HERALD UNIONDALE
26 - OCTOBER 2, 2024
Kelsie Radziski/Herald Jerson Manzanares, 2, joined the fun at the Uniondale soccer jamboree on Sept. 14.
Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off with soccer in Uniondale
By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com
To kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Uniondale school district held its fourth annual Latinx Heritage Soccer Jamboree last weekend.
“My biggest goal always is that (students) feel that they are welcomed, that they are loved, that their culture is celebrated and that this is their home,” Estrella OlivaresOrellana, the district’s director of multilin-
gual learners, said.
Bright and early on a sunny Saturday morning, Uniondale kids of all ages ran around the lawn of the Cornelius Court School, warming up with lunges and jumping jacks, and plenty of stretching, led by volunteers from the Uniondale Police Activity League, as music blared from speakers. The students took turns at a variety of soccer drills, some running between poles and cones to shoot at a goal and others hop-
Future leaders spend summer at Microsoft
By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com
Two Uniondale High School students spent the summer testing the latest in technology in a Microsoft program designed to expand its reach and educate younger generations.
Aaron Osorio, a senior, and his sister, Aariana, a junior, were two of the 30 participants in this year’s program.
Microsoft’s annual summer program, Blacks at Microsoft, invites students ages 15 to 19 to their facilities for six weeks to get an introduction to the world of technology.
said. “Get them excited about education, coding, working in groups, and teaching them different things about what it means to be a part of a company, a corporate network (and) dealing with being diverse or underrepresented.”
Aaron Osorio expressed appreciation for being selected for such a unique program.
ALfRED OjuKWu Worldwide leader, Blacks at Microsoft
The program started in 2016 with a group of six students visiting Microsoft’s New York City location, and it has grown since then to run in multiple locations, including Boston, Washington D.C., and cities in Texas, North Carolina and Florida, with 30 participants at each location, according to Alfred Ojukwu, the worldwide leader of Blacks at Microsoft.
“The whole point is to prepare them for school,” Ojukwu
“I think it was a great learning experience for everybody, because it’s almost like they required you to be uncomfortable,” he said. “You needed to get your hands dirty with the coding. You needed to also present. You needed to talk in front of a lot of people. You needed to learn how to design your project to make it aesthetically pleasing to the judges.”
Over the course of the six weeks, the Osorios, along with the other students, learned about coding and software, as well as different mental health techniques and what the corporate world is like, according to
on page 7 ContinUed on page 5 W e value the program a lot. There’s so much emotion in it.
Nassau County Democrats allege misuse of taxpayer dollars for Trump rally
Rhonda
V.P. Sales
Deputy Editor
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
Democratic leaders in the Nassau County legislature have filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission, alleging that the Sept. 18 campaign rally for former President Donald Trump in Nassau County amounted to an illegal, unreported campaign contribution from Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, using taxpayer money.
Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, the minority caucus’s leader, was joined by Legislator Debra Mulé and Legislator Seth Koslow, both Democrats, at a news conference on Sept. 19. The complaint sent says that taxpayerfunded resources, totaling over $1 million, were put towards supporting the partisan political event.
“It has come to our attention, and it has been verified, that over a million dollars in overtime was spent yesterday,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “This is hard earned taxpayer money from Nassau County families. This includes items for things like hundreds of police that attended the rally, as well as other municipal employees, ranging from the Department of Public Works to the Parks Department.”
DeRiggi-Whitton said the democratic caucus fully supported the idea of keeping the former president safe. “That is absolutely not in question,” she said. “(But) this is taking money away from other services we really could use.”
At a security briefing ahead of Wednesday’s rally, Blakeman told reporters that the county budgets for large events — such as the rally — to mitigate the potential financial stress it could place on county resources, like police.
“It’s part of our job,” he said. “We don’t discourage big events in Nassau County — we want to encourage them.”
“We all know that Bruce Blakeman idolizes Donald Trump,” Koslow said. “We all know that he wants to get his attention, but he shouldn’t do that with taxpayer funds.
“Simply because you have a budget, doesn’t mean you have to spend the money,” he added.
The Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, where the rally was held, was leased for the day by the Trump campaign. Rallygoers began gathering at 8 a.m. on Wednesday for what would turn into a 12-hour-long event, by the time the former president finished speaking. DeRiggi-Whitton also said the campaign should also be reimbursing the county for the cost of its resources, and told reporters that the Nassau County GOP used the event as a fundraising and voter registration event.
According to a story published in the New York Times, which DeRiggiWhitton referenced, Joseph Cairo, the GOP chairman in Nassau County, organized a high-dollar fundraiser “on the sidelines” of the rally.
“It’s clearly a partisan effort,” she said. “They did take the opportunity to raise probably a good amount of funds. However, whatever they raise, there should be a portion of that coming back to the county.”
“It’s clear that this was not just a rally,” Koslow said. “This was a political exercise to try and get more money. If they’re bringing all of this money in, why shouldn’t they reimburse the county and the taxpayers, who are not all Republicans — obviously. Why should undecided voters, independent voters, Democratic voters or Republican voters, foot the bill for this rally. That is our concern.”
When asked about the allegations, Blakeman, in a written statement sent to the Herald, said “Nassau County provides security and safety to all public figures and public events regardless of party affiliation. I guess Democrat leaders really do want Trump killed, but it ain’t happening in Nassau County.”
DeRiggi-Whitton said Blakeman’s remarks were “very concerning.”
“I’ve been an elected official for 18 years,” she said. “We didn’t agree to this expense, and that’s why we’re here today, to state that we think we should be reimbursed. But to get so personal — with such horrible suggestions or thoughts — I’m shocked by it and I’m offended by it.”
Jordan Vallone/Herald
Legislator Seth Koslow, with Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, left, and Legislator Debra Mule, right, said the Democratic caucus filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission, alleging the misuse of taxpayer money to fund the Sept. 18 Trump rally at the Nassau Coliseum.
Community summit unites Uniondale voices
By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com
The Greater Uniondale Area Action Coalition, or GUAAC, is a core advocacy group for the Uniondale community, and the organization’s recent annual summit allowed other local groups and residents to voice their concerns and share their progress.
The community gathered in the Little Theatre at Uniondale High School on Sept. 21 to discuss issues in Uniondale and how to address them.
“What we’ve tried to do is annually have a meeting that kind of reaffirms that our priorities are what they are, and that the strategies that we’re using to approach each of the priorities is either working or a work in progress, and that we’ll continue with it,” Jeannine Maynard, GUAAC co-coordinator, said.
A key topic of this year’s summit was voting literacy and engagement.
“We found one of the barriers to voting was that many people knew the candidates for one or another race, but didn’t know all of the candidates for all of the races,” Maynard said.
Laika Jerome, a Hofstra University Center for Civic Engagement Fellow, gave an extensive presentation on the upcoming elections for this year in connection with GUAAC’s campaign to “Get Out the Vote 2024.” The purpose was to educate attendees on the importance of voting and inform them of relevant information to make their voting decisions.
The voter guide presentation explained the registration process for voting, a breakdown of the different positions, including Senator and Representative, and a summary of each of the candidates running in the November 2024 election and what they stand for. A PDF version of the information can be available upon request.
“This is a beginning introduction
(with) sources that people can go and do a deeper dive if they want to,” Maynard said.
Another popular discussion was the parking of food trucks along Jerusalem Avenue, Uniondale Avenue, and other local streets.
“It’s disturbing to many of the residents and businesses, and so there was consensus that the community wants more code enforcement and wants to see what it can do to reduce that impact to the community,” Maynard said.
Monique Darrisaw-Akil, school district superintendent, presented an update on the progress of the 2024-2025 school year so far. Other groups were represented at the summit, including Uniondale Community Council, Nos -
trand Gardens Civic Association, Uniondale Community Land Trust, Uniondale Empowerment Resource Center, and more.
“Each organization can do their own thing and have their own priorities, but we like to make sure that everything that we are concerned about gets covered by somebody somewhere,” Maynard said. “This is our way of organizing, to make sure that the things that are most important to our neighborhood are covered.”
GUAAC was started over 15 years ago when members of the Uniondale community came together to address the problems around them, including the housing crisis, lack of available green space, and funding issues, according to the GUAAC website.
The organization has eight key principles that structure their advocacy work. These principles are:
• Strengthen communication and organizational infrastructure
• Have a greater voice in town and county government decision making
•Engage and empower youth
•Address housing issues
• Support locally-owned businesses that enhance quality of life
•Make the community safer
•Beautify Uniondale
•Protect school district quality, transparency, and oversight
To contact GUAAC for the vote guide or with any questions or concerns, visit GUAAC.org.
Courtesy Jeannine Maynard
Members of GUAAC, including Pearl Jacobs, left, Mary Ellen Kreye, James Jacobs, and Jeannine Maynard attended a rally in May of this year about safety as a part of their community activism.
Courtesy Greater Uniondale Area Action Coalition
Laika Jerome, a Hofstra University Center for Civic Engagement Fellow, gave an extensive voting presentation at the GUAAC summit on Sept. 21.
