Valley Stream Herald 10-31-2024

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24’s barbecued chicken may have been contaminated with listeria, and there has been a nationwide recall of some meat and poultry products, but no students have reported illnesses.

Did listeria find its way into V.S. District 24 lunchrooms?

By JUAN LASSO jlasso@liherald.com

The barbecued chicken option served at Valley Stream District 24 cafeterias on Sept. 24 may have contained listeria, a common and potentially fatal foodborne pathogen. The first warning came straight from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Oct. 9, announcing a nationwide recall of BrucePac ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.

The district’s barbecued chicken meals represented a drop in the vast ocean of tainted products — totaling 12 million pounds — pulled from grocery stores, wholesale clubs, restaurants, and schools in over a dozen states.

But it wasn’t until two days after the recall that Whitsons Culinary Group, the district’s food vendor, informed Superintendent Unal Karakas about contamination in their packaged barbecued chicken meals. That same day, Karakas gave the unnerving notice to parents. In his letter, he assured them that the district’s cafeterias had discontinued serving the meal and purged any remains from its storage rooms.

“We have received no reports of illness within our district,” Karakas said in a statement. “Whitsons has assured us that, at this time, there have been no reports of adverse

Continued on page 24

UBS Arena hosts $180,000 charity game

By NICOLE WAGNER nwagner@liherald.com

Sports can provide lifechanging opportunities for young athletes, opening doors for them that may otherwise be closed. The 43 Oak Foundation, a charity that helps develop underprivileged and minority youth through hockey, hosted its third annual 3 Keys Cup charity hockey tournament at Elmont’s UBS Arena last week to help support the organization’s mission.

$171,000 for last year’s tournament. The 3 Keys Cup tournament is now the largest source of fundraising revenue for the organization.

Consistency in hosting hockey clinics for local youth is something Toskos believes makes UBS and the Islanders’ partnership with 43 Oak Foundation work best.

T oday is a real testament to taking action.

SEAN GREVy Founder, 43 Oak Foundation

The tournament, on Oct. 24, raised more than $180,000 thanks to nine financial institutions that took part — UBS, BlackRock, PIMCO, JP Morgan Asset Management, Franklin Templeton, MFS Investments, and a joint team comprising Lord Abbett, PGIM and First Eagle.

“They were all excited to be asked back and play the tournament,” Greg Toskos, UBS’s head of national sales, said of the eight teams, put together by the financial institutions, which helped raise roughly

As head coach of the hockey team at Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey, his alma mater, often finds himself rinkside. Whether he’s coaching, cheering on his kids or helping out with clinics, he said, athletes from other teams have recognized him from 43 Oak Foundation clinics no matter the location.

“That becomes more personal,” Toskos said. “So it’s special and it’s great that we’re raising money for the foundation. But it becomes even more of a personal touch when kids recognize some of the things that we’re doing in order to play at some of the facilities that we’re

Continued on page 4

Metro Creative

NUMC unveils new mammography van

By JORDAN VALLONE

jvallone@liherald.com

Nassau University Medical Center recently unveiled the design for a new, state-of-the-art mobile van that would screen for breast cancer — dubbed the “MammoVan” — in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The advanced mobile mammography unit will be hitting the road next May, providing life-saving early detection services to thousands of women across Nassau County while ensuring accessible healthcare for underserved communities.

“Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among females in New York state,” Meg Ryan, NUMC’s interim chief executive and president, said.

Ryan added that 16,700 females are diagnosed with breast cancer in New York annually, and Nassau County has a breast cancer rate that’s 10 percent higher than the rest of New York.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and joining Ryan at the Oct. 23 unveiling were Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, more than 100 hospital employees and the medical center’s board members.

NUMC offers women’s health care clinics with extended hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and weekend clinics, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturdays. More than 13,000 women have visited the clinics so far this year, and more than 20,000 are expected to use these services by the end of 2024.

“Early detection is vital,” Ryan said. “Here at NUMC, we perform 6,500 mammograms annually, both on site here and in the van. Our breast imaging clinic, our oncology center, our women’s health and our radiology services are vital to our community.”

NUMC’s mobile mammography van has been in use since 2002, and the new van will greatly increase the standard of care being offered to patients, Ryan said.

“It’s going to be the best of the best in our van,” she said. “We’re getting new technology — the gold standard of technology. Right now, the van goes out twice a

The hospital is now the proud home of a ‘wig room,’ made possible by the nonprofit Hair We Share, which provides human hair wigs, free of charge, to people struggling with medical hair loss.

week, and now this new van that’s going to be delivered here in May, it’s going to be going out into communities five to six days a week.

“We’re going to see an increase annually of 40 percent more patients,” Ryan added. “That’s 40 percent more people that we can get in the van, diagnose and treat early. So that’s very important for our community.”

NUMC will hold its first-ever Pink Gala at The Lannin in Eisenhower Park on Nov. 14, starting at 6 p.m. The new van will cost around $1 million, and while the hospital has some of the funding for it already, all proceeds from the gala will contribute to its purchase.

Blakeman, whose sister is a breast cancer survivor, said he was delighted to join the hospital for the unveiling.

“I also want to express my gratitude to the doctors, nurses and staff for the incredible work you do in keep-

ing Nassau residents healthy,” he said. “Early detection is critical — getting mammograms and screenings can make all the difference in health outcomes. This new $1 million van is an incredible investment, and I couldn’t be more excited about what it will mean for our community.”

During the unveiling, Ryan also announced that the hospital has recently partnered with the nonprofit Hair We Share, which provides human hair wigs made from donated hair, free of charge, to people struggling with medical hair loss. Hair We Share, based in Jericho and founded in 2014 by Suzanne Chimera and Dean Riskin, now has a “wig room” inside of NUMC’s oncology suite to help patients dealing with chemotherapy-related hair loss.

Chimera, a wig designer since 1994, said that human hair wigs are completely hand made, and each strand of hair is individually sewn. Wigs can cost upwards of $3,000.

Hair We Share was originally founded to help a young girl dealing with alopecia, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. Her family could not afford the cost of a wig, so Chimera put a post out on social media urging people to donate their hair. In three days, she received more than 42 donations.

“It just killed me a little inside to know the expense that the family is already going through,” Chimera said, “and then to add this expense on top of it.”

The nonprofit has grown steadily since 2014, and it now has a “ponytail-tracking program.” If people donate their hair, and the funds to cover the wig’s manufacturing expense, the donor will received a photo of their hair once its been made into a wig.

To learn more about Hair We Share and how to donate, visit HairWeShare.org.

Ryan said everything NUMC does is for the benefit of the community. The hospital serves all Nassau County residents, regardless of their ability to pay. “We’re trying to be more accessible,” she said, “and we’re really honing in on what our patients need and trying to respond to that.”

For more on the hospital and its women’s health care services, visit NUMC.edu.

Jordan Vallone/Herald photos

Plans for a new, state-of-the-art mobile breast screening van were unveiled last week at Nassau University Medical Center, in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The new van will hit the roads of Nassau County next May.

Howl-O-Ween brings the canine cuteness

In a season of cackling witches and bubbling cauldrons, Valley Stream’s canines also got in on the Halloween spirit in the cutest way on Oct. 27 at the Valley Stream Dog Park. The 13th annual Howl-O-Ween costume contest, hosted by Friends of the Valley Stream Dog Park, welcomed over a dozen dogs dressed in costumes that inspired awe and gasps alike with some owners dressing up to

match. The local nonprofit pet pantry, Paw It Forward, was also there to collect pet food and supply donations. Founder and president Richard Infield said that the couple hundred bucks raised by the event will be split evenly between a local animal shelter and one affected by Hurricane Helene.

–Juan Lasso

‘Little Angel as Wonder Woman’ has some power paws at the 13th annual Howl-OWeen costume contest Oct. 27

Marilyn Ordonez with ‘Oakley as Puppy Potter’ put a spell on the judges with his costume.

Jason Thomas/Herald

Over a dozen dogs showcased awe-inspiring costumes, with some owners joining in the fun like owner Tom Antony with his pooch ‘Harley the Cowboy.’

Owners Nico Padden, left, and Dan Vessely with ‘Charle the Little Devil” at the 13th annual Howl-O-Ween costume contest on Oct. 27.

Barbara Bowen shows off her pink-tastic pooch ‘Jaya the Cheerleader’ at the 13th annual Howl-O-Ween costume contest on Oct. 27.

Oak Foundation’s founder, Sean Grevy, and Islanders alumni

43 Oak Foundation offers youth hockey

anywhere near what it is without his leadership.”

Bill Carroll, head of sales and development at UBS, coached Toskos at Don Bosco Prep from 1990 to 1994. It was always evident, Carroll said, that Toskos had an altruistic nature.

“I think he has translated that into giving back through the opportunities that UBS Arena gives him, certainly,” Carroll said. “But 43 Oak would not be

Sean Grevy created the foundation in 2017, after coaching a 14-and-under hockey travel team from 2014 to 2016.

“Our goal . . . is to promote hockey within diverse communities and help underprivileged kids be able to play the sport at a tier-one level so that they can ultimately further their education through the sport of hockey,” Grevy

Contemplations on Death

As estate planning lawyers, we experience the lives — and deaths — of a great many of our clients. Being exposed to death on a regular basis prevents us from “sleepwalking” through life and fosters a keen awareness of our being alive.

“In our Western culture, although death has come out of the closet, it is still not openly experienced or discussed. Allowing dying to be so intensely present enriches both the preciousness of each moment and our detachment from it.”

— Ram Dass

“If we’re not reflecting on the impermanent nature of life, then there are a lot of unimportant things that seem important.”

— Allison Choying Zangmo

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.”

— Steve Jobs

“Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what’s left and live it properly.”

— Marcus Aurelius

”We drift on a chartless, resistless sea. Let us sing while we can, and forget the rest.”

— H. P. Lovecraft

“Death is not waiting for us at the end of a long road. Death is always with us, in the marrow of every passing moment. She is the secret teacher hiding in plain sight, helping us to discover what matters most.”

— Frank Ostaseski

“Never mind. Never mind. In this brief life, one cannot always be counting the cost.”

— Christopher Isherwood

Oddly enough, contemplating death may be one of the most life-affirming experiences one can have.

said.

The foundation’s mission goes beyond the ice: It helps athletes through mentoring, resumé writing classes, leadership training, financial literacy training and more.

The organization grew from Grevy’s helping a handful of kids get to and from hockey practice in the South Bronx, to its work now, helping 170 families across the country participate in the sport.

“Fortunately, this partnership has allowed us years to get better,” Grevy said of the foundation’s relationship with the Islanders and UBS. “And we’re light-years ahead of when I started this.”

He is proud of the growth he has seen in the foundation’s ability to reach young athletes throughout the U.S.

“When I used to run my practices, not only did I know all of the kids, I knew them all incredibly personally,” Grevy said. “Now I go out for these skates, and I love … that I get out there and there are kids that I don’t know. It’s a cool thing to get to a point where you have that many kids in your program.”

All of those kids, he said, have access to vital athletic and educational resources thanks to fundraising events like the 3 Keys Cup.

“When you see all of these people

who came out to support this mission, that was literally a dream for me 10 years ago — I didn’t think anybody was listening,” Grevy said. “And now I’m reminded every day that a lot of people are listening, and a lot of people are taking action. Today is a real testament to taking action.”

To learn more about 43 Oak Foundation, go to 43OakFoundation.org.

