president, football player and fashion icon, oh my!
Students in North Merrick’s Camp Avenue School dressed up as historical and public figures for this year’s Biography Bonanza. Harris Aini as Abraham Lincoln, Stefan Mongru as Tom Brady and Madison Jedlicka as Coco Chanel. Story, more photos, Page 3.
By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
Morgan Bronfeld, a junior at John F. Kennedy High School in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District who suffered a serious knee injury playing softball last year, is motivated to help other athletes avoid similar injuries. Bronfeld hosted an ACL injury prevention workshop during the physical education period for each class at the high school on Feb. 13 and 14.
Last year, Bronfeld tore her ACL — or anterior cruciate ligament — during a softball game. Her recovery was long, requiring surgery and
By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
Environmental advocacy group Wild Ones warned Town of Hempstead residents about the dangers of Long Island’s changing coastlines during an informational session on Feb. 22. Held at the Merrick Library, the presentation was directed to all Long Island residents.
“We feel important issues such as shoreline resiliency should be brought to the attention of our residents,” said Andrea Martone, the Vice President, and Community Leader for Wild Ones’ Town of Hempstead community hub.
“This issue will be of major concern to property owners now and in the coming decades of climate change and rising ocean levels.”
Sandy in 2012, eroding beaches, flooding coastal houses, and causing $19 billion in damage to the New York metropolitan area, according to a report by the New York Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency. Since then, shoreline communities need better protection to avoid harm.
“After Sandy, a lot of people raised their houses,” Wild Ones Secretary Gary Schulz said. “You bought time. But that’s it. Another big storm, that six feet may not be enough anymore.”
Laura Schwanof works for GEI Consulting as a landscape architect and a senior ecologist. She has worked on nature restoration projects for over 30 years.
physical therapy to help repair her ACL and meniscus.
“Once I went through the whole process of surgery and rehab and everything, my eyes opened to just how hard it is, how common it is, and that there isn’t an emphasis on prevention,” she said.
During Bronfeld’s two-day workshop, students practiced warm-up techniques and exercises that help reduce the risk of injury while playing sports.
“I think it would be beneficial as it can help prevent injuries from happening, as well as spread information on how they occur and their
The Wild Ones chapter for the New York Metropolitan Area is one of Long Island’s organizations that work to prepare communities for the challenges posed by climate change.
Long Island’s south shore was hammered by Superstorm
The Wild Ones team met Schwanof at a shoreline resiliency presentation at Hofstra University last year, which inspired them to partner for a community education program.
According to Schwanof, one of the best ways local communities can protect themselves from storms is to prevent further damage to natural coastlines
Continued on page 6
Students in North Merrick’s Camp Avenue School dressed up as historical and public figures for this year’s Biography Bonanza. Harris Aini as Abraham Lincoln, Stefan Mongru as Tom Brady and Madison Jedlicka as Coco Chanel. Story, more photos, Page 3.
By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
Morgan Bronfeld, a junior at John F. Kennedy High School in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District who suffered a serious knee injury playing softball last year, is motivated to help other athletes avoid similar injuries. Bronfeld hosted an ACL injury prevention workshop during the physical education period for each class at the high school on Feb. 13 and 14.
Last year, Bronfeld tore her ACL — or anterior cruciate ligament — during a softball game. Her recovery was long, requiring surgery and
By JoSEPH D’AlESSANDRo jdalessandro@liherald.com
Environmental advocacy group Wild Ones warned Town of Hempstead residents about the dangers of Long Island’s changing coastlines during an informational session on Feb. 22. Held at the Merrick Library, the presentation was directed to all Long Island residents.
“We feel important issues such as shoreline resiliency should be brought to the attention of our residents,” said Andrea Martone, the Vice President, and Community Leader for Wild Ones’ Town of Hempstead community hub.
Sandy in 2012, eroding beaches, flooding coastal houses, and causing $19 billion in damage to the New York metropolitan area, according to a report by the New York Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency. Since then, shoreline communities need better protection to avoid harm.
B e aware of your surroundings.
lAURA SCHwANoF GEI Consulting landscaping architect and senior ecologist
“This issue will be of major concern to property owners now and in the coming decades of climate change and rising ocean levels.”
physical therapy to help repair her ACL and meniscus.
“Once I went through the whole process of surgery and rehab and everything, my eyes opened to just how hard it is, how common it is, and that there isn’t an emphasis on prevention,” she said.
During Bronfeld’s two-day workshop, students practiced warm-up techniques and exercises that help reduce the risk of injury while playing sports.
“I think it would be beneficial as it can help prevent injuries from happening, as well as spread information on how they occur and their
The Wild Ones chapter for the New York Metropolitan Area is one of Long Island’s organizations that work to prepare communities for the challenges posed by climate change.
Long Island’s south shore was hammered by Superstorm
“After Sandy, a lot of people raised their houses,” Wild Ones Secretary Gary Schulz said. “You bought time. But that’s it. Another big storm, that six feet may not be enough anymore.”
Laura Schwanof works for GEI Consulting as a landscape architect and a senior ecologist. She has worked on nature restoration projects for over 30 years.
The Wild Ones team met Schwanof at a shoreline resiliency presentation at Hofstra University last year, which inspired them to partner for a community education program. According to Schwanof, one of the best ways local communities can protect themselves from storms is to prevent further damage to natural coastlines
Continued on page 6
By CAMRYN BOWDEN & ALEXA D’AMATO Special to the Herald
Since the first signs that ChatGPT would be a tool to disrupt traditional learning, schools from kindergarten to 12th grade, and even beyond in higher education, have weighed what policies are appropriate to curb the use of artificial intelligence. On Feb. 5, the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District detailed its attempts to embrace AI rather than shy away from it.
During the monthly Board of Education meeting, CHSD trustees heard from teachers and administrators from across the district. Joseph Innaco, the director of administrative and instructional technology, led the presentation, emphasizing a key point in the district’s approach to AI.
mally do, and then we would drop it into ChatGPT.”
As the teacher, Perry was the only person signing into ChatGPT, and he would ask specific questions to elicit feedback back on the essay, rather than asking questions that would change the student’s initial ideas. Perry was surprised by students’ reactions to the feedback from the AI software
“We would expect the students to be like, ‘Oh, OK, GPT is right.’ And they weren’t,” Perry said. “They were actually sort of offended by the writing recommendations. They were taking ownership of their work because of the time they invested in it.”
“How about we look at this as an opportunity to enhance teaching and learning? And that was our perception, you know, collectively,” he said.
“It wasn’t so long that ChatGPT was launched by OpenAI, and that created a great amount of buzz, especially in education. We never saw anything like this before,” Innaco said. “There were many questions that were raised, such as what about plagiarism?”
Instead of focusing on the negatives that generative AI can bring, Innaco and his team wanted to learn about the benefits that other AI programs can offer schools. “We took the direction of, how about looking at this as an opportunity to enhance teaching and learning, and that was our perception, collectively,” Innaco said. “It’s our duty to make sure that we provide this opportunity to our teachers and our students. We want to stay ahead of the curb.”
Teachers and students are both in various technology training classes, allowing them to learn what programs to use, how to use them and how to get the most out of AI, while still maintaining academic integrity. Their hope is that students will learn how to use AI properly and take that with them into their future careers.
“I cannot think of any industry that doesn’t have any sort of AI integration,” Innaco said.
Richard Perry, a Calhoun High School English Language Arts teacher and technology integration mentor, continued to emphasize the need to use AI responsibly , which he believes is necessary for the school district to embrace. Teachers have tailored their lesson plans to allow students to experiment with generative AI, with restrictions. Perry has worked with students to find ways to use AI to assist with writing essays, without plagiarizing.
“When it comes time to write an essay, students would write the essay by hand in class, make sure that the original ideas are theirs, that they have invested time and energy in that essay to make it their own,” Perry said. “The second thing we would do is conference on the essay, talk about it like we nor-
According to RAND research published in April 2024, English and social studies teachers are the most likely to employ AI in their classes, usually due to more customizable lessons for such coursework. Other statistics regarding AI use from the 2023-24 school year can be found in the graphic below.
Instead of relying on educators only from the English or social studies areas, Innaco welcomed Scott Azar, a Mepham High School earth science teacher, to detail different applications of AI in the classroom.
Azar highlighted how these programs can assist people who have different learning styles or abilities, as AI models like SchoolAI have been known to “help students who can’t necessarily express themselves to figure out how to organize their thoughts more clearly and to explain themselves.”
Azar, who had a 504 plan to assist him with learning disabilities throughout his school career, said AI models would have been a game-changer had they been around during his time as a student.
Maura Kempton, assistant director of special education, further expressed this point, explaining that she, as an administrator, hopes to employ AI tools to “create and adapt lessons and materials to address the variety of strengths, learning styles in our classroom and the students’ needs.”
Innaco ended by thanking the CHSD board, Superintendent Michael Harrington and school board President Nancy Kaplan. He also said next steps for the district would be to determine an acceptable use policy for the district. At the end of the presentation, a parent who did not offer a name did pose a question to the presenters: How are educators preparing students for artificial intelligence in the workforce?
Scott Bersin, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, stepped in to quell that parent’s concern, saying, “The truth of it is, technology in America has always proven to create jobs.”
