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Birthday hot rod parade

Smile-bag Santa spreads cheer

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Vol. 68 No. 15

APRIl 9 - 15, 2020

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Schools gain in budget vote But uncertainties prevail as pandemic deepens thing we have received and are receiving from the state,” Pecora said. “But how much that is does Seaford and Wantagh schools depend on how you look at the got a little breathing room last numbers.” week, despite the postponement Seaford was slated to receive of their budget votes and the about $13.3 million in the FY continuing closure 2019-20 budget. The of their schools. actual aid run was Education spendmore than $13.6 miling in the state’s $177 lion billion budget With projected remained flat yearaid for 2020-21 of over-year, according $13.78 million, “the to Seaford Demodifference over last cratic State Sen. year is really about John Brooks, but at $90,000,” Pecora said. least on paper, the Attempts to reach two districts each Wantagh district gained about a halfofficials were unsucmillion dollars in cessful. state aid for 2020-21.

The two districts Seaford will receive DR. ADElE fared better than roughly $13.8 milmany, according to lion next school PECoRA Brooks, a for mer year, up from $13.26 Superintendent, Seaford Board of this year, and Want- Seaford Schools Education trustee. agh will get $17.6 “Some lost quite a million, up from bit,” he said, point$17.1 million, according to ing to the Freeport School DisBrooks. trict, which saw its aid drop by Nevertheless, budgets are nei- roughly $1.5 million. ther static nor simple, and SeaPecora said it was impossible ford Superintendent Adele Peco- to predict the impact of postponra cautioned against too rigid a ing the district budget vote. Gov. reading of the numbers.

Andrew Cuomo announced last “Make no mistake, we are extremely grateful for everyContinued on page 10

By TIMoTHY DENToN tdenton@liherald.com

w

Courtesy MadMen Bespoke Barbers

EDwARD AND JESSICA Dennehy handed out masks to first responders on Merrick Road in Wantagh last Saturday.

Barbershop hands out 2,500 masks to first responders

By TIMoTHY DENToN tdenton@liherald.com

Efforts to get protective masks to more Nassau County residents got a boost last weekend as residents and elected officials joined in collection and distribution efforts.

In Wantagh, MadMen Bespoke Barbershop handed out more than 2,500 masks to first responders along Merrick Road on Saturday, near the boundary between Want-

agh and Seaford. And just down the street in Wantagh Park, Hempstead Town Councilman Christopher Carini and Nassau County Legislator Steve Rhoads joined forces to collect additional personal protective equipment.

Edward Dennehy, 39, who co-owns and operates MadMen with his former wife, Jessica Dennehy, 38, also donated 500 masks to first responders in both Long Beach and Rockville Centre.

The Dennehys said they

had collected 10,000 masks for distribution across Long Island. Saturday’s event aimed at getting the scarce N95 masks into the hands of first responders, whose work has been hampered by shortages.

The Dennehys, who live in Merrick and have a second location in Williston Park, distributed packages of 10 masks free of charge. They said they hoped to collect Continued on page 10

e haven’t begun any discussions about amending next year’s [school] calendar.

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Herald offers $500K in grants for businesses

April 9, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

Richner Communications Inc., publisher of Herald Community Newspapers and The Riverdale Press, this week announced a $500,000 grant program to support local businesses. Through the Herald Small Business Marketing Grant Program, each Long Island business is eligible to receive up to $15,000 of matching grant funds, which can be used for marketing services to promote the business’ products and services.

The Herald Small Business Marketing Grant Program is being supported by: ■ Long Island Main Street Alliance ■ Cedarhurst BID ■ Gold Coast Business Association ■ Bellmore Chamber of Commerce ■ East Meadow Chamber of Commerce ■ Franklin Square Chamber of Commerce ■ Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce ■ Long Beach Chamber of Commerce ■ Lynbrook Chamber of Commerce ■ Malverne Chamber of Commerce ■ Oceanside Chamber of Commerce ■ Oyster Bay/East Norwich Chamber of Commerce ■ Rockville Centre Chamber of Commerce ■ Seaford Chamber of Commerce

■ Vally Stream Chamber of Commerce ■ Wantagh Chamber of Commerce ■ West Hempstead Chamber of Commerce Businesses can apply for grants at www.liherald.com/grants starting on Wednesday, April 8, 2020, and they will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities,” said Stuart Richner, president of RCI and publisher of Herald Community Newspapers. “With Long Island quickly becoming the center of the Covid-19 crisis, we knew that we had to do whatever possible to support our small business community.

“We are a small business ourselves, so we understand the pain that small business owners are going through right now,” Richner added. “But all studies show that businesses that continue to market during down times are those that fare the best long-term. We at the Herald want to do our part to make sure that members of our business community can continue to promote themselves during this trying period.”

Eric Alexander, of the Long Island Main Street Alliance, applauded RCI for stepping up to help the Long Island small business community. “Half-a-million dollars will go a long way toward helping the local restaurant owners, downtown retailers and other business

The herald is kicking off a new $500,000 grant program to help small businesses market themselves during the Covid-19 pandemic. services,” Alexander said. “With so many small businesses changing how they offer their services, like dine-in only restaurants now offering takeout, promotion is critical during this crisis and even more important as we head toward recovery.”

The Herald Small Business Marketing Grant Program will provide up to $500,000 in matching advertising dollars and can be used toward print or digital advertising in any Herald or other RCI property. Since the coronavirus crisis started in March, the Herald has seen its audience increase by 100 percent, meaning that advertisers now have the ability to reach even more people than

before.

The program is open to all locally owned and operated businesses impacted by the coronavirus. Grants are available for between $300 and $15,000 of matching funds and can be used in April, May and June 2020.

Every dollar that a grant recipient spends on advertising will be matched with a dollar of grant funding, up to the award amount, to be applied toward advertising costs. Applications must be submitted via the online form at www. liherald.com/grants. Businesses will be notified about the status of their application within two business days of submitting it.

Island Harvest Responds to COVID-19 Island Harvest Food Bank is a lifeline for people struggling to put food on their tables during this unprecedented public health crisis, but we need your help.

Your generosity will allow us to continue to provide critical food and support for homebound seniors, veterans, working families, and children.

And, If you, or someone you know, needs food assistance, or to support our work on Long Island call 631-873-4775 or visit islandharvest.org.

HOW YOU CAN HELP OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED: Every $25 donated will support a family meal kit which provides food for 3–4 days.

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Seaford birthday boy surprised by cavalcade of vintage high-powered cars

By J.D. FREDA jfreda@liherald.com

The loud engine of a muscle car roared as it paraded down Maple Avenue in Seaford last Thursday. Then followed another and another, as neighbors began opening their doors to investigate the commotion before seeing a cavalcade of classic American muscle cars and hot rods.

The reason for the hot rod procession was apparent to onlookers as honks of car horns were directed at the DiBlasi family household and many cars held signs out of the window reading “Happy Birthday Paulie!” Paul DiBlasi, 41, motioned for his son Paulie, 11, to walk outside their front door. April 2 was Paulie’s 11th b i r t h d a y. H e walked outside to watch the convoy of cars pass through with a smile, not knowi n g t h at t h e y were there for him.

“We didn’t tell him that it was happening,” Paul said. “We just told him to the come to the door and look.”

PAul DiBlAzi Paulie takes Birthday boy’s father after his father with a keen interest in cars. His father said that when he saw all the cars, he was ecstatic. Then he took a closer look.

“He saw that people had signs saying ‘happy birthday,’” Paul said. “First, he saw my buddy Franco’s car and he asked ‘what is Franco doing here, dad?’ But he found out pretty quick.”

Franco Candela is a family friend of the DiBlasis. Candela was the first driver in the procession, driving an early 2000’s Ford Mustang Cobra. He also runs a Facebook group for muscle car and hot rod aficionados. In the week leading up to Paulie’s birthday, Candela started posting in other groups. He was asking for volunteers to help make a child’s birthday memorable for the right reasons.

“He put it out there on a few different group pages, like Strong Island Mustang Group and he managed to bring a bunch people down,” Paul said. “It was fantastic.

It turned what could’ve been his worst birthday into maybe the most memorable and coolest one ever.”

Paulie looked on, with many neighbors from his block, as cars continued to file down the Seaford street.

“There were pickup trucks, Mustangs, Corvettes, newer muscle cars, vintage police cars with the alarms going off, there were so many cars, almost too many,” Paul said candidly.

Paul was touched at the response by not only his community, but from those that traveled to help his family celebrate.

When the full group of cars arrived, Pau-

F

irst, he saw my buddy Franco’s car and he asked ‘what is Franco doing here, dad?’ But he found out pretty quick.

Courtesy Paul DiBlasi Facebook

PAul DiBlAsi AnD his family took his 1967 Pontiac Firebird to a car procession the next day.