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Photos courtesy Thom Freeman

43

Bryan Trottier, Radek Martinek, Dennis Seidenberg, Benoit Hogue, Arron Asham, Darius Kasparatis and Robb Schremp helped out with a hockey clinic for local youth after the third annual 3 Keys Cup hockey tournament fundraiser at UBS Arena on Oct 24.

Greg Toskos, UBS’s head of national sales, took to the ice during the third annual 3 Keys Cup hockey tournament at UBS Arena on Oct. 24.

Gun scare in 13 linked to rise in swatting

By JUAN LASSO jlasso@liherald.com

An otherwise ordinary morning in late September was upended at Willow Road School after staff received a chilling call — a person was outside toting a gun. The school went into immediate lockdown and triggered lockout procedures for the district’s other three schools — Howell Road, James A. Dever, and Wheeler Avenue.

At Willow Road, teachers sealed their doors. Students piped down and stayed out of sight. Nassau County police rushed in, hunting for evidence of the alleged gunman, but it soon became clear to investigators that neither the person nor his weapon could be found inside or outside the school — because he or she did not exist.

Shortly after school returned to normal, Superintendent Judith LaRocca informed parents that the district had likely been a target of swatting — a growing trend of hoax emergency calls intended to provoke a heavily armed police response toward unsuspecting individuals or locations.

The gun scare was likely part of a troubling wave of bogus emergency calls at Nassau County schools that has vexed police and shaken entire communities around it. That same day, the police department’s alert system confirmed responses to “multiple shooting threats,” all later deemed false.

Police swamped by swatting calls

All told, from August 1 to early October, the department received 114 unfounded school threats, according to Nassau County Police Department spokesperson Scott Skrynecki.

“This is a significant increase from last year,” he said, but did not disclose last year’s total. People may be tempted to view swatting on the same level as a cruel prank, noted Lauren Shapiro, an associate professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

But “it’s a serious crime,” she said. “And it can have this domino effect of harm where it can, in the case of schools, upset parents, children, and faculty, police can shut down the neighborhood, block off traffic, and nearby businesses can lose revenue.”

Top county police officials warn these phony situations orchestrated by swatters are competing for the police’s resources, time, and attention with genuine emergencies.

“Police officers, medics, emergency services officers, and bureau of special operations officers all must respond to these threats,” said Skyrnecki. “And that makes them temporarily unavailable to respond to legitimate calls for service.”

When presented with a call that falsely claims the lives of students and staff are in jeopardy, police can’t help but respond even if it means being roped into an illegally dangerous game. There is simply no time to distinguish the false from the real.

“We respond to all school threats assuming they are real,” said Skyrnecki.

A fake gun threat at Valley Stream schools, part of a growing trend of “swatting” hoaxes, triggered a lockdown on

“We cannot take the risk that we become complacent and fail to respond to an actual emergency.”

How swatters hide behind tech

There is also another major obstacle, noted Shapiro: “Very few of these swatting calls actually result in finding who these perpetrators are and who might be doing it multiple times.”

With some forethought and ingenuity, swatters can exploit any number of cyber technologies — a Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP, a virtual private network or VPN, or AI voice technology — to mask their identity and erase their digital footprint from police.

Tony Sabaj, an executive at Check Point, an international cyber security provider, says with “the rise of voice and texting apps” it has never been easier for individuals to anonymously play these dangerous tricks on police.

Using these apps requires only a basic account setup with an untraceable email, he explained, and by adding a VPN—a service that hides the user’s location and IP address—the caller becomes nearly impossible to track.

“There are also services out there in the dark web that will do swatting for you for a very low fee,” said Sabaj.

Whether it’s a VPN or some more nefarious provider, “it’s easy for digital users to use these services without a lot of money or having a whole lot of technical background themselves.”

And even when police identify possible swatting culprits, their ability to investigate or make arrests is often severely restricted, according to Shapiro.

“Detectives, for example, could request the usage and connection logs from whatever VPN company is being used by these swatters which will require them to issue a warrant,” said Shapiro. “But the problem is not all virtual private networks keep track of activities that are used by their users, so that makes it even more difficult.”

No federal law to fight swatting

To stand a fighting chance against swatting, Shapiro points to the longstanding struggle to make “swatting” a specific crime under federal law.

“If you don’t have a particular law, you are not keeping track of how often swatting occurs or prosecuting cases under a swatting law as you would for rape,” said Shapiro. While the FBI created a national database to track swatting,

it’s up to individual departments to file that information. There is also a glaring lack of funding to train 9-1-1 operators to distinguish fake from real emergency calls, cyber security infrastructure for law enforcement, and support for those affected.

“We don’t have funds for the victims, even though people who are swatted are innocent and that’s traumatic,” she said.

Tim Baker/Herald

Sept. 24.

MYLES MUNRO

Seaford Senior Cross-country

MUNRO PLACED FIFTH in the Nassau County cross-country championships last fall and will look to top that performance at Bethpage State Park Nov. 2. He went on to earn All-State honors in 2023 as a Top 20 finisher in the state and posted a best 5k time of 15-minutes, 43-seconds. He’s three-time All-County in cross-country and as a junior competed in the state track and field championships in the 3200 and 1600 meter events.

GAMES TO WATCH

Friday, Nov. 1

Football: Manhasset at Kennedy 2 p.m.

Football: Oceanside at Port Washington 5:30 p.m.

Football: Division at Hewlett 6 p.m.

Football: West Hempstead at East Rockaway 6:30 p.m.

Football: Locust Valley at Plainedge 6:30 p.m.

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

Football: Lynbrook at Bethpage 7 p.m.

Football: V.S. South at Malverne 7 p.m.

Football: Wantagh at C.S. Harbor 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 2

Cross-Country: Nassau County Class I, II and III championships at Bethpage State Park 10 a.m.

Football: Calhoun at Carey 11 a.m.

Football: Jericho at Sewanhaka 11 a.m.

Football: Island Trees at Lawrence 11 a.m.

Football: MacArthur at Baldwin 2 p.m.

Football: Long Beach at Mepham 2 p.m.

Football: Seaford at North Shore 2 p.m.

Football: South Side at Floral Park 3 p.m.

Football: Elmont at Clarke 3 p.m.

Football: Mineola at V.S, North 3 p.m.

Football: Uniondale at Freepprt 3 p.m.

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

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

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

Gritty V.S. North reaches 10 wins

By MICHELLE RABINOVICH sports@liherald.com

Valley Stream North boys’ volleyball has plenty of tough, balanced competition coming up if it wants to keep playoff hope alive.

“[We’ve been working on] consistent play. We know we have the skillset, we just need to be more consistent with our abilities,” said coach George Karahalios. “Sometimes we don’t reach the ability that we can at all times, so that’s something that we’ve been working on. Sometimes it seems like everything is clicking and sometimes we’ll take a step back and we have to catch up, and we do, it’d just be a lot easier if we could do this on a more consistent basis.”

The season so far has been marked by growth and change, Karahalios said. Despite seeing injuries and setbacks, the team’s collective grit is what has gotten it this far, and what he bets will continue to take them further.

“We’re working so hard in practices on a daily basis, the kids want to stay for longer practices,” he added “Even when I try to give them time to rest and take breaks, they really just want to stick around and work more on their skills, so the determination that they’ve been showing this year has been phenomenal.”

Returners Erik Ziemblicki, Nick Lang, Mark de Prado, Samual Onuoha and Liam Corbett are the vets who have the most experience on the squad, all of whom are part of the starting lieup; Jeks James Zachariah, Daniel Banach, Lorenzo Yegros and Andre Llubit have all seen considerable time on the court in order to propel the team to success so far this season, stepping in as liberos, defensive specialists or outside hitters as needed.

Onuoha and Mark de Prado both had 25 kills and Ziemblicki, the setter, dished out 66 assists as the Spartans defeated Calhoun in a five-set marathon Oct. 21.

While a sharp skillset is necessary in starting players, what’s detrimental is the heart that lies within them, accord-

ing to Karahalios.

“Their heart and how much effort they put in,” he said. “They’re constantly working on their skills, helping the younger guys on the team, and they’re some of the best athletes that I’ve coached.”

On top of that, they’ve matured as players off the court, bearing the weight of leadership, especially given the fact that VSN has moved up athletic conferences this year.

“They’ve stepped into their leadership roles; Ziemblicki, Lang and de Prado are our captains, and all three of them were part of our conference championship team last year so they knew what was expected,” Karahalios said.

“They understand that it takes more from them, as individuals and as leaders, to really lead this team, and they’ve been doing it. They’re one of the reasons for our successes.”

Now, with playoffs on the horizon, it’s full steam ahead for the 10-5 Spartans.

“One thing we’re focusing on is it doesn’t matter what seed we’re in, it doesn’t matter where we’re placed, we need to understand that everyone has an opportunity and once you get into the playoffs, it’s one and done,” Karahalios said. “We do understand that the lower seed can beat the upper seed, it’s been happening all year. It’s just so balanced that you really don’t know what’s going to happen.”

David Meisenholder/Herald Mark de Prado had 25 kills Oct. 21 to help lead the Spartans to a come-from-behind, five-set win over Calhoun.

HERALD SchoolS

V.S. District 13 celebrates ‘Unity Day’

Valley Stream District 13 celebrated “Unity Day” on October 16. Students from Wheeler Avenue School came together to promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusivity within their community.

Students and staff participated by wearing vibrant orange clothing, symbolizing their pledge to stand united against bullying and foster an environment of respect and friendship.

The day was marked by various activities, including creating a Unity Day billboard, where students expressed their commitment to being kind and inclusive. This collaborative project allowed students to showcase their creativity while reinforcing the importance of unity.

Students participated in discussions about the impact of bullying and the significance of standing together to create a more inclusive community. The event was not only a celebration but also a crucial step in educat-

ing students about the values of empathy and compassion.

“We are thrilled to see our students embracing the spirit of Unity Day,” said Principal Ruth Peets-Butcher.

“Their enthusiasm for promoting kindness and acceptance is truly inspiring. Together, we can create a welcoming atmosphere where every student feels valued and respected.”

According to district officials, ‘Unity Day’ serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of coming together to support one another. The efforts of Wheeler Avenue

School students align with the district’s ongoing commitment to creating a safe and supportive learning environment for all. Valley Stream District 13 is dedicated to nurturing a school culture where every child feels safe, supported, and empowered.

–Juan Lasso

Courtesy Valley Stream District 13

Wheeler Avenue Elementary School students were decked out in orange to celebrate ‘Unity Day’ to promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusivity.

Be prepared: An app that lets you report and track power outages.

Power outages are a reality, especially during a storm or other weather events. One of the most frustrating issues can be not knowing when power will be restored.

The good news is that, for PSEG Long Island customers, a power outage doesn’t have to leave you completely in the dark. That’s because the Long Island company created a free Outage Tracker, accessible from any smartphone or mobile-enabled device on our mobile app.

PSEG Long Island used customer feedback from J.D. Power surveys, research, and focus groups to help them design the app.

“Our intention is to reduce the stress and anxiety of an outage by enabling customers to closely track the progress of their restoration, all within the free, convenient PSEG Long Island mobile app,” says Larry Torres, Sr. Director, Emergency Preparedness and Logistics.

It’s as easy to use as it is to download. And once it’s installed on your device, if you have a power outage, you have access to report outages and track updates.

As PSEG Long Island begins the restoration process, you receive notifications on the Outage Tracker. These show everything from confirmation that your outage report was received, to damage assessments, to repair alerts and an estimate of when power will be restored.