Brandon Cruz/Herald Jeannine Maynard, co-coordinator of GUAAC, stays involved with community issues, including concerns about water quality, and she gave a presentation in November of 2023 at a community meeting about the chemicals found in the water supply.
D’Esposito may face ethics probe over hiring
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
U.S. Representative Anthony D’Esposito may have violated ethics rules in Congress, designed to combat nepotism and corruption, according to a story published by the New York Times on Sept. 23.
Shortly after taking the oath of office in 2023, D’Esposito hired his longtime fiancé’s daughter to work as a special assistant in his district office, where she earned $3,800 a month, according to payroll records. In April, D’Esposito hired an alleged mistress, Devin Faas, who earned $2,000 a month for a part-time job in the same district office. Payments to both women stopped in July 2023, the Times reported.
D’Esposito has not been accused of wrongdoing, but the employment of both women, which resulted in a payment of about $29,000 in taxpayer funds, could lead to disciplinary actions in the House of Representatives, according to the Times.
The allegations against D’Esposito come about 6-weeks ahead of Election Day. D’Esposito is being challenged by Democrat Laura Gillen, who he defeated two years ago. Early voting starts on Oct. 26. Election Day is Nov. 5.
“These are very serious allegations that demand further investigation and it’s clear that Anthony D’Esposito has abused his power in every position of trust he’s ever held,” Gillen said in a statement released by her press team on Tuesday. “As Hempstead Town Supervisor, I fought against corruption, nepotism and waste to help all Nassau County families, and I’ll bring that same common sense, ethical leadership to Congress. Together we can clean up the deep-seated corruption that clearly surrounds Anthony D’Esposito and restore transparency and accountability to New York’s Fourth Congressional District.”
According to the House’s Code of Official Conduct, “a member, delegate or resident commissioner may not retain the
Free breast cancer screenings in Uniondale and Westbury
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, NuHealth and Nassau County Legislator Siela Bynoe are partnering to bring a breast cancer screening van to the Uniondale Public Library on Oct. 23 and to Magnolia Gardens in Westbury on Oct. 30. Mammograms will be provided to women over 40. Appointments will include a breast exam, a mammography, and self-exam instructions. Appointments are required in advance, and uninsured women will receive free exams based on eligibility guidelines. Insured women may need to make a copayment.
Women who have not had a mammogram in the last year will need to get a prescription from their doctor, if insured, and provide any past information, if available.
“21 years ago, I became a breast cancer survivor just like 4 million women across America, and I am living proof that early
detection is a lifesaver,” Bynoe said in the news release. “As I reflect upon this milestone in my life, I am especially grateful for the opportunity to once again partner with NuHealth to bring NUMC’s Mammography Van to Uniondale and Westbury.”
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For minority women, breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death.
“I encourage you to reach out to my office to schedule an appointment — especially if you are looking to get back into a routine of regular breast exams,” Bynoe said in the news release.
For more information and to make an appointment, contact Bynoe’s office at (516) 571-6202 or sbynoe@nassaucountyny. gov.
— Kelsie Radziski
relative of such individual in a paid position, and an employee of the House may not accept compensation for work for a committee on which the relative of such employees serves as a member. The House defines “relative” as someone related to the member, delegate or resident commissioner, including a parent, child, sibling, parent’s sibling, first cousin, sibling’s child, spouse, parent-in-law, child-in-law, sibling-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, stepsibling, half-sibling, or grandchild.
According to the Times, Matt Capp, a spokesperson for D’Esposito, did not deny that the congressman had a relationship with Faas, but declined to comment on the employment of either women.
In a statement shared with News12, D’Esposito said “My personal life has never interfered with my ability to deliver results for New York’s fourth district, and I have upheld the highest ethical standards of personal conduct.
“Voters deserve better than the Times’ gutter politics,” he added.
Hempstead protests superintendent’s removal
By KELSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com
Religious institutions in the Hempstead community have banded together to protest the removal of Regina Armstrong from her position as superintendent of the Hempstead school district.
“In recent years, (Armstrong’s) work with the school board, her work with Hempstead School District, has caused some great improvements, and for the school board just to dismiss her without any real reason that I know of was a great concern, not only to me, but (to) concerned clergy and many members of the community,” Reverend Phillip McDowell, pastor of the South Hempstead Baptist Church and moderator of the Eastern Baptist Association, said. “I think what I really would like is for her to get a job back and her name to be cleared.”
istries feels that Armstrong should return to her position because of the positive changes she has made to the district in her time as superintendent, including raising the graduation rates to over 80 percent each school year.
“She’s done a stellar job in her role as superintendent,” he said. “She captained the ship through Covid, and her reintroduction was used as an example for other school districts and bringing school students back to school.”
“She’s done an excellent job, and to dismiss her is simply nonsense, especially given their reasoning for doing so,” Taylor added.
As the Herald previously reported, Regina Armstrong was removed from her superintendent position in the first week of the new school year after five years in the role.
■ E-MAIl: Letters and
According to McDowell, who has known Armstrong as a member of the parish and as an educator, three religious organizations have come out in protest of Armstrong’s sudden removal from her position as superintendent. Eastern Baptist Association, the Long Island Council of Clergy, and Baptist Pastors Conference of Hempstead and Vicinity have all rallied together in support of Armstrong, and McDowell said there may be some other religious groups that might also join the movement.
Reverend Ralph Taylor of the Emanuel Baptist Church Majestic Min-
“This removal was not caused by anything criminal but the last incident in a series of incidents that contributed to the breakdown in trust between the Board of Education and the superintendent,” Victor Pratt, the Hempstead Board of Education president, previously said in a statement to the Herald.
The Hempstead Board of Education held a meeting on Wednesday night, where Taylor said the board members went into executive session to privately discuss the matter for two hours and did not make any comment afterwards.
“This is a personnel matter, and we have no comment,” Sylvia King-Cohen, spokesperson for the Hempstead school district, said.
Tim Baker/Herald file U.S. Representative Anthony D’Esposito may have violated ethics rules in the House of Representatives, according to a report by the New York Times.
District honors Latin-American heritage
ping in and out of horizontal ladder squares before kicking the ball.
The kids who weren’t playing soccer flocked to a craft table to make their own sombreros out of paper plates, plastic cups and pom-poms, and colored the flags of Latin American countries with markers.
District Superintendent Monique Darrisaw-Akil said she had the idea for the event four years ago, at the beginning of her tenure. “It was really important that we do something to acknowledge and celebrate the rich culture and contribution of people of the Americas that are here in our community and in our country,” she said.
Attendees were treated to a variety of performances during the event, including a salsa-dancing lesson. Booths were set up by local organizations, like the Uniondale Public Library, and Nassau County Legislator Siela Bynoe handed out backpacks with school supplies donated by the Bethpage Federal Credit Union and the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association.
Volunteers prepared food including pupusas, empanadas and rice dishes from La Fuente Restaurante in Hempstead, as well as cookies.
“This is really what unites us as a district,” Adelina Blanco-Harvey, a Uniondale Board of Education trustee, said. “What unites us as a community is
where we come together and enjoy our food, our music, our culture, and we learn from one another.”
National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated across the country from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, and it is meant to highlight the history, cultures and contributions of Americans with Hispanic backgrounds. It began as Hispanic Heritage Week, enacted by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, and was expanded to a month-long celebration in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan, according to HispanicHeritageMonth.gov.
Many important dates fall within the month, including independence day for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on Sept. 15, Mexican independence day on Sept. 16, Chile’s independence day on Sept. 18, and Dia de la Raza, or Columbus Day, on Oct. 12.
The event in Uniondale was a way for the school district to honor the community’s Latin heritage and culture, according to Darrisaw-Akil. Soccer looms large in that culture, a sport that is played throughout Latin America and is a social bond, bringing communities together, according to Oxford Bibliographies.
“We have a vibrant Latino community here, and fútbol, as we call it, is super important for us,” Olivares-Orellana said.
Blanco-Harvey told the crowd of her
love for her culture and her gratitude for the Uniondale community.
“I am very happy of my Salvadoran heritage,” she said, jumping between Spanish and English, “and when I came here at 8 years old, I said no one would
know that I didn’t speak English, and it’s all because it started here in Uniondale. So I’m very blessed. We are moving forward and upward, and great things are happening for us in Uniondale.”
Kelsie Radziski/Herald Kids designed their own sombreros and flags to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.
JOEY DIESSO
Massapequa Senior Football
A YEAR AFTER THROWING for 20 touchdowns and helping lead Massapequa to a perfect 12-0 season, Nassau Conference I and Long Island Class I titles, Diesso passed for a pair of scores in each of the first two games this fall.
On Sept. 13, he had a near-perfect performance in a 38-13 victory over Freeport. He completed all but one of his 11 pass attempts for 135 yards as the Chiefs got into the win column for the first time in 2024.
GAMES TO WATCH
Thursday, Sept. 26
Boys Soccer: Hewlett at Lawrence 4:30 p.m.
Boys Soccer: Baldwin at V.S. Central 4:45 p.m.
Boys Soccer: Clarke at V.S. North 7 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 27
Boys Soccer: Wantagh at Clarke 5 p.m.
Girls Soccer: Wantagh at Plainedge 5 p.m.