FRom lEFt REAR, Holly and Paul DiBlasi, with sons Paulie and Luke, watched on as a procession of cars cruised down Maple Avenue on April 2 to celebrate Paulie’s 11th birthday.

A ChEvRolEt CoRvEttE paraded down the street on April 2.

Courtesy Leonora Candela

lie was not the only one surprised at who showed up.

“Some of my own cousins, who I didn’t know were going to be involved, were there,” Paul said. “People traveled from Suffolk, Western Nassau, from the North Shore. It was great.”

He continued: “We couldn’t say enough about how grateful we are. The reaction of everybody, the reaction couldn’t be any better. Families were holding up signs and balloons. Perfect strangers, people we never met in our life were there.”

As the cars finally passed, the day’s impact did not leave the DiBlasis.

“We have already given back,” Paul said. “Another group started on Facebook to do this very thing. The next day, we participated in one.”

The DiBlasis saddled up in their 1967 Pontiac Firebird and joined another car procession.

“Paulie loved it. He even said he can’t wait to go to another one,” Paul said. “It was touching.”

Courtesy Leonora Candela

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 9, 2020

Muscle cars wishing happy birthday

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Bike biz takes off as homebound get out Gym, school closures leave families with time on their hands

By TIMOTHY DENTON tdenton@liherld.com

When it comes to social distancing, residents of Nassau County’s South Shore may be luckier than most. With more than 60 miles of beautiful pedestrian trails and bike paths, the area in and around Seaford and Wantagh is a rich environment for anyone seeking a cure for cabin fever.

It is not surprising then, that the Covid-19 crisis and its concomitant cadre of stay-athome f amilies has been a boon for the bicycle business.

“Pretty much everything,” was one sales associate’s response at Merrick Bicycles when asked last Thursday what was selling. He w a s e ve n t o o sEaN MaHON busy to give his full name, simSales associate, ply identifying Merrick Bicycles himself as “Mike.”

Dan Sirota, one of the managers at Brands Cycle & Fitness, finally got a breather at 8 p.m. on Saturday evening.

Normally, Wantagh’s venerable bicycle emporium, with more than 50 years’ experience, closes at 6. But with the crisis, the store has an appointment sheet similar to those used at computer stores to book consultations on equipment and exercise regimens.

Cycleries always show an uptick as winter gives way to spring, Sirota said, “but this year’s dif ferent.” People cooped up inside are looking for ways of escape.

The two stores limit the number of customers who may be inside the store any time, and drop-ins are strongly discouraged. Some of the stores’ empties work from home, but “this is a face-toface business,” Merrick’s Sean Mahon

a

nyone who can [work from home] is. … But some things have to be face to face.

Courtesy Merrick Bicycles

MErrIck BIcYclEs Is selling “everything,” a sales associate said last week, as people try to stay fit despite gym closures. said on Monday morning, when the store was quieter.

Both Sirota and Mahon said home exercise equipment was a top seller right now. Indoor trainers like Wahoo allow cyclists to program their courses, including factors like wind sheer, difficulty of gradient and even the country or area they want to cycle in.

And clubs have formed, according to Brands’ Byron James, enabling people to have some sense of social contact as they ride the loops in Central Park, for example.

On the other hand, demand for apparel has gone down. “We’re selling everything from kids bikes to racing bikes,” said Mahon. But clothes and shoes? Not so much, he said.

Some of the two stores’ employees are working from home. “Anyone who can do that is,” Sirota said. “But some things have to be face to face.”

HOW TO REACH US Our offices are located at 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530 and are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

MAIN PHONE: (516) 569-4000 ■ WEB SITE: www.liherald.com/wantagh

Timothy Denton/Herald-Citizen

BYrON JaMEs, Of Brands Bicycles & Fitness in Wantagh.

Wishing you health and happiness this holiday season.

Happy Easter - Happy Passover

■ E-MAIl: Letters and other submissions: wantagheditor@liherald.com ■ EDITORIAl DEPARTMENT: Ext. 234 E-mail: wantagheditor@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ SUBSCRIPTIONS: Press ”7” E-mail: circ@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4942 ■ ClASSIFIED ADVERTISING: Ext. 286 E-mail: ereynolds@liherald.com Fax: (516) 622-7460 ■ DISPlAY ADVERTISING: Ext. 249 E-mail: sales@liherald.com Fax: (516) 569-4643 The Wantagh Herald Citizen USPS 16790, is published every Thursday by Richner Communications, Inc., 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Periodicals postage paid at Garden City, NY 11530 and additional mailing offices. Postmaster send address changes to Wantagh Herald Citizen, 2 Endo Blvd. Garden City, NY 11530. Subscription rates: $20 for 1 year within Nassau County. Out of Nassau County: $52 for 1 year. Copyright © 2020 Richner Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

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April 9, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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What’s neWs in and out of the classroom

Wantagh students design at home Although classroom learning has been suspended, Wantagh School District elementary students are using their time at home wisely to participate in a number of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) projects and challenges.

Students from Forest Lake Elementary School, Mandalay Elementary School and Wantagh Elementary School competed. Under the direction of STEAM teacher Kaitlin Humphrey, students logged onto the PBS Design Squad website and chose an engineering/building project. They improvised, using household materials to complete their projects.

Humphrey urged students to use their collaborative skills by working on the project with family members.

After they were done, students uploaded Flipgrid videos to the PBS Design website, explaining their projects and the materials they used to complete it.

“The goal of the activity was to keep students thinking creatively and critically through use of materials at home,” Humphrey said.

Students are also being encouraged to improve coding skills on the code.org website; play PBS Engineering virtual games and Breakout EDU digital games; and participate in the Wantagh Family STEAM Challenge to make interesting recycled items while learning from home.

Photos courtesy Wantagh Schools

Mandalay third-grader Michael Coticchio made a rubber band racer.

Wantagh third-grader Joseph Menichino, left, created an air cannon out of water bottles for the Design Squad Home Challenge.

Forest lake third-grader Megan Martone, far left, made a zipline.

Using Materials he had at home, Wantagh Elementary thirdgrader Giovanni Stornello, top left, with his father, made a balloon racer as part of the Design Squad Home Challenge.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 9, 2020

Herald ScHoolS

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April 9, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

On Saturday, COunty Executive Laura Curran said, “We’re in the heat of the battle,” as she spoke about the increasing number of coronavirus cases in Nassau. As of Monday morning, the state was reporting 15,600 cases here. At back was Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggiWhitton, who represents the 11th District on the North Shore.

Christina Daly/Herald

The week that was: coronavirus in Nassau

By SCOtt BrintOn sbrinton@liherald.com

The coronavirus outbreak took a sharp turn this past weekend, as cases soared on Long Island. Governor Cuomo said the epidemic appeared to be shifting east from New York City.

That shift was straining Nassau’s hospitals, according to Cuomo and County Executive Laura Curran Meanwhile, the governor pushed back the May 19 school vote to June 1.

Below is a day-by-day timeline of how it all played out.

Friday, april 3

School budget votes were delayed until at least June 1 because of the coronavirus outbreak, by order of Governor Cuomo.

The votes were to have taken place May 19.

The governor issued the executive order March 30. It states: “Any school board, library board, or village election scheduled to take place in April or May of 2020 is hereby postponed until at least June 1, 2020, and subject to further directive as to the timing, location or manner of voting for such elections.”

Whether the school budget votes take place on June 1 remains to be seen. The coronavirus pandemic is fluid, and if new cases were to continue to arise, the vote could be delayed further, state officials said.

“The state budget was difficult,” Cuomo said in his Friday news conference.

Pushing back the vote will give state and local officials a clearer picture of New York’s finances after the Covid-19 virus forced tens of thousands of businesses to close and sales tax collections to plummet. The governor had earlier predicted a $10 billion to $15 billion gap in the state budget, which is unprecedented.

GOvernOr CuOmO Said over the weekend that the center of the Covid-19 epidemic appeared to be shifting away from New York City toward Long Island.

Friday, april 3

Cuomo had warned in recent weeks that New York’s apex of Covid-19 cases was coming within seven to 21 days.

Already, though, the state had surpassed 100,000 cases as of last Friday, he said, and Thursday into Friday was the deadliest 24-hour period during the coronavirus crisis to date, with 562 new deaths statewide.

“We had more deaths,” Cuomo said, “we had more people going into the hospitals than any other night.”

In all, 2,935 New Yorkers had died of the disease.

In Nassau County, more than 12,000 people had tested positive for the coronavirus as of Friday.

The governor identified Nassau and Suffolk counties as emerging areas of concern.

He also noted that a number of Nassau County hospitals were identified as hot spots because of the high volume of Covid-19 patients they were seeing, including St. Francis Hospital, North Shore University Hospital, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center and Good Samaritan Hospital.

Saturday, april 4

Nassau County had the third-highest number of coronavirus cases of any county in New York as of Saturday, surpassing Westchester, Bronx and New York counties.

New York County includes all of Man-

hattan.