“The sooner we know about specific outages, the quicker we can react and restore power,” says Michael Presti, Director, Customer Experience and Marketing.

The PSEG Long Island Outage Tracker provides customers with:

Accessibility: Even if someone loses power, they can access the Outage Tracker on their mobile device as long as they have cell service. However, they need to download it before an event to ensure they’re prepared.

Reporting capability: Customers can report partial or full power outages. In the case of downed lines, the app provides a phone number to call. This immediate reporting helps PSEG Long Island respond more efficiently to restore service.

Year-round reliability: Because outages can sometimes occur even when the weather is not a contributing factor, the Outage Tracker helps people stay connected and able to report issues at any time.

We live in a world where we have more information at our fingertips than ever before. It just follows that having some control and knowledge about power outages is critical to our peace of mind and ability to plan, be heard, and feel safe. So be prepared, and learn more about the free PSEG Long Island mobile app at psegliny.com/app.

Photo by Tony Lopez.

Photo by Fotostorm via Getty Images.

A power outage doesn’t have to leave you feeling powerless. Be prepared. Download our free mobile app with Outage Tracker. You can report outages and track restoration progress. Because knowing is power.

From influencer to commissioner

By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com

Emily Austin, a social media influencer from Hewlett Harbor, was appointed the newest commissioner of the Nassau County Bridge Authority on Oct. 22. Austin, 23, joins four other commissioners, and will serve as an unpaid volunteer for five years. The board has monthly meetings, and she will attend her first one in December.

From taking part in the Miss New York competition to marketing her own skin care brand, People’s Beauty, Austin has experience in various industries, she said. A 2019 graduate of North Shore Hebrew Academy, she attended Hofstra University, where she studied journalism, and landed an internship at the United Nations. After dropping out of Hofstra, she earned a liberal arts degree from Touro University in 2023.

She became known on social media in 2019, when she competed in Miss New York, before serving as a judge for the 2022 Miss Universe competition, in New Orleans.

When her father, Ron Austin, ran for mayor of Hewlett Harbor in 2020, Emily served as his chief of staff. Austin lost to Mayor Mark Weiss.

Iopening on the bridge authority. He explained the importance of the bridge, its infrastructure and, she said, “how the community takes this very seriously.” She studied documents on the bridge’s history.

“I took a week or two to study the papers, and told the county executive that if you nominate me, I will take this responsibility seriously,” she said.

want to use my platform to make sure there’s open communication between the residents and the board

EMILy AuStIN Commissioner, Nassau County Bridge Authority

As she became more involved in the community, Emily Austin attended political events hosted by U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman. A member of Chabad of Hewlett, she attends High Holiday events and speaks on religious issues.

“I always made it clear that one day I know I have a future in political office,” Austin said, “but I just want to start small, and not take on more than I can handle.”

In September 2024, Blakeman told her about the

Having experienced Hurricane Sandy at age 12, and knowing the damage the bridge sustained, helped Austin understand how devastating it was for the community, and how important the bridge remains.

“I learned that we’re the only bridge that doesn’t receive taxes, so that’s why we’re so dependent on the tolls that, sometimes, people get so upset about,” she said. “I had to learn the concerns of the community with the priorities of Nassau County.”

One of her strengths, Austin said, is problem-solving. “I want to use my platform to make sure there’s open communication between the residents and the board, and really utilize technology as much as I can to have dialogue within the community,” she said. “Just bring a little bit of a young Gen-Z aspect to it — we’re the technology gurus. If I can make sure everyone’s voice is heard through what’s easiest, social media, anything technological, then, I’ll be the one to do that.”

Blakeman nominated Austin to be a commissioner at an Oct. 6 ceremony in Cedarhurst marking the anniversary of Hamas’s attacks on Israel.

“Emily Austin is deeply committed to Nassau County,” Blakeman wrote in a statement, “and has demonstrated through her advocacy, especially on social media, that she is a serious and professional individual who will contribute greatly to the continued success of the Nassau County Bridge Authority.”

F.S. Civic Association to host area yard sale

Community members are invited to attend the Franklin Square Civic Association’s seventh annual Community Yard Sale on Nov. 2 at Rath Park.

Sellers will offer a wide variety of merchandise throughout the event — everything from household goods and décor, to sports memorabilia, sports equipment, camera equipment, outdoor and back yard items, tools, jewelry, crafts and artwork, clothing, toys books and much more.

Gates will open at 10 a.m. for shoppers and there is no admission fee for the event. Attendees can look forward to browsing roughly 50 sellers’ tables during the yard sale.

“Last year we had a great turnout from shoppers with a lot of positive feedback about their experience at the event,” Jon Israel, president of the Franklin Square Civic Association’s, wrote in an email to the Herald. “Many sellers said they did very well at the event last year.”

Many sellers have participated in the event for several, if not all seven years of the yard sale, Israel said.

Neighbors browsed the community yard sale last year to find all kinds of gems.

Sellers occupy four parking spaces for their vehicle and merchandise during the yard sale. For more information about how to get involved, communitysale@fsqcivic.org.

“I would like to thank my entire board, and the many Franklin Square Civic Association members who help set up and work our community yard sale events,” Israel wrote. “It truly takes a village to make this event happen every

year, and I am so thankful to all those who volunteer their time to help out and make the event a success every year.”

For anyone unable to attend the yard sale, the civic association and the Franklin Square Historical Society will host their annual Winter Festival at 2 p.m. on

Dec. 7 a the Rath Park Gazebo and Franklin Square Historical Museum. Neighbors can look forward to music, vendors and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus alongside Frosty the Snowman and much more.

–Nicole

Wagner

Jeff Bessen/Herald Austin spoke about defending Israel at a rally to support the Jewish state on Oct. 6 at Andrew J. Parise Park in Cedarhurst.

Skye Margies/Herald file

Seeking federal money for road projects

By Carolyn James cjames@liherald.com

With partisan politics in high gear less than two weeks before Election Day, Long Island politicians — Republicans and Democrats — gathered in a bipartisan show of support for an effort to bring more federal funding for road and infrastructure projects to Nassau and Suffolk counties.

“This is not a Republican or a Democratic issue — it is a state and federal issue,” U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi said at a news conference on Oct. 23 at the Long Island Welcome Center on the Long Island Expressway in Dix Hills. “It is about government, labor, business and people and everyone, regardless of party. It is about coming together,” Suozzi added, with the roar of traffic along the expressway providing an appropriate backdrop.

The gathering of politicians, business and labor representatives

was to support a bill in the State Legislature, sponsored by Assemblyman Steve Stern and State Sen. Monica Martinez, that would create a mechanism for Long Island to apply directly for federal transportation dollars. As things stand now, the state must apply to the federal government for infrastructure funding through the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, which includes not only Long Island, but also New York City as well as Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties. Under the proposed legislation, Long Island would create its own Metropolitan Planning Organization to address its infrastructure needs specifically, officials said.

The need for this autonomy became abundantly clear to Long Island lawmakers several years ago. Under the current NYMTC guidelines, Long Island was slated to receive 23 percent of federal funding allocated to the state. That

figure dropped to 1 percent, or $300 million, this year. And according to officials, almost all of that will be spent on renovations to electric signs along local highways, and road repairs. It allows for practically nothing for expansive work or new projects.

Some of those projects were outlined by Marc Herbst, executive director of the Long Island Contractors Association. They include work to reconfigure the Oakdale merge, where Sunrise and Montauk highways converge; the intersection of the Meadowbrook and Southern State parkways; the expansion of Sagtikos Parkway to four lanes to make them safer; and work on the Southern State Parkway, which Herbst described as “blood alley.”

“How many more tragedies do we have to have along that roadway before we address those issues and others?” he said.

“This is more important than

party,” State Sen. Jack Martins said. “It is not about politics; it is about our communities, our homes, our residents — and fairness.”

“This is not an adversarial issue,” Herbst added, pointing to the need for Long Island to have an independent voice when vying for federal funding.

“Long Island is a place unlike any other, and with that distinction comes the reality that we have unique needs,” Martinez said. “Our infrastructure and transportation systems must be as bold and resilient as the people who call this region home in order to thrive in an ever-changing world.”

Adam Levine, executive director of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, said that he and the council understand that “Long Island officials want to get every federal dollar they can,” and that it recognizes the impacts of bureaucracy.

Vote Laura Gillen: Independent Leadership for Long Island

Vote early through November 3

5

L.I. schools threatened by Project 2025

By JENNA ZAZA & LORI SAXENA Special to the Herald

Project 2025’s agenda to restructure the government extends beyond the Fed and into education, proposing to completely eliminate the Department of Education. This is a contentious move that could have profound repercussions for public education on Long Island.

The DOE plays a significant role in supporting local education by providing funding to high-poverty schools and increasing programs designed to protect and serve vulnerable students, such as those with disabilities or in the LGBTQ+ community.

Eliminating the department means drastically reducing federal funding streams and eventually phasing out Title I, a federal program that provides financial assistance to schools with a high percentage of low-income students, according to a Chalkbeat report. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization focused on education issues.

Title I aims to ensure all children, regardless of socio-economic status, meet state academic standards by funding programs like after-school tutoring and teacher development. Schools can operate schoolwide improvement initiatives if they meet certain thresholds of low-income students.

“When you eliminate funding, the things that get cut are teacher salaries, teachers get laid off, class sizes get bigger, and you have less counseling services, less paraprofessional services ... all of that is eliminated when you don’t have Title I funding,” Jillian Gaeta, co-founder of the organization Roots to Revolution and a New York City public school teacher, said.

Nearly half of Suffolk County’s total public school enrollment is economically disadvantaged students at 44 percent, in Nassau County it is 32 percent, according to the State Education Department. Districts such as Huntington, Central Islip and Brentwood 63 percent, 66 and 88, of the students are from low-income households, respectively, according to state statistics.

Project 2025 also proposes to reduce eligibility for federally funded meal programs.

Funding impact

The potential rollback of programs like the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program under Project 2025 could exacerbate the lack of access to food on Long Island. In recent years, the number of food-insecure individuals on the island has surged, increasing by 58.3 percent since 2021, with an estimated 65,000 children affected, according to a Long Island Cares report.

Over 60 percent of students in lower-income districts like Brentwood and Hempstead qualify for free lunch and breakfast, indicating a substantial reliance on federal aid programs, according to Meals Count data. Meanwhile, wealthier districts like Jericho and Great Neck in Nassau County, where less than 10 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, would be less affected by federal cuts, according to state data.

“In the schools that I’ve worked in, 80 percent of students were receiving free and reduced lunch,” Gaeta said. “If you take away that ability, you now have 80 percent of your kids hungry. You can’t educate those kids; they’re struggling because all they’re focusing on is how their bellies aren’t full.”

Long Island is also seeing a surge in school lunch debt, according to a Healthy School Meals for All report. The Lindenhurst school district reported nearly $50,000 in unpaid school lunch fees and South Huntington said meal debt doubled from $20,000 after the pandemic. Wealthy districts often benefit from higher property tax revenues, which can be used to supplement educational programs. Low-income districts typically struggle with limited funding and resources, making it challenging to provide basic services, let alone additional support for meal programs.

But it’s not just lunch — early childhood education

A portion of Project 2025 aims to roll back progress made on programs and laws that are designed to protect and serve vulnerable people such as the LGBTQ community.

programs are also on the chopping block under Project 2025.

Whither Head Start?