Girls Soccer: Seaford at North Shore 5 p.m.
Girls Soccer: Farmingdale at Baldwin 5 p.m.
Girls Soccer: Malverne/East Rock at Sewanhaka 5 p.m.
Girls Soccer: Calhoun at Oceanside 6 p.m.
Football: Garden City at Hewlett 6 p.m.
Football: Seaford at Plainedge 6:30 p.m.
Football: Hicksville at Freeport 6:30 p.m.
Girls Volleyball: Freeport at Baldwin 6:30 p.m.
Football: South Side at V.S. North 7 p.m.
Football: North Shore at Malverne 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 28
Football: Calhoun at Mepham 11 a.m.
Football: Carey at Sewanhaka 3 p.m.
Football: Farmingdale at Massapequa 3 p.m.
Football: Hempstead at Oceanside 3 p.m.
Football: Uniondale at V.S. Central 3 p.m.
Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”
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HERALD SPORTS
Football debuts on Uniondale turf
By NIKO SCARLATOS sports@liherald.com
It has been a while since the Uniondale football team played a home game.
That’s because the school was building a brand new turf field. After completing the project in June, the Knights finally got to host a game and debut the new turf as theory hosted Massapequa last Saturday afternoon.
It took a while for this project to get done due to the pandemic but Athletic Director Peter Cardone is glad to see the impact it is already having. “The kids were super excited,” he said. “It has already changed the environment of our student body in a positive way.”
Cardone knows the importance of having an impact on his students and the community. Building this turf field is a great example of that. “Being around the kids makes me want to work hard everyday to make a positive change in their life,” he said. “My success is determined by their success. It is not about me, it’s about them.”
Student-athletes and coaches agree with Cardone on the positive impact it can and already has had. “It was really cool to be out there on the new turf,” said assistant coach Adrian Berry. “Back in my day, we used to play on rocks so we’ve come a long way.”
Playing in front of your home fans is always a boost. “It was very energizing to finally be playing back at home,” said Jaden Lewis-White, one of Uniondale’s three captains, along with running back Jaheim Foote and wide receiver Adrian Ayala.
As for the results of the first football game on the new turf, it did not go so well for Uniondale as the Knights suffered a 41-13 loss to defending Nassau Conference I and Long Island Class I champions Massapequa. “The players were not playing with enough confidence at first,” Berry said. “We tried to call a safe offense at first so us as coaches need to do a better job of putting the players in a good position as well.”
After trailing 34-0 entering the fourth quarter, Uniondale did make some
The Knights played their first football game on the new turf field at the high school last Saturday and fell to 1-2 with a loss to Massapequa.
adjustments and found success. Its starting quarterback, Abelardo Peralta, is just a sophomore so there is still a development process happening on the fly. “Once we opened up the playbook in the fourth, we saw some good things,” said Berry. “It was nice to see him successfully throw the ball down the field.”
There is still plenty of time for Uniondale to right the ship, as it currently holds a 1-2 record, with the lone victory coming against Plainview, 31-23. “Next week, I want to see us play more as a team,” Lewis-White said. “If we play with confidence, we can be successful.” Lewis-White also mentioned how it’s been great to see some guys step up and make big impacts. “We’ve gotten great contributions from guys like Jose Melendez, Darien Oliphant, and Marquis Lawrence,” he said. “Lawrence especially is a 10th grader who has brought a lot of energy to the team.”
Uniondale’s next chance to pick a win and get back to .500 comes this Saturday at 3 p.m. at Valley Stream Central.
Derrick Dingle/Herald
Program aims to include underrepresented
Ojukwu.
The students spent much of the time working on “hackathon” projects, where they created and coded their own AI programs, with a presentation to judges and Microsoft faculty about their projects at the end of the program.
Aariana Osorio was the team leader for her group, and their project focused on pollution. They created a web app that showed different kinds of pollution in different areas based on zip code, as well as what to avoid based on certain health risks and what people can do to help reduce the different types of pollution. They won second place for their idea and execution.
“You were able to see a map of the area, and there were markers signaling what kind of pollutions there were, and there was an AI chatbot that gave you suggestions on what to do if you asked,” she said.
Aaron’s group project, called Amigo Voice, was based on the concept that many kids need another source of comfort when they’re feeling lonely, he said. The solution was a therapy bot that people use while they need it, and then delete it once the task is completed.
“What we tried to do is make it as human as we possibly could in six weeks,” Aaron said. “We could talk to it, it would talk back, and you could customize the entire website in any way that you
wanted to do it.”
In addition to their projects, the students also listened to presentations from guest speakers and took field trips to other companies, including the Nasdaq stock market. They even got to ring the Nasdaq bell to open the stock market during one of their Wednesday field trips, which was the first time the Blacks at Microsoft group was given that opportunity, Ojukwu said.
“That was a special treat for them to be able to do the bell ringing,” he said.
He added that Blacks at Microsoft is looking to expand the program to include additional chapters in other areas of the country, such as Atlanta, Chicago, and the west coast, and to partner with cities in ways that would allow future participants to be paid for the work they do.
“We value the program a lot,” Ojukwu said. “There’s so much emotion in it.”
Aariana said she felt inspired by her experience in the program and learned about all the options she has for her future.
“I’ve always been interested in STEAM or STEM, and I knew that I wanted to be an engineer,” Aariana said. “But saying I want to be an engineer is such a broad term because there’s so many different jobs, and as they said in the program, your job, what you end up as, it might not exist right now, because technology is always evolving. It’s always advancing.”
Courtesy Elizabeth Osorio
Aaron and Aariana Osorio, a senior and junior, respectively, at Uniondale High School, took part in the Blacks at Microsoft program this summer.
Trump is welcomed to L.I. by a sea of red
By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ & KELSIE RADZISKI of the Herald
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, vowed to the crowd at his rally on Sept. 18 at the Nassau Coliseum that he would win the vote in the state of New York in November’s election.
“It hasn’t been done in a long time,” Trump, referring to a decades-long losing streak of Republican presidential candidates in the state, “but we are going to win New York.”
Trump spoke for nearly 90 minutes at his first rally on Long Island since 2017, cheered by a sea of supporters wearing Make America Great Again hats and T-shirts and waving MAGA flags, thousands of them gathered outside the packed arena, watching on television monitors.
He denounced his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her policies, which he said would make New York “a Third World nation” if she were to win.
Trump highlighted Long Island issues and events, paying tribute to New York City Police Officer Jonathan Diller, of Massapequa, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Queens in March. The former president noted the 2016 slaying of Long Island teenagers Nisa Mickens and Kayla Cuevas, and the influx of MS-13 gang members.
“Our country’s going down,” he said. “If you look at what’s happening with the Venezuelans taking over … They’ve taken over your buildings and your land. You got to do something about it.
“That wouldn’t happen with Bruce Blakeman, I can tell you that right now,” Trump added, referring to the Republican Nassau county executive, which sparked chats of “Bruce!” from the
crowd.
This was Trump’s first rally since a second assassination attempt was reported at his golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15. He credited the U.S. Secret Service for stopping the attempt.
He vowed to rebuild the subways, highways and bridges in New York and across the country. He promised to reinstate the income tax deduction for state and local taxes, which his administration backed legislation to cap during his presidency. He also announced that he would make the World Trade Center site, in Lower Manhattan, a national monument maintained by the federal government — a pronouncement that was met with an enthusiastic ovation.
“That hallowed ground and the memory of those who perished there will be preserved for all time,” he said, just a week after the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Trump also addressed global affairs. “I will settle the war in Ukraine,” he said. “I got along very well with Putin,” he said, referring to Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, “and I will end the chaos in the Middle East. A vote for Kamala Harris is a vote to obliterate Israel.”
Hours before the rally, County Legislator Carrié Solages, a Democrat, condemned statements made by Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, about Haitian migrants eating residents’ pets in Springfield, Ohio, at a counterprotest with Haitians from Long Island outside the Coliseum entrance.
County Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs held a protest with elected officials hours before Solages’.
Before Trump took to the stage, others expressed their support for his campaign, including Republican U.S. Representatives Anthony D’Esposito and Nick LaLota, who represent the 4th and 2nd
congressional districts, respectively. The pair are being challenged by former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen and John Avalon in closely watched contests in November that could determine the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
In an impassioned speech, D’Esposito denounced Harris, described the Democratic Party as “dangerous” and emphasized that he “stand(s) for what Donald Trump believes in.”
“I stand for a secure border, I stand for backing law enforcement, I stand for growing our economy, I stand for putting America first,” D’Esposito said.
The Republican nominee in the 3rd Congressional District, Mike LiPetri, who hopes to flip Rep. Tom Suozzi’s seat, said he was proud to endorse Trump and his goals for his presidency.
“This is our time to restore common sense, to create safe, secure and affordable communities …,” LiPetri said, “making sure we have secure borders, a safe America, making sure we have peace across the world, making sure we’re standing with the Jewish community, and making sure we stand with Israel.”
Blakeman spoke of his priority to keep the county safe, after Nassau was recently named the safest county in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
“Nassau County protects the integrity and safety of women’s sports, and Nassau County unmasked the criminals, antisemites and hate mongers,” he said.