“There are always short-run dislocations that occur as technology is changing, but it’s our hope, of course, that we’re preparing kids for the future where there’ll be more and more jobs related to this,” he said.
The annual Biography Bonanza at Camp Avenue School in the North Merrick School District took place on Feb. 13, bringing history to life through an interactive and engaging experience. In this “wax museum” style activity, students transformed into historical figures of their choosing, dressing up in carefully crafted costumes that reflected the era and persona of the individuals they represented.
Throughout the event, students stood in character as guests and parents walked through the displays, stopping to ask questions about their chosen figures. With enthusiasm and confidence, the students shared key facts, personal achievements, and historical significance, demonstrating the depth of their research and understanding.
The Biography Bonanza was a memorable and educational experience, allowing students to step into the shoes of influential figures from the past while improving their public speaking and storytelling skills. The event also provided an opportunity for parents and visitors to engage with history in a unique way, making it an enriching experience for everyone involved.
prevalence,” Bronfeld said in a news release.
Bronfeld also reached out to Northwell Health STARS Rehabilitation and arranged for a physical therapist to visit the school and give a presentation about how injuries happen and what can be done to avoid them.
John Carl, a physical therapist for STARS Rehabilitation, reviewed common injuries athletes face — shin splints, muscle and tendon strains, ligament sprains and ACL tears — all of which coaches, physical education teachers and athletes should be aware of.
“We have a lot of patients who are athletes that come in from different schools,” Carl said. “We want to make sure that we have that outreach, to make sure that we’re providing education for something like this.”
Carl described physical health as comprising four pillars: training, recovery, nutrition and mental health. Each needs to be properly taken care of — for athletes to prevent injury and to perform at their best.
“Recovery doesn’t always mean rest,” Carl said in a release. “It means getting active even when you’re sore, or doing skill work or core work on your recovery day.”
Carl explained that mental health is important to maintain drive and focus and emphasized the role nutrition plays for athletes in training.
“How well you fuel yourself is how well you can perform the day of competition,” Carl explained. “Protein, vitamins and minerals, water and electrolytes are included in this.”
The workshop also served as Bronfeld’s Leadership II civics project, taking the initiative to educate students directly while pushing for systemic change. The Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s
three-year School and Community Leadership program is offered to students to promote community service and civic action and to develop leadership skills.
Brad Seidman, a social studies teacher and service leadership program instructor at JFK, helped guide Bronfeld through her Leadership II civics project.
“In Leadership II, students are allowed to pick any issue or problem that’s important to them and to create some type of action project to address the issue,” Seidman said. “Morgan’s really demonstrating the intention of the project, for students to take initiative and demonstrate their leadership skills, communication skills, and time management skills to do some-
therapist at StarS rehabilitation, gave students a presentation about injury prevention on feb. 13 and 14.
thing like this.”
Bronfeld has written to state politicians, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, advocating for injury prevention policies. She said she wants to make injury education and preventative training a mandatory part of physical education programs in the state. While the governor’s office has not yet responded to her, Bronfeld plans to continue connecting with legislators to make a change.
“My goal is for at least one person to take away something that could perhaps prevent an injury in the future,” Bronfeld said.
“Being forced to work, and forced to be your best, will breed in you...a hundred virtues which the idle will never know.” — Charles Kingsley
A few years ago, your writer was contacted, as an accomplished alumnus, by McGill University in Montreal, asking for a one-word answer on my experience at the university. I answered “excellence”. It was there that I learned what excellence looked like. Before you can emulate it, you have to see it.
Prior to grade inflation, you had to do a modicum of extra work to get from a “C” to a “B”. But you had to do an extraordinary amount of work to get from a “B” to an “A”.
Your writer was hoping to gain early acceptance to law school -- awarded to only ten students. Not only did that mean A’s across the board, but the A’s also had to be in the most difficult subjects, as the A’s themselves were weighted. One of the courses was “Anthropology 101”. Fifty percent of the grade was based on the essay portion for which your writer received a “B” grade. Not being easily
deterred, I asked the professor if I might read a couple of “A” papers. She agreed to that and also agreed to my request that if I submitted another essay she would grade that one instead. The new essay I submitted received an “A” grade. Once I had seen what an “A” paper looked like, in other words what “excellence” looked like, I was able to emulate it.
When I applied to the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE) for a Masters degree in law, LSE accepted me, on the condition that I receive my McGill Law degree with honors. In my final exams at LSE, the answer to one of the questions was in a footnote. They expected you to not only know the course materials, but the footnotes too.
Here at Ettinger Law Firm, we strive for excellence in the same way. Nothing is overlooked in a constant quest to be as good as we possibly can. From our staff, to our furnishings, fixtures and equipment, to the vendors we choose to work with, to the services we deliver, we work to improve every single day. Striving for excellence is its own reward.
and to support restoration projects.
Beach restoration projects often add sand back to the beaches and reintroduce native species of tough plants that can soften waves and strengthen dunes.
Natural beaches and marshes are able to reduce the force of incoming storm waves by 50 percent over short distances — and without these natural barriers, beachfront properties are exposed to greater danger from the sea.
Many marshlands were destroyed when suburbs were developed along the south shore throughout the 20th century, said Fred Nass, Wild Ones President.
Nass, a Merrick resident for decades, has witnessed how the south shore has changed to become less storm resistant with the construction of new homes.
“I thought this would be an excellent program, especially for residents who now have to face the fact that there are detriments to life and property when you’re owning a house along the shoreline,” Nass said.
The other important step is to speak with local elected officials about environmental programs, she said.
“Become an advocate for environmental change — that’s key,” Schwanof said. “Be aware of your surroundings. Your property isn’t your only responsibility, it’s your community as a whole.”
Schwanof encouraged local homeowners to research what plants are
native to the Long Island ecosystem and include them in their landscaping, strengthening the local ecosystem.
Wild Ones is working to make native species plants more accessible to homeowners.
“We’re looking to develop a nursery that we can be able to offer plants that are appropriate to the local environment,” Nass said. “We have a connection now with the Greenbelt Native Plant Nursery on Staten Island, which has a very large amount of collected and stored native seeds. We also have an invitation with the Town of Hempstead conservation and waterways to germinate
plants at their greenhouse.”
Wild Ones has other community hubs on Long Island that are pushing for change. Agatha Martello, Wild Ones Community Hub Leader for the Town of Oyster Bay, works in restorative landscaping.
“We’re trying to educate people
because they can empower themselves with their own properties,” Martello said. “The proposal of our groups and a lot of scientists is to stop trying to modify the land against what is against nature. What science tells us is we have to work with nature, because we’re always going to lose (against it).”
“The
—George Karatzas, James Cress Florist, Smithtown
Unoccupied business spaces are an opportunity to help bring vitality to downtown areas. For George Karatzas, owner of James Cress Florist, staying downtown was a priority, but costs were prohibitive. Then George applied for our Vacant Space Revival Program, which has provided $2,462 in bill credits to help offset his overhead.* And Smithtown continues to have a business that brings warmth and charm to the area. It’s a beautiful thing to see come together—just like George’s floral arrangements.
*Incentives, grants, and savings will vary with every project. psegliny.com/businessfirst
By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
First in a month-long series of interviews with influential area women in honor of Women’s History Month. Stacey Feldman is the executive director of the Marion and Aaran Gural JCC.
Herald: Tell me about yourself. Stacey Feldman: When I was in college, I studied advertising and marketing and after being on a trip to Israel I realized that I wanted to work for the Jewish community. I loved trying to understand what made people buy a brand or why a certain color was successful, product placement, all of that really interests me and then after being in Israel, I realized that the Jewish community needed me more. I wanted to sell being an active member of the Jewish community. I’m doing this since 1990, I started working part-time teaching Hebrew school and from there I moved to New York and became the Teen Director at the Mid-Island Y JCC, worked for Hadassah and Young Judea and then was blessed to have worked for UJA Federation. From UJA is how I ended up working in the Five Towns and ultimately becoming the Executive Director here
at the Gural JCC, in 2023. I love building the community and bringing them together, there are so many types of people and they all come together under one roof.
Herald: What do you do? Why?
Feldman: We have four sites that serve this wonderful community. Everyone knows that we’re the little blue house on Grove Avenue that helps people. In 2017, we purchased Temple Israel, Lawrence so that is what we refer to as the Harrison-Kerr Family Campus. That’s the site where we have the senior center and we operate the largest early childhood center in the community with about 350 kids and a staff of almost 90. In the summer of 2023, in partnership with the Leon Mayer Fund took over the operation of the Mark Ramer Chesed Center, in Hewlett. That is a 3,500 square foot facility of new goods so that a family in need can get linens, new clothing, new house wares and appliances. Our fourth site is the S.H.O.P, in Cedarhurst (Sustenance Hope Opportunities Place) and that is
where we operate the largest kosher food pantry on Long Island, serving over 800 families. We offer a variety of social work support services from that location sand the whole agency.
Herald: What has challenged you in your career so far, and what keeps you going and inspires you?