Head Start is a federal initiative that promotes school readiness for young children from low-income families. It serves children aged 3 to 5, focusing on cognitive, social, and emotional development alongside health screenings and nutritious meals. The program is critical in preparing disadvantaged children for elementary school and fostering long-term academic success.

“Early education programs ... are foundational for a child’s ability to thrive in school, and also for their economic security, that they are able to read and write and develop those skills at an early age,” Gaeta said.

In Nassau County, the availability of Head Start programs is concentrated in districts with higher rates of low-income families. Out of eight Head Start locations, many are in areas with higher child poverty rates.

The Head Start programs in Hempstead, Freeport and Roosevelt illustrate this trend. Hempstead, with a child poverty rate of nearly 21 percent, and Roosevelt, where nearly 17 percent of children live in poverty, highlights communities that heavily rely on these educational resources. Freeport, with around 14 percent of children living in poverty, further emphasizes the critical need for support in these districts. The figures are based on Census Bureau data.

Child poverty rates in Westbury (14 percent), Lawrence (10 percent), and Long Beach (6 percent) demonstrate a varied landscape where families may still benefit from Head Start programs, although the urgency may differ.

More affluent districts like Garden City, Syosset, and East Williston, which report child poverty rates of less than 5 percent, do not have any Head Start locations. Wealthier families often have access to private preschools and other early childhood programs.

Title IX fallout

Another proposal of Project 2025 includes a rollback of Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance, including sports.

“Title IX, which allows girls to play sports and opens up opportunities for young girls, is also supported and protected by the federal government,” Gaeta said. “So if you eliminate the Federal Department of Education, you’re eliminating all those benefits that our kids need to have successful schools.”

Rolling back Title IX could also disproportionately

impact non-binary and transgender students as the project aims to “define ‘sex’ under Title IX to mean only biological sex.”

“Long Island is already seeing pieces of Project 2025 being enacted,” Kiana Abbady, board chair of Long Island Progressive Coalition, said. “[Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman] already passed a transban, where individuals cannot play sports if they identify as transgender.”

In Nassau County 10 school districts — Island Park, Jericho, Lawrence, Locust Valley, Long Beach, Mineola, New Hyde Park, Oceanside, Oyster Bay and Port Washington — are set to lose funding, based on Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed 2025 executive budget.

“If any parts of Project 2025 are enacted, we will see large swaths of Long Island’s communities, predominantly black and brown, predominantly working class, lose significant funding for public schools,” Abbady said. “We already see that. ”

Extracurricular activities, such as sports, are typically the first to be cut when schools experience dips in funding, and this could have adverse effects on students. Research indicates that participation in sports is linked to numerous benefits for both girls and transgender youth, including improved academic performance, higher self-esteem, and greater overall well-being.

In underfunded districts, girls often have 1.3 million fewer opportunities than boys to engage in athletic programs, according to the National Women’s Law Center. Exclusionary policies for trans youth like Nassau County’s Legislature and Project 2025 Title IX reforms could exacerbate rates of depression, school absenteeism and suicide in trans students, which are already significantly higher than for cis-gender students.

Without the federal enforcement of Title IX and adequate funding, the gap in opportunities between wellfunded and underfunded schools could widen, leaving many girls and LGBTQ youth without access to the necessary resources for their athletic and educational advancement.

Gaeta said this is ultimately the goal of Project 2025.

“It is designed to benefit wealthy, wealthy white men,” she said. “All of the projects, all the policies in Project 2025, will hurt low-income families, will hurt middle-class families, will hurt women and girls, will hurt LGBTQ families, will hurt people of color. It is designed that way.”

Jenna Zaza and Lori Saxena are reporters with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism’s Working Newsroom program for students and local media.

Courtesy George Giokas

By Danielle Schwab & Tim Baker

Havana Munsuz

Age 9, Locust Valley

My mom (Lenia Matias). I think she would make equal rights for every person. She supports LGBTQ rights, and she’s also a woman. All the presidents are boys, and we should have a girl as a president. We read a book about the election together.

If you could choose anyone, who would make a good president? Why?

Nicholas Kemp

Age 5, East Rockaway

I want Aaron Judge to be president but I (also) don’t want him because he’s playing baseball and he won’t hit any more home runs. If he was president I think he would be so happy.

Michael Lutz

Age 7, Rockville Centre

My dad (Eric Donohoe) because he’s basically like Donald Trump. Also, my mom (Shannon Donohoe) because she’s technically almost the same as my dad. She would get more jobs in America, put the prices down so if it was $3 it would be $2 and she would get more American-made products

Amelia Geraghty

Age 8, East Meadow

I think John F. Kennedy because if he ever did something wrong, his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy would have stood up for civil rights for women. I don’t think he would do anything wrong. And he was also young (when he was president). The older you are, the more you forget. I’ve read a lot of books about him and Jacqueline Kennedy.

Tasnim and Taha Laghroudi

Tasnim, age 8; Taha, age 10, Wantagh

My teacher Ms. Sanders (my third grade teacher) would make a good president because she’s really fun and she’s very serious so we do our work instead of just playing around the whole time. Teachers are hard working and they’ve been through a lot of lessons and teachings, and they’re responsible for people in their class.

D’Esposito balances controversy, re-election

By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com

U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito has his sights set on reelection in the 4th Congressional District, where he will face a familiar opponent amid unfamiliar scrutiny over his hiring practices.

A Republican and a former NYPD detective, D’Esposito won his seat in the 2022 midterms, flipping a district that had been in Democratic hands for 25 years. He defeated former Hempstead Town Supervisor Laura Gillen that year by a margin of roughly 10,000 votes with a campaign focused on crime, inflation and government spending. He hopes to do it again next week with a renewed focus on border security, crime and the cost of living on Long Island.

But D’Esposito’s re-election bid is under a cloud, with an ethics probe questioning whether he improperly hired his fiancée’s daughter and a woman he allegedly had a personal relationship with for taxpayer-funded positions in his office. During a Herald Roundtable on Oct. 10, D’Esposito made it clear that he views the allegations as baseless. “There is absolutely nothing that was violated ethically, and my personal life is my personal life,” he said, asserting that if there had been any ethical questions, he would not have made those hires.

In spite of the allegations, D’Esposito remains focused on issues central to residents of his district. He emphasized that he has been instrumental in securing millions in federal funding for local infrastructure projects ranging from water filtration systems to police training facilities. “In the last 18 months, I’ve been able to bring close to $40 million back to the district to help with infrastructure,” he said.

D’Esposito has also positioned himself as a strong supporter of Israel, and has been vocal in his support for sending more aid to Israel in light of renewed con-

Juan

Anthony D’Esposito discussed his re-election campaign in the 4th Congressional District amid controversy over his hiring practices at a Herald Roundtable on Oct. 10.

flicts with Iran and Lebanon following the attack by Hamas last Oct. 7.

“I think the United States of America needs to continue to provide every resource necessary to Israel to eradicate Hamas and any terrorist organization,” he said, criticizing the Biden administration for what he views as a lack of urgency.

Another key issue is the ongoing border crisis. “We have a border security problem,” D’Esposito said, emphasizing the need to shut down the southern border and implement a more stringent asylum process. He noted a Department of Homeland Security briefing where it was revealed that over 420,000 people who

crossed the border illegally had been convicted of crimes in their home countries, including over 13,000 convicted murderers. D’Esposito argued that the Biden administration’s handling of the border has been inadequate, claiming, “The Customs and Border Patrol agents don’t have the resources that they need.”

He remains critical of the administration’s economic and energy policies, and advocates for energy independence, saying, “We need to focus on being more energy independent and stop relying on foreign countries for power.” He also expressed concerns about the national deficit, arguing that it is unsustainable and could have long-term consequences for future generations.

D’Esposito has framed himself as a bipartisan problem solver, willing to work with both sides to achieve results for his district. But he is also aware of the tightrope he walks within his party, having been labeled both a MAGA extremist and a “Republican in Name Only” after calling for the removal of former U.S. Rep. George Santos. D’Esposito said he understands the balance between his own values and party expectations, and will do what he feels is right, regardless of how it may be perceived. “It seems to me I’m doing the right thing and playing the middle,” he said.

As the district becomes a focal point in the national battle for control of the House of Representatives, D’Esposito remains confident in his leadership and his track record of securing federal resources for Long Island.

Laura Gillen prioritizes reproductive rights

By DANIEL OFFNER doffner@liherald.com

Laura Gillen, the Democratic candidate in New York’s 4th Congressional District, is running on a platform focused on tackling the rising cost of living on Long Island, reproductive rights and immigration reform.

“It’s really expensive to live here, and people want relief,” Gillen said during a Herald Roundtable on Oct. 7, adding that this concern came up in nearly every conversation she has had with voters in the district. She is particularly critical of her opponent, U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito for not restoring the state and local tax deduction on income taxes, which was capped during the Trump administration. “My opponent said he was going to restore our SALT deduction. He’s been in the majority for almost two years and has completely failed to do that,” Gillen said, emphasizing that reinstating the deduction, a key issue for many homeowners in Nassau County, would be a top priority if she were elected.

Reproductive rights are also central to Gillen’s campaign, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 decision, ending nearly 50 years of constitutional protection for abortion rights. Gillen stresses the need to protect access to reproductive health care, including abortion, in vitro fertilization and contraception.

“Protecting a woman’s right to choose, protecting the right to access IVF and the right to contraception are things we never thought we’d even have to talk about before the Dobbs decision,” she said. Gillen also pointed to the broader implications of the decision, noting that Republicans are continuing to push for fed-

Laura

eral restrictions on reproductive rights.

Health care, particularly for mental health, is another key focus of Gillen’s campaign. She noted that the country is facing a growing mental health crisis, which affects people of all ages. “It’s affecting our young people, our seniors, our veterans and our law enforcement officers,” she said.

Gillen advocates increasing resources to make mental health services more accessible, reducing the long

wait times many patients face. “Families shouldn’t have to wait weeks to get an appointment for a loved one in crisis,” she said, calling for improvements in insurance coverage for mental health care and for expanding access to care.

Immigration reform is a pressing issue, Gillen said, criticizing Congress for its inaction on the border crisis. She said she is committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform that secures the border while facilitating citizenship for immigrants. “We’ve seen nothing get done to secure our border, to stop the flow of fentanyl, or to create a pathway for citizenship for people who want to come here legally,” she said. Her proposal includes deploying more border agents, using advanced technology like anti-tunneling systems, and improving the asylum process, which she described as “completely broken” due to the long delays in adjudicating claims.

Gillen has also taken a strong stance on national security, particularly in regard to Israel and the increase of antisemitism in this country. “We’ve seen an incredible rise of antisemitism, even before Oct. 7,” she said, referring to last October’s attacks on Israel by Hamas.

Her bipartisan approach to solving these issues grew out of her experience as the first Democratic Hempstead town supervisor in over 100 years. Despite facing a Republican-controlled Town Board, Gillen managed to implement sweeping reforms, including ethics legislation, cutting taxes and modernizing the town’s infrastructure.

“I got things done, and that’s what I plan to do in Congress,” Gillen said. “People want problem-solvers in Congress … We need to get things done and reduce the partisanship that’s holding us back.”

Lasso/Herald

Tim Baker/Herald

Gillen, the Democratic challenger in the 4th C.D., discussed the rising cost of living, reproductive rights, the country’s border problems, the mental health crisis, Israel and more with the Herald.

GENERAL ELECTION Candidates

Democratic Electors

Amendment to Protect Against Unequal Treatment

This proposal would protect against unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. It also protects against unequal treatment based on reproductive healthcare and autonomy.