Blakeman called for Trump’s election in November so the country could “get back to common sense.”
“Let’s save our country, and let it start right here,” he said. “Let it start on Long Island, and go throughout the whole state of New York and the state of New Jersey and roll across America.”
Tim Baker/Herald photos
Former President Donald Trump held a rally at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale on Sept. 18, and vowed to win the state of New York in the November election.
Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was among those who enthusiastically supported the former president.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman spoke about his priority to keep the county safe.
Rally reflects Nassau’s deep political divide
By ROKSANA AMID
ramid@liherald.com
The Nassau Coliseum parking lot was filled with vehicles displaying flags, banners and homemade posters before former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally last week. Attendees, eager to show their allegiance, dressed in MAGA hats, shirts and red, white and blue outfits, while chants of “Trump, Trump, Trump!” erupted sporadically.
For his supporters, Trump remains the best candidate to fix the nation’s economic problems and take a stand against traditional politicians. Tommy Mundy, a Trump impersonator from Long Beach, praised the former president’s record.
“He’s a great man,” Mundy said. “He’s been right on everything all along.”
Mundy also dismissed concerns about Trump’s divisive stance on social issues, including abortion.
“Politicians are wicked and evil, and he’s not a politician,” Mundy said. “I’m not too concerned about the abortion issue — let God take care of that. We’re going to do great things, and the economy’s going to get turned around.”
Edward Sass, of North Babylon, also voiced his dissatisfaction with career politicians, a common theme among the attendees. Sass said he sees Trump as a non-politician who speaks plainly and delivers results.
“You get a lot of these politicians saying, ‘We’re going to do this; we’re going to do that.’ They should have done it already,” Sass said. “Three and a half
years, and they haven’t done anything.”
Sass criticized what he described as Vice President Kamala Harris’s vague promises, as well as the growing population on Long Island.
“We’re Long Island, we’re an island, we’ve got too many people in a boat,” he said, suggesting that the region’s infra-
structure is being overwhelmed by unchecked development and population growth.
Outside the Coliseum, anti-Trump protests reflected the sharp divisions among voters. Protesters gathered just beyond the gates, holding signs and chanting, “We’re not going back,” sum-
ming up their opposition to the former president.
Ann Leahy, from Wantagh, was among them. “He’s a crook, and he’s a liar, and he’s a rapist,” she said of Trump. “He’s cruel and he’s just a horrible person. He should never get near the White House again.”
Leahy expressed disbelief at the continuing support for Trump. “He was there for four years, and he was a horror then,” she said. “He has no policies. He just repeats the same stuff over and over again, and people are falling for it. I don’t understand why people would even dream about voting for this lunatic.”
Another one of the protesters was Magalie Theodore, a Haitian immigrant from Elmont, who expressed deep frustration with Trump’s disproven claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were stealing and eating residents’ pets.
“We are mad at Trump for the lies he has made about us,” Theodore said. “We don’t eat pets. We protect pets. As a citizen from Haiti, our country is a protector. We are the first Black republic. We don’t support bullies, and that’s what he’s been doing to immigrants.”
Theodore also criticized Trump’s approach to campaigning, accusing him of attacking ethnic groups to distract from his legal troubles. She also expressed disappointment in local leaders like Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for supporting Trump.
“I thought he was going to look out for all people, but apparently, he’s not,” Theodore said of Blakeman. “He’s supporting the biggest bully in America.”
Roksana Amid/Herald photos
Magalie Theodore and Magda Guillaune defiantly made clear their oppostion to former President Trump at last week’s rally. “We don’t support bullies,” Theodore said.
Edward Sass, of North Babylon, was eager to show his support for Donald Trump.
NUMC opens its doors to the community
By JORDAN VALLONE
jvallone@liherald.com
Nassau University Medical Center held its first Open House, inviting members of the community to come out and get an inside look at how the hospital is delivering high-quality health care to Nassau County residents.
“Whether you’re a patient, family member, or just curious about our services, this event offer a welcoming environment to explore and connect with NUMC’s team,” the hospital said.
Attendees enjoyed a tour of NUMC’s state-of-the-art facilities, where they met our dedicated health care professionals and learned about our comprehensive health care services and specialty clinics.
They took advantage of free health screenings and flu shots, ensuring access to vital care. Guests discovered recent improvements, including extended visitation hours, revamped patient care areas, and a variety of new offerings designed to enhance their experience. Many participated in Narcan training and obtained educational materials to empower themselves and others.
The Open House came just a week after the hospital opened its new Outreach Center — the first of its kind at NUMC. It will run a food pantry, provide assistance for Medicaid enrollment, offer career development initiatives, prescription education, among many other programs and services. The new center will also provide services to those impacted by the criminal justice system, assisting them in making a smooth transition back into society.
NUMC is the only public hospital on Long Island, which means it serves all
NUMC showed off its first Care-a-Van, which will enhance access to care for everyone. In front of the van are
Abraham, Shannon Costello, Dr. Grace Ting, Megan
patients — regardless of their ability to pay.
“I am proud to host our first Open House at (the) Nassau Health Care Corporation, showcasing over 25 services, Narcan trainings, flu shots, health screenings, the debut of our first carea-van,” Megan Ryan, the interim chief executive and president at NUMC said at the event. “We are grateful to the Children’s Music Orchestra for playing tonight — another great event for our community, highlighting our great work and staff.”
-Additional reporting by Steve Sachs
Steve Sachs/Herald
Sarah Pak, Jaynee
Ryan, Saiful Md Islam, Vincent Pinkney, Sasy Salomon and Guillermo Campisi.
The nonprofit Children’s Music Organization performed at the event.
Dr. Micheal Knee, director of pharmacy and NUMC, gave a flu shot to Jan Figueria, a Nassau Health Care Corporation board member.
Danielle Pollaro, director of critical care, Shannon Costello, interim chief nursing officer and Jennifer Rufle, nurse manager for special procedures, were at NUMC’s Open House on Sept. 17.
STEPPING OUT
From the ‘burbs to the
big stage
Rockville Centre native explores roots in new musical
By Iris Wiener
Shaun Taylor-Corbett has enjoyed a unique journey from his upbringing in Rockville Centre to working in New York theater. After becoming a household face with a stint on the hit children’s TV show “Hi-5,” he went on to star in the acclaimed Off-Broadway musical “Altar Boyz” and eventually was part of the original cast of Lin Manuel Miranda’s “In the Heights.”
Working on that Tony-Award winning musical showed him the importance of exploring community through musical theater; it set the stage for his most personal project to date: ”Distant Thunder,” which runs Sept. 25 through Oct. 27 at A.R.T./New York Theatres. Taylor-Corbett not only co-wrote the book and lyrics for the new Off-Broadway musical, he also co-produced and stars in the production, which he credits with helping him learn about his own background. His mother, acclaimed dancer-choreographer and director Lynne Taylor-Corbett, directed and co-wrote.
At age 15, Taylor-Corbett decided he wanted to know more about his family’s background. “It was important to me to know where we came from,” he says.
His roots are Black, Scandinavian, Blackfeet Indigenous, and Irish. Realizing he wanted to know more about his Indigenous side, Taylor-Corbett’s mother proceeded to bring her son to Browning, Mont. There he met Darrell Robes Kipp, an educator and community leader responsible for saving the Blackfeet language.
“He really instilled in me the importance of language for a culture,” says Taylor-Corbett. “It was very impactful for me and it made me want to create a story about my experience being mixed race.”
“Distant Thunder”evolved into a story about a young person who returns to his roots after many years of being away. It goes on to explore the various ways in which he experiences community.
Taylor-Corbett’s first memory as a performer was recording himself singing to Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl.” He moved to Rockville Centre when he was 8-years-old, where he attended South Side Middle School and South Side High School. It was at South Side Middle School that he took on one of his first theatrical roles: Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Looking back he appreciates having had a unique childhood growing up with his father [Columbia Records music executive Michael Corbett] and his mother.
Much of ‘Distant Thunder’ was inspired by Taylor-Corbett’s experience growing up mixed race.
“I didn’t quite know where I fit in, so I was open and friendly with everybody,” he says. “There were some instances where I felt like an outsider and got made fun of, but I think what I got from being mixed and hanging out with people from different cultural identities is that I fell in love with learning about cultures.”
Taylor-Corbett travels frequently and studies international relations.“As one aspect of my identity — being Indigenous — got stronger, I realized I could take all of what I learned and try to do something in the U.S. I wanted to help the people that gave me so much.”
Taylor-Corbett still spends time in Rockville Centre with his mother in his childhood home. One of his favorite aspects of working on “Distant Thunder” has been collaborating with mom.
“I value having time with her and going through this adventure,” he says. “We’ve grown so much together as friends because of this. There’s a deeper meaning, and drive we have together because I was a kid when we started [this journey]. We don’t have that much time with our parents, so holding onto every moment doing this with her is a joy.”
He also appreciates the wealth of experience that Lynne brings to the project; the multi-talented ‘Broadway legend’ is known for her choreography of Broadway’s “Swing!” and the film “Footloose,” as well her direction and writing for “Cougar the Musical,” among other projects.