Feldman: What challenges me currently is never wanting to say no, but for financial reasons sometimes we have to say no. What I grapple with is wanting to serve more and more people on what is a non-profit budget. What keeps me going is the ability now to build a full-service Jewish community center in this area. We’ve been working out of the site on Grove for almost 42 years and it’s exciting to address all of the needs in the community for recreation, socialization, a pool and serving all members of the community.
Herald: What have been the proudest moments in your life?
Feldman: I’m very proud of my fami-
ly, and having a son who just graduated college a year ago, a daughter that just entered college and having a loving and supporting husband. My family gives me the support that I need to work long nights and hours, so without the support from them I wouldn’t be able to do this work. I think our proudest moment professionally is finally working in partnership with Nassau County to find a location so that we can really expand services. We are very excited to build a whole new center that the community can participate in.
Herald: What advice do you have for others? What work is left to be done?
Feldman: My advice to anybody is to follow your passion, work is not work is you are passionate about it. You will enjoy coming to work everyday is you enjoy the work. Whether it’s on a volunteer level, if you can’t do professionally what you’re passionate about then find time to give back and get involved in a non-profit you enjoy. There is always work to be done, as women we’re nurturing and we’re caring, empathetic, we don’t want to leave any stone unturned so we’re always looking for new opportunities.
By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com
For over a decade, Long Island native Sarah Kate Ellis has led GLAAD, the world’s most influential LGBTQ media advocacy organization. Under her leadership, GLAAD has evolved from a media watchdog into a driving force for cultural change, shaping representation and acceptance of LGBTQ people in media, entertainment, and politics. In an interview, Ellis shares her journey, challenges, and vision for the future.
Herald: How did you get where you are?
Ellis began her career in media, working for major publishing houses like Condé Nast and Time Inc. She quickly discovered her passion for storytelling.
“I loved media instantly,” she said. “I loved telling stories and seeing the power of storytelling and how it can really bring people together.”
However, her family set her on the path toward advocacy.
“My wife and I got pregnant at the exact same time by accident, if that could be,” Ellis said. “It wasn’t planned. We were just trying to start a family. And I think that led more to my advocacy work.”
As digital media transformed the industry, Ellis sought a new challenge. When the opportunity arose to lead
GLAAD, she saw it as a way to combine her passion for media with her commitment to the LGBTQ community.
“I got to do what I love—media advocacy—but for my community,” she said.
“When I started at GLAAD, it was really to modernize the organization based on the changing media ecosystem.”
Now, after 11 years at the helm, Ellis remains committed to ensuring GLAAD continues to be a powerful voice for LGBTQ representation.
Herald: What are your daily responsibilities?
“The media ecosystem has yet again dramatically shifted,” she says. “The average American spends 12 hours a day consuming media. So we’ve never had a larger opportunity ahead of us.”
However, reaching audiences has become more complex.
Ellis: “I really do two key things at the organization,” she says. “One is drive the strategy on how we’re going to build acceptance in the United States and globally for LGBTQ people. The other significant part of my job is fundraising. To do all the work, you need funding.”
One of her key initiatives was establishing the GLAAD Media Institute, which serves as the organization’s think tank, advisory, and education arm. She also launched a rapid response team to address media coverage and public narratives around LGBTQ issues.
Ellis believes GLAAD’s work is more critical than ever as media consumption habits change.
“The biggest challenge is how do we reach people when it’s so delineated?” she asks. “That’s one of the challenges I’m facing now—how do I reach folks in a compelling way that touches them and moves them?”
Herald: What are your memorable achievements?
Over the years, Ellis has celebrated many victories, both personal and professional.
“From a personal perspective, it’s my family, my wife and our kids,” she says. “I’m so proud of my kids. They’re 16 now. They were 4 when I started at GLAAD, so that’s kind of mind-blowing.”
In her work, she is particularly proud of partnerships that have expanded LGBTQ inclusion.
“Here I am at the Super Bowl. We host an NFL-partnered Super Bowl event for the LGBTQ community,” Ellis says. “If you ever said to me 10 years ago that GLAAD and the NFL logo
would be together and working together, I would have never believed you. But here we are.”
She is also proud of GLAAD’s presence at the World Economic Forum, ensuring LGBTQ issues remain part of global discussions.
“If we’re not there speaking on behalf of LGBTQ people, we are left out of the conversation,” she says. “I was proud to be the first LGBTQ organization to get a white badge from the World Economic Forum.”
Herald: What advice can you offer the next generation?
Ellis: “I think my advice is to work hard and with your head up, because everybody says put your head down and work hard,” she said. “But I think you have to keep your head up, stay aware of what’s going on.”
She believes that in an increasingly virtual world, making personal connections is essential.
“I think we’ve become such an isolated society, and people think that we can do things on Zoom, but proximity to power and meeting people and engaging with people personally advances so much more at a rapid pace than meeting on Zoom.”
Both interviews, with Stacey Feldman and Sarah Kate Ellis, continue at liherald.com.
By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirad@liherald.com
A large crowd showed for the kickoff to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s re-election campaign.
The American Legion Post 1066 in Massapequa was packed on Monday with a number of Nassau County officials in attendance including Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips, and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino who asked the crowd if they’re ready to send a strong message across Nassau County and across America.
Saladino said that the last time the Democrats had control of Nassau County, they hiked taxes and crime soared through the roof, but Blakeman changed all of that.
“We love our families, we love our country, and we have a saying here in Massapequa, we stand for the American flag and we kneel for God,” Saladino said.
Blakeman has been serving for 3.5 years since he defeated incumbent Laura Curran in 2021. He is looking to serve for another four years and this race is said to be one of the closest watched races in 2025.
“I’m here to support Bruce, keep Nassau red and keep it safe and more affordable for the middle class,” county resident Amber Anderson said.
Other supporters included American Legion Post 2736 of East Meadow members Frank Salamino and Carl Hager, who both said that Blakeman is a “good guy.”
“Bruce Blakeman is a real gentleman,” said Hager.
The crowd cheered loudly as Blakeman stepped up to the podium and spoke of his accomplishments from lowering the crime rate and taxes, banning masks that supposedly led to hate crimes, prohibiting men from playing on women’s teams and supporting the police.
“We’re not defunding the police, we’re growing the police,” said Blakeman, who also lauded that he signed an executive order that prohibited the county from becoming a sanctuary place.
His expected opponent, Democratic County Legislator Seth Koslow, noted his opposition to Blakeman’s record.
“Under Bruce Blakeman, Nassau taxpayers are paying more and getting less,” Koslow said in a statement. “Taxes are higher, crime is rising, and millions in illegal fees have not been refunded. Instead of helping hardworking families, he is using taxpayer dollars to line the pockets of his political donors and party cronies. Nassau County deserves better. I will fight to put money back where it belongs, in the hands of taxpayers, and ensure our county is safe, affordable, and well-run for everyone.”
Robotics teams throughout the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District have been competing this winter, with John F. Kennedy High School hosting an exciting VEX V5 Competition on Jan. 25. 16 teams representing all three of the district’s high schools participated in this highly anticipated event.
There were 42 teams in the VEX competition from around the county and New York City, which came to together in an impressive display of engineering design and robot driving skills.
“The teams were judged on their innovative robot designs, robot capabilities on the skills field, autonomous programing, and driver-controlled matches,” explained Rob Soel, the district’s STEAM chairperson. “Our students excelled in many categories.”
Mepham High School had two teams advance to the elimination rounds with one team competing in the finals. Calhoun High School had one team advance to the elimination rounds, which competed in the quarterfinals. Kennedy had seven teams advance to the elimination rounds, with two teams competing in the quarterfinals and one in the semifinals. Kennedy also had a team earn the Judges Award trophy.
More than 100 students in total from throughout the district participated.
“They are innovative designers, builders and programmers,” Soel said. “Our students displayed great teamwork and sportsmanship in the fast-paced, rigorous and fun competition.”
— Jordan Vallone
16 teams from all three of the district’s high schools participated. Mason Tso, Daniel Lin, Autumn Tienauchariya, Evan Kolberg and Max Guo of a Kennedy Robotics team.
By JORDAN VALLONE jvallone@liherald.com
Over the course of a seven-week period, which will come to an end on March 27, teens across Long Island are taking part in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s 2025 Student Visionary campaign, working to raise both money and awareness for those dealing with blood cancer.
One of those teens is Lindsay Altman, granddaughter of Randy Shotland, a longtime Merrick resident who is very involved with the Merrick Chamber of Commerce and other community affairs. Shotland is a past president of the Chamber and part of its advisory board.
Altman, a resident of Plainview, whose efforts will touch numerous communities, is the team leader of Pints of Progress, and one of many teens on the island running a massive campaign that hopes to better the lives of people who either are undergoing blood cancer treatment, or are in need of support in other facets of their disease prognosis.
The Student Visionary program is designed specifically for high school students who want to make a meaningful impact in the fight against blood cancers, empowering them to develop and execute their own fundraising campaigns to support LLS’s mission.
Through a variety of programs, Altman will help raise awareness and funds to support critical blood cancer research and enhance patient services.
Altman decided to participate in the LLS campaign for a variety of reasons.