A “YES” vote puts these protections in the New York State Constitution.

A “NO” vote leaves these protections out of the State Constitution.

Enmienda para Proteger Contra el Trato Desigual Esta propuesta protegería contra el trato desigual basado en la etnicidad, el origen nacional, la edad, la discapacidad y el sexo, incluida la orientación sexual, la identidad de género y el embarazo. También protege contra el trato desigual basado en la salud y la autonomía reproductiva.

Un voto “SÍ” coloca estas protecciones en la Constitución del Estado de Nueva York. Un voto “NO” deja estas protecciones fuera de la Constitución del Estado.

Electores para Presidente y Vicepresidente

Kamala D. Harris (For President)

Republican Electors

Tim Walz (For Vice President)

Electores para Presidente y Vicepresidente

Donald J. Trump (For President)

JD Vance (For Vice President)

Representative in Congress District 4

Representante en el Congreso Distrito 4

Laura Gillen (D,CS)

United States Senator

Senador Estatal, Distrito

Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D, WF)

Diane Sare (L)

Vote for One (1)

Anthony D’Esposito (R,C)

Member

Michaelle

Justice Juez de la James Gregg Deanna Terence

Vote for One (1)

Michael D. Sapraicone (R,C)

Jeffrey

ELECTIon’24

Senator District 9

Estatal, Distrito 9

James Lynch (D)

Patricia CanzoneriFitzpatrick(R,C)

Member of Assembly District 22

de la Asamblea Distrito 22 Vote for One (1)

Michaelle Solages (D) Ian Bergstrom (R,C)

Justice of the Supreme Court

la Corte Suprema (Vote for up to Eight) (8)

F. Matthews, Jr. (D,R,C)

Roth (D,R,C)

Deanna D. Panico (D,R,C)

Terence P. Murphy (D,R,C)

County Court Judge

Tribunal del Condado

Jeffrey A. Goodstein(D,R,C)

Alfred C. Graf (D,R,C)

Paul E. Hennings (D,R,C)

Paul M. Hensley (D,R,C) Andrew A. Crecca (D,R,C)

Family Court Judge

(D,R,C)

District Court Judge District 2

Juez del Tribunal de Distrito

Andrea C. Phoenix (D,R,C) Veronica Renta Irwin (D,R,C)

Ryan E. Cronin (D,R,C) Sean Wright (D,R,C)

Joseph Nocella, Jr. (D,R,C)

Solages focuses on successes in the Assembly

By JUAN LASSO jlasso@liherald.com

Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages has been a fixture in the Assembly for over a decade. At age 39, she is seeking her sixth term, and says she has the political courage and clout to tackle two of the hottest issues in this election season — the rising cost of living and increasing threats to Long Islanders’ quality of life.

“I’m a leading voice in making sure that we do right by New Yorkers,” Solages said, touting her track record of legislative wins this term.

“The price of health care is always going up,” she said. “I was able to pass legislation that creates a study on hospital pricing and how we can make it more affordable for the average New Yorker.”

The hospital pricing transparency bill, signed into law last year, mandates that the state create an annual report disclosing hospital prices and cost comparisons to keep those prices down.

Another one of Solages’s legislative efforts has centered on curbing the alarming number of infant deaths, especially among Black women who are new mothers.

Michaelle Solages is running for her sixth term in Albany, emphasizing her legislative achievements in health care affordability, maternal health and climate resilience.

“The governor signed my bill about expanding donor breast milk for New York state, especially for low-income families,” she said, citing cases of powdered baby formula tainted with a rare, though often deadly, bacterial infection in hospitals.

The Elmont Democrat has also been credited with spearheading the first paid leave law for pregnant women in the country, allowing them to take paid time off for pregnancy care.

While the jury is no longer out on the ravages of climate change, Solages says that if Albany moves to roll back its climate goals, she will continue to “fight

for infrastructure and resiliency money” to shield the 22nd District from the worst effects of increased flooding.

When Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed cut the annual funding for clean water infrastructure to $250 million per year from $500 million, Solages and her allies were “able to get that fully restored in the budget.”

“Clean water infrastructure is

entwined with flooding prevention, and we need to protect and harden our systems,” she said.

She has also been a leading supporter of Long Island Cares’ emergency food pantry in the heart of Valley Stream’s business district. “That’s something that we’ve been working on for so long, and it came about during Covid, when people were just struggling financially,” she said.

A large part of the cost-of-living crisis on Long Island is the shortage of affordable housing, driven by restrictive zoning regulations, inadequate infrastructure and strong local opposition to development. Solages’s proposed solutions were neither sweeping nor new: She recommended that stakeholders sharpen their focus on expanding affordable housing options in downtowns, where they can best be accommodated. She endorses a carrot rather than a stick approach to increasing Long Island’s languishing housing stock, by emphasizing incentive-based programs.

“We should be focused on making sure that we talk to the community leaders who are in charge of zoning and building,” she said, “and make sure they have the money to build housing.”

Ian Bergström says Albany has ‘lost its way’

By JUAN LASSO jlasso@liherald.com

Ian Bergström has a long history of answering the call to public service in ways big and small. The Nassau County deputy attorney, a lifelong Floral Park resident, has coached basketball for the Floral Park Indians Athletic Club, serves as an usher at Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic Church, and is a proud member of the Knights of Columbus.

Now the 32-year-old Republican says his Assembly district demands new leadership to keep his community safe and thriving. He knows his path to victory is difficult. But he says his decision to step off the sidelines and into the political arena against five-time incumbent Michaelle Solages is not “based on ego,” but instead rooted in restoring a lost concern by Albany lawmakers for middle-class families.

State government, Bergström argues, has “lost its way.” A fog of laws, policies and financial decisions, he says, have been passed in recent years that seem out of touch with the well-being of Long Island households.

After the approval of a historic $239 billion state budget, fiscal hawks project a possible $7.25 billion deficit in the next three years. Bergström says that he is determined, if elected, to clamp down on Albany’s “irresponsible” runaway spending.

“By limiting state spending, you ensure that residents have enough discretionary income to purchase what’s needed,” he said.

Bergström argues that out-of-control spending worsens the cost-of-living crisis by taking hard-earned

Tim Baker/Herald

Ian Bergström, a Nassau County deputy attorney and a longtime Floral Park community leader, is challenging Solages in Assembly District 22, pledging to tackle state spending, overhaul cashless bail and address local traffic issues.

money from taxpayers already burdened with high property taxes. While he has a general sense of the budget areas he would like to see cut — funding allocated to the migrant crisis is at the top of his list — he

declined to share a specific fiscal plan without first conducting “an in-depth evaluation.”

On cashless bail reform, Democrats have called out Republicans’ ongoing criticism of the law as a political boogeyman aimed at persuading voters that they are soft on crime. Despite several rounds of revisions to the 2019 law — including measures giving judges greater discretion in preventing low-income people from facing pretrial detention for minor offenses — Bergström maintains that those concerns remain high.

“An amendment to the cashless bail legislation is necessary. Unfortunately, the law allows hardened criminals to be released from jail,” Bergström said, adding that lawmakers should work with law enforcement to rewrite the law, but he did not offer additional details.

As an Islanders season ticketholder, he hopes to make progress on an issue close to his heart — the frequent congestion on Hempstead Turnpike and the traffic-snarled streets around Elmont’s UBS arena.

“The traffic has become outrageous throughout the local neighborhoods and the nearby Cross Island Parkway,” Bergström said. “I believe that a lot of the dead space surrounding the Cross Island Parkway can be developed to increase parking accessibility as well as handling the traffic situation.”

He claims that the increased traffic has spilled over to affect residents’ quality of life. “Elmont is a quiet suburban community, but we have people parking in front of residential houses” and blocking driveways, he said. “People are unable to leave their houses during game nights and events. It’s an obvious concern.”

Tim Baker/Herald

Party

Democratic

Republican

Conservative

Working Families

Common Sense

Presidential Electors for President (Vote for One)

Kamala Harris

Donald J. Trump

Donald J. Trump

Kamala Harris

Some Democrats are too far left.Some Republicans are too far right.But some candidates just make COMMON SENSE.

IN NASSAU COUNTY, THAT’S LAURA GILLEN FOR CONGRESS .

About Common Sense

The Common Sense Party looks at both Democrats and Republicans running for office. And then nominates the one who’s most reasonable, who thinks for themself. Who can compromise to get things done. In Nassau County, that’s Laura GIllen.

So this November, find the "Common Sense Party" on your ballot.

Representative in Congress (4th District) (Vote for One)

Laura Gillen

Anthony D’Esposito

Anthony D’Esposito

Laura Gillen

STEPPING OUT

an artistic

Local talents on view at Looking outward from

perspective Museum’s Long Island Biennial

By Danielle Schwab

A tradition since 2010, the popular Long Island Biennial at Hecksher Museum returns with “The Body Politic,” shining the spotlight on our diverse artistic talent throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties.

The latest edition of the juried exhibition — now on view through mid-January — offers an exciting look at what is happening artistically here in our area.

Out of 313 submissions, 79 were accepted from 60 artists, resulting in a vivid assortment of mediums, styles and focuses on exhibit. Curated by Meredith A. Brown, the museum’s consulting curator of Contemporary Art, each piece was reviewed by an expert jury team. The panel included Ian Alteveer, department chair of contemporary art at the Museum of Fine Arts; Patricia Cronin, artistic director of the LGBTQ+ VR Museum, art professor and sculptor; Grace Hong, assistant director of Galerie Lelong & Co.

The exhibit takes on a theme for the first time — examining contemporary social, cultural and political issues. It’s a snapshot of some of the major national, local and even international matters that compel artists in this important election year.

“Sixty countries — taken together, representing half the world’s population, including the United States — will have held major elections by the end of this year,” Brown says.

“It’s a crucial year. And we thought it would be interesting to see how the people, the artists in our communities, are thinking about these political, social, cultural issues — and representing them through art.”

The exhibit represents a remarkable variety of media, with styles spanning abstraction to hyperrealism, including sculpture, painting, photography, and collage. One pieceis even composed with cut plastic straws and lighters found on a beach.

“I’m always interested in the way artists can combine things that I wouldn’t have thought of, sometimes materials that are ‘non-art’ materials,” Brown adds.

East Meadow’s Karen Kirshner is among the artists featured. Her abstract acrylic painting “The Mission, 2022” employs a “direct painting” technique that enables her to use her emotions to paint onto the canvas.

“I never know what I’m going to paint. I paint in the moment, moment to moment, and then

and for the

review and evaluate and adapt and improve,” Kirshner explains.

She was influenced by the war in Ukraine, with so many trying to flee. Her movement of lines, shapes and vibrancy of colors expresses the Ukrainians’ frantic energy.

“I felt in my soul,” Kirshner says. “The mission is to get people out.”

Maria Spector, of Babylon, is represented with two paintings: “Candy Girls and Boys Under the Jellybean Tree, 2022 ” and “Candy Girls Under the Sugar-Plum Tree with Boy and the Artists that Painted Women 2020-22.”

In “Candy Girls and Boys Under the Jellybean Tree“ contemporary figures of children are mixed with images from art history, fine art and popular culture — all under a tree ‘ripe’ with various candies.

• Now through Jan. 19

• Open Thursday through Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

• Heckscher Museum of Art,

2 Prime Ave., Huntington

• Visit Heckscher.org for more information or call (631) 380-3230

“By incorporating pop culture, I explore issues of femininity and masculinity through both history and today. The work is meant to challenge our own biases and beliefs,” Spector says.