“I’m learning so much from her,” he says. “She passed on that legacy to me. I see myself growing in confidence because of her.”
Taylor-Corbett is proud that “Distant Thunder” honors the Blackfeet community that he holds close to his heart. He had never seen an Indigenous Broadway or Off-Broadway musical, and imagined how incredible it would be to have a large cast representing the Blackfeet and Indigenous communities performing an Indigenous story through powwow and pop music. Adding it to the American theater canon would break through barriers.
“We wanted to have the show be a portal into another world, into the magic that is Indian country,” he says, as he looks forward to opening night on Oct. 3. “I want people to leave the show uplifted and joyful about the future. I’m hoping that everyone feels represented, that people feel proud of what we’ve done, and that it inspires people who might be on a similar journey as they write their own stories.”
Tickets for ‘Distant Thunder’ can be purchased online at amasmusical.org or by calling (212) 563-2565.
Jessie’s Girl
Take out that neon yet again and give your hair its best ‘80s ‘do. Those crazy days are back — as only Jessie’s Girl can pull off, on the Paramount stage, The band of NYC’s top rock/pop musicians and singers gets everyone into that “Back To The Eighties” vibe with the latest edition of their popular concert experience. With a lineup including four pop-rock vocalists dressing and performing as ‘80s icons, backed by a dynamic band, this is the definitive ‘80s experience. Jessie’s Girl has mastered overthe-top renditions of the some of world’s most unforgettable songs, all while dressed up as the iconic characters of that decade. This is theater meets live music, covered in ‘80s glitz. Some would say there’s no decade like the ‘80. So throw on your best neon, use extra hair spray on that hair and head to Back To The Eighties — because it’s time to party like it’s 1989.
Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m. $45, $37.50, $25. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
Celebrity Autobiography
The Drama Desk Award-winning “Celebrity Autobiography” returns to Tilles Center with an entirely new show. Starring Richard Kind, pictured above (fresh off his comic turn in that Hulu sensation “Only Murders in the Building”), Jackie Hoffman, Craig Bierko, Lillias White, Mario Cantone, and show creators Eugene Pack and Dayle Reyfel, an ever-changing selection of tellalls and memoirs are performed verbatim. Celebrity tell-alls are perfectly entertaining on their own, as exclusive windows into the lives of famous personalities. But this smash-hit comedic masterpiece takes it a step further — as as outrageously true memoirs are acted out live on stage by some of the funniest people around.
Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m. Tickets start at $35. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Tickets available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.
Photo courtesy Michael Lee Stever
The cast rehearses “Distant Thunder” ahead of previews beginning Sept. 25.
Photo courtesy Caroline Grogan Shaun Taylor-Corbett with his co-writer, director and mother, Lynne Taylor Corbett.
Everclear
Everclear, one of the leading alternative rock bands to emerge from the ‘90s, led by vocalistguitarist-founder Art Alexakis, is back on the road, appearing on the Paramount stage, Sunday, oct. 6, 7 p.m. The band is joined by special guests Marcy Playground and Jimmie’s Chicken Shack. The setlist for this tour includes all the hits from throughout Everclear’s extraordinary three decades-long catalog, spotlighting tracks off their album “Songs From An American Movie Vol. One,” which they’ll release on vinyl later this year for the first time via Intervention Records.
Since forming in 1992, Everclear has enjoyed a lengthy career by any measure, spanning 11 studio releases, including four that have been certified Gold or Platinum, selling over 6 million records, and achieving 12 Top 40 Hit Singles on Mainstream Rock, Alternative, and Adult Top 40 radio, including “Santa Monica,” “Father of Mine,” “I Will Buy You A New Life,” “Wonderful” and “Everything To Everyone,” as well as numerous videos, concerts, and various other accolades, including a 1998 Grammy nomination. The band’s 1993 debut album “World Of Noise,” released on the Portland independent label Tim/Kerr Records, paired with their significant efforts to break into college radio and the buzz they’d created within the Portland music scene, attracted the attention of major labels, including Capitol Records, which signed the group soon after. Beginning with their major-label debut, 1995’s platinum-selling album “Sparkle and Fade,” and its massive chart-topping hit “Santa Monica,” Everclear was soon a household name and catapulted into the masses. Alexakis was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2019; he’s since donated $1 from every ticket purchased from his performances to charities such as Sweet Relief Musicians Fund and National MS Society. In addition their numerous concerts over the band’s lengthy career, Alexakis created and runs the annual Summerland Tour, which features a package of popular ‘90s alt rock bands. $70.50, $50.50, $050, $25.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.
Oct. 9
Hempstead House tour
Sands Point Preserve is the backdrop to explore the elegant Gold Coast home that’s the centerpiece of the estate, Wednesday, oct. 9, noon-1 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.
Alzheimer’s walk in the Park
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America hosts its annual Walk in the Park fundraiser, at Eisenhower Park, Thursday, Sept. 28. The walk kicks off with an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. at the park’s Field 6. Those who raise $100 or more will have an opportunity to meet retired baseball player Dwight Gooden, who’s joining the walk’s efforts as an ambassador. For more information, visit ALZFdn.org/ walk.
Spooky Fest is back
A Halloween experience not to be missed, Spooky Fest is an outdoor adventure perfect for families, whether you want to be scared — or prefer seasonal fun of the non-scary kind. Join in the fun at the Center for Science, Teaching and Learning, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout October. Along the way in the updated and beautifully lit up Enchanted Walk you will see dinosaurs, aliens and friendly witches, costumed characters and more, including the Mystical Garden. Get your fortune told, make a craft and dance with the Halloween DJ, along with face painting and the Amazing Glow tent. For those who want a scare, venture into the Haunted Woods, where zombies and dinosaurs hang out. Admission starts at $22. 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre. Visit CSTL.org for call (516) 7640045 for more information.
Fascinating Fungi
Bring the kids to make some discoveries about mushrooms at Long Island Children’s Museum’s drop-in program, Sunday, Sept. 29, 1-3 p.m. Did you know that some mushrooms can glow in the dark? Learn about the 113 species of mushroom that are considered bioluminescent, due to a chemical reaction that attracts bugs to help spread mushroom spores. Stop by to learn about these amazing fungi and make a glowing mushroom craft to bring home. Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 2245800 or LICM.org.
Uniondale Fire Department 100th Anniversary
Uniondale Fire Department celebrates its 100th anniversary with a parade and block party, Saturday, Sept. 28. There will be food, vendors, a carnival, and entertainment. Parade starts at 5 p.m. from Park Ave. and Uniondale Ave. to Van Ness Fire Station. 154 Uniondale Ave. Ceremony and block party to follow, with entertainment starting at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call (516) 481-8808.
Sept. 28
In the Bag
Long Island Children’s Museum celebrates is Worldwide Day of Play in a special way Kids can decorate their own goodie bag that they can then fill with different toys and items to play at home on Saturday, Sept. 28, noon-2 p.m. This is a drop-in program that is free with admission to the museum. Long Island Children’s Museum, Charles Lindbergh Boulevard. To learn more or to purchase tickets in advance, visit LICM. org.
In concert
Spend your Sunday at Eisenhower Park’s Lakeside Theatre celebrating Latino American Night, Sunday, Sept. 29. Lakeside Theatre, Eisenhower Park, Parking Field 6, East Meadow. No fee. For more information, call (516) 572-0200 or visit NassauCountyNY.gov.
Having an event?
Art explorations
Converse, collaborate and create at Family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art. The drop-in program returns for a new season, Saturday, Sept. 21, 9, noon-3 p.m. Get inspired by the art and objects in the galleries and then join educators at the Manes Center to explore and discover different materials to create your own original artwork.
Kids and their adult partners connect while talking about and making art together. A new project is featured every week. $20 adult, $10 child. Registration required. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit NassauMuseum.org for more information and to register or call (516) 484-9337.
Items on The Scene page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.
On exhibit
Nassau County Museum of Art ‘s latest exhibition
“Seeing Red: Renoir to Warhol,” reveals the many meanings, connotations, and associations of this powerful color in art. Evoking strong emotion, red can represent the human condition. Its myriad variations have come to signify authority as well as love, energy and beauty. Red warns us of peril and commands us to stop, but it can also indicate purity and good fortune. Red boldly represents political movements and religious identities. From the advent of our appreciation for this color in antiquity to its continued prominence in artistic and popular culture, this exhibition spans various world cultures through a range of media.
It features more than 70 artists, both established and emerging, ranging from the classical to the contemporary. American portraitists such as Gilbert Stuart imbued red in their stately paintings of prominent individuals to conjure authority. Robert Motherwell, Ad Reinhardt, and other major abstract painters displayed a deep fascination with red in their commanding compositions that evoke a sense of chromatic power. And, of course, Andy Warhol is known for his bold and imposing silkscreened portrait of Vladimir Lenin saturated in bright red to his signature Campbell’s Soup Cans. On view through Jan. 5. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum.org.