A junior in high school, a family friend of hers used to work for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and at her high school, Altman is the president of the Youth Against Cancer Club. Her friend suggested she may be a good fit for the 2025 program. Additionally, Altman’s friend, Tyler, is a childhood leukemia survivor, and Altman’s grandmother — Shotland’s wife — is a lymphoma survivor.
All of these things motivated Altman to get involved with the 2025 Student Visionary campaign, she said, and raise money “for such an important cause.”
Altman has many exciting fundraising events planned, including a volleyball tournament with her club team, family movie nights at her synagogue, programs in her high school, and partnerships with local businesses that will donate a portion of proceeds to her campaign. She’s orchestrating all of these efforts alongside teammates — family and friends who signed on to support her throughout the fundraising journey.
And as a part of her efforts, Altman had to choose a mission pillar to support, which include patient support,
Lindsay Altman, granddaughter of Randy Shotland, a past president of the Merrick Chamber of Commerce, is a 2025 Student Visionary participant on Long Island with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She’s orchestrating a campaign to raise funds that will support critical blond cancer research.
research and advocacy.
“My team chose advocacy,” she said, “which is directly advocating for laws that will benefit these patients and their families. For example, one that we’re really pushing for is the (federal) Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act, which will make getting treatment across state lines — especially with Medicaid — easier. Instead of (approval) taking a few weeks, it can take a few
days, which can save kids’ lives.”
Altman has been documenting her success and spreading the word about her campaign on social media, via the Instagram handle, @PintsOfProgress25. There, those interested in supporting her campaign can find links to donate and information about upcoming events and fundraisers.
For more, visit Events.LLS.org/LI/ SVoyLI25/LAltman.
Give them a summer they’ll never forget at Hofstra Summer Camps! Registration is now open, and you can secure your child’s spot today with just a deposit down.
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By Jordan Vallone & luke Feeney of the Herald
The Trump administration has rescinded its approval of New York City’s congestion pricing program, in an attempt to halt the initiative.
The program, which began on Jan. 5, imposes a $9 toll on vehicles entering Manhattan south of 60th Street during peak hours, aiming to reduce traffic congestion and generate revenue for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman noted his support for the federal government’s decision at a Feb. 19 news conference in Mineola. Blakeman recalled President Trump pledging to end congestion pricing at a rally last October.
“President Trump is fulfilling a promise that he made at Madison Square Garden during (his) campaign,” Blakeman said.
Gov. Kathy Hochul argued that regardless of anyone’s stance on congestion pricing, the decision is an attack on New York’s sovereignty as a state.
“New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years,” she said at a news conference at Grand Central Terminal, also on Feb. 19, response to the administration’s move, “and we sure as hell won’t start now.”
Janno Lieber, chief executive and chairman of the MTA, said that a lawsuit had already been filed to keep the congestion-pricing program in place.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized the toll as burdensome to working-class Americans and small-business owners, noting the lack of free highway alternatives. New York officials had projected $500 million in annual revenue from the tolls, intended to support $15 billion in debt financing for mass transit improvements.
The federal government is seeking to halt New York City’s controversial congestion pricing program. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman spoke in support of President Trump’s efforts on Feb. 19.
According to a letter sent to Hochul from the federal transportation office, Duffy rescinded the government’s approval of the plan under the federal Value Pricing Pilot Program, an initiative established to explore the potential of various pricing strategies in reducing traffic congestion. Managed by the Federal Highway Administration, the program allows state and
local governments to implement pilot projects that test the effectiveness of tolls and other pricing mechanisms in managing roadway usage and alleviating congestion. The congestion-pricing plan was developed under the VPPP.
The MTA, Hochul said, was prepared for a challenge, and she expressed confidence in the lawsuit it filed to counteract the decision.
“If in some world (the administration is) successful, the next time you’re stuck in traffic, the next time your train is delayed, the next time you’re in a flooded station because infrastructure repairs were not made, I want you to think of this,” the governor said. “We know where the blame goes.”
The Town of Hempstead had filed a lawsuit against the MTA and the state in opposition to the congestionpricing plan. Supervisor Don Clavin praised the decision by the Trump administration, arguing that congestion pricing is nothing more than “a money grab and a slap in the face to working-class commuters.”
State Sen. Alexis Weik, a Republican who represents portions of Nassau and Suffolk counties, also supported the administration’s decision.
“I’m glad to see that President Trump is supportive of New Yorkers,” Weik said in a statement emailed to the Herald, “because their governor is not. This is a win for New York.”
State Sen. Steve Rhoads, a fellow Republican who represents communities in Nassau, echoed Weik’s sentiments, and was critical of Hochul’s efforts to keep congestion pricing in place.
“Rather than continuing to pursue her unlawful ‘commuter tax,’” Rhoads told Herald reporters, “the governor should suspend these tolls immediately and take swift action to put commuters’ interests first instead of her own.”
This edition spotlights the individuals driving positive change, from revitalizing neighborhoods to pioneering sustainable development and inclusive economic growth. This edition features in-depth profiles, and takes a look behind-the-scenes at how communityfocused real estate and business leaders are reshaping local communities.
Your Health: Hearing & Vision, a special section dedicated to bringing you essential aspects of hearing and eye care. In this section, we explore the latest advancements in audiology and optometry, provide expert advice on maintaining healthy hearing and vision, and share practical tips for all ages. From recognizing early signs of hearing loss to choosing the right eyewear, we cover topics that matter most to you and your loved ones.
Higher education is more than just earning a degree— it’s a gateway to personal growth, career success, and community development. This special supplement explores the transformative impact of colleges and universities on individuals and society, highlighting the latest trends, opportunities, and resources available to students and lifelong learners.
Get ready for an action-packed season with the 2025 High School Lacrosse Preview, your ultimate guide to the upcoming year in local high school lacrosse. This special section highlights the teams, standout players, key matchups, and expert analysis of what to expect on the field.
Look for the Football Preview on Sept. 11 and Basketball Preview Dec. 18
By MADISON GUSLER mgusler@liherald.com
Congressional Republicans have recently directed the committee on Energy and Commerce, which oversees Medicaid, to cut its budget by at least $880 billion. These cuts would result in millions of Americans losing their health coverage, while providing tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy.
According to Nate Jackson, NY Director of Protect our Care, these cuts would hurt Long Island families, jeopardize funding for hospitals and strain the state health care budget.
Children, new mothers, seniors and people with disabilities across Nassau and Suffolk counties rely on Medicaid to cover essential health care costs.
U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen, a Democrat who represents a majority of the South Shore of Nassau County, and Assemblywoman Michelle Solages joined health care advocates on Feb. 19 to oppose the cuts, and to commit to working to protect Long Islanders’ access to health care.
“The Republican plan to slash Medicaid would devastate Long Island,” Gillen said. “It would mean higher health care costs, hospital funding in limbo, longer wait times to access care for tens of thousands of Long Islanders, and a dramatic decrease in access to vital mental health care.
“We need to be working to protect and strengthen access to health care, not ripping it away from seniors, children and veterans on Long Island who count on Medicaid to access the lifesaving care that they need,” she added, calling for nonpartisan support.
“When we’re talking about an essential service, it’s health care,” said Solages, a member of the Assembly’s Health
Committee. “When we talk about cutting dollars for hospitals, for nursing homes, we’re cutting people to the bone. And so we have to be realistic about what we need to fund. Tax breaks for billionaires is not what Long Island needs.”
Solages discussed the need for health care funding, referring to two Long Island nursing homes that are slated to
close and Nassau University Medical Center, the county’s public hospital, which is in desperate need of financial support.
“We’re talking about people’s lives,” she said. “This is not like a pothole. This is about people’s prescription drugs, their health care, and we’ve got to get realistic in this country about what’s important. People’s premiums have increased. They’re deciding whether to buy food or prescription drugs, and other essential services — rent — and the American people are crying out for relief.”
Cynthia Ngombe, a health care advocate with the Healthcare Education Project, explained that cuts to Medicaid “would shift costs for health coverage to states, putting more pressure not only on the state Medicaid budget, but on other key areas of spending such as education and public safety.”
“Medicaid is under attack from Washington, D.C.,” Ngombe added. “Federal cuts would slash critical services that keep New Yorkers healthy and our communities safe, in areas like maternal health, mental health and the emergency room. All New Yorkers would be impacted, but our Black, Latino and low-income, including rural communities, would be hit hardest by our Medicaid cuts. Access to quality health care is a right. It’s New Yorkers’ top priority.”
c. 1970s, pencil and pastel on paper, is an open-ended composition,
Above: If Der Be Angels Then Some Must Look Me, c. 2000s, wood and acrylic, examines spirituality by highlighting the divine beauty of the everyday..
By Danielle Schwab
Within the everyday experience, there’s a deeper story to be told. For visual artist Robert Graham Carter, his art unearths the stories of the African American experience through the individuals and environments he depicts, bringing larger narratives to the surface.
Now on display at the Heckscher Museum of Art, visitors can explore over 22 figurative paintings, sculptures and drawings that explore his reflections on childhood, spirituality, the black church, and societal inequities. The exhibition, “Robert Graham Carter: The Art of Reflection,” celebrates not only his talents but his involvement with Long Island’s art scene — particularly the Heckscher, where Carter made history in 1973 as the first African American artist to receive a solo show.