That was according to the state Department of Health’s newly implemented Covid-19 tracker, found at covid19tracker. health.ny.gov.

In his daily briefing Saturday, Cuomo described the virus as a “fire spreading” across Long Island.

As of Saturday, Nassau had 13,346 coronavirus cases, compared to 13,081 in Westchester, where the Covid-19 outbreak began in New York a month ago. Meanwhile, the Bronx had 12,315 cases and Manhattan, 9,300.

Queens and Brooklyn — both geographically on Long Island — had 20,114 and 17,504 cases, respectively.

Suffolk County had 11,370 cases.

Combined, Nassau and Suffolk represented 21.7 percent of the state’s 113,704 cases — up from 16 percent earlier.

Cuomo described his concern for Long Island as the growing center of the coronavirus outbreak.

“You see the Long Island number growing,” he said, “and it’s growing steadily. It’s growing more east than north.”

He also noted, “We’ve been saying for the last few days watch Long Island.”

Cuomo spoke of the increasing need for ventilators, breathing machines to keep the hardest-hit patients alive — Covid-19 is primarily a respiratory disease afflicting the lungs.

The state had ordered 17,000 ventilators, but had received only a fraction of them by Saturday, the governor said.

Saturday, april 4

Speaking Saturday afternoon, Curran reported 11 new deaths overnight of the coronavirus, bringing the total number to 149.

That number, she said, contradicted a Continued on next page

Coronavirus outbreak shifts to Long Island

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 9, 2020

continued from previous page state report that indicated 396 people had died in Nassau. The county Department of Health was working with local hospital officials to quantify the exact number, she said.

County officials were also checking whether all of the people reported dead by the state actually lived in Nassau or a surrounding area.

As of Saturday morning, the state Department of Health was reporting 13,346 people had tested positive for Covid-19 in Nassau. Many of those cases, the county executive said, had resolved, though she did not give an exact number.

“We are in the heat of battle now,” Curran said.

Some 355 patients were reportedly on ventilators to enable their breathing, Curran said. That figure was up 31 people from the day before, she said.

Sunday, April 5

Coronavirus cases in Nassau County continued to climb steadily overnight from Saturday into Sunday, nearly reaching 14,400, up from 13,346 the day before — an almost 8 percent increase, according to Cuomo.

Statewide, 4,159 people had died of Covid-19 as of Sunday, he said.

Speaking that day, Cuomo said, “There is a shift to Long Island … As Long Island grows, the percentage of cases in New York City has reduced.”

The sharp rise in Nassau cases in recent days contrasted with data that showed an emerging “plateau” of cases statewide over the past three days, the governor said.

It is too early to tell, he said, if New York was reaching the apex of cases, when the number of deaths will drop, but it appeared the high point could be reached sometime in the next week. Previously, he had said it could be seven to 21 days before the apex is reached.

Data appeared to suggest the state was nearing a plateau or the apex, Cuomo said. Overnight from Saturday to Sunday, the state saw its highest number of hospital

Source: New York State Department of Health Illustration by Christina Daly/Herald

discharges — 1,709. The total number of people who had been treated for Covid-19 and released from the hospital stood at 12,187 as of Sunday.

“Discharge is way up, and that is great news,” Cuomo said.

The state also saw its smallest number of new hospitalizations overnight, at 574. That was a 52 percent

decrease from the day before, when there were 1,100 new hospitalizations. The day before that, there had been 1,400.

The state had not seen such a low number of new hospitalizations for 16 days, according to state data.

In all, 16,400 people were hospitalized as of April 5.

Urgent care centers debut rapid Covid-19 test

By BRIAN STIEGLITZ bstieglitz@liherald.com

Three urgent care centers on Long Island are among the first in the nation to debut a rapid test to detect coronavirus, which gives patients results within minutes.

The American Family Care health care providers in East Meadow, Farmingdale and West Islip began testing patients as part of a full examination on March 31, before launching regular tests the next day.

The molecular, point-of-care tests reduce wait time from days to roughly five minutes for positive results and 13 minutes for negative results.

Testing will only be available to those who are symptomatic, according to officials at the AFC Urgent Care centers.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of such testing, developed by Abbott Laboratories, on March 27.

The urgent care centers began regular testing the same day Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that Regeneron Pharmaceuticals would

7

donate 500,000 test kits to the state, in shipments of 25,000 per day. Corning Life Sciences also donated 100,000 tubes for testing and provided an additional 500,000 at a reduced cost.

As of April 1, the state had given 220,880 tests and continued to provide roughly 15,000 tests each day. Of those tested, 83,712 were positive.

“Rapid testing is the fastest way to return to normalcy and get the economy back up and running, and will also help end the anxiety that has become the most oppressive part of this situation,” Cuomo said. “In the meantime, New Yorkers must continue to comply with all social distancing protocols and stay home as much as possible to prevent spreading this virus to others.”

ThE AFC URGENT Care center on Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow is one of three on Long Island to debut the nation’s first rapid coronavirus test.

Christina Daly/Herald

April 9, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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What’s up next door and around the corner

Herald neigHbors

Courtesy Jamie Kern

Nassau uNiversity Medical Center employees enjoyed a fully-catered meal from Cara Mia Due in Seaford thanks to a donation from citizens in Seaford.

Mangiamo! Seaford feeds hospital workers The citizens of Seaford banded together and collected funds to order a full buffet of food from Cara Mia Due on Merrick Road in Seaford to deliver to the healthcare professionals at Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) in East Meadow on April 2.

It all started with a post on a Seaford parents Facebook page from Donna Jebaily, the de facto town mother cub. She asked for help in terms of money donations from the Seaford community to support the hospital workers. Town members soon obliged.

The food was ordered from Cara Mia Due and delivered on April 2.

Along with the food, Seafordites also collected money to put towards multiple $20 gift cards for NUMC’s workers.

Registered nurse and Seaford-native Jamie Kern responded to the support from her hometown with a heartfelt message on Facebook.

“I was lucky enough to grow up here in Seaford and knew I never wanted to leave,” Kern wrote. “I was fortunate enough to be able to stay and raise my family here as well. And this is exactly why. [The] staff couldn’t have been more grateful for the food or more amazed that it came from a collection from my wonderful town! Thank you to everyone who contributed, put it together and to Cara Mia for the unbelievably delicious food! You guys made this night a little more bearable and touched our hearts! Thank you Seaford, from everyone at NUMC.”

Courtesy Donna Jebaily

NuMc workers were given numerous $20 gift cards.

Courtesy Donna Jebaily

the spread froM Cara Mia Due included trays of food — various pastas, meatballs and eggplant parmigiana.

Neighbors iN the News

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 9, 2020

Courtesy St. Markela Greek Orthodox Church

The iconosTasis aT St. Markela Greek Orthodox Church, in Wantagh, whose annual festival is on indefinite hold. his eMinence archBishop ElpIdophoros, head of the Greek church in the U.S., who, in an emotional appeal, urged the church’s members to stay home.

Courtesy Seaford Schools

seaforD high school soccer player Olivia Pearse was named to the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program’s national team.

Soccer star going across the pond

Courtesy GOARCH

Wantagh’s annual Greek festival uncertain

By TiMoThY DenTon tdenton@liherald.com

The annual festival at St. Markela Greek Orthodox Church in Wantagh is in question this week, as the COVID-19 crisis continues to disrupt the lives of local residents.

“It will most likely be postponed, but we don’t know yet when it will be held,” said the church’s pastor, Fr. George Kolios. The festival, which usually runs for five days in mid-June, is one of the parish’s most important annual events and a major source of the parish’s revenue.

St. Markela’s ceased serving live services two weeks ago, in line with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive order banning large gatherings. “I am staying at

home, just as you are staying home,” said His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, the leader of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. “It is the least we can do for the safety of our neighbors, of our friends and of our families.”

Like most local churches, St. Markela streams its services live. Barring any unforeseen developments, the church will remain closed to outsiders during Holy Week, which runs from April 12-19.

The Paschal vigil and liturgy will be streamed live and celebrated by the church’s clergy.

Eastern Orthodox churches often celebrate Easter on different dates than in most Western churches, and the feast can be as much as a month later.

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Seaford High School soccer standout Olivia Pearse was recently named one of 18 players in the country chosen to represent the United States as a member of the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program’s national team. The team will tentatively travel to France later this fall for an international tournament.

Pearse started her soccer career at the age of 3 playing with the Levittown Soccer Club. She continued to play with them as she grew and, in seventh grade, was chosen as a member of Seaford High School’s junior varsity team. Still in middle school as an eighth-grader, she was promoted to the varsity squad.

She started as a midfielder and forward for the Vikings as a freshman, and was named to the All-County team. She followed that with an All-Conference sophomore campaign in 2018-19. This

past year, she finished both All-County and All-State.