Another standout, Lynbrook’s Susan Kozodoy Silkowitz captures her vision through photography. “Pink Shoes, 2022” is a testament to freedom of expression without discrimination. The male in pink platform shoes was snapped outside of Fashion Institute of Technology.

“I’ve been photographing people for 50 years. It took me many years to be able to do what I do, which is approach and photograph people on the street,” Kozodoy Silkowitz says. “I think it’s a wonderful thing to see people who are unafraid to express who they are, although some people may disapprove.”

Visitors can contribute their own voice to what’s on view and how they relate to community and identity through a collage of messages on the response wall.

It’s all part of the museum’s effort to encourage artistic reflection through times of great change, inspiring us to engage with narratives in a new light.

As Brown puts it: “It helps the artists and it helps those of us who are not artists to think about the diversity of artists and viewpoints and opinions in these communities in which we live, and in that way, hopefully it can broaden people’s views of their communities, of where we are.”

As always, the exhibit experience is enhanced by related programming. The participating artists will be in the galleries on select Sundays throughout the exhibition period to engage with visitors, as well as taking part in upcoming museum and community events.

Mike DelGuidice’s Concert Weekend for Veterans

Mike DelGuidice, one of Long Island’s celebrated singersongwriters returns to The Paramount, with special guests. The band always gives it their all, especially when playing the iconic Billy Joel songs. DelGuidice leads his ensemble in a rousing concert that highlights the Piano Man’s decades of hits. Like his idol, DelGuidice grew up mastering several instruments including bass guitar, guitar, piano, and drums. He’s renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge of the Joel catalog, which caught the attention of Joel himself, who ultimately brought him on stage with him. DelGuidice and his band pack hit after charttopping hit in a high energy show that’s always a crowd pleaser. The concert delights audiences with renditions of classic rock favorites and his own eclectic originals.

Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2, 8 p.m. $60, $40, $25, $20. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

America

The perennial classic rock favorite is back on the road again as founding member Dewey Bunnell celebrates the band’s 54th anniversary, appearing on the Tilles Center stage. Billed as “Ride On Tour 2024, it draws on the band’s deep catalog of hits including signature song “A Horse With No Name,” a #1 hit on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1972. Bunnell and America’s co-founder Gerry Beckley (along with former bandmate Dan Peek), who met in high school in London in the late 1960s, quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts on the strength of that tune. Forty plus years later, these friends continue to make music together (although Beckley has now retired from touring) thrilling audiences with their timeless sound. Yet beyond their impressive catalog of hits, listeners discovered there was always much more to America than surface perceptions.

Saturday, Nov. 2, 8 p.m.

Tickets start at $35. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at TillesCenter.org or (516) 299-3100.

Susan Kozodoy Silkowitz’s Pink Shoes gives a voice to personal expression.

Photos courtesy Heckscher Museum

Maria Spector’s collage “Candy Girls and Boys Under the Jellybean Tree,” is part of a series that explore issues of consumerism, sexuality, femininity, and masculinity — merging the ideas and works of the past with the present.

Karen Kirshner’s “The Mission” was inspired by the war in Ukraine. It conveys the frantic rush to safety by

Ukrainians.

Ailey II

Ailey II, which bills itself as “the next generation of dance,” continues its 50th anniversary of bringing “off-the-charts energy” to the stage, with a performance at Tilles Center, Friday, Nov. 8 , at 8 p.m. Ailey II is universally renowned for merging the spirit and energy of the country’s finest early-career dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s outstanding and emerging choreographers.

The 2024-25 repertory features two world premieres by former Ailey II member Alia Kache and by Houston Thomas, as well as repertory favorites and beloved classics. Founded in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble and led by Sylvia Waters for 38 seasons, Ailey II has advanced Alvin Ailey’s vision for more than five decades by giving early-career dancers a bridge from world-class training at The Ailey School to the professional stage. Led by Artistic Director Francesca Harper, Ailey II’s dancers bring their technical mastery and emotional depth to works by the most daring established and emerging choreographers. Just as Ailey envisioned, the company continues to develop the next generation of performers and dancemakers while expanding audiences through global touring and community-based performances.

‘The Birthday Party’

Looking for something to do this Halloween season that isn’t just for kids? Visit Sands Point Preserve for an exclusive, immersive theatrical production, “The Birthday Party,” held in a seclude opulent mansion concludes Thursday and Friday, oct. 31-Nov. 1. For those who attended Archie’s last “Birthday Party,” rest assured, there are new surprises in store.

Vision Brunch for Hope Day

Bethlehem Assembly of God hosts a free brunch with Pastor Steve Milazzo on bringing hope through community engagement, Thursday, Nov. 7, 10:30 a.m. 12 East Fairview Ave. For more information, call (516) 561-6510 or visit Bethlehemag. org.

Eagle Court of Honors

The program includes Alvin Ailey’s Streams, an abstract exploration of bodies in space, danced to a percussion score by Miloslav Kabelac; Houston Thomas’ world premiere Down the Rabbit Hole, a continuation of the choreographer’s Follow the White Rabbit (2022) that expands on its themes, examining the relationship between humans and technology; also Francesca Harper’s Luminous, a work that pays homage to the 50th anniversary of Ailey II and the artists who paved the way for future generations. 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.

Guests are blindfolded and escorted to a secret location on the property, Villa Vanitas, to celebrate the enigmatic Lord Archibald Axel Von Finkelshorn Chatterton’s 30th birthday. He is a witless charmer on the cusp of a life-changing revelation, and everyone’s invited to witness his journey on a night that promises to be unforgettable and delightfully unpredictable. Cocktail attire preferred. $175 per person. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy. org or call (516) 571-7901.

Boy Scouts of America Valley Stream Troop 109 hosts an Eagle Court of Honors for Luke Lopez, Saturday, Nov. 9, starting at 3 p.m., at Grace United Methodist Church gymnasium. 21 South Franklin Ave. For more information, call (347) 920-8026 or email vanzlopez@aol.com.

VSCHSD Board meeting

Valley Stream Central High School District Board of Education holds their regular board meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 8 p.m., at Memorial Junior High School, 320 Fletcher Avenue. For more information call (516) 872-5628 or visit vschsd.org.

On stage

Join Adelphi University’s talented theater students who perform playwright Caryl Churchill’s “Love and Information,” Thursday and Friday, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 2, 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Nov. 3, 2 p.m. The fast-moving theatrical kaleidoscope explores more than 100 characters in over 50 short scenes as they try to make sense of what they know and what they find out. This is a play unlike any other that examines what it means to be human in a modern world and tackles the tension between the concepts of love and information.

Tickets start at $30, with discounts available to seniors, students, Adelphi alumni and employees. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, Olmsted Theater, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.

Breastfeeding Support Group

Mercy Hospital offers a peer-topeer meeting for breastfeeding support and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10: 30-1:30 a.m. Bring your baby (from newborn to 1 year) to the informal group setting. All new moms are welcome, regardless of delivering hospital. Registration required. Call breastfeeding counselor, Gabriella Gennaro, at (516) 705-2434 to secure you and your baby’s spot. Mercy Hospital, St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.

Grace Church Thrift Shop

Grace United Methodist Church’s thrift shop is open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 21 S. Franklin Avenue. You will find clothes for adults as well as children including shoes, coats, and pocketbooks. Browse the special fall table replete with jewelry, electronics, household and kitchen items, art, and more.

Having an event?

Long Island Turkey Trot

Runners are invited to come out for the Long Island Turkey Trot in Eisenhower Park, Saturday, Nov. 2, in Parking Field 2. The walk/run 5K event begins at 9 a.m. for more information and to register, visit Events.EliteFeats. com/24LITurkeyTrot. Saturday, Nov. 2

STEM Workshop

Students in grades 1-3 can learn basic coding with SCRATCH at Henry Waldinger Memorial Library, Friday, Nov 1, 4-5 p.m.; also Saturday, Nov. 2, 11 a.m.noon. Student volunteer Ilanna will explain how SCRATCH works and help you make simple coding programs. Library iPads will be available for students to use during class, but you can bring your own iPad or laptop too.Registration is required. 60 Verona Place. For more information visit valleystreamlibrary.org or call (516) 825-6422.

Items on The Scene page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to thescene@liherald.com.

NEW YORK’S WRONGEST RUNNING COMEDY!

On exhibit

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

Board games from days gone by

Enjoy an evening of learning and playing historic games at Old Westbury Gardens’ Westbury House, Friday, Nov. 8, 7-9:30 p.m. The Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo takes visitors on journey through 5,000 years of board game history, from its roots in ancient times to more familiar examples from the time of the Phipps family. A brief lecture on board game history includes a presentation of each of the featured games. All are fully playable, and you can try them out yourself.

Games include: Senet, The Royal Game of Ur, Three Man’s Morris, Six Man’s Morris, Nine Man’s Morris, Twelve Man’s Morris, Mancala, Go, Chess, The Royal and Most Pleasant Game of The Goose, Backgammon. The Landlords Game (transition to the modern Monopoly). $15. 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury. For information contact (516) 333-0048 or visit OldWestburyGardens.org.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU SELENE FINANCE LP, Plaintiff, Against

JERD ORIENTAL A/K/A

JERD M. ORIENTAL, MIRLYNE RICHARDSONORIENTAL, GARDY ORIENTAL, Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 10/18/2016, 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 11/13/2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 16 Hudson Ave, Valley Stream, New York 11580, 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 The Incorporated Village Of Valley Stream, Town Of Hempstead, County Of Nassau And State Of New York. Section 37 Block 452 Lot 11-14.

The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $643,572.55 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 3680/2012 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.

George P. Esernio, Esq., Referee.

MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573

Dated: 9/9/24 File Number: 464-0051 SH 149410

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as owner trustee for Legacy Mortgage Asset Trust 2018-RPL2, Plaintiff AGAINST Juan Carlos Reyes, Reina Reyes, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered September 5, 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 November 13, 2024 at 2:30PM, premises known as 313 Emerson Place, Valley Stream, NY 11580. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected,

situate, lying and being in the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section: 37 Block: 14 Lots: 144 & 145.

Approximate amount of judgment $781,694.94 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #615373/2022. 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”. Robert R. Dooley, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-092915-F00 82584 149378

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR GREENPOINT MORTGAGE FUNDING TRUST MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-AR1, -againstDONALD PAULO, 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 August 13, 2024, wherein U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR GREENPOINT MORTGAGE FUNDING TRUST MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-AR1 is the Plaintiff and DONALD PAULO, 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 November 21, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 18 ROTTKAMP ST, VALLEY STREAM, NY 11580; and the following tax map identification: 37-503-95. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING, AND

BEING AT VALLEY STREAM, 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.: 014943/2012. Ronald J. Ferraro, 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. 149452

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 2007-8, Plaintiff, vs. RICHARD R. GREENE A/K/A RICHARD GREENE, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on May 15, 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 November 19, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 41 Edgeworth Street, Valley Stream A/K/A 41 Edgeworth Street, South Valley Stream, NY 11581. 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, Incorporated Village of Valley Stream, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 39, Block 414 and Lot 113. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,169,432.21 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #014294/2012. Howard Colton, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff Firm File No.: 181775-1 149540

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as Trustee, in trust for the registered holders of Morgan Stanley ABS Capital I Inc. Trust 2005NC2, Mortgage Pass-

Through Certificates, Series 2005-NC2, Plaintiff AGAINST Ivy May Johnson a/k/a IvyMay Johnson, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered December 10, 2019, 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 November 18, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 1033 Stafford Road, Valley Stream, NY 11580. 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: 37., Block: 582, Lot: 30. Approximate amount of judgment $722,479.46 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #003354/2015. 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. Charles Casolaro, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-066204-F01 82675 149454

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU BANK OF AMERICA NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGMENT SERIES I TRUST, -againstPUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF NASSAU COUNTY AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF ELSIE CARLSON, 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 May 29, 2024, wherein BANK OF AMERICA NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS

Nationwide recall of poultry reaches V.S. 24

Continued from page 1

reactions related to the consumption of these meals.”