Born in Louisville, Ky. in 1938, Carter witnessed firsthand life during the Jim Crow South. Later, he went to the University of Louisville with many internationally known artists today such as Sam Gilliam, Bob Thompson and Kenneth Young.
“They actually formed an arts collective called the Gallery Enterprises when they were in college. This collective was important because the city was recently desegregated. There were socially not that many opportunities for artists to exhibit their work if they were artists of color,” guest curator Sarah Battle says. “The Gallery Enterprises created those spaces.”
• Now through May 25
• Open Thursday through Sunday, noon-5 p.m.
• Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave., Huntington
• Visit Heckscher.org or call (631) 380-3230 for information on related programming
Carter became known for his striking figurative art — often in mixed mediums —that depicted his life experience as an African American man while drawing inspiration from the people around him.
“He’s going to showcase a memory, or illustrate people — everyday people — in his life that he either wants people to be thinking about, to elevate, or just to offer another perspective on the topic at hand,” Battle, research curator at Louisville’s Speed Art Museum, explains.
Drawing influence from his upbringing, Carter’s works balance personal and universal truths, with a focus on topics that connect to the experiences of African Americans. His art addresses the joy and importance of family, the legacy of segregation, the charm of childhood, the spiritual and corporal force that is the Black church, and the impression of Blackface on American culture.
“Figures are the carriers of my thoughts, messages, or ideas, they are my stories,” Carter explained in an email. “For me, it’s the best way to tell the story or to give value or a sense of texture to a meeting or setting.”
In his untitled pencil and pastel drawing from the 1970s, Carter shows his mastery through his depiction of two children, one white child and one African American child with empty thought bubbles above their head as they gaze at each other.
“This piece inspired the education team at the Hecksher to create an activity for people to think about the sorts of conversations these two children could be thinking or saying to each
other, and what sorts of ways these conversations might have changed over time,” Battle says.
Carter also found a niche in using wood in his creations.
“It started with me being attracted to the brightness of the paint and the subdued quality of the wood,” Carter went on in his email. “I thought color placed against this kind of texture and tone would stand out. If you had a bright blue or bright red against a dull gray, the gray would make the color even stronger.”
His use of texture is on full display in his “If Der Be Angels, Den Sum Mus Look Like Me, 2000s,” where Carter postulates spiritual inclusivity within the religious narrative.
“This piece is of an angel. The wings of the angel are made up of these wood slits. They’re painted in bright colors that make it appear that the wings are very full and threedimensional,” Battle says.
“They’re just layers of these wood pieces that create such beautiful interiors or beautiful figures.”
Carter moved to Long Island in 1968 and joined Nassau Community College where he taught in the art department for over 50 years. Archival itemsl such as newspaper clippings and letters included in the exhibit show the impact of his identity as an educator and artist in the local art scene — and throughout the country.
“When I retired, a formal written notice was required. In my notice, I wrote an anecdote ‘I explained the problem, and no one understood it. I explained the problem again, and no one understood it. I explained it a third time, and I understood it.’ It’s a short gimmicky way of saying I am bettered for having taught others,” Carter further explained.
His legacy of creating and inspiring art here and beyond is a testament to his enduring craft.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the local arts community if they don’t know his work already, to see a number of great examples, as well as draw more national attention to his living legacy,” Battle adds.
“This exhibition not only offers visitors a chance to see art made throughout Carter’s career, but it also makes space to honor his living legacy as an artist educator. This solo show highlights some of his early influences in Louisville, Kentucky as well as his impact on artists in Nassau County and beyond.”
He has plenty of stories to tell — with more to come. An undisputed expert in the fine art of making hit music, Jim Messina’s legacy of musical genius spans five decades, three super groups, a vibrant solo career and scores of producing and engineering credits. a musician whose career has shaped the sound of multiple generations. From his start with Buffalo Springfield to defining the Country Rock genre with Poco and then forming the iconic duo Loggins & Messina, his influence on music is undeniable. With hits spanning over five decades, he’s a true craftsman of his art. Now touring with a talented band, Messina performs songs from every stage of his career: Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Loggins & Messina, and his solo projects. ouring the country and playing sold-out shows, Jim says that he’s enjoying discovering who he is, where he’s been and — most significantly — where he’s going.
Friday, Feb. 28, 8 p.m. $69, $59, $49. Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington. Tickets available at landmarkonmainstreet.org or (516) 767-6444.
You know him, you love him, and now you can catch Kevin James when his “Owls Don’t Walk” tour arrives here. As only Kevin can, he covers a range of topics from motivating children to put down their video games, to why he doesn’t trust technology, and how many tater tots he can fit in his mouth. James sure has come a long way since his early days on the local comedy scene. After being discovered at the 1996 Montreal Comedy Festival, he signed a development deal to create his own sitcom. “The King of Queens” premiered in 1998 and ran for nine seasons, earning him an Emmy nomination. From there, his acting career blew up — in film and TV.
Sunday, March 2, 7:30 p.m. $99.50, $79.50, $69.50, $49.50. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. (800) 745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com or ParamountNY. com.
March 20
The Joni Project visits the Tilles Center stage, Thursday, March 20, 7:30 p.m., to celebrate the iconic Joni Mitchell. The musically sophisticated band is fronted by Long Island’s remarkable multi-instrumentalist and singer Katie Pearlman, who impressively plays Joni’s songs in their original open guitar tunings, and also includes jazz and jam band mainstays Dave Berg (guitar), Dan Ehrlich (bass), Alan Lerner (drums), Mark Mancini (keyboards), Steve Finklestein (percussion), Premik Russell Tubbs (saxophone and flute) and Victoria Faiella (backing vocals). Collectively, they’ve performed with members of the Grateful Dead, The Band, The Doors, the Neville Brothers, and many others.
Together, they bring fresh interpretation to Joni’s legendary tunes from their many eras and genres —particularly from the time of her stunning and dynamic collaboration with Jaco Pastorius, Pat Metheny and Michael Brecker. But The Joni Project celebrates it all - from Both Sides Now, Big Yellow Taxi, Chelsea Morning and Help Me, to Raised on Robbery and Free Man in Paris! Perlman faithfully performs in true Joni style, her tunings remain as fresh today as they were when first performed. LIU Post campus, 720 Northern Boulevard, Brookville. Tickets available at tillescenter. org or (516) 299-3100.
Adelphi University
Performing Arts students present the musical adaptation of “The Spitfire Grill,” now through Sunday, March 2. Based on the 1996 film by Lee David Zlotoff, this is a heartwarming and inspirational musical tale of redemption, perseverance and family. It follows a troubled young parolee yearning for a fresh start who follows her dreams to Wisconsin, based on a page from an old travel book, only to find a small town with a gritty heart aching with longing and regret. Unexpectedly discovering the healing power of community while working at the Spitfire Grill, Percy reawakens the entire town’s capacity for rebirth, forgiveness and hope.
Set to a melodic folk-in spired score, it’s a joyous celebration of human kindness. $30. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi. edu/pac.
The influential proto-punk/garage band The Dictators performs at My Father’s Place, Sunday, March 2, 7-9 p.m. My Father’s Place at The Roslyn, 1221 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn. For tickets/ information, visit MyFathersPlace. com or call (516) 580-0887.
Art Explorations
Converse, collaborate and create at family Saturdays at Nassau County Museum of Art. The drop-in program continues, Saturday, Mar. 1, noon-3 p.m. Kids and their adult partners talk about and make art together. While there, enjoy reading and play in the Reading Room, and contribute to the collaborative Lobby Project. Registration required. 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. Visit nassaumuseum.org to register or call (516) 4849337.
Mercy Hospital offers a peer-to-peer meeting for breastfeeding support and resources, facilitated by a certified breastfeeding counselor, every Thursday, 10:30-11:30 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. St. Anne’s Building, 1000 North Village Ave., Rockville Centre. For information visit CHSLI.org.
Family theater
Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes families to its stage, Friday, Feb. 28,-10:15 a.m., noon, 6:15 p.m.; Sunday, March 2, 2 p.m.; also Wednesday and Thursday, March 5-6,10:15 a.m. and noon. It is 3017 in this futuristic, musical retelling of “Cinderella.” She’s now a space engineer looking to revolutionize space travel. When the Prince holds a space parade, Cinderella helps fix the Prince’s spaceship and show him her new hyper warp speed engine. But first, she’ll have to keep her evil stepmother from throwing a wrench in her plans! $11 with museum admission ($9 members), $15 theater only. Museum Row, Garden City. (516) 224-5800 or licm.org.
Square and Line Dance
Temple B’nai Torah in Wantagh hosts its annual Square and Line Dance, Saturday, March 8, at 6:30 p.m. The event features a three-piece live band with square dance caller Chart
Jupiter String Quartet returns to Adelphi University
Performing Arts Center, Friday, Feb. 28, 8 p.m. The intimate group of violinists Nelson Lee and Meg Freivogel, violist Liz Freivogel (Meg’s older sister), and cellist Daniel McDonough (Meg’s husband, Liz’s brotherin-law) are brought together by ties both familial and musical.