On stage
Adelphi University’s Theatre Department present two one-act plays from icons of the American Little Theater movement, of the early 20th century, now through Sunday, Sept. 29. See “Suppressed Desires” by Susan Glaspell and “George Cram Cook and Seaweed” by Alice Gerstenberg, Sept. 26-27, 7:30 p.m.; Sept. 28, 2 and 7:30 p.m. (livestream available); Sept. 29, 2 p.m. Gerstenberg’s Seaweed explores the future prospects and dating escapades of 20somethings in the 1920s. It’s “Sex and the City” but only four years after women received the right to vote. Suppressed Desires brings the audience into a 1914 marriage where a husband, wife, and her sister interrogate the psychological meaning of every conscious and unconscious utterance. All shows take place in Adelphi’s Performing Art Center’s Black Box Theatre. $25, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees. 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.
Mets’ Alvarez gives kids tips to remember
By ANTHONY DiCOCCO
Special to the Herald
The energy was palpable as soon as the children began their infield and hitting drills, because in just moments, they would get the chance to learn from one of baseball’s rising stars.
Despite being in the thick of an intense playoff race, New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez volunteered 90 minutes of his time to coach dozens of lucky kids, ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade, at a free baseball clinic at the Lou Anthony Sports Complex in Massapequa on Sept. 5.
“This is awesome,” Rich Lopos, president of the Nassau County Police Activity League said. “This was something (Alvarez) called us about. He said, ‘I just want to come down and hang out with the kids for a little while,’ and these kids are loving it.”
Over the course of the clinic, kids decked out in Mets apparel rotated between stations that focused on the fundamentals of baseball, such as throwing, catching popups, running and infield work, before finally getting some hitting tips from Alvarez himself during tee drills. Following the clinic and a group photo, participants had the opportunity to pose for individual pictures with Alvarez and get his autograph.
As a young pro player who’s still learning what it takes to be a major leaguer, Alvarez said that the kids on the field were also teaching him valuable lessons.
“This definitely helps me relax,” he said. “I’m happier. I can see the kids smile, I see the kids’ emotion and I can see how hard they work here. It gives me a little more energy.”
The event was part of a stacked lineup of athlete-run clinics that has been made possible through a partnership between PAL and Pioneer Sports Long Island. Over the past year, Pioneer Sports, now its 14th year, has held clinics that featured former Rangers goalie Mike Richter, Jets tight end Jeremy Ruckert, Mets third baseman Brett Baty and closer Edwin Diaz, and Yankees starting pitchers Nestor Cortes and Clarke Schmidt.
Tom Falcone, a co-founder of Pioneer Sports, helps facilitate all of the clinics.
Aiden’s brother, Austin, 8, said some
“This was really cool,” Brooklyn native Aiden Rodriguez, 11, said after the clinic run by the player he described as his idol. “I go to Mets games and meet a lot of players, and Alvarez is one of my favorite catchers in MLB. He made me want to be a catcher.”
of the key lessons Alvarez taught were to keep your eye on the ball and the ball on the barrel of your bat. And he taught the kids about the mental side of the game, as well. Throughout the clinic, he stressed the importance of putting all their mental energy into baseball and to always have fun while doing it.
“These kids are having a lifetime experience, and for me it’s a lifetime experience, too,” Falcone said. “Just to be able to have these guys come out here to the facility and give back to the community, we’re honored to do this.”
Anthony DiCocco is a reporter for the SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.
Courtesy Anthony DiCocco Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez gave hitting pointers to the kids who attended the free baseball clinic at the Lou Anthony Sports Complex in Massapequa.
Public Notices
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU
U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVDLA CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR LEGACY MORTGAGE ASSET TRUST 2021-GS1, Plaintiff, Against
MARIE RAPHAEL, EDELINE L. SAUNDERS, ET AL., Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 02/05/2024, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the North Side steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court located at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, N.Y. 11501 on 10/17/2024 at 3:30PM, premises known as 1076 Northgate Court Square, Uniondale, New York 11553, And Described As Follows:
ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Uniondale (Unincorporated Area), In The Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York. Section 55 Block 532 Lot 24 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $601,359.45 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 616200/2022
Samantha L. Segal, Esq., Referee. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, the then Court Appointed Referee will cancel the Foreclosure Auction. This Auction will be held rain or shine.
SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570
Dated: 8/21/24 File Number: 38281 SH 148900
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR THE RMAC TRUST, SERIES 2016-CTT, Plaintiff, vs. THE UNKNOWN HEIRSAT-LAW, NEXT-OF-KIN, DISTRIBUTEES, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, TRUSTEES, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST, AND GENERALLY ALL PERSONS HAVING OR CLAIMING, UNDER, BY OR THROUGH THE DECEDENT BERNICE E. LOCKETT, ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to an Order Discharging Guardian Ad Litem, Confirming Referee’s Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on July 31, 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 October 16, 2024 at 2:30 p.m., premises known as 3 McClellen Place a/k/a 3 McClellan Place, Roosevelt, NY 11575. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 55, Block L and Lots 22-26. Approximate amount of judgment is $539,650.59 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #605447/2021. Cash will not be accepted.
John Fellin, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 148891
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Citibank N.A., Plaintiff AGAINST Cheryl A. Glenn, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 22, 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 October 16, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 781 Union Drive, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, at Uniondale, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION: 50, BLOCK: 370, LOT: 23. Approximate amount of judgment $356,173.08 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #609626/2019. 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”. Jane Shrenkel, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-091851-F00 82350 148854
LEGAL NOTICE
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
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 October 22, 2024 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
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. 149052
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU DITECH FINANCIAL LLC, -againstFREDERICK T. GLENN, 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 June 27, 2023, wherein DITECH FINANCIAL LLC is the Plaintiff and FREDERICK T. GLENN, 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 October 22, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 730 HEMPSTEAD BOULEVARD, UNIONDALE, NY 11553; and the following tax map identification: 50-135-252, 253 & 254. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU, STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 602891/2019. Jane P. Shrenkel, 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. 149054
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU The Bank of New York Mellon FKA The Bank of New York as Trustee for the Certificateholders of the CWABS, Inc., AssetBacked Certificates, Series 2005-2, Plaintiff AGAINST Maria Messias, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered March 4, 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 October 22, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 725 Newton Avenue, Uniondale, NY 11553. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected,
situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 50, Block: 125, Lot: 48. Approximate amount of judgment $426,994.50 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #604195/2019. 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. Ron Ferraro, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-090124-F00 82429 148982
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff against DASWELL ANDERSON A/K/A DASWELL S. ANDERSON, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Fein Such & Crane, LLP, 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800, Rochester, NY 14614.
Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered March 18, 2024, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme
Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on October 24, 2024 at 3:00 PM. Premises known as 227 Warren Street, Uniondale, NY 11553. Sec 44 Block 38 Lot 100. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in Uniondale, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $640,112.60 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 604137/2020. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”
Richard L. Farley, Esq., Referee File # YCHNY333 149024
LEGAL NOTICE CASE NO.21527
RESOLUTION NO. 973-2024
Adopted: September 17, 2024 Councilmember Miller offered the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING AND SETTING ASIDE CERTAIN PARKING SPACES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES FOR THE SOLE USE OF HOLDERS OF SPECIAL PARKING PERMITS ISSUED BY THE COUNTY OF NASSAU TO PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED PERSONS.
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 969-2024, adopted September 4, 2024, a public hearing was duly held on the 17th day of September, 2024, at the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the proposed establishment and setting aside of a certain parking
space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons, in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, all as set forth in said resolution; and WHEREAS, after due consideration, this Town Board finds it to be in the public interest to establish and set aside a certain parking space for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that in accordance with Section 202-48 of the Code of the Town of Hempstead, the following parking spaces be and the same hereby is set aside for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons:
(NR) ATLANTIC BEACH
CLAYTON AVENUE - east side, starting at a point 72 feet south of the south curbline of Beech Street, south for a distance of 18 feet.
(TH-369/24)
ELMONT
CROYDON DRIVE - south side, starting at a point 20 feet east of a point opposite the east curbline of Abbey Court, east for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-373/24)
116th STREET - south side, starting at a point 195 feet west of the west curbline of 240th Street, west for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-374/24)
BEDFORD AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 168 feet east of the east curbline of Covert Avenue, east for a distance of 18 feet.
(TH-361/24)
EVANS AVENUE - west side, starting at a point 113 feet north of the north curbline of Union Avenue, north for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-360/24)
FRANKLIN SQUARE
JAMES STREET - east side, starting at a point 200 feet north of the north curbline of Benris Avenue, north for a distance of 15 feet.
(TH-396/24)
UNIONDALE
PARK AVENUE - south side, starting at a point 377 feet west of the west curbline of Cornwell Avenue, west for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-395/24)
PEMBROKE STREETnorth side, starting at a point 413 feet east of the east curbline of Arcadia Avenue, east for A distance of 20 feet.
