegetation, cannons mounted on utility poles to shoot fire-retardant and fire break walls that can lift out of the ground to separate buildings. There are products on the market to do all of these things, though most have been developed for flood prevention or highly flammable building conditions. More people will choose cement board siding that mimics everything from stone to wood siding to preserve styles that are consistent with the building shape, and metal, cement or ceramic tile roofs that will not combust if a hot ember or coat lands on it, and metal window frames. Remember to choose safe materials. Good luck!
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“
The Sopranos” revolutionized television entertainment when it made its debut on HBO in 1999, and continued through 2007. On the surface, it was an organized-crime story centered on a mob guy in New Jersey named Tony Soprano. Below the surface, however, “The Sopranos” explored new levels of the complexity of human nature.
Yes, Tony Soprano was a monster capable of vicious brutality. But he was also an uppermiddle-income family man living in suburbia with a wife, Carmela, and two children he truly loved. Sure, he had his goomba, but he genuinely cared about and provided for Carmela, and would say hardly a bad word about her. He was a doting father who would take his daughter, Meadow, to visit prospective college campuses while taking time out along the way to murder
opinions
‘Woke up this morning . . .’
someone who had crossed him. All in a day’s work.
Then there was Tony’s mother, who had also plotted to kill him. Underlying all these contradictions was the reality that this vaunted tough guy and super stud was in therapy with Dr. Melfi, who treated him for anxiety and depression.
TThere was also a supporting cast of rogues and characters that would cause anyone anxiety. Big Pussy was Tony’s loyal friend, who turned out to be an FBI informer — a “rat.” Tony killed him, and dumped his body off the family boat so he could swim with the fishes. Bobby Bocola was an overweight killer who could play Santa Claus, and got himself shot to death in Trainland, the model train store on Sunrise Highway in Lynbrook.
Uncle Junior was an aging mob leader and family patriarch who was capable of casual cruelty.
hree of the stars of ‘The Sopranos’ offer their takes on what made the show special.
Recently, my wife, Rosemary, and I went to the historic Patchogue Theater for the Performing Arts to see “In Conversation With the Sopranos,” with Steve Schirripa (Bobby Bocola), Michael Imperioli (Christopher Moltisanti) and Vincent Pastore (Big Pussy), who reminisced about their experiences on the show and answered questions from the capacity crowd. The audience was made up of real people — middle-income Long Island families, many of whom, no doubt, had moved out here from New York City. Listening to the questions they asked, you’d conclude that they must have watched and rewatched every “Sopranos” episode.
discussing how they got their parts and their opinions of the other actors. James Gandolfini — Tony Soprano — was the glue that made “The Sopranos” work so well, and was extremely generous and always supportive. Dominick Chianese (Uncle Junior) was an exceptional actor and a totally mild-mannered gentleman off screen. Tony Sirico, who played Paulie Walnuts, was a psycho on and off screen but a loyal friend.
Christopher, Tony’s young protégé, killed his girlfriend, Adriana, when he found out that she, too, was an informer. Paulie Walnuts smothered his mother’s friend to death with a pillow when she caught him stealing her money.
Schirripa is a good friend and a truly great guy, totally down to earth. I’d met Imperioli and Pastore when they did a similar show with Steve about six years ago in Westbury. Both are very talented but regular guys.
The show was terrific, with the trio
Particularly funny was Pastore’s story about how a real-life mob-connected restaurant in the Bronx had proudly displayed his framed photo on the wall — but because the show depicted him as a “rat,” the picture was taken off the wall and destroyed. Their presentations were terrific, as was the question-and-answer session. They had a great rapport with the audience. After the show I met briefly with them, and told them “The Sopranos” would never grow old. Schirripa and I said we’d connect again soon. I’m looking forward to it.