The ensemble brings its well-honed musical chemistry to three works shaped by bold musicality and deeply meaningful thematic inspirations, including Warmth from Other Suns by Carlos Simon; String Quartet No. 3, Glitter, Doom, Shards, Memory by Shulamit; and String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat Major, Op. 130 with the Grosse Fuge by Ludwig van Beethoven. 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi.edu/pac.
9
Adelphi University
Performing Arts students celebrate the music that shaped Broadway during their semi-annual Best of Broadway concert, Sunday, March 9, 4 p.m. The talented students bring to life the magic of Broadway with music from classic and contemporary musicals. This edition includes selections from celebrated composers and lyricists, including Kander and Ebb, Alan Menken, Jason Robert Brown, and many more! This event will also be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, 1 South Ave., Garden City. (516) 877-4000 or Adelphi. edu/pac.
On Exhibit
Nassau County Museum of Art’s latest exhibition, the original “Deco at 100” coincides with the 100th anniversary of the 1925 Paris International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts (Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes) which publicly launched the movement. The direct followup to the well-received 2023 exhibit, “Our Gilded Age,” it comparably links the period’s signature innovation in the decorative arts, Art Deco, to the fine arts. The exhibit encompasses significant cultural advancements during Long Island’s Roaring Twenties/Jazz Age movement, including votes, jobs, and the automobile for women, the beginnings of suburbia with commutation for work, and planned residential communities, which all defined the era, while the following decade brought economic reversals and the WPA program. Works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, Fernand Léger, Guy Pène du Bois, Gaston Lachaise, Elie Nadelman, and Reginald Marsh, among others, along with art deco stylists of poster art and graphics, and photography will convey the Art Deco spirit along with its furniture, decorative arts, and fashion.
Like “Our Gilded Age,” the social scene of Long Island’s Gold Coast, and its personalities — both upstairs and downstairs — will be portrayed, along with the ongoing relationship with the immediate urban context of New York with its skyscrapers and deco-styled architecture. On view through June 15. Nassau County Museum of Art, 1 Museum Dr., Roslyn Harbor. (516) 484-9337 or NassauMuseum. org.
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.
Sands Point Preserve is the backdrop to explore the elegant Gold Coast home that’s the centerpiece of the estate, Sunday, March 9,noon-1 p.m. and 2-3 p.m. Visit the grand rooms inside the massive 50,000-square-foot Tudor-style mansion, the former summer residence of Gilded Age financier Howard Gould and later Daniel and Florence Guggenheim. Tours are limited in size and tend to sell out. Arrive early to purchase tickets. $10. Sands Point Preserve, 127 Middle Neck Road. For information, visit SandsPointPreserveConservancy.org or call (516) 571-7901.
27, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT
COUNTY OF NASSAU
CitiMortgage, Inc., Plaintiff AGAINST Michael B. Kosowski a/k/a Michael B. Kosowki, Doreen E. Kosowski, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered May 15, 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 March 17, 2025 at 2:00PM, premises known as 11 Roydon Drive West, North Merrick a/k/a Merrick, NY 11566. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, SECTION: 50, BLOCK: V-01, LOT: 22. Approximate amount of judgment
$538,516.87 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #005990/2016. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Maria Sideris, Esq., Referee Frenkel Lambert Weiss Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-081476-F00 84162 151498
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF Nassau, U.S. Bank Trust National Association, as Trustee for LBCABANA Series IV Trust, Plaintiff, vs. Ronald Neugebauer, ET AL., Defendant(s).
Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on January 3, 2025, 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 March 24, 2025 at 4:00 p.m., premises known as 1753 Suffolk Drive, Merrick, NY 11566. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying
and being at Merrick, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 50, Block 373 and Lot 5. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,082,270.68 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #601525/2023.
Thomas Montiglio Jr., Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 211744-3 151723
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURTCOUNTY OF NASSAU BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. Plaintiff, AGAINST
CAROLA J. DILLON AKA
CAROLA DILLON, et al.
Defendant(s)
Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on September 17, 2024. I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the North Side Steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on March 26, 2025 at 2:00 PM premises known as 1859 George Ct, Merrick, NY 11566.
Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Nassau County, and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing.
All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Merrick, Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Section 62, Block 190 and Lot 113.
Approximate amount of judgment $846,716.80 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #009654/2014.
Judith Powell, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLPAttorneys for Plaintiff40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747 151671
LEGAL NOTICE
BELLMORE-MERRICK
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
VENDOR___________
Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Education, Bellmore-Merrick
Central High School District, Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, Merrick, New York, at the Business Office, 1260 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, New York ll566-1500, for the following categories up to the times on the dates indicated:
HVAC SERVICE AND REPAIR
(*must be approved or certified to repair Magic Aire Univentilators)
March 25, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. Bid Room and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud. All information for bidders, specifications and bid forms may be obtained at the abovementioned address.
The Board of Education, BellmoreMerrick Central High School District, reserves the right to waive any informalities in, or to reject any or all bids, or to accept that bid, or any part of that bid, which in its judgment is for the best interests of the School District. All bid awards are pending budget approval.
The School District may receive bids for the above listed items periodically during the 2025-2026 school year, if necessary. These bids will not be readvertised for this purpose. The frequency of bid solicitations will be determined by operating requirements.
By order:
Board of Education
Bellmore-Merrick
Central High School District
By:Jon Simpkins
Director of School Facilities & Operations 151875
LEGAL NOTICE
BELLMORE-MERRICK
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE TO BIDDERS
VENDOR___________
Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Education, Bellmore-Merrick
Central High School District, Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, Merrick, New York, at the Business Office, 1260 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, New York ll566-1500, for the following categories up to the times on the dates indicated:
BUILDING AND GROUNDS EQUIPMENT
BID
CUSTODIAL
EQUIPMENT
PURCHASE, SERVICE & REPAIR BID
GROUNDS SUPPLIESATHLETIC MIX BID
VENETIAN BLINDSREPAIR & PURCHASE
BID
March 25, 2025 at 1:00 p.m.
Bid Room and then at said office publicly opened and read aloud. All information for bidders, specifications and bid forms may be obtained at the abovementioned address.
The Board of Education, BellmoreMerrick Central High School District, reserves the right to waive any informalities in, or to reject any or all bids, or to accept that bid, or any part of that bid, which in its judgment is for the best interests of the School District. All bid awards are pending budget approval. The School District may receive bids for the above listed items periodically during the 2025-2026 school year, if necessary. These bids will not be readvertised for this purpose. The frequency of bid solicitations will be determined by operating requirements. Detailed specifications may be obtained at the above address.
Contact Mr. Jon Simpkins at 516-992-1032 with any questions regarding this bid.
By order: Board of Education
Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District
Bellmore U.F.S.D. North Bellmore U.F.S.D. North Merrick U.F.S.D.
Merrick U.F.S.D.
By:Jon Simpkins Director of School Facilities & Operations 151876
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BY THE BOARD OF APPEALS
Pursuant to New York State Town Law Article 16, New York State Public Officers Law Article 7, and the Town of Hempstead Building Zone Ordinance, NOTICE is hereby given that the BOARD OF APPEALS of the Town of Hempstead will hold a public hearing in the Old Town Hall, 350 Front Street, Room 230, Second Floor, Hempstead, New York on 3/5/2025 at 9:30
A.M. & 11:00 A.M. to consider the following applications and appeals:
THE FOLLOWING CASES WILL BE CALLED STARTING AT 9:30 A.M.
120/25. - 122/25. MERRICK - Mercury Building & Remodeling, Variance, side yard, replace two (2) a/c units attached to dwelling; Special exception to maintain shed higher than permitted with less than required setback on Clark St.; Maintain 10’ high living fence in front yard on Clark St. & within the clear sight triangle at owner’s driveway & maintain 15’ high living fence., N/E cor. Decker Ave. & Clark St., a/k/a 2049 Decker Ave. 123/25. - 126/25.
MERRICK - Anthony & Rosemarie A. Pata, Mother/Daughter Res. (2nd Kitchen); Variance, lot area occupied, construct 1-story addition & 2nd story deck both attached to dwelling; Variance, side yard, maintain a/c unit attached to dwelling; Variance, side yard, install a/c unit attached to dwelling., S/s Lippold St., 149.29’ E/o Dobson Ave., a/k/a 1732 Lippold St. 11:00 A.M. CALENDAR 1306/25. MERRICKStephen Koshers & Mitchell Koshers, Renewal of grant for use variance to maintain non-resident C.P.A. in Res. “B” District., S/W cor. Merrick Ave. & Meadowbrook Rd., a/k/a 1094 Merrick Ave.
ALL PAPERS PERTAINING TO THE ABOVE HEARING ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION AT THE BOARD OF APPEALS, TOWN HALL, 1 WASHINGTON STREET, HEMPSTEAD, NY 11550. This notice is only for new cases in Merrick within Town of Hempstead jurisdiction. There are additional
cases in different hamlets, towns and villages on the Board of Appeals calendar. The full calendar is available at https://hempsteadny.go v/509/Board-of-Appeals
The internet address of the website streaming for this meeting is https://hempsteadny.go v/576/Live-StreamingVideo
Interested parties may appear at the above time and place. At the call of the Chairman, the Board will consider decisions on the foregoing and those on the Reserve Decision calendar and such other matters as may properly come before it.