Pearse is looking to play at the professional level, and feels that this opportunity could showcase her abilities. After trying out for the Olympic Development Program, she was named to the All-Eastern New York team and earned a spot on the East Region team, the only New Yorker to do so. Pearse was one of 23 players invited to national team training in January, where 18 would be selected to attend the overseas tournament from Oct. 23 to Nov. 3.

“Soccer lets my whole personality come out,” she said. “I like the competiveness of it and where it can take me in life.”

Pearse has already committed to play soccer for Hofstra University after graduating from Seaford in 2021.

Let us Know News Brief items including awards, honors, promotions and other tidbits about local residents are welcome. Photographs may be emailed as well. Deadline for submissions is noon Thursday, week prior to publication.

Send to tdenton@liherald.com

April 9, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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Schools face uncertainties despite gains continued from front page week that the vote would not take place before June 1.

The impact “depends how long schools are closed,” she said, “and it depends as well on when New York’s [presidential] primary takes place.”

The number of voting machines available was one of many imponderables, Pecora said. “And if the election is too late, it doesn’t provide enough time for a revote” before the July 1 beginning of the 202021 school year if the first budget vote fails.

Brooks said he didn’t believe schools would reopen until September, at the earliest. And he speculated that Covid-19 might dictate adjustments to the calendar, depending on the outcome of further research. For examadele Pecora ple, some Covid viruses are temperature-sensitive and tend to be less acute in warm weather. If that were the case with Covid-19, “it might make sense to start the school year in August,” he said.

By law, the school year must provide at least 176 days of classroom instruction.

But Pecora cautioned that it was too early to predict any impact on school calendars. “We haven’t begun any discussions about amending next year’s calJohn Brooks endar,” she said.

She praised district personnel for their management of the food and day care programs being administered at the Manor Elementary School. So far, neither has entailed any additional cost to the district or its taxpayers.

The state’s newly approved budget included some adjustments to the controversial bail reform and discovery laws. “We added a few crimes to the list” of offenses for which bail could be required or refused, Brooks explained. “And we extended the time frame for turning

Christina Daly/Herald

Seaford Manor eleMentary School continues to be the center of food distribution and day care for the district. over documents” in revising the so-called open-file system of discovery.

Cuomo indicated early last month that decriminalizing marijuana was off the table in this year’s budget negotiations, despite its role as a possible revenue source.

Cuomo described the budget as more “aspirational” than fixed.

“It’s impossible to know the secondary effects of the Covid-19 virus,” Brooks said. “We’re in a situation where we don’t know what it will do,” undermining lawmakers’ ability to predict the state’s eventual requirements.

Even before the crisis began, budget planners had

anticipated a revenue shortfall of roughly $6 billion. “[Now,] our greatest single need is for repeal of the [state and local tax] cap that was part of President Trump’s 2017 tax reform,” Brooks said. “We send $15 billion more to Washington than we get back,” he said, adding that Nassau’s high taxes mean the cap hits its residents particularly hard.

Unlike past years, when budget haggling often lasted long into the night in crowded chambers and conference rooms, “one of the most remarkable things about the process this year was the way the meetings were carried out,” Brooks said. “All the meetings were conducted online — and some of them went on for five or six hours.”

Drive up, roll down window, catch masks continued from front page another 20,000 in the coming months.

Edward is a bespoke tailor — one who makes clothing to order for individual clients — and the couple operate the barbershop together. “The masks came from my contacts in the tailoring world,” some of whom have retooled to meet the surge in demand for PPE, Edward explained.

Those contacts are mainly overseas, and, he said. “We made the decision to import them ourselves after contacting many elected officials, who didn’t return our calls.”

The event was originally scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., but “We already had law enforcement lined up at 2:30,” Dennehy said, “so we decided to begin at 3.”

“We feel it’s our civic responsibility to ensure that while we have the capability to do so, each [law enforcement] officer, firefighter, nurse, EMT or doctor working on the front lines is shielded,” he added.

The couple had another curbside

event planned this week in conjunction help collect as many unopened packages of PPE — masks, gloves, with the Catholic Church’s gowns and protective shoe Easter celebrations — “if covers — as possible. The our deliveries ar rive in drive-through collections time,” Dennehy said. The will take place each Saturday location is still to be deterfrom 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the mined. He said that he and entrance to the park.

Jessica were also looking for “Most of the supplies groups like nurses’ unions, came in on Saturday, but with which they could partanother shipment will be ner in larger efforts. coming in on Tuesday,” Cari“T his is a movement ni said. “Steve and I both got we’ re trying to create,” requests from people to have Edward said. “The Dennehys designated donation spots want to ensure personally closer than Eisenhower that masks go to everyone in Park. … Wantagh Park is need.” edward right on the border of our Earlier that afternoon, districts, so we felt it was the Carini and Rhoads met Nas- dennehy perfect place.” sau County Police Commis- Co-owner, Donors conducted their sioner Patrick Ryder in MadMen Bespoke business briskly, Rhoads Wantagh Park to receive a said. “The interactions with gift of 10,000 masks from Barbershop people were pretty quick,” he Robert Griffiths Vintage said. “The conversations lastAuto Body of Westbury.

Carini and Rhoads were at the park to ed about five minutes. We thanked them

t

he Dennehys want to ensure personally that masks go to everyone in need.

for being so generous. The most popular questions we got were about information on what’s going on. Everyone wants to know as much info as they can. We even took some questions about resourcing.”

The packages will be distributed to hospitals by the county’s Office of Emergency Management.

The Dennehys’ operation was even quicker. Cars drove up, rolled down their windows, and one of the two tossed a package into the waiting car.

Rhoads acknowledged that the need to be out among members of the community was stressful. “No question about it,” he said. “We say, ‘only travel outside for essential needs,’ and in the work I’m in, it’s always a concern.” His role as an active firefighter, and Carini’s, as a retired police officer, Rhoads said, had made both men sensitive to their exposure to viruses of all kinds. “Tonight, from midnight to 6, I’ll be driving an ambulance,” he said. “Putting ourselves out there, that’s second nature.”

11

AVAILABLE NOW TO LOCAL BUSINESSES

SMALL BUSINESS MARKETING GRANT

Apply for your share of the $500,000 marketing grant available to assist locally owned businesses.

STUART RICHNER Publisher Herald Community Newspapers

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. We are a small business ourselves, so we understand the pain that small business owners are going through right now. We at the Herald want to do our part to make sure that members of our small business community can continue to promote themselves during this trying period.”

Herald Team

WHO For all locally owned and operated small businesses on Long Island that have been negatively impacted by coronavirus.

WHAT A $500,000 grant program to support local small businesses. Each local business is eligible to receive up to $15,000 of matching grant funds, which can be used for Herald Community Newspapers print, digital and direct mail products in April, May and June 2020.

WHERE Apply at www.liherald.com/grants.

WHEN

RHONDA GLICKMAN VP Sales

LORI BERGER Sales Manager

AMY AMATO Executive Director

rglickman@liherald.com

lberger@liherald.com

aamato@liherald.com

Applications are currently open and are first come, first serve. Businesses will receive a decision within two business days of submitting their application.

WHY Studies show that businesses that continue to market themselves during down times are the ones that fare the best long-term. This grant program will allow Long Island small businesses to continue promoting themselves and any new services they are offering during these unprecedented times.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS: • Every dollar that a grant recipient spends on marketing in Herald products will be matched with a dollar of grant funding, up to the award amount, to be applied towards marketing costs.

• Businesses must be locally owned and operated.

• Grants range from $300 to $15,000.

• Grants can be applied to any Herald Community Newspaper marketing product or service during April, May and June 2020.

• Grants applied to direct mail products are net of postage/mailing costs.

COURTNEY MYERS Media Consultant cmyers@liherald.com

For more information call Rhonda at 516.569.4000 ext. 250

APPLY TODAY AT

WWW.LIHERALD.COM/GRANT

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A Special Collaboration With The Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 9, 2020

$500,000 IN GRANTS

Crime watCh

Soap kills

Petit larceny

Proper hand washing actually kills the coronovirus by breaking down the bonds in its outer membrane, according to researchers from Australia’s University of New South Wales. The WHO chart shows the most effective way to wash.

■ Victim reports two male and one female subject removed assorted merchandise from a location in the Pequa Plaza Shopping Center on Broadway in Massapequa on March 26 at 10:15 p.m.

■ Victim reports an unknown male subject removed assorted merchandise from CVS on Broadway in Massapequa on March 28 at 1:40 p.m.

■ Richard Bavnow, 58, of East Meadow, was arrested for allegedly shoplifting at Stop & Shop on Hempstead Turnpike in

East Meadow on March 29 at 5:15 p.m.

■ Eduin Jesus Maldonado, 33, of Hempstead, was arrested for allegedly shoplifting at Walmart on Hempstead Turnpike, in East Meadow, on March 30 at 4 p.m.