Students remain symptom-free so far

While District 24, with a student body of over 1,000, seems to have weathered the food scare without any reported ailments or hospitalizations, it may not be out of the woods quite yet. Tracing listeria after an outbreak is especially difficult, because symptoms — convulsions, diarrhea, fever, muscle aches — may not appear for up to 10 weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Karakas was tight-lipped about whether the district is undertaking any special monitoring of students who may have eaten potentially listeria-contaminated food, or helping parents facilitate health screenings.

Why listeria is a stubbornly lurking threat

The USDA announced the recall after officials discovered listeria in samples of ready-to-eat poultry products during routine testing. While the federal department’s initial list flagged 75 meat and chicken items, the expanded recall now includes hundreds of prepared meal products sent to scores of schools across several states and big national chains.

Listeria kills roughly 260 people in the U.S. annually. Of the 1,600 people who contract the disease each year, about 1,500 will be hospitalized, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Populations most at risk include people with compromised immune systems, pregnant women, and the elderly.

One glaring question is how the contamination was allowed to take root.

While unsanitary food processing facilities can certainly be a breeding ground for the bacteria, health experts say listeria is persistently challenging to fend off even amidst improvements in sanitation procedures and better detection technology. Not only can it be introduced through the soil, water, and rotting vegetation, but multiples quickly when food touches contaminated surfaces and is notoriously tough to scrub clean even after aggressive sanitation.

TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGMENT SERIES I TRUST is the Plaintiff and PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF NASSAU COUNTY AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF ELSIE CARLSON, 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

FDA food safety tips

Clean: Wash your hands before, during and after handling food. Wash utensils, cutting boards, and any surfaces that food touches after each use. Wash fruits and vegetables—but not meat, poultry, or eggs.

Separate: Use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils for raw (uncooked) produce and for raw (uncooked) meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs. Keep meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods while shopping and in the refrigerator.

Cook: Only a food thermometer can make sure meat, poultry, fish, and casseroles are cooked to a safe internal temperature.

Chill: Use appliance thermometers to be sure your refrigerator is at or below 40 º F and your freezer is 0 º F or below. Between 40 º F and 140 º F is the Danger Zone where bacteria can multiply rapidly.

Neither BrucePac nor Whitsons Culinary Group, which sources products from the mass meat and poultry producer, responded to inquiries about their vetting protocols or regulatory oversight.

“The health and safety of our students remain our top priority, and we have closely communicated with both Whitsons and the Nassau County Department of Health,” said Karakas who did not directly answer questions about whether the district would re-evaluate its choice of food vendor or implement new sanitary regulations in light of the recall.

Karakas did say, however, that the Whitsons Culinary Group “encouraged parents to contact their child’s healthcare provider if they are concerned about an illness.”

SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on November 26, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 17 SOUTH HOMMELL STREET, VALLEY STREAM, NY 11580; and the following tax map identification: 37-521-42. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND

BEING AT ELMONT, TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 011621/2013. Judith Powell, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse,

Attorneys for

CIRCULATION ASSOCIATE

Full Time/Part Time

Richner Communications, publisher of Herald community newspapers has an excellent opportunity for a FT/PT Customer Service Clerk in our busy Circulation Department.

Basic customer service and administrative responsibilities include: heavy computer work, answering phones, making phone calls, entering orders, faxing, filing, etc. STRONG knowledge of EXCEL a must! Knowledge of DATABASE maintenance or postal regulations a big plus. Qualified Candidates must be computer literate, able to multitask, dependable, reliable, organized, energetic, detail oriented and able to work well under deadlines.

Salary Range is $16 per hour to $23 per hour. For consideration, please send resume & salary requirements to: careers@liherald.com

DRIVERS WANTED

Full Time and Part Time

Positions Available!

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

DRIVING INSTRUCTOR

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

$20 - $25/ Hour Bell Auto School 516-365-5778

Email: info@bellautoschool.com

EDITOR/REPORTER

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

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

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

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

POSITION DETAILS: Flexible: Part-time or Full-time. Salary range: $16,640 to $70,000, depending on experience and role.

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

MAILROOM/ WAREHOUSE HELP

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

Email resumes or contact info to careers@liherald.com

MULTI MEDIA

ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Inside Sales

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

OUTSIDE SALES

Richner Communications, One of the Fastest Growing Media, Event and Communications Companies on Long Island is Seeking a Sales/Marketing Candidate to Sell our Print Media Products and our Digital, Events, Sponsorships. Earning potential ranges from $33,280 plus commission and bonuses to over $100,000 including commissions and bonuses. Compensation is based on Full Time hours Eligible for Health Benefits, 401k and Paid Time Off. Please Send Cover Letter and Resume with Salary Requirements to rglickman@liherald.com or Call 516-569-4000 X250

HomesHERALD

Will housing ever be more affordable?

A Buyers Dream Home

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Q. I’m looking to sell my home, and I’m stunned by the cost of homes these days. My daughter’s family had to move out of the area, not because they needed better jobs, but because their jobs couldn’t pay enough to afford a home, and my wife and I could only help a little. Do you see any hope for housing to be made more affordable? Are there less costly ways to build that could help young people get a foothold on the American Dream? What do you think?

A. Yes, there are many ways to make homes more affordable, but the way to make it happen is very complicated, and I doubt that you’ll see it happen. Think of people, our economy, our system of living arrangements, our communities, separately or combined into large entities, as being like a large woven fabric. There are many threads in this fabric, many colors and textures and many ways the threads are woven, some over, some under and some straight through. Pull at one part of the fabric, poke at another, and the whole composition ruffles, wrinkles, even tears and starts to unravel. Now, think of how much each thread costs, how someone puts a price on that thread because of its location, its color, its finish within the fabric. That one thread is now thought of as more expensive, special and exclusive. Others see that thread and decide their threads are pretty darn special, too. Soon every thread goes up in value, and anyone trying to weave a new thread into the fabric, or trying to buy that thread, must be in compliance with the costs, rules and location.

Regulators who decide where different threads can be placed, how big or small those threads can be and what they can look like, are people. People are threads in the fabric. Your kids are threads who may or may not find a way to be woven into the fabric as other threads disintegrate or are pulled away. Government, financial institutions, property associations, neighbors and you have to all cooperate to make the fabric stay together.

It’s possible that when enough people refuse to buy a thread or be a thread, then the value of threads diminishes. The cost of making a thread — a home or a commercial building — keeps increasing, so the cost of the components has to be brought down. But the people who make those components have to get paid. Do we cut their salaries? It’s all connected, like a complicated woven fabric in which everything has to work together.

There’s currently a nationwide shortage of housing units and a limited inventory of homes for sale, possibly because it costs more for less, so people are reluctant to move. Prices, the cost of materials, the regulated size of homes, and profit margins for sellers and lenders all need to be reduced. Does anyone see that happening, or do we wait for the fabric to become brittle and start to come apart to respond? Good luck!

© 2024 Monte Leeper

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The madman theory and today’s international scene

All the way back in the year 1517, Niccolò Machiavelli argued that sometimes it is “a very wise thing to simulate madness.” But what did he mean, and does it have relevance today? Let’s start with a definition.

As quoted in Wikipedia, “the madman theory is a political theory commonly associated with the foreign policy of President Richard Nixon and his administration, who tried to make the leaders of hostile Communist Bloc nations think Nixon was irrational and volatile so that they would avoid provoking the U.S. in fear of an unpredictable response.”

Let’s consider some other wellknown examples of this theory in practice:

Libya, under Moammar Gaddafi, had a clandestine program to develop nuclear weapons. In 2003, however, Libya suddenly decided to surrender its program and discontinue further pursuit of such

weapons. Did they suddenly develop a conscience? Actually, I would argue that the invasion of Iraq by the U.S. under President George W. Bush scared the Libyans, who feared that Bush was going to invade any country developing these weapons, whether or not there was an actual provocation that would justify it. They thought that Bush was not entirely rational in this regard.

There are those who accuse Donald Trump of being unstable. It may be by design.

Vladimir Putin has threatened to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine if things don’t go his way. As a result, many Western countries put severe restrictions on the Ukrainians’ use of the weapons provided to them by the U.S. and other countries, for fear that Putin would actually do what is considered unthinkable and use his nukes. Throughout his rule over Russia, Putin has cultivated and encouraged the idea that he is unpredictable and could do crazy things. This has worked to inhibit and restrain other countries from acting as they otherwise might in response to Russian aggression.

Kim Jong-un and his predecessors in North Korea have long used the idea that they are crazy and unpredictable to

Wtheir advantage. They have repeatedly been able to extract concessions from the U.S. in the form of sanctions relief and the provision of food and have been able to develop and test nuclear weapons and missiles to deliver them simply by encouraging the fear that they would restart the Korean War. This despite Western vows that they would never be allowed to have these weapons. Now that they have nukes, and constantly threaten to use them, they have even more leverage. People think they would actually use them. Now let’s look at today’s international scene and compare it with how things were just a few years ago. President Biden is seen as being weak and fearful of using American power. When he suggests that he would use this power, no one believes it. He says “don’t” to bad actors and they “do.” They’re not afraid of him, and feel free to ignore his warnings.

As a result, we have hot wars in Ukraine and Israel, Chinese aggression in the Pacific and the real and imminent threat of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The new “Axis” of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea is on the

move, creating chaos and the real danger of igniting a third world war. Contrast this with the situation during the Trump administration. There are those who accuse Donald Trump of being unpredictable and unstable. But consider that this may be by deliberate design on his part. When he tells a foreign leader that he will take action that many would consider dangerous, they believe him.

Under Trump, Mexico became extremely cooperative in controlling the border, Russia didn’t further its Ukraine ambitions and Iran was careful not to allow Hamas or Hezbollah to get out of control. Trump took several actions (think of the destruction of ISIS, and of the take-out of Iranian military leader Qassim Suleimani) that some other leaders might have been afraid to take. The bottom line was that things were positively quiet, compared with today’s chaos.

I would argue that the madman theory is actually a valuable tool that was employed effectively by Trump, and that, if he is elected again, we can entertain the hope that our military will be rebuilt and U.S. deterrence restored.

Howard Kopel represents Nassau County’s 7th Legislative District and is the Legislature’s presiding officer.

Hurricanes shred lives and property

e did the stupid thing, and we survived.

We did not evacuate our home on a barrier island on the west coast of Florida when Hurricane Helene blasted through in the early-morning hours of Sept. 26.

The first alerts about Helene seemed exaggerated and alarmist: A disorganized low-pressure system, percolating quietly near the Yucatan Peninsula, would gather fearsome energy over the Gulf of Mexico and slam into Florida’s Gulf coast, as a Cat 4 or 5 killer. It was an unusual setup for hurricane in these parts. My part-time residence was long said to be safe by the indigenous people who lived here, protected geographically because of a twist in the coastline. Maybe the ancients are exacting revenge for our careless guardianship of their land.