(TH-391/24)
CAMPUS STREET - east side, starting at a point 142 feet north of the north curbline of Northern Parkway, north for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-366/24)
LOCUST AVENUE - east side, starting at a point 40 feet north of the north curbline of Oakley Street, north for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-349/24)
GREENGROVE AVENUEeast side, starting at a point 132 feet north of the north curbline of Hempstead Boulevard, north for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-372/24)
WEST HEMPSTEAD
OAK STREET - south side, starting at a point 207 feet east of the east curbline of Morton Avenue, east for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-324/24) ; and, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk shall enter this resolution in the minutes of the Town Board and shall publish a copy of this resolution once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the Town of Hempstead, and shall post a copy hereof on the signboard maintained by her, and file in her office affidavits of such publication and posting.
The foregoing resolution was seconded by Councilmembe Muscarella and adopted upon roll call as follows: AYES: SEVEN (7) NOES: NONE (0) 149131
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If Interested contact Jim at jrotche@liherald.com or 516-569-4000 x211
MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP
Long Island Herald has IMMEDIATE openings for a FULL-TIME & PART-TIME mailroom/warehouse helper in Garden City. We are a busy print shop looking for motivated and reliable individuals to assist in various duties in the shop. Forklift experience is a plus and heavy lifting is required. Hours vary, so flexibility is key. Salary Ranges fromo $16 per hour to $20 per hour. Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com
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Charming Tudor/Colonial
‘We did everything right, or so we thought’
Q. We are trying to understand why we did everything right, or so we thought, and now have to start over with getting a permit and inspections so we can move on. First, we thought the whole construction process was over a year ago, but now find that we got an ultimatum, in the form of a notice that we will get a summons to appear in court if we don’t respond, and the inspector said that the plans we have are no longer good. We read your column about this and it created even more questions, like: What if we just drop it and don’t respond, and why do we have to make new plans? We did make some changes, but isn’t that normal? We wanted to get it right, and the changes were hardly noticeable to anyone else. What do you think we should do?
A.Do something, as opposed to doing nothing. If you do nothing, you may get the summons to appear in court, and after the appearance, you more likely will receive a judgment in addition to a fine, plus an order to still follow through or receive more fines and judgments.
The timing of all of this is up to your building inspector and your building department as to the amount of time that will pass before any of this happens. I have clients who have done nothing for 20 years, and several who sold their property to unsuspecting buyers who still have to follow through, someday.
The fine may be affordable, but it’s still a fine. The judgment either forces you to comply or appeal. An appeal can cost as much or more in legal and court fees than just complying.
The only cases in which there were serious legal consequences that I have any experiences with both ended badly. Both involved much more serious problems, with building violations of a dangerous condition, and both ended with the building being condemned and bulldozed. Each was seriously structurally deficient and had multiple code violations. While your situation may not be like these, you should consult an attorney about your options, since resisting compliance changes from a building permit to a legal matter.
In most jurisdictions, when you make changes to the house that no longer match the plans, the building department may only ask for a letter from the design professional, as I recently mentioned in an earlier column. That would be a lie if you made so many changes or the changes were significant. I’ve often dealt with situations in which the owner and contractor made changes that moved the load-bearing walls off of the structural load path, and now the second floor is bowing. That type of change is significant, and could lead to irritating cracking that will not go away no matter how many times repairs are made.
Changes without communication are a bad idea. Your officials are trying, indirectly, to confirm safety and code compliance. Good luck!
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INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT? Don't Accept
opInIons
After
all the drama, it’s a dead
heat
It seems as if barely a week goes by in the presidential campaign without one more otherwise once-in-adecade, totally unexpected event occurring.
Almost relegated to the background in all this tumult are the multitude of criminal charges brought against Donald Trump, including 34 felony convictions in one case alone, which have only increased his favorability ratings to their highest level ever.
For starters, there was the Biden-Trump CNN debate fiasco in late June, in which President Biden virtually self-destructed in real time before a nationwide audience. At times incoherent and appearing hopelessly confused, Biden had no sooner left the debate stage than Democratic Party leaders, consultants and media types displayed their own levels of incoherence in expressing their shock and dismay over how poorly Biden had performed and their fear of his impending defeat in November, especially contrasted with Trump’s relatively effective performance. Biden insisted he was going for-
ward, and conducted a media tour to rescue his terminally wounded candidacy.
While all this was taking place, Trump barely escaped death in Butler, Pennsylvania, when an attempted assassin’s bullet missed his skull by an inch, clipping his right ear and resulting in the iconic photo of his bloody defiance. Then there was the Republican Convention in Milwaukee, which, except for an overly long acceptance speech by Trump, worked to perfection. Trump’s path to victory seemed clear.
TThen, out of nowhere on a Sunday afternoon, Biden announced that he would not run for re-election. Though he had won the overwhelming majority of delegates to the impending Democratic National Convention, he couldn’t withstand the coordinated move against him from all sides of the Democratic Party, from the actor George Clooney to party leaders Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries. Almost simultaneously with his withdrawal statement, Biden announced his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. Though her favorability numbers had been lower than Biden’s, she unexpectedly surged into a dead heat with Trump. This was followed by a
Bigotry
With precious weeks to go before the November election, I had hoped that we would be having a real debate about the issues that should dominate in a federal election year. I refer to such things as election integrity, a woman’s right to choose, the economy and other relevant subjects in such a crucial year. But instead, it seems that for some of the candidates, the only issue is race.
When Vice President Kamala Harris became the nominee of the Democratic Party, I understood that her mixed-race history would be a boon to some bigots who considered her selection a chance to vent against all people of color. And with every passing day, we hear about some politician openly venting about her color. The chief culprit has been former President Donald Trump, who seizes every opportunity he can to stoke the culture wars.
carefully choreographed Democratic Convention in Chicago, at which Harris appeared to make headway by repositioning herself as a moderate, not the progressive she had always been.
rump can’t just criticize current policies, and Harris can’t just say she’s not Joe Biden.
Seemingly caught off guard by Harris’s emergence, Trump made a number of unforced errors, including saying he hadn’t known until recently that Harris was black. He was clearly off his game. Polls showed Harris with a slight but growing edge. This was followed by their debate, in which Harris was acknowledged to be the victor.
Yet in another surprise development, the postdebate polls not only showed almost no real gain by Harris, but also found increased voter doubts about her on gut issues like immigration and the economy. It was now a horse race, and both sides were gearing up for the stretch run.
Then again came the unexpected: another assassination attempt against Trump, this time while he was playing the fifth hole of his Mar-a-Lago golf course. For days the media focused on this almost-tragedy. How did the Secret Service allow the would-be assassin to get so close to Trump so soon after the attempt in Butler in July? How much
did incendiary rhetoric contribute to this political violence?
This tumultuous, unprecedented 2024 campaign is now in its final six weeks, and is back where it started in earnest almost a year ago. Despite all that has happened along the way, the polls show the race is too close to call. Hopefully the candidates and voters will use the time between now and Nov. 5 to focus on the issues.
Real people are hurt by high prices for groceries. It’s difficult for young people to obtain a mortgage to buy a home. Crime is real, and repeat offenders are back on the streets. Illegal immigration is rampant, and attacks by criminal gangs are increasing.
Overseas, Israel is fighting for its survival. The Russia-Ukraine war rages unabated, while China continues to expand its military and threaten its neighbors, particularly Taiwan and the Philippines.
Trump must do more than criticize current policies, and detail what measures he would take. Harris must do more than just say that she’s not Joe Biden. And all of us must live up to the responsibilities and challenges of living in a democracy.
Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.
must not dominate this election
One of his first shots in the current hate debate was his questioning of Harris’s race. At one of his campaign rallies, he asked if she really was Black. Eventually, when Trump found that this diatribe wasn’t catching on with his voters, he moved on to other highly sensitive racial areas.
T
Keep in mind that he has often played the race card. One of his most memorable racist comments concerned the 2017 white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Despite his continuous denials, there were multiple press stories that quoted him as saying there were “very fine people, on both sides.”
Their most recent target was the Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. It’s a fact that various groups that cross the border often seek to settle in places that other immigrants have chosen as their home.
he governor of Ohio and the mayor of Springfield have denied vile claims.
In order to keep the racial flames burning, both Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, have made immigration the focal point of their campaign. There is no doubt that the border issue has legitimacy, but the TrumpVance approach is to stoke the racial fires with claims that mental patients and convicts are invading the country. Neither man has come up with any proof that these claims are legitimate.
The Haitians in Springfield are in this country as part of a program that allows immigrants to seek asylum based on violence in their countries. That program was created by President Ronald Reagan, and has been honored by all subsequent presidents, with the exception of Trump. This same program allows in residents of Ukraine and Venezuela, whose countries are experiencing great turmoil. Trump and Vance continue to spread the lie that members of Springfield’s Haitian community are stealing people’s pets and eating them. Their claims have caused massive angst in that city, where schools and municipal activities have shut down. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, the mayor of Springfield and other city officials have vehemently denied that such activities have taken place, but the Trump-Vance meanness continues unabated. There is no doubt that Spring-
field is dealing with an influx of Haitians who are trying to find work there, but the false rumors continue.
Adding to the venom were remarks Vance made on the Sunday talk shows on Sept. 15. He was challenged for continuing to assert the false pet-eating claims. “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do,” he told Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
The latest attempt to assassinate Trump should have resulted in his toning down the incendiary talk coming from him and his campaign team. But after a soft comment expressing his appreciation for the public’s support, he claimed that the Democrats were responsible for the assassination attempts “with their ugly rhetoric about me.” That kind of response can only bring about more toxic threats at a time when calm should be the byword.