Criminal mischief to auto ■ Victim reports unknown subject(s) did damage to the keyless entry system of her vehicle on North Nancy Place in North Massapequa on March 25 at 3:30 a.m.

People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.

Courtesy World Health Organization

Courtesy Steve Rhoads Facebook

Steve RhoadS, centeR, announced the start of the “Letters to our Heroes” initiative on March 31.

First responder appreciation letters collected in Wantagh During this epidemic we’re all hurting one way or another. Here at My Own Car Guy, we’re maintaining our lowest pricing possible as well as offering $100 Restaurant gift certificates for any referrals that purchase a car. Please share with friends and family if you hear anyone needs a new car and use this gift towards takeout.

on the front lines, families sent emails or scanned letters and artwork that were distributed to first responders across the county.

Rhoads, Ferretti and O’Connell distributed the emails, letters and artwork from the community.

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To show support for first responders during this time of crisis, including fire and EMS responders, law enforcement, doctors, nurses and healthcare workers

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April 9, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

12

13

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 9, 2020

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April 9, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

Spread the news(letter) not the virus!

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What you need to know today.

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Stay up to date with the latest Nassau County news.

Sign up for an online account at www.liHerald.com to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories and breaking news delivered to your inbox.

Seaford’s smile-bag spring Santa

15

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 9, 2020

Bringing joy in the midst of crisis helped Seaford resident her find hers

By J.D. FREDA jfreda@liherald.com

Bayview Tavern in Seaford is still open for curbside pickup and delivery.

Usually, customers can expect a good meal from the local eatery, even during this period of social distancing. But recently, customers have been receiving something extra with their meals.

One worker, Elise Ann Howell-Fehling, has been preparing “smile bags” for children of families that order from the tavern. She also hand-delivers them to any family that reaches out to her and asks. The mission is simpl: to keep children’s spirits up, and give them a reason to smile in uncertain times.

Howell-Fehling, 46, is a Seaford native through and through. She was born and raised in the town and attended Seaford schools. Currently, she works as a waitress at Bayview Tavern. She recently fulfilled a dream by attaining a job in November working with special needs students at Seaford Manor Elementary School. She was also formerly involved with The Safe Center LI, a coalition focused on battling spousal and child abuse. This echoes Howell-Fehling’s need HowEll-FEHling put tHE bags together and hand-delivered them to families. to help, she said.

“I’ve done about 200 bags at this expense and the danger has put it tempopoint,” Howell-Fehling said. “They go rarily out of reach. She conceded that out with orders. If requested, and I see it going out to deliver the bags has been a on Facebook pages, where someone says bit worrisome, especially since protec‘oh I’d love a bag for my kid,’ then I will tive gear and hand sanitizer have become drive it myself. I spent so difficult to find. four hours just today “Yes, it does weigh driving around Wanto n m e m e n t a l l y, ” agh, Seaford and Howell-Fehling said.

Massapequa deliver“But I felt like it’s ing them.” something I had to T he smile ba gs do.” consist of various eleHowell-Fehling ments. Ring pops, said she wants to temporary tattoos, resume as soon as it is games, an art project, feasible. bookmarks, bracelets “She really is and candy. Howellamazing and is workFehling puts the bags ing hard to help peotogether herself. She ple out right now,” has been funding said contributor them herself. She Donna Jebaily. “She’s shops for the compoputting a lot of smiles nents herself. on faces, and that’s “I’ve been doing ElisE Ann HowEll-FEHling, 46, important.” this all out of pocket,” of Seaford decided to spread cheer Howell-Fehling has Howell-Fehling said. in unnerving times by creating been creative in her EvERytHing insiDE tHE bags was paid for “It costs me about quest to entertain the $ 4 0 0 a we e k . I ’ve “smile bags” for children around youth since starting recently gotten dona- Wantagh, Seaford and Massapequa.

Howell-Fehling places an importance at Bayview Tavern. tions, which helps.” on the family unit. She finds joy and “I’ve been doing hope in bringing smiles to families, as Howell-Fehling admitted that, despite having two jobs at crafts at Bayview for the past two years. she admitted it is what helps her cope the beginning of the calendar year, with We do things like, if they eat all their with the loss of her parents. the current circumstances, she isn’t dinner, they get to pick something out of “I went through a lot of depression earning much money between them at the ‘magic box’ or get some nice candy to after I lost my parents,” Howell-Fehling the moment. This is conflicting with the take home,” Howell-Fehling said. “I’m admitted. “I look at doing things in life as upkeep of materials for her goodie bags. always trying to find creative things to ‘does this make me happy?’ And this Luckily, she has started receiving dona- do. Children are fascinating. Getting to does. I find some solace in it. It gives me tions from residents that believe what interact with them through the restau- something to look forward to. It gives me she is doing is worthy of their contribu- rant, when they’d come in with their purpose.” families, I’d always have a project for Howell-Fehling said that since she tions.

Nevertheless, Howell-Fehling said them to do with crayons, crafts, whatev- does not have children of her own, it that she will no longer be able to deliver er. I want them to sit as a family and warms her to comfort others’ children.

She has been traveling around deliverthe smile bags. A combination of the interact.”

Courtesy Elise Ann Howell-Fehling

by Howell-Fehling. ing smile bags to families that request them, most usually through Facebook.

She is careful in her delivery methods and avoids contact with the recipients.

After families receive the gifts, many take photos or videos and post them to Facebook or send them to Howell-Fehling. That is where she gets the payoff.

“I look at the pictures all day long,” she said. “As much as they smile, it makes me smile.”

She paused for a moment, and then continued: “One little girl was so excited because I put a Fruit Roll-Up in the bag. That reaction had to be one of my favorites.”

April 9, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

16

Rabbi expresses hope at celebration of Passover We are in the midst of an unprece- Creator is holding on to us as His childented time; where our activities are dren, and this is stronger and more probeing restricted, and this is significant- tective than anything else.

Be at rest. Find safety and rest in the ly impacting our ability to function as usual. Let me share with you some secret place of our Creator, where you encouraging ideas to find security in sit in the shadow of the Almighty and overcome the night. times of anxiety. In short, the fear of Be led by the Almighty, not motivated the unknown pretty much defines today, by panic — walk in divine yet our Heavenly Father protection and don’t be doesn’t want us to be shakafraid. People are making en by every disturbing decisions today based on report we see or hear. Based fear and not always accordon King David’s Psalm 91, ing to faith. So, believe in here are seven things our our Creator’s power of Creator wants us to know healing and forgiveness. during this unparalleled Keep yourself focused on virus attack: the Almighty. Instead of Don’t be afraid – we talking all day only about don’t have to fear what the the virus, watching every world fears; fear not. That news update 24/7, being is what the Almighty said obsessed at every comment, t o A b r a h a m . D o n’ t b e report, post, blog, etc., that afraid, as I am your shield, is spoken or written about and I’m your exceeding abbi it, keep yourself focused on g reat reward. And that oshe eisbluM the Almighty, on faith, on blessing of our forefather gratitude, on happiness, on Abraham is also ours. We beauty, on life and living. have no need to fear, we are Death has no hold on you; see yourprotected.

Refresh yourself with the Almighty’s self abiding in the Almighty, far above love — perfect love casts away fear, and every curse and virus. When you are perfect love is not so much your love for righteous in our Creator’s eyes, all the our Creator; rather it is the Creator’s blessings accrue to you — they fall on constant love and care for you. Be you, and then you reign in life, not any thankful and confident in this love that virus. This is a gift from above that you pours out healing, protection and provi- have to be thankful for.

Wishing everyone a healthy and sion on you.

Trust – lean on our Creator’s faithful- happy Pesach, with prayer and hope ness to protect you from all evil in these that this world crisis will pass over us dark times, and that is your shield. Our soon.

Guest Column

M

R

W

Have a great story?

Call our editors today 516-569-4000 or email tdenton@liherald.com

www.liherald.com

Public Notices

LWAN1 0409

LEGAL NOTICE ASSESSOR’S NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF THE FINAL ASSESSMENT ROLL THE ASSESSOR OF THE COUNTY OF NASSAU HEREBY GIVES NOTICE that he has completed the 2020/2021 final assessment roll, which will be used for the 2021 levy of Town and County

Taxes in the Towns of Hempstead, North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, and the City of Glen Cove and the City of Long Beach, and for the 2020/2021 levy of school taxes in such Towns and in the City of Long Beach.

A certified electronic copy of the roll was filed with the Department of

Assessment on April 1, 2020. The electronic roll may be examined on public terminals located in the offices of: DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENT NASSAU COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING 240 OLD COUNTRY ROAD, FOURTH FLOOR MINEOLA, NY 11501

where the same will remain open for public inspection for fifteen days.

Dated this 1st day of April, 2020.

DAVID F. MOOG Nassau County Assessor 121537

Search for notices online at: www.mypublicnotices.com

Alyssa Seidman/Herald Life

The Trader Joe’s store in Merrick reopened to customers on April 4 after being temporarily closed for Covid-19-related cleaning.