We are on the eighth floor of a building on the beach, and we have metal wind shutters. So, considering the laborious process of gathering our belong-

ings and food and driving to a safe haven, we decided to stay. Besides, once a storm is on its way, not much time remains before landfall, and it isn’t clear which way to run. Hurricanes often wobble or weaken or, in the case of Helene, turn left over Georgia and North Carolina, destroying everything in their path.

W

We had water for a week, and food that didn’t need to be refrigerated or heated. We had each other and Lillybee the dog, who had been skulking in our shadows for days. We also felt somewhat jaded by overhyped weather alarms in the past. Epic snowfalls, tornadoes sprouting everywhere, on-again-off-again water spout watches. We would probably be OK.

tioned. Then I walked up. Then I did the same walk, down and up eight flights, for five days, until power was restored. Both of our cars, parked “safely” in the garage, were engulfed by the tidal surge and totaled.

e were scared straight by Helene, and will never try to ride one out again.

Sometime after midnight on the 26th, the rain and wind came on like a freight train, hammering the shutters against our windows. Within an hour we had no electricity and no internet. Officials on the mainland turned off all water service to the island. The bridge to the rest of the world was closed.

The dog needed to go out, so I grabbed a flashlight and walked down eight dark flights of stairs to get outside. Building generators malfunc-

But we were lucky. We lived through the storm without a medical crisis and with replaceable losses. We vowed never to stay when the authorities tell us to evacuate. What if one of us got sick during the hurricane? What if the windows blew in, even with the shutters?

Less than two weeks later, we had another shot at hurricane survival. Hurricane Milton developed on the east coast of Mexico, and got himself together in record speed, exploding from Category 1 to Category 5 in one day and taking direct aim at our island as he charged up the west coast of Florida.

This time we obeyed the evacuation orders and moved to a hotel on the mainland with Lillybee. One day later, the hotel was evacuated, sending us on a drive across the state, with thousands of other people. We took refuge with family on the East Coast. And we waited and waited for the hurricane to hit and

do its work so we could begin to build back. Like waiting for surgery.

Milton made landfall on Oct. 9 on the tiny barrier island south of us, wiping it clean of all the charming old Florida cottages that have survived for so long on a spit of land. Cars floated out into the Gulf. A man was rescued clinging to a large cooler from his sunken boat. We came back to our condo four days later. The property was a mess, but we had power and internet. We were on a boilwater advisory, stores were closed, and piles of household belongings and soaked furnishings are piled up along the roads.

We love it here, but it’s crazy to build on barrier islands. Nature always reclaims her own. We were scared straight by the first hurricane, and will never try to ride one out again. We look around at neighbors who have lost everything they own. And we know we are part of a bigger, more frightening human-made disaster called climate change.

Who will gather the will and willingness to stop the rising tides and temperatures? Who will stop the awful gathering storm of wind, rain and fire that sweep across our nation in every season?

Copyright 2024 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

HoWARD KopEL

RAnDi KREiss

Herald editorial

The Herald’s pact with you

in recent days, two of the most prominent national newspapers, The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post, announced that they would not endorse a presidential candidate in Tuesday’s election, breaking from decades of precedent. Many have speculated on the reasons behind these decisions, suggesting that the newspapers favored Kamala Harris but ultimately chose not to upset Donald Trump for fear of retribution if the former president returns to the Oval Office.

For those of us in the news business, these decisions raise questions about the role of newspapers in a charged political climate. We at the Long Island Herald, a proud local newspaper company family-owned for three generations, see this as an opportunity to reaffirm our mission to serve the people of Long Island.

Unlike many national publications, the Herald does not make endorsements of candidates seeking political office, and our reasons are simple yet vital. Our focus is not on swaying voters toward a particular candidate, but on delivering comprehensive and unbiased information about the issues that matter most to Long Islanders. We are not here to tell our readers how to vote for political candidates; rather, we are here to arm readers with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions at the

letters

‘Harris shouldn’t even be on the ticket’

To the Editor:

ballot box. For us, the true measure of success is when readers feel empowered to draw their own conclusions based on facts, insights and perspectives they can trust.

Our mission is grounded in the local stories that directly impact your day-today lives — stories about Long Island schools, roads, parks, businesses and community events. It’s easy for national headlines to overshadow these essential local matters, especially in a polarized political landscape. Yet we firmly believe that our responsibility is to stay rooted in the issues affecting our neighborhoods and families. From zoning changes and public safety to neighborhood events and high school sports, we are here to cover what is relevant and timely for our readers.

The one place where you might see opinions about local and national political candidates, however, is in columns on our editorial pages, like those written by Randi Kreiss and Peter King. These essays are distinguished from Herald news content by featuring photos of the authors, making it clear that they reflect the writers’ perspectives and not the views of the Herald. We strive to showcase a diverse array of local voices across the ideological spectrum in these opinion pieces.

In a world saturated with news from national outlets, social media platforms and pundits, local newspapers play a

I couldn’t disagree more with Jerry’s Kremer’s viewpoint in his column last week, “Why I’m voting for Kamala Harris.” Harris shouldn’t even be on the ticket. If the Democrats had held an open primary after President Biden was pushed aside, she wouldn’t even have been considered. Her word-salad responses to questions are baffling and her knowledge of the issues is inept. The only thing that rings in her favor is the Roe v. Wade debate. Harris is clueless on the economy, the border, which is a travesty, and her ability to engage with world leaders. Donald Trump is far from perfect, but he’ll put America first, and Kamala, in my opinion, will not.

KEnnY CULLEn

Franklin Square

And Jerry left something out

To the Editor:

In “Why I’m voting for Kamala Harris,” Jerry Kremer forgot to mention what our open south -

unique and irreplaceable role. Our newspaper is here to highlight the concerns and successes of Long Island, to act as a mirror to our community, and to bring a sense of belonging and understanding that no national publication can provide. But to achieve this, we need to hear from you, our readers. What are the topics you care about? What issues are not getting the coverage they deserve? Are there people in our community doing extraordinary things whom we should feature? We encourage you to share your thoughts, ideas and feedback with us. Let us know what you’re curious about, what you feel needs to be addressed, and where you think we can improve. Your voices are essential to shaping a Herald that genuinely reflects and serves your community.

Reach out to us at execeditor@liherald.com, and let us know what matters to you!

As the election approaches, we understand the intense focus on national races, but our mission remains to illuminate the issues closest to home. We will continue to be your trusted source for local news, not by endorsing political candidates but by informing, listening, and responding to the needs of Long Island.

Together, let’s keep our community well-informed, engaged and vibrant — one local story at a time.

opinions

When did we become so unkind?

ispent a lot of my childhood, and now, consequently, a lot of my adulthood, at my uncle’s lake house in Pennsylvania.

Some of my fondest memories revolve around being there — whether I was fishing with my grandfather, exploring the outdoors with my cousins or curled up with a good book on the beach, taking in my surroundings.

As I’ve gotten older, I find that I love the area for different reasons. I still like to fish and spend time outside with my family and my dogs. But I also love exploring the Poconos communities around the house, which, in many ways, feel like a second home to me.

Readers of the Bellmore, Merrick and East Meadow Heralds have likely seen my name pop up on their community Facebook pages throughout the almost three and a half years that I’ve been working here. I like to stay involved with community forums,

because they’re not only a great source of information, but also a great place for me to network, and meet the people in the communities that I cover and love.

So just as I do here at home and when I’m working, I’ve joined a few community social media pages in the Pennsylvania region I travel to. Again, I find that it’s a great way to stay in the loop, find new spots to visit, and again, receive a variety of information that I might not know otherwise.

the world often feels overwhelmingly negative, but we don’t have to make it worse.

A few weeks ago, I was scrolling through a page that I check frequently, and came across a post from a page contributor that read: “NY Trash Destroyed The Poconos.”

It took me a moment to really wrap my head around what I was reading, because for one, the region is economically very reliant on tourism from places like New York, and because I couldn’t believe that people actually felt that way. I’d imagine that everyone has had their own experiences with “outsiders,” but I’d venture to guess that the vast majority of the people who’ve found second

Letters

ern border has done to our country. Maybe that’s because Harris was in charge of the border.

FRANk VENIS East Rockaway

Harris looks like the smart choice

To the Editor:

Vice presidents are very limited in what they can do in that job. Their job is to support the president’s policies. Think of former Vice President Mike Pence.

Vice President Harris is her own strong person, and she will take what she perceives to be the best aspects of President Biden’s policies, but no vice president is ever a carbon copy of their predecessor. In terms of the southern border, Harris says that she supports having both parties in Congress work together and compromise on solutions, as was recently done with the strict border bill that both parties agreed on. However, Trump intervened and told Republicans to back out.

Trump and his MAGA Republicans prefer a dictatorial approach to solving our country’s problems. They tell us that we are a failing nation that only one man can fix. Beware. That is not democracy.

Concerning our economy, economists

homes in Pennsylvania are just like me and my family — kind, courteous and respectful. Fellow commenters on the thread confirmed my beliefs. Whatever reasons he had to make that post didn’t matter in the long run. In the grand scheme of things, it was just another blip on the social media timeline. It didn’t make any waves, and it certainly didn’t stop “outsiders” from visiting the area, or going to homes that they own.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve thought a lot about that post, not because I took insult in his words, but because I can’t imagine ever going out of my way to post such a ridiculous, negative thing — on any platform, for any reason.

It’s like the age-old saying: “If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.”

It doesn’t matter that the post came from a place other than Long Island, because I’m sure we can all think of similar ones. Comments become vicious and people start attacking one another, while ignoring the actual problem: We,

as a society, can be extraordinarily unkind.

There’s a lot going on these days. Things are polarized, and I feel it — the agitation, the stress about the way things are. The world we live in today isn’t perfect, but was it ever?

The point I’m trying to make is, if you have to go out of your way to say something completely unnecessary, take a moment and ask yourself: Is it worth it?

The world today may not be perfect, and often it feels overwhelmingly negative. We don’t have to make it worse. When things feel harsh and disconnected, kindness is a quiet strength, as is thinking about the things we say, or write, before we say them.

We can choose to be mindful of what we say, understanding that our words have consequences. The world may not be perfect, but each of us can make it a little better by simply pausing, reflecting, and opting for kindness whenever we can, because in a time when so much feels out of our control, this is one thing that isn’t.

Jordan Vallone is a senior editor who writes for the Bellmore, Merrick and East Meadow Heralds. Comments? jvallone@ liherald.com.

Framework by Tim Baker

report that it is doing well. Gas prices are down, unemployment is down and the stock market is flourishing.

One would expect that food and housing costs would continue to improve under Harris. Economists say that Trump’s tariffs would backfire and increase the cost of goods. Also, it seems that most people agree with the Harris plan to have large corporations pay their fair share of taxes, but she will need a Democratic Congress to achieve this.

ELAINE RAuCH Lynbrook

On Election Day, keep it all in perspective

To the Editor:

Beware of all the promises of goodies — or, as I call them, Halloween tricks and treats — promised by candidates running for public office. There is no such thing as a free lunch, or, in this case, free government programs offering benefits to you. Taxpayers always end up picking up the tab.

That’s a good reason why politicians should be changed often, like diapers, because most are full of you know what! Remember this next Tuesday before you vote.

LARRY PENNER Great Neck

At Falcon’s Halloween Yard Haunt — Pierce Avenue, North Bellmore

JorDan VaLLone