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
Rubbing elbows with three great men
Columnists generally like to write about happy things, or at least not dwell on the subject of death. But over the past few weeks, three very significant people have died, and in some or many ways, I had direct contact with all of them. I refer to the late President Jimmy Carter, Chuck Dolan and Dick Parsons. I don’t claim to have been a buddy of President Carter’s, but I had one interesting experience with him that is still fresh in my memory. During my years in the Assembly leadership, there was a custom that all potential Democratic candidates for president be introduced to the members of both houses of the Legislature. It was the job of an assigned member to escort the potential candidate around the Capitol for the meet-and-greet.
Apparently, nobody in the leadership offered to take then Governor Carter to meet the elected members.
Almost by default, I raised my hand and offered to do the escort work. My first task was to meet Carter at the Albany airport. At the stroke of noon, he arrived in the waiting area, looking to find his good shepherd. I greeted him and drove him to the Capitol so he could make his pitch for why New York should support his candidacy.
During the following three hours, Carter made his case for being the next president. Late that afternoon, we returned to the airport, and I wished him the best of luck. He wasn’t convinced that he could win over doubting Democrats, but he was determined to go to all of the key delegaterich states to convince the doubters that he was the man for the job.
a number of public-works grants on Long Island, and asked if I had any preferences for a grantee. I recommended my hometown of Long Beach as the recipient of federal dollars — but I never heard from Carter again.
i t was the White House operator, and to my surprise, President Jimmy Carter was calling.
Two years later, the modest and humble Georgian was the president. On a February afternoon, our home phone rang, and the woman calling said she was the White House operator. Despite being skeptical, I took the call, and to my surprise it was Carter calling.
He told me that he would be making
On a note closer to home, I was one of thousands of people who had a chance to know Charles Dolan, who created Cablevision and countless other innovations. He was a giant in the communications industry, but he was just plain Chuck in private.
I had the good fortune to be invited to his Christmas receptions and his famous July Fourth parties. On every occasion, he had the ability to make you feel like you were the only person at the event.
One August, Chuck invited my wife and daughters to the Hampton Classic, a major event for equine aficionados. Chuck had acquired a new camera and took pictures of my family, which I used on our family holiday card that year. I credited him as the photographer, and I got a call from him, thanking me for giving him the recognition.
At all times, Charles, the titan of the industry, was just plain Chuck.
My last tribute is to the late Dick Parsons, a giant in so many businesses who was known for his great negotiating skills. I met him in the late 1960s, when he was a counsel to Gov. Nelson Rockefeller. He eventually went into the private sector, as chairman of the Dime Community Bank and Time Warner.
I still fondly remember a lunch appointment of ours on the afternoon of the O.J. Simpson trial verdict. We spent an hour discussing how Simpson could avoid a conviction, but at all times he was just Dick Parsons, a regular guy talking about a world of issues.
After decades of meeting great people, I very much miss those who were humble and gracious, never making a big deal of the power and influence they were lucky to possess. There aren’t many of those people left on this planet.
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
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Serve the constituents, not the parties
arlier this month, those who were elected and re-elected in November took their oaths of office.
Long after the last ballot is counted, and as soon as the oaths are administered, the most important chapter begins — the work of governing. And now that Gov. Kathy Hochul has delivered her State of the State address and the legislative session is underway, New York’s elected officials face an urgent challenge: to move beyond partisan rhetoric to deliver for the people who entrusted them with power. While the election season is often defined by fiery speeches and ideological divides, the responsibilities of governing require cooperation, compromise and a steadfast focus on serving the taxpayers.
Hochul laid out her vision for the year in her address last week, touching on issues that transcend party lines, including affordable housing, public safety, economic growth and climate adaptability.
These are not Democratic or Republican issues; they are New York issues, and they demand solutions from leaders on both sides of the aisle. Yet the immediate responses to Hochul’s proposals
letters
Peter King walks a tightrope with Trump
To the Editor:
Re Peter King’s column “Once again, there’s a New Yorker in the White House” (Jan. 9-15): King should be commended for his once again skilled sleight of hand when it comes to comments about President Donald Trump. King managed to call him an “overlord” while at the same time showering him with praise for his supposedly singlehanded eradication of MS-13 on Long Island.