Trader Joe’s reopens after Covid-19-related cleaning By alyssa seidman aseidman@liherald.com

The Trader Joe’s store in Merrick reopened to customers on April 4 after being temporarily closed for Covid-19-related cleaning.

A customer service merchant said Saturday that the store was taking “every precaution possible for the safety of our community,” including requiring employees to wear face masks and only letting 20 customers inside the store at a time.

She added that one of the employees was playing music outside in the parking lot to greet customers as they arrived.

The Merrick Trader Joe’s closed for cleaning on March 31 after an undisclosed number of employees tested positive for coronavirus, according to a company statement. The last time a positive-testing employee was in the store was March 27.

Six other Trader Joe’s locations (see box) were temporarily closed for “thorough cleaning and sanitization” to combat the coronavirus. “We have made sure all Crew Members at the respective locations have been informed and understand the steps to take to best safeguard the health

other stores closed for cleaning hartsdale, n.y. – 215 n Central ave A Crew Member who tested positive for COVID-19 was last present in the store on March 30, 2020.

Paramus, n.J. – 404 rt 17 n Crew Members have tested positive for COVID-19; the latest date on which a Crew Member with symptoms for COVID-19 was in the store is March 31, 2020. saugus, mass. – Trader Joe’s on 358 Broadway A Crew Member reporting symptoms related to COVID-19 was last present in the store on March 31, 2020.

of their communities,” the statement read.

Trader Joe’s also paid its employees “for their scheduled shifts” while the stores were closed.

News brief Nassau County libraries offering digital library cards during pandemic Fifty local libraries are now offering digital library cards amid library closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This new tool will allow residents of Nassau County who do not already have a card to utilize the digital resources of their library while facilities are closed.

Having access to library resources can be essential for people at all stages of their lives, especially during times of crisis. Since public libraries across the county are currently closed, a digital library card would enable people to explore the full complement of online library services from the comfort of their homes.

Readers can download the Libby app to borrow ebooks and audiobooks. Some libraries provide access to streaming entertainment apps like Kanopy or Hoopla that can be installed on smart TVs. Other resources include live homework help from tutor.com, interactive language learning from Pronunciator and currentissue popular magazines from RB Digital.

Residents with active library cards can visit their library’s website to discover the resources that are already available to them. Those who do not have a card can visit nassaulibrary.org/digital-card-application to get started.

17

HS1 04/09

Employment

CLASSIFIED

Fax your ad to: 516-622-7460 E-mail you ad to: ereynolds@liherald.com E-mail Finds Under $100 to: sales@liherald.com DEADLINE: Monday, 11:00 am for all classified ads.

To pLACE your AD CALL 516-569-4000 - press 5

Every effort is made to insure the accuracy of your ad. Please check your ad at the first insertion. Credit will be made only for the first insertion. Credit given for errors in ads is limited to the printed space involved. Publisher reserves right to reject, cancel or correctly classify and ad.

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HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 9, 2020

HERALD

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The pluses and minuses HERALD of cedar siding To place an ad call 516-569-4000 press 5 Q. We live near the water and have vertical plank siding. I’m told it’s cedar. It’s been there many years, and we noticed that it’s rotted from the back side and ready to crumble. We like the look and even have it on our family room ceiling, which still looks new, but we’re concerned about how long it will last if we have new outside planks installed. Is there a better material to get the same look or a way to prevent the rotting?

HS2 04/09

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I was looking at my ceiling just the other day, since you mentioned it. It’s not the best ceiling in the world, but it’s definitely up there.

In the early 1980s I must onte eeper have designed dozens of homes near the ocean that were covered in vertical tongue-and-groove interlocking siding. All cedar, it was coated with opaque stain that did a pretty good job of covering it and penetrating the wood. There were two problems I noticed. As often as possible, I tried to prevent potential rotting from the back side when I was either able to see the job or at least advise the owner to look for the method I specified for installation. The planks were to be installed over staggered horizontal wood strips that created a half-inch air space to allow inevitable moisture to drain downward, preventing mold and rot. The other item was to make sure the siding, and especially the joints, were fully stained to protect them.

Over the years, when an installer defied our notes on the plans by placing the planks right against house-wrap paper, I would stop by and walk up to the walls, which must have looked pretty suspicious to neighbors who wondered who was peering at the house. What I observed wasn’t surprising. The boards with the airspace lasted much longer, even though they still required expensive re-staining, than the boards with no airspace, which all deteriorated from the back side outward.

And you need not worry about the possibility of flame spread due to the chimney effect in the air space. Studies were done by several public and private agencies over the years, and they showed that flame consumes the oxygen in such a small airspace before it can replenish. It turns out that it takes at least an inch of airspace to support continuous combustion.

The alternative that will still give you the nautical look is vertical cement board, which also comes prefinished in numerous colors, can’t rot or support mildew, can’t burn and won’t chip, peel or crack. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, you still need to provide a moisture barrier that has enough spacing to drain from behind the panels. The best choice for this is a drainage fabric that resembles the intertwined look of an air conditioning filter. The best part of this choice is that the cement board siding is wind-rated for hurricanes. Enjoy your home!

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Organize With alice

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April 9, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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News briefs Dean Skelos, citing coronavirus fears, wants out of prison now, not later

By Jill Nossa jnossa@liherald.com

Former State Sen. Dean Skelos, of Rockville Centre, sought early release from federal prison because he was worried about the c o r o n av i r u s p a n d e m i c , according to court papers.

Skelos, 72, filed a motion in federal court in Manhattan last week, asking to spend the remainder of his 51-month sentence in home confinement to lessen the risk of contracting the virus. Skelos still has more than two years left on his sentence for political Dean corruption, which he began serving in January 2019 at Otisville Correctional Facility, in Orange County. The motion, filed under seal, was opposed by federal prosecutors in papers filed publicly, saying that an application

for release should first be filed with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, which could better assess his health situation.

The prosecutors noted that steps were being taken to stop the spread of the disease in federal prison, and said that, since Skelos lives in New York state, “the global epicenter of the coronavirus,” he has not provided any information to show that he would be better protected outside of prison. The judge, Kimba Wood, had decided as of press time.

Skelos was convicted in July 2018 of using his political power to secure roughly skelos $300,000 in jobs and fees for his son Adam, also of Rockville Centre. They were each convicted on eight counts of conspiracy, extortion and bribery. Adam Skelos was sentenced to four years in prison.

Courtesy Debbie Greco Cohen

Nassau couNty is hiring a consulting firm to develop an “economic portrait” of the county after the coronavirus crisis has abated.

PeoPle have uNtil Aug. 14 to respond to the U.S. Census.

Be counted — the 2020 Census is under way By scott BriNtoN sbrinton@liherald.com

April 1 was Census Day, when the federal government counts every person across the United States and five of its territories.

Population counts are used to allocate seats in the U.S. House of Representatives to states. The 435 seats in the House are divided up by the population of each state. The larger the population of a state, the more seats it receives.

A state’s population is also used to allocate federal funding for a variety of programs.

Federal officials are urging everyone to fill out the census online, by phone or mail. Census invitations were mailed earlier in March. You may respond after April 1.

The census is mandated every 10 years by the U.S. Constitution.

Who is counted? Here are directions from the 2020 Census website, 2020census. gov: “You should be counted where you are living and sleeping most of the time as of April 1, 2020. If you are responding for your home, count everyone who lives and sleeps there most of the time as of April 1, 2020. This includes young children, foster children, roommates, and any family members or friends who are living with

you, even temporarily.

“Please note that if someone is staying with you temporarily on April 1 due to the COVID-19 situation, they should be counted where they usually live. This includes college students, who should still be counted at school, even if they are home early because of the COVID-19 situation. If they live in student housing, the college will count them. If they live off campus, they should respond for the offcampus address and include any roommates or other people living there.”

Below is a timeline of upcoming dates: ■ April 29 – May 1: The Census Bureau will count homeless people over these three days. Census takers count people in shelters, at soup kitchens and mobile food vans, on the streets and at outdoor locations like tent encampments.

■ April 16 – June 19: Census takers will work with administrators at colleges, senior centers, prisons and other facilities that house large groups of people to ensure everyone is counted.

■ May 27 – Aug. 14: Census takers will interview homes that have not responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted.

■ December: The Census Bureau will deliver apportionment counts to the president and Congress as required by law.

County hires consultant to study the economy Hempstead Town waiving water fees By scott BriNtoN sbrinton@liherald.com

County Executive Laura Curran stood last Thursday at the Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola with the two heads of Nassau’s Coronavirus Economic Advisory Council — Industrial Development Agency Chairman Richard Kessel and Hofstra University President Stuart Rabinowitz —to announce results of a weeklong survey to assess the state of local business amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The news were grim.