151834
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Section 202-48 of the code of the Town of Hempstead entitled, “Handicapped Parking on Public Streets,” a public hearing will be held in the Town Meeting Pavilion, Hempstead Town Hall, 1 Washington Street, Hempstead, New York, on the 11th day of March, 2025, at 10:30 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, to consider the adoption of a resolution setting aside certain parking spaces for motor vehicles for the sole use of holders of special parking permits issued by the County of Nassau to physically handicapped persons at the following locations:
ELMONT
LUCILLE AVENUE - east side, starting at a point 88 feet north of the north curbline of Theodora Street, north for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-36/25)
SEWANEE AVENUEwest side, starting at a point 386 feet south of the south curbline of Atherton Avenue, south for a distance of 18 feet.
(TH-24/25)
SEAFORD
LOCUST AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 275 feet west of the west curbline of Guildford Park Drive, west for a distance of 15 feet.
(TH-1/25)
UNIONDALE
BRAXTON AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 188 feet east of the east curbline of Uniondale Avenue, east for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-34/25)
WANTAGH
MCDONALD AVENUEwest side, starting at a point 150 feet north of the north curbline of Campbell Avenue, north for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-33/25) and on the repeal of the following locations previously set aside as parking spaces for physically handicapped persons: (NR) FLORAL PARK 239TH STREET - west side, starting at a point 110 feet north of the north curbline of Superior Road, north for a distance of 16 feet.
(TH-580/24 - 2/4/25) (TH-580(B)/24)
MERRICK
HARVARD AVENUEsouth side, starting at a point 298 feet east of the east curbline of Central Parkway, east for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-260/15 - 9/8/15) (TH-31/25) (NR) WESTBURY WESTLEY ROAD - south side, starting at a point 138 feet east of the east curbline of Fairfield Avenue, east for a distance of 20 feet.
(TH-332/20 - 1/5/21)
(TH-47/25) ; and, BE IT FURTHER ALL PERSONS INTERESTED shall have an opportunity to be heard on said proposal at the time and place
aforesaid.
Dated: February 25, 2025 Hempstead, New York BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD DONALD X. CLAVIN, JR. Supervisor KATE MURRAY Town Clerk 151856
LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF NASSAU, WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR RMAC REMIC TRUST, SERIES 2009-9, Plaintiff, vs. CLAUDIO JOVELL, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on October 25, 2016 and an Order Appointing Successor Referee duly entered on January 6, 2025, 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 April 1, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 1720 Montague Avenue, Merrick, NY 11566. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 55, Block 24 and Lot 120. Approximate amount of judgment is $633,799.60 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #003996/2014. Cash will not be accepted. Scott Siller, Esq., Referee Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591, Attorneys for Plaintiff 151880
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Q. We have been planning a large renovation of our home but have put off construction for the past two years due to family circumstances. Now, as we’re ready to move forward, we’re wondering, with everything going on right now, is this a good time to build?
A. It is a good time to build. There are obviously many factors involved in choosing when to start, including costs, permits, the right fit for a contractor relationship, the logistics of where to go while work is being done, where to store things — it’s a long list. But there are many reasons not to hesitate, assuming you have all the necessary plans, approvals and money.
The labor force has been shrinking for many years — especially skilled labor and the workers that skilled laborers need to do a job. Associated Builders and Contractors, a nationally recognized industry trade association, began reporting in January 2024 that an additional 504,000 workers would be needed just to complete current construction in the United States. This year, the association is reporting that 454,000 more workers will be needed. Where will they come from, considering that there are fewer people going into constructionrelated fields?
The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book, which (at least for now) compiles reports on local economics, stated last October that “it remains difficult to find workers with certain skills in some industries such as technology, manufacturing and construction.” As I meet on construction sites, I talk with contractors who are all voicing their frustration that they need trained and skilled workers. Since that problem is getting worse, you may use it as the biggest reason to move ahead sooner than later.
Material prices are predicted to rise as well. One contractor blamed the cost of copper for the higher price of bathroom construction. We compared the cost, seven years ago, of rough plumbing going up, then, from $3,500 to $4,500 dollars. Last week we discussed the cost for the same work, just for supply and installation of the piping, without the fixtures, at $9,500 on average. Lumber from our neighbors to the north and steel from overseas are going up. Typically, by the end of January each year, material prices increase slightly. This year those increases were noticeably greater.
Holding off on your construction job probably isn’t a good idea, based on history. When the economy is booming, prices rise because of supply and demand. When things slow down, manufacturers and trades may have to charge even more just to keep the workforce they gave raises to when things were better or even just to stay in business, to cover their expenses to meet overhead costs. This answer isn’t intended to cause panic, but the statistics are right in front of you, on your smartphone, to follow trends and realize that nobody is going to work for less, and it may be hard to find materials or labor at the prices you hoped for. Good luck!
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Throughout my career in public service, I’ve steadfastly championed government efficiency, easing the burden on taxpayers, and eliminating waste, fraud and abuse. It’s critical that we continue to examine all levels of government for potential savings, and hold our agencies to the highest standards.
As Hempstead town supervisor, I rooted out waste and corruption, enabling the town to cut taxes, but I did this with transparency and in a deliberative fashion. This is what the American people expect and deserve.
While I support efforts to rein in government spending and waste, I’m deeply concerned by the impact of some of the recent funding freezes and firings that will hurt Long Islanders and throw vital services into chaos.
Just days ago, nearly 20 percent of the World Trade Center Health Program’s staff was abruptly terminated due to staffing cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services. Elimi-
nating staff members who are working to ensure that 9/11 first responders and survivors receive the care they deserve is outrageous. This is a family matter on Long Island: Every one of us likely knows someone who was impacted by the Sept. 11 attacks. Nearly 7,000 of my constituents in the 4th Congressional District are eligible for the health program, including those who helped our nation when we needed it most.
EThe idea that our government would ever abandon these heroes is unthinkable. I’m glad that President Trump’s administration listened to the New York delegation’s bipartisan outrage and is now rehiring affected staff and working to undo these errors. This is a priority for Long Islanders and all New Yorkers.
leagues to urge the National Institutes of Health to reverse their planned cuts to research institutions across New York state, including Hofstra and Adelphi universities.
These cuts threaten our progress on lifesaving medical research, and make it harder for Long Islanders suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses to participate in clinical trials that could save lives.
fforts to rein in spending in Washington are producing too much chaos.
I’m also closely tracking the developments around federal grant funding freezes. Already we have heard that proposed cuts will have drastic impacts on the universities and nonprofits that are carrying out groundbreaking research and providing critical services on Long Island. I recently joined a bipartisan group of my New York delegation col-
I’m glad the administration reversed course on the indiscriminate federal funding freeze proposed earlier this year, which I warned could directly impact our law enforcement agencies’ ability to carry out their jobs and threaten public safety in our communities. I remain concerned, however, about cuts to grant programs, including those for services for survivors of domestic violence and for veterans, and for other nonprofits on Long Island doing important work.
Long Islanders have also raised concerns about the potential cuts to Medicaid, which would have a devastating effect on Nassau County. Last week I heard from many health care organizations and hospitals in my district, and
joined health care advocates for a roundtable discussion of the drastic impacts that Medicaid cuts would have here. More than 100,000 of my constituents, including children and nursing home residents currently covered by Medicaid, could lose access to health care, and costs would rise for tens of thousands more Long Islanders.
We need to protect and strengthen access to health care, not rip it away from seniors, children and veterans on Long Island who rely on Medicaid. This is a bipartisan priority for residents threatened by these cuts. I’ll continue the fight to ensure continued access to health care, and I’m calling on my Republican colleagues to join me in that cause.
The administration has publicly stated that if mistakes are made during its cuts, they’ll be corrected. The White House and its allies in Congress should stand by that promise. They should seek to avoid frenzied mistakes going forward. I agree that we must tighten the belt of government and ensure that taxpayers’ dollars are being utilized efficiently and effectively, but our nation deserves transparency and organized, lawful action instead of the current chaos.
Laura Curran represents the 4th Congressional District.
As spring approaches and the weather warms, the roads will soon be filled with cyclists, e-bike riders and electric scooter users. The season of outdoor activity is rapidly approaching, and with it comes a pressing need for heightened awareness of our busy roads. More of us will be walking, biking and taking part in sports — and that means more people on the streets, and bicyclists and e-bike riders sharing the roads with motorists. This is no time for complacency. As our streets grow busier and traffic increases, it’s critical that we all understand the rules of the road, and take responsibility for the safety of others as well as ourselves. Failure to do so could lead to preventable accidents with devastating consequences for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike. First and foremost, Nassau County has strict bike safety laws that everyone must be aware of, particularly parents.
It is the law that children under 18 must wear a helmet when riding a bike, scooter, motorized scooter or e-bike. Parents who fail to ensure their children’s safety face fines of $50, and parents of children older than 12 who engage in reckless behavior like performing stunts, riding side by side in the street or playing chicken with traffic can be fined up to $100. I’ve seen this reckless behavior, and heard countless reports from concerned residents throughout my legislative district. These dangerous actions must be addressed and prevented.
Emake sure your bike is equipped with reflectors.