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.
HERALD
OHeraLd editoriaL
Deadly Wild West in our backyard
ne year ago, the Herald published the editorial below, about a spate of reckless driving on the Southern State Parkway. Unfortunately, in light of the devastating news that a number of Long Island teens have lost their lives in several recent crashes, we are once again somberly reminded that reckless drivers put at risk not only their own lives, but also the lives of others. We recommend that local municipalities and law enforcement agencies schedule town halls to discuss how best to stem the tide of reckless driving on Long Island — from speeding to texting, and everything in between, whether on a parkway or a local street. In the meantime, we reprint our editorial from the Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2023, issue.
Drive a mere exit or two on any of Long Island’s main thoroughfares and you are sure to see at least one roadside shrine remembering the victim of a fatal car crash.
These memorials — already too commonplace — will only become more ubiquitous if nothing is done to stem the rising tide of dangerous drivers on these roads. In fact, just last week, sadly, Peninsula Boulevard was the site of two
Letters
The utilities thrive on environment-damaging fossil fuels
To the Editor:
As the country and the rest of the world have experienced another year of scorching heat waves, private, for-profit utility companies — which we rely on for our basic necessities, like heating, cooling and electricity — are keeping us reliant on climate-wrecking fossil fuels while reporting record profits. When they work well, utilities exist in the background of our lives: They power our homes, cool us down when it’s hot, and give us heat when it’s cold. But too often they are sources of aggravation: The power goes off when it’s dangerously hot or cold out, our bills skyrocket, and these for-profit companies threaten to shut off services when we’re unable to pay.
We know that climate change raises those stakes even higher, and utility companies themselves play a massive role in exacerbating the climate crisis: 80 percent of the electric utilities in the U.S. run on fossil fuels.
Shifting utilities to clean energy is integral to working toward a safer climate, but these companies would rather maintain the status quo and keep the public in the dark.
separate fatal accidents. On the same day.
We have all seen the tricked-out cars and motorcycles that zig and zag through traffic — exceeding the speed limit in spades — with no concern about repercussions from law enforcement or consequences for the lives of others.
That sickening feeling you get when your heart skips a beat, and you thank heaven to be alive, because yet another vehicle comes out of nowhere at 100 mph to cut you off, and then does the same thing to the next car? And the next? Too many of us Long Islanders know this feeling all too well.
Reckless (and noisy) drivers — threatening both public safety and community tranquility — are operating with impunity. And they know it.
Their cars are hard to miss, with their illegally modified mufflers that can be heard miles away at all hours of the day and night. Illegal license plate covers and fake temporary tags protect their callous disregard for law and order by making it impossible for anyone to identify them, including law enforcement tools like speed cameras. And their friends are now sometimes even setting up lawn chairs on the side of the high-
way to watch cars race in broad daylight — missing the irony that a crash victim’s memorial is often just over their shoulders.
More than 75 people lost their lives, and another 13,000 were injured, in nearly 37,000 traffic accidents in Nassau County last year. Those are unacceptable numbers.
It’s difficult to find law enforcement on these central thruways, especially on the Southern State Parkway — one of Nassau County’s deadliest roads — between the Cross Island Parkway and Heckscher State Park.
We need more, not less, patrolling of our roads. We need more, not less, enforcement of sensible laws already on the books. We need more, not less, coordination between state and local law enforcement. And we need more stringent laws and harsher penalties coming out of Albany so that we can make these reckless drivers as scared to continue these dangerous activities as we are to witness them.
We implore all jurisdictions to work together to rein in the scourge of irresponsible, dangerous and selfish drivers. Because even one more roadside shrine is one too many. They are charging us more while they get paid off by the fossil fuel industry to block the
our money to burn our future while individuals and families struggle. We deserve an energy system that allows everyone to have access to clean and affordable energy.
LISA KONRAD Rockville Centre
We badly need congestion pricing
Ibelieve congestion pricing is an absolute necessity, for several reasons. First of all, traffic in the metropolitan area is an absolute nightmare. You can’t get into New York City in a reasonable amount of time unless you leave at 5 a.m. or after 9 p.m. most days from any direction — Long Island, Westchester, Connecticut or New Jersey.
Once you get to manhattan, traffic is so bad that you can walk faster than you can drive. I know, because I work on the Upper East Side and often walk to appointments and meetings. It’s faster than waiting endlessly in a taxi or Uber.
The rafts of Citi Bikes, bike lanes, bus-only lanes and outdoor restaurants built during and after the coronavirus pandemic make manhattan more intolerable for driving than ever before. According to a TomTom report, New York tops the list of cities with the worst traffic in America. The average commuter spent just under 25 minutes driving about six miles in 2023.
Secondly, our mass transit system has been allowed to deteriorate over the decades, because politicians have always kicked the can down the road. The Second Avenue subway was originally proposed over 100 years ago. Today, three stations have been built, and the extension to Harlem has been put off, because congestion pricing, which was supposed to help pay for it, has been halted.
IThe 7 Subway line was to have had a stop in Hell’s Kitchen, the “10th Avenue station,” to alleviate passenger congestion on the West Side and serve the growing neighborhood, but that, too, was killed for lack of funds and political will.
regional train service and rehabilitating the century-old subway system. The more comfortable and convenient the train system, the more people will use it, and the more drivers will opt out of the maddening rush to get to the city.
f only we could come up with a way to charge people based on their net worth.
much of the current subway system is antiquated, some of it was damaged by saltwater intrusion during Superstorm Sandy, and the signal system is a hazard unto itself, slowing the system down and causing accidents.
So how do we resolve our urban traffic nightmare? There is no doubt that rail lines into manhattan should be the No. 1 priority. They move the most people at the fastest speeds into and out of the city. Congestion pricing would be of enormous benefit in funding better
Letters
Does the proposed Equal Rights Amendment go too far?
To the Editor:
After reading Sasha Ahuja’s letter (“Curran’s wrong about the ‘war on women,’” Sept. 5-11), in support of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment, which will be on New York ballots in November, I decided to ask Google to tell me exactly what the proposed constitutional amendment says. This is what I learned:
“No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws of this state or any subdivision thereof. No person shall, because of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed, or religion, or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy, be subjected to any discrimination in their civil rights by any other person or by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any agency or subdivision of the state pursuant to law.”
I’m wondering if the amendment might go too far or be too broad in its scope. Adding anything to the Consti-
tution is a very big deal, since changing our minds after the fact may be very difficult in practice. Voters need to understand the complexities before casting a vote.
Personally, I’d have no issue with the amendment if it granted equal rights and equal protection to everyone regardless of “race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, creed, or religion, or sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression” — but it doesn’t stop there. The final clause gives women an unlimited right to abortion on demand, regardless of the stage of gestation.
While many argued for or against the removal of “reproductive freedom” as guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, most would agree that abortion has been a hotly debated topic. As such, I do not feel it should be part of a bigger amendment like Prop 1. Instead, let’s get Prop 1 passed without its final clause, and then allow ample discussion time before trying to get a separate amendment passed that deals exclusively with whether a woman’s “right to privacy” trumps the right to life of the unborn, and if so, when?
PAm SINGER Malverne
Now, there are valid reasons why congestion pricing is unfair. If I’m a millionaire, I don’t care about paying $15 to drive below 60th Street, but if I make $50,000 a year, it’s putting a huge dent in my wallet. Box trucks or moving vans would pay $24, large trucks $36, which would make goods and services cost more for New Yorkers.
It’s unfortunate that we can’t devise a methodology that could charge people based on their net worth. If a license tag could be connected to an IRS filing, we could charge wealthy people a different rate than those of more modest means.
Beyond a system like that, we must resurrect the congestion pricing program to start to reduce traffic into manhattan, and use those funds to upgrade mTA trains, subways and buses. If we do nothing, we will have wasted $500 million installing the apparatus to track vehicular traffic into the city, while
doing nothing to reduce traffic and pollution and build a city for the future. It is also unconscionable that fare evasion cost the mTA an estimated $690 million in 2022, including $315 million from buses and $285 million from subways — 10 percent of the mTA’s annual budget.
And beyond the dollars and cents, New York City now ranks as one of the most ozone-polluted cities in the world thanks to the millions of cars, trucks and buses in stop-and-go gridlock traffic, with drivers endlessly circling for parking spaces and taxis, Ubers and Lyfts driving nonstop, looking for their next fare.
So how to move the massive number of people in the metropolitan area from destination to destination? make the best use of the advanced train system that enlightened people built 120 years ago, and that provided 2 billion rides in 2023, on over hundreds of miles of track, picking up and dropping off people at 472 stations. But you can’t build out and upgrade the system without money, and congestion pricing is the ticket.
Jim Paymar is a veteran New York television anchor and reporter who has worked at CNBC, WNBC and WABC. He anchors a podcast, “The Big Shift with Jim Paymar.”
Framework courtesy Peter Moran
Soaking in the Secret Lagoon hot springs — Fludir, Iceland
JIm paYmar