King can certainly walk the tightrope very well. Lest we forget, Trump’s focus on the gang was a convenient opportunity for him to launch his narrative that all migrants are criminals, murderers or rapists. The FBI, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and, most important, Long Island law enforcement should be praised for their diligent, exhausting work on this scourge. And any child could see through Trump’s blatant politicization last year of Officer Jonathan Diller’s murder. Really, Peter.
How amusing that King chooses to focus on Trump’s New York roots, his beginnings in Queens and King’s memory of a smiling Trump appreciating King’s New York accent. As if these things could overshadow our new president’s slew of bankruptcies, criminal indictments, multiple accusations of sexual
showed how entrenched partisanship can overshadow a shared commitment to progress.
Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion, but some of the reactions to the State of the State were all too predictable, either filled with vitriol for Hochul’s policies or unquestioningly agreeing with everything she said.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of divisiveness. The political climate in New York, as in much of the country, is polarized, with both parties often more focused on scoring points than solving problems. But taxpayers deserve better. They expect their representatives to work together — less as Democrats and Republicans than as public servants dedicated to improving the quality of life in their communities.
Addressing housing affordability, for example, isn’t merely a policy discussion — it’s a pressing issue for families struggling to make ends meet. Likewise, public safety can’t be reduced to talking points; it affects the lives of residents of cities, towns and villages across the state. And economic growth isn’t about partisanship — it’s about creating jobs, supporting small businesses and helping communities thrive. These priori-
ties require collaboration, creativity and the willingness to engage in tough but constructive dialogue.
The stakes are high. Trust in government is fragile, and elected officials must demonstrate that they can deliver results. That means setting aside political differences to focus on what unites us: a shared desire for a prosperous, safe and equitable New York. It means finding common ground on key issues while respecting differing perspectives.
As the state’s leaders embark on this legislative session, they must remember that their duty is not to a political party, but to the people they represent. Voters have made it clear time and again that they don’t want endless gridlock or partisan posturing; they want solutions. They want leaders who prioritize progress over politics.
The work of governing is not glamorous, and most of the time it doesn’t make headlines. But it is the foundation of a functioning democracy. Now that the campaigns, the election and the swearing-in ceremonies are behind us, it’s time for the winners to roll up their sleeves, put the rhetoric aside and get to work. The future of our state — and the trust of its people — depend on it.
abuse and documented perpetration of fraud on the public via Trump University and the Trump Foundation. King also notes that Trump has made friends with County Exec-
utive Bruce Blakeman, former Congressman Lee Zeldin and county Republican Party Chairman Joe Cairo — MAGA supporters all. Birds of a feather flock together.
L.I. deserves its fair share of transportation funding
Long Island is known for many things, from our beautiful beaches and lighthouses to historic sites, great seafood and wineries. Yet, beneath the charm and attractions, Long Island grapples with a major obstacle: an aging and insufficient transportation network that can’t keep pace with our growing population.
As Long Island continues to grow, our region faces a challenge that threatens both its economy and quality of life, with a transportation and infrastructure network that is underfunded, poorly maintained, and inadequate to meet the needs of our residents.
Currently, transportation funding is overseen by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, which includes New York City and several surrounding counties. This arrangement leaves Long Island competing for resources with the largest metropolitan center in the county, a challenge that often means Long Island’s needs are underrepresented and underfunded.
approach to transportation planning, empower Long Island to secure its fair share of federal transportation funding, streamline project execution, and drive long-term economic growth.
w
e have the population and economic output of many states, but not the infrastructure.
The Long Island region’s share of transportation funding has dropped from 23 percent to just 6 percent. We’re in dire need of a fairer allocation that meets the region’s unique needs. This is why we need a dedicated Nassau Suffolk Metropolitan planning Organization.