The county received 1,431 responses to the survey, Curran said. Many businesses said they have or would need to lay off workers. Half predicted no profit for the year. And 80 percent said they would need loans to sustain their businesses.

“It’s pain now, and we know it’s going to be pain down the road,” the county executive said.

Nassau, she said, has hired HR&A Advisors, a real estate and economic advisory firm based in New York City, to develop an “economic portrait” of the county before and after the crisis. From there, the firm can create models of the county’s potential economic state in order to prove future need for federal and state aid.

Curran said she was “incredibly grateful for the help received by the state and federal government.”

But, she noted, “we will need more.”

She also said she would work closely with Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone on a regional plan for future economic development after the medical crisis has abated.

The Town of Hempstead is waiving all late fees and penalties for three months for its water customers who do not pay their bills on time, according to a news release issued by the town Wednesday.

The measure required legislation, which was supported unanimously by Town Supervisor Donald Clavin and the other six members of the town board.

The town’s Department of Water serves 37,000 customers in the Bowling Green, Donald East Meadow, Levittown, Roosevelt Field, Lido Beach, Point Lookout and Uniondale water districts.

“People are worried and concerned about COVID-19, and are contending

with major life changes, including business and job losses, reduced income and medical concerns,” Clavin said. “Our hope is that this bill will help give people one less thing to worry about during this uncertain period.”

Customers are billed quarterly according to their metered consumption, and late payments are subject to penalties and interest. Under the new legislation, all penalties and interest charges for an individual that would norclavin mally accrue during the Water Department’s billing period – March 15 to June 15 this year – are waived.

–Scott Brinton

21

oPinions

lease allow me to reminisce about the past. I’m no longer a young politician, but I’m very much an alert senior citizen who can clearly recall the experiences in my life that have left an indelible imprint on my heart and soul.

I refer specifically to my recollections about the presidents of my past. I vividly recall my early childhood, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president. My parents came of age during the Depression, and they worshipped Roosevelt for his soothing messages to AmerJeRRY ica during World kReMeR War II. I was a child, but I could see how his fireside chats helped my parents survive the stresses of the war.

I still can feel the tremors that reverberated across the country the day Roosevelt died. The neighborhood churches in Brooklyn rang their bells incessantly to tell the world that one of its greatest leaders was gone. My mother and father kept asking, how would their America survive?

i

Along came a former haberdasher named Harry S. Truman, who assured America that all would be well. In the ensuing years, he helped end the war, and assured our country that he was in charge, and that “The buck stops here.”

He assured us that our national agony was over. He did his job but never lost sight of his local roots. Truman was a great cheerleader for America.

He was followed by former Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had helped defeat the enemy armies in the war. He became a grandfatherly symbol to Americans, and made us feel that we no longer had to worry about foreign wars.

Fast-forward to the days of President John F. Kennedy. Young and vibrant, he made the nation feel that our future would be bright and promising. He energized the White House, and made millions of young people eager to embark on careers in public service. When he died, almost everyone in our nation felt the pain.

After the failures of Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan emerged as the strong father figure that was needed to soothe our new global fears. His experience in

s

Hollywood helped him eloquently express his concerns for America, and he won over many of his skeptics.

The next trauma came during the tenure of Bill Clinton. On April 19, 1995, two American-born terrorists blew up a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people and injuring nearly 700 others, many of them children. Our nation went into shock after the tragedy, and President Clinton became the healerin-chief with his soothing words, assuring us that we were better than those two criminals.

I recall President George W. Bush standing amid the rubble of the still-smoldering World Trade Center on Sept. 14, 2001, assuring America that we would catch the perpetrators of the attacks three days earlier. It was a shining moment not just for him, but for all of America.

Fast-forward to 2015, when a gunman opened fire at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, S.C., killing nine people.

Afterward, President Barack Obama offered words of compassion that captured the feelings of all Americans — and even led the singing of “Amazing Grace” at the funeral of one of the victims.

adly, there’s no FDR, no Reagan, no Bush, no Obama in this White House.

Now it is 2020. We are a nation living in fear of the unknown. Caught in the clutches of a pandemic, we must seek solace from our governors and our local leaders. We cling to the words of medical experts and our clergy, because we lack a powerful voice in the White House that could tell us that we are stronger than any virus.

We survived World War II and Oklahoma City and Sept. 11 because, when challenged, we united and rose to the occasion. Facing a disease that keeps us awake at night and could wreck our economy, we’re in need of a voice from on high that would give us the strength to carry on, but sadly, there is no such voice in the Oval Office. All we hear is the echo chamber telling our president how great he is, not how great he could be.

I pray that in your lifetimes we will again have a national leader who will remind us what Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Obama sounded like in times of national need.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years.

He now heads Empire Government Strategies, a business development and legislative strategy firm. Comments about this column? JKremer@liherald.com.

Dear President Trump: This is killing us

f only Donald Trump had taken the same Hippocratic Oath our doctors take when they graduate from medical school: “First, do no harm.”

Instead, as we live through this global pandemic, we are caught between trained doctors, offering us fact-based science, and the White House, offering political expediency and short-sighted policy that could actually lead to more loss of life.

This is the worst, I thought as the virus spread over the past two weeks. But it wasn’t the worst.

The medical fight against the disease has been handiRandi capped by a presikReiss dent who is ignoring scientific evidence and the best advice of medical professions. He has denied, lied and deceived the public about the very existence of the coronavirus. He misled his fellow Americans about the severity of the disease. Early on, when he could have blunted the effects of a fullblown epidemic, he refused to take action, which would have mitigated the loss of life we are seeing every day.

What a week. As we move through this all-consuming emergency, ordinary peo-

ple, who want to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, are looking for advice based on sound medical practice.

The Hippocratic Oath, which evolved from the work of Hippocrates of Kos, who lived in the 5th century B.C., codifies the ethics and standards doctors still embrace. Not every doctor actually takes the oath in modern times, but some still do, and doctors around the world adhere to the tenets of selflessness, service and care.

In a bizarre turn of events, Trump has set himself up as qualified to tout experimental medicines that have been rushed through the approval process and administered to sick patients on a trial basis. He has pushed right past the obvious equivocation of the physicians standing with him during the nightly press conferences/ political rallies. Was it ever writ larger than this? Elections have consequences, and one of the unforeseen consequences of 2016 is our living through a once-in-acentury pandemic without qualified, stable or sensitive leadership.

This is a human rights issue, a political issue and a medical issue. We are stumbling through this valley hobbled by leaders who have no regard for the health and

T

safety of millions of vulnerable Americans.

As I wrote two weeks ago (during this siege my column may not appear every week), the heartening news is that this ship can sail without a captain. All hands are onboard. All of us in our everyday lives are listening to the experts and trying to limit the spread of Covid-19 by observing physical distance rules and absorbing the pain of isolation and loneliness. Hundreds of thousands of us are quarantining ourselves and staying indoors to help stop this modern plague. We’re doing our part.

As always, there is inspiration and precedent to be found in literature. I’ve been reading “Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour,” by Lynne Olson. What we’re living through has similarities to the Blitz, when Germany dropped some 30,000 incendiary bombs on London beginning in September 1940 and continuing for 57 consecutive nights. The bombing did not end for eight months.

Britain had Winnie, of course. Winston Churchill helped the people of London survive the Blitz by telling them how hard it was going to be. He said it would cost

he heartening news is that this ship can sail without a captain.

them blood, sweat and tears. He spoke the truth in terrible times, asked much of his fellow Brits, and they, in turn, summoned the courage they needed.

Hand in hand with the English people were the American journalists who lived through the bombing and reported the stories of stoicism and survival back to the American public. Those reports helped pull the United States into the war, and led ultimately to the defeat of Nazi Germany.

The heroes of that era were the leaders who never faltered, the everyday citizens who crawled out of bombed apartments to go to work and the journalists who told the story. The heroes of this troubled time will be the doctors and other medical workers who turn up every day on the front lines of this epic battle, and the reporters and photographers who are telling the story, writing the first rough draft of history.

We don’t have a Winston Churchill in the White House. Trump delayed enacting the Defense Production Act until last Friday, and thereby delayed the manufacture of desperately needed ventilators. He continues to mislead the nation about the availability of testing, and the hard news about how long we will live in crisis mode.

In that, he is failing to protect and defend us.

Copyright 2020 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 9, 2020

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Longing for a comforting voice from a true leader

22

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Give what you can in these challenging days

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t the Herald, we want to add our voices to the growing chorus of supporters thanking our frontline medical workers and first responders who are, as they say, doing God’s work. Each day, they put their lives on the line to save others. We can only admire their bravery, tenacity and sense of humanity.

That being said, these good men and women could use more than our thanks.

They could use our financial support.

We don’t presume to speak for them, but they no doubt appreciate the cards, cheers and pizzas — keep ’em coming. Hospitals, however, have been stretched to their limits, not only in people power, but also in their finances.

These are tough times financially. So many have lost their jobs or had their

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emergency medical technicians are putting themselves in harm’s way like never before. Covid-19 is a respiratory disease.

Many firefighters’ lungs are damaged because of the smoke they have breathed in while responding to calls over the years, potentially making them more susceptible to this virus.

You might also give to your local food pantries, which are running low on supplies because demand has risen exponentially in recent weeks.

Finally, don’t forget to patronize your local businesses to the degree that you can.

Few restaurants are making a profit. They remain open so they can keep as many jobs as they can for their loyal workers. They are so often there for us. Now they need us at this most precarious time.

Keep up the social distancing

wo weeks ago, one South Shore school board member issued an urgent appeal to students in her district: Stop congregating. Stay

apart.

That same day, an editor of this paper was riding his bicycle through his neighborhood and couldn’t help notice groups of people gathering on sidewalks. One older man was smoking a cigar in a circle of neighbors. A family was barbecuing in their driveway, welcoming folks from surrounding homes.

These were the initial days after Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a stay-at-home order, which too many people seemed to treat as a mini-vacation. They had no idea what was coming.

In the days that followed, as the number of positive tests for Covid-19 climbed and

■

heRAlD commUniTY neWSPAPeRS

hours reduced. Many people are suddenly scraping by after having been solidly in the black only a matter of weeks ago.

For those who can, however, please consider giving to our hospitals, which are nonprofits. We need them, and they need us.

To give to Mount Sinai South Nassau, go to https://www.southnassau.org/sn/give.

• To give to the Northwell Health Foundation, go to https://give.northwell.edu.

• To give to Mercy Medical Center, go to https://mercymedicalcenter.chsli.org/ ways-give.

• To give to NYU Winthrop, go to https:// nyuwinthrop.org/giving/.

• To give to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, go to https://ehs.org.

You also might donate to your local volunteer fire department. Firefighters and

letters We still have to care for the environment To the Editor: I have mailed, faxed and emailed Governor Cuomo’s office about the specifics of “essential” landscapers and what they are allowed to do and not do. Specifically, I’m asking about the use of leaf blowers.

With several landscaping companies using them at once, they are potentially blowing toxic air into our homes, cars and faces during this Covid-19 pandemic. I hope their use will be temporarily banned.

I’m also disappointed that the state has postponed enforcement of the single-use plastic bag ban. Plastic bangs are polluting our waterways

the sobering death totals began streaming in, people got the message. No longer do they stand side by side or in tight lines in supermarkets. Gone are the barbecues and close clutches of socializing teenagers.

The message was loud of clear: This pandemic is not a hoax. It is very real.

Over this past weekend, however, we learned that Nassau County had the thirdhighest number of coronavirus cases of any county in the state, surpassing Westchester, where the outbreak began in New York, Manhattan and the Bronx. Only Queens and Brooklyn (a.k.a. Queens and Kings counties) had higher totals.

Nassau’s and Suffolk’s fast-climbing numbers prompted the governor to warn that the outbreak was shifting from New York City to Long Island. As of Monday,

more than 15,600 people had tested positive in Nassau.

That figure may very well reflect lax social distancing practices in the days after people were first told to stay home.

We will be tempted to loosen our social distancing practices. It’s hard to remain regimented for weeks on end. We can’t give up, though. There’s simply too much at stake. Forgoing social distancing and sound hygiene practices now would only prolong the crisis.

The pandemic will end. Statewide, we saw hopeful signs on Sunday.

On the other hand, those hopeful signs could be illusory. Hospitalizations and deaths could very well climb again. Which is why we must — must — remain disciplined and continue to practice social distancing.

23

opinions

s another week has passed, and as we fight through this pandemic together, I continue to think about our Long Island Rail Road workforce, which continually rises to the challenge.

They are on the front lines, playing a key role in the response to this emergency as the LIRR provides a vital service to Long Island and the region, currently the nation’s epicenter of a global health crisis.

Our employees are heroes moving heroes. The workforce shows up each day to ensure phiLLip that we can safely enG transport fellow front-line workers — the nurses, doctors, police and other first responders, as well as the grocery store, pharmacy and transportation workers, and so many others who are helping us live.

Together with our labor partners, we’re ensuring that employees and customers alike remain safe.

Since this pandemic began hitting our state, the LIRR has seen a decline in ridership of about 90 percent. Adjusting to this

drop, while ensuring that we’re able to care for our employees and still provide critical service, we enacted the MTA Essential Service Plan, which began March 27. We are still running over 500 weekday trains, maintaining a 65 percent service level compared with a typical weekday. We also have crews and equipment on standby to supplement service if necessary.

We’re constantly monitoring this new service, and staying engaged with our customers and local elected officials and community leaders, listening to their feedback and adjusting where we need to. We’ve added trains strategically where the need was greater to enable customers to maintain safe social distancing.

We have eliminated cash transactions, closed all station waiting rooms and ticket windows, shut down our Lost & Found Office and the West End concourse of Penn Station.

We continue to distribute masks and gloves to employees, and provide washing stations, hand sanitizers, disinfected work areas and other protections they need, and deserve, to stay healthy. Our courageous workforce is doing what public ser-

t

hey doing not just a job, but a true service to their fellow New Yorkers.

Letters and harming wildlife. I don’t understand why markets can’t use paper bags for the time being.

Finally, I received a notice from the Town of Hempstead indicating that, as of Monday, there would no longer be recycling during the pandemic. The town wants us to hold on to all of our recyclables until further notice. I plan to call the town to inquire if there could at least be drop-off bins where conscientious people could deposit them.

We’re not moving in the right direction on the environment. Three wrongs will not make anything right.

MARCIA DITIERI North Merrick

Pets and the coronavirus To the Editor: Pet owners can rest easy that there is no reason to believe dogs or cats in the U.S. might be a source of infection for Covid-19 or cause its spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And so far, according to the CDC, there have been no reports of pets becoming sick with the coronavirus.

It appears to be transmitted primarily from human to human. Pet owners may have heard of canine coronavirus, an intestinal infection in dogs, especially puppies, and feline coronavirus, which can cause feline infectious peritonitis, or

vants do. They aren’t just doing a job; they are doing a true service to their fellow New Yorkers. I simply can’t thank them enough.

I ask my fellow Long Islanders to continue to practice good hygiene. Social distancing is key. We cannot stress enough the importance of flattening the curve and what it will mean to the recovery of New York, New Yorkers and the rest of the country.

We know how trying these times are. But it is the efforts of our customers and LIRR employees that are an uplifting boost to us as management and labor leaders. They are the backbone of this pandemic response.

LIRR management and local labor leaders are in contact daily. They’re sharing important feedback, too, and this open dialogue has enabled us to better support the LIRR workforce, as our employees and as union members. Thank you to those who have been providing us the feedback that helps us better protect you. Please know that this line of communication remains open, always, and we’re all better for your thoughts and suggestions.

Even with all the precautions we’re

HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS — April 9, 2020

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I’m proud of our LIRR workers

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taking, it’s crucial that we continue to focus on reducing the spread of the coronavirus. This means that unless you’re an essential worker, stay home. Do not ride public transportation unless it’s absolute- can cle life tha ly necessary.

Whether you’re at home or reporting my hea I ref to work, wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds, and use hand sanitizer if about t soap and water aren’t available. Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve if you don’t have a tissue, and, most important, if you’re feeling sick, stay home.

My heart goes out to all who are affected by this illness, especially those in our MTA family. To those who are currently being treated for Covid-19, please know that you are in our thoughts, and we wish you a speedy recovery. Take good care of yourselves.

If there is a bright side to all of this, it’s that a large percentage of people, including many railroad employees, who have contracted the virus are recovering from it and returning to their daily lives. side ch Of the 378 LIRR employees who were on stresse I sti home quarantine as of last Thursday, 103 berated have returned to work.

I look forward to the day our LIRR fam- evelt d ily is all back together, standing side by Brookl tell the side and marching forward, together. ers wa Phillip Eng is president of the Long Island asking vive?

Rail Road.

FrAmework by Jack Healy

FIP. These viruses have been around for quite some time, and are not associated with the current outbreak.

To protect yourself, your family and possibly even your pets from this new coronavirus, you should follow these precautions:

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■ Frequently wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer with more than 60 percent alcohol if you can’t wash.

■ Maintain social distancing outside of your immediate family.

■ Cover your mouth or nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and then throw the tissue away and wash your hands.

■ Sanitize often-used surfaces in your home and office.

The CDC recommends that you restrict contact with pets and other animals if you become sick, just as you would with people. Ask another member of your household to care for your pets while you’re ill. If you must do it yourself, wash your hands before and after you interact with your pets, and wear a facemask. The toughest part for pet lovers is that you must remember that you should not pet, snuggle or share kisses or food with your pet.

THE STAFF OF THE NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAgUE AMERICA

He’s gonna need a bigger mask — Seaford

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April 9, 2020 — HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS

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