The creation of a Long Island-specific planning organization would ensure that our region has a clear, coordinated
Letters
Of course, King is afraid that he and all the other Long Island MAGA tools that Trump used while campaigning will be discarded in his junk heap of no-longer-useful sycophants now that the election is over. King is genuflecting to Trump again in an attempt to garner favor for New York in light of Trump’s continuing belligerent rhetoric about blue states and big cities. Most importantly, Long Islanders need a repeal of the state and local tax write-off cap imposed as punishment by Trump during his first term. Former Congressman Anthony D’Esposito promised to get that done, but caved in the end. Maybe the recent visit to Mar-a-Lago by Reps. Andrew Garbarino, Nick Lalota, Mike Lawler and the rest was enough to satiate Trump’s need for sucking up from his MAGA crew, and we’ll see a lifting of the SALT cap.
New Yorkers don’t need to “work to find common ground with the president” to become great again. We are one of the most beautiful and economically stable states in the country, with resources and opportunities not available in any other part of the nation. Do we have problems to be addressed? Sure we do. But we’re still great.
ELIzABETh MuRphY Franklin Square
Town hikes taxes, and mailers, ads keep coming
To the Editor:
Nassau Republican officials at every level shamelessly waste taxpayer money on mailers and op-ed pieces that are purely partisan attacks on Democrats,
and they cite one-party rule in Albany, overlooking the stark reality that Nassau County, its cities, towns and most villages, is currently ruled by a single-party GOp machine, as it has been for most of our lives.
We all suffer from the Nassau and Town of h empstead GO p ’s relentless crusade to stay in power by gerrymandering, doling out patronage and perks to friends and family in the town’s employ, spending millions of taxpayer dollars on partisan mailers and television ads while imposing double-digit tax increases and fees on beleaguered taxpayers.
While h empstead Supervisor Don Clavin gave generous raises to his inner circle, again, he and his Town Board socked every town homeowner with a double-digit tax increase, sneaking in a 12.1 percent tax hike in December and over $850,000 in raises this month without mentioning it in any of the town’s famous and constant mailers. And this year the town refuses to post the names of those receiving raises. What are they hiding?
The town’s devious attempt to hide this nepotistic, self-serving resolution to give themselves, their families and friends substantial raises epitomizes Clavin’s resolve to hide the truth from voters. Or is this just a way to avoid recusing themselves from voting on raises to relatives?
It’s time for this charade to end. Clavin must stop raising our taxes in years he isn’t running, and then sending out tax-paid mailers at $80,000 a pop, claiming he is freezing taxes in an election year.
Long Island would have direct access to apply for federal dollars, bypassing state-level bottlenecks and allowing for tailored projects that address our specific challenges, including solutions to the Oakdale merge, the deadly Southern State parkway and the electrification of the port Jefferson line of the Long Island Rail Road.
Smaller regions of the state — including Ithaca with a population of about 107,000 — have their own transportation planning organization that allows them to apply for federal funding directly. And yet, Long Island’s 3 million
residents — more people than most major American cities — are grouped in with New York City and other regions. This is more than a call for funding; it’s a call to recognize Long Island’s unique position as a vital economic and cultural hub. Our region has the population and economic output of many u.S. states — we need infrastructure that reflects that.
Long Islanders share a vision for better roads, bridges, and tunnels, expanded transit options, reduced congestion, and an improved quality of life. We deserve a Metropolitan planning Organization to secure our region’s future. Thanks to Assemblyman Steve Stern and Senator Monica Martinez for introducing legislation—now we need the legislature to act and pass A.10705/S.9918 and make this vision a reality.
Mark Herbst is executive director of the Long Island Contractors’ Association.
Framework by Tim Baker
In last week’s brief “Gillen sworn in as a Congresswoman,” a few of the people in the accompanying photograph were misidentified. Those in the photo included Owen Finegan, Myles
The view from the Nassau University Medical Center — East Meadow
DAvE DENENBERG Merrick
Finegan, h ouse Speaker Mike Johnson, Chris Finegan, u.S. Rep. Laura Gillen, Austen Finegan and Laine Finegan. The date of Gillen’s swearing-in was Jan. 3.
marC HerBst
mountsinai.org/southnassau