■ Wear reflective materials so drivers can see you.
■ Use hand signals when turning.
ach of us must be aware of, and committed to following, the rules of the road.
For cyclists, these safety measures are not optional — they are a necessity:
■ Always wear a helmet.
■ Follow all traffic laws, signs and signals. No exceptions.
■ Always ride in the direction of traffic, never against it.
■ Keep both hands on the handlebars and always be ready to brake.
■ Use lights when riding at night, and
■ Never ride while distracted — no headphones, no texting, no talking on your phone.
Need a good reason to wear a bike helmet? The statistics are stark. According to the National Institutes of Health, in accidents involving bikes, wearing a helmet reduces the risk of severe head injuries by 60 percent and cuts the likelihood of fatal or serious injury by 34 percent. This isn’t a suggestion — it’s a lifesaving measure.
As the popularity of e-bikes and electric scooters continues to rise, they present a whole new set of challenges. They can reach dangerous speeds, making it even more important for their riders to follow the law. Riders must be familiar with the state laws that are specific to these vehicles to avoid putting themselves and others at risk:
■ E-bike riders must be at least 16 years old.
■ E-bikes have a speed limit of 20 to 25 mph, depending on the class of the bike.
■ Electric scooters are limited to 15 mph.
■ E-bikes are not allowed on roads with speed limits above 30 mph.
■ Riders must stay in bike lanes or streets. Sidewalks are off-limits.
■ Riders must wear a helmet if their e-bike can exceed 20 mph or if they are under 18.
Ensuring road safety isn’t just the responsibility of cyclists and riders; it’s everyone’s responsibility. Each of us must be vigilant, aware and committed to following the rules of the road. It’s not just about following laws; it’s about making our community safer for everyone. Let’s not wait until it’s too late. Whether you’re a cyclist or a driver, we must all do our part to prevent the tragedy of a crash that could have been avoided. The road to safety starts with us.
imagine going to a party with friends, or attending your high school reunion or a wedding. You see a lot of familiar faces, and some new ones. Everyone is having a good time sharing memories, and you drink into the night.
By the end, you realize you’ve had too much to drink. Walking doesn’t come as easy, and your words are a bit slurred. No worries. It’s nothing that others haven’t done before. You take precautions, don’t drive. Surely you’ll get home safe.
Except you don’t.
Instead, you are sexually assaulted or raped. The evening before is a blur and you can’t quite put the pieces together, but you know something went horribly wrong. You go to the police to file a report, but suddenly you’re the one being interrogated. Officers start asking you if you had any alcohol or drugs last night, and they may even give you a Breathalyzer test. But that shouldn’t matter, right? Someone committed a crime — full stop.
In New York state, however, there is no law in place that protects survivors of sexual assault if they were voluntarily intoxicated during the crime.
It seems absurd that this is not already law in a state as progressive as New York, especially when compared with conservative states like Alabama and South Carolina, which have laws in place protecting sexual assault survivors who are voluntarily intoxicated.
The bill before the New York State Assembly (A.101), sponsored by dozens
To the Editor:
of elected officials, aims to amend the law “to allow sex crimes charges to be brought in cases where the victim had become voluntarily intoxicated if a reasonable person in the defendant’s position should have known that the victim was incapable of giving consent due to intoxication.” It has languished in the Assembly since a similar bill was introduced in the State Senate by then Sen. Alessandra Biaggi in 2020, and passed two years later.
“Voluntarily” is the crucial word.
Those who oppose the law are afraid the language will allow for false accusations involving voluntary intoxication among consenting adults, specifically if someone regrets the decisions they made the night before and claims they were not in their normal mental state to give consent.
But advocates argue that those extreme and uncommon situations diminish the seriousness of sexual assault and rape, no matter the situation, and have presented cases to support their cause. We agree with those advocates. There is never an excuse for rape or sexual assault — nor for victim blaming or victim shaming.
In 2017, choreographer Bijan Williams, who worked with high-profile entertainers Beyonce and Jay-Z, was arrested on charges of rape and false imprisonment when a 17-year-old girl called 911 and accused him of raping her in a Manhattan hotel room. Williams was 34 old at the time, and both were under the influence of alcohol. Williams pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of sup-
Re last week’s editorial, “In civil discourse, everyone deserves respect”: Those of us who agree must realize that this is a contested proposition, currently facing open challenge by those who declare it an invalid premise. To many, “respect” is a virtue only when it is a synonym for obedience, when “persuasion” may include violence, and “disagreement” is a tool useful for exposing enemies, not for discussion but for vicious doxxing.
Various history months face official obliteration, propaganda terms like Gulf of America, “gender ideology” and “patriotic history” are being devised, their use enforced by lawsuit.
Coerced conformity to stereotype attempts to erase individual expression. Our president claims kingship, uses the royal “we,” disparages diversity. Few such bigots are convertible, so our resolve must be keep them from power through our majority of votes.
James Russell Lowell, in 1873, described our situation: “I have always been of the mind that in a
plying a minor with alcohol, and the rest of the case was dropped.
In 2021, The Washington Post published, “A Minnesota man can’t be charged with felony rape because the woman chose to drink beforehand, court rules.” The headline stemmed from a 2017 case in which a woman consumed several shots of alcohol and a prescription pill before accompanying an unknown man who invited her to a party. She was raped, but because she was intoxicated voluntarily, and the state law only protected those who were mentally incapacitated due to intoxication administered by someone without a person’s consent, the man was not charged.
Victim blaming is all too common for survivors of sexual assault and rape, and while the scars may be invisible, they run deep.
Survivors of sexual assault are 10 times more likely to attempt suicide, according to 2020 research by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Others are plagued by a lifetime of psychological and emotional issues that interfere with their ability to handle everyday activities like holding a steady job.
While criminals walk away with a relative slap on the wrist, survivors continue to suffer from the crimes perpetrated against them, and in many cases they are relegated to carrying the shame heaped on them by society.
Our elected leaders in Albany must pass A.101 now, and close the voluntary intoxication loophole.
Like any resident of Oyster Bay, I’ve always had a fascination with our hometown president, Theodore Roosevelt. He seemed like such a larger-than-life character, a writer who was a soldier, a hunter who was a politician, and a statesman who truly cared for, and understood the needs of, the common man.
the executive branch to keep moneyed interests out of politics, despite pushback from members of his own cabinet and party.
been exhausted. TR’s embrace of “soft” power, and its importance in foreign relations, was a hallmark of U.S. foreign policy for much of the last century.
Which is why it is so disappointing that the new presidential administration seems so invested in tearing down everything that Roosevelt achieved. And no, that’s not hyperbole. President Trump has said numerous times that America was richest during the Gilded Age, from about 1870 to the 1890s, and that he hopes to bring us back to that level of prosperity.
Except that prosperity was a lie, built on the backs of working-class employees who slaved away for limited wages and had no protections, while that generation’s top 1 percent got richer and richer. Roosevelt saw the damage this corrupt system was doing to the country, and earned the nickname “Trustbuster” for his fearlessness in breaking up the early monopolies. He used the power of
Contrast that with Trump, who, rather than regulating big businesses, has invited them into his cabinet, and even more terrifying, into the country’s inner record system. Elon Musk, the J.P. Morgan of the 21st century, has been given the keys to the castle and is currently ransacking our public records, from Social Security to Medicaid and more.
president Trump seems hell-bent on tearing down everything T.R. achieved.
Furthermore, Trump has signed one executive order after another weakening regulatory agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission — which was created in response to the Roosevelt administration’s lawsuit against Morgan’s monopoly. Rather than working to make big business more civic-minded and protect regular Americans from its excesses, Trump is enabling the worst aspects of capitalism in this country, enriching the few at the expense of the many.
Roosevelt was also famous as a diplomat, with his best known-quote describing his approach to foreign policy, to “speak softly and carry a big stick.” That meant maintaining a strong military presence, but only using it as a threat once other methods of diplomacy had
Trump, on the other hand, appears to be more easily herded than any previous president, let alone Roosevelt. His administration’s shameful about-face on Ukraine shows his inability to see the benefit of supporting a free, democratic nation unjustly invaded by Russia’s oligarchic president, Vladimir Putin. That, and Trump’s apparent sycophancy toward Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong-un and other autocrats, contrasts sadly with Roosevelt’s ability to play the autocrats of his age against one another without forsaking American honor and dignity.
Trump’s attempted destruction of USAID and similar agencies shows a further lack of understanding of soft power, and the limitations businessmen can have when switching to public service. Not everything needs to be profitable to be useful, despite what Trump and Musk may say. USAID not only saves lives, but also reaffirms the fundamental belief among Americans, our allies and even our enemies that we are a country of fundamentally good people. The goodwill we earn internationally from this and similar organizations is a
fundamental aspect of our soft power, which offers another, often more elegant, solution to global threats than simply sending in our military.
But what would really break Roosevelt’s heart is Trump’s apparent disregard for our nation’s natural beauty and the extraordinary people who steward it. Roosevelt was known as a conservationist, and protected roughly 230 million acres of public land during his presidency, including 150 national forests and more than 40 federal bird sanctuaries.
Trump, meanwhile, has gutted our National Park Service and the United States Forest Service — founded by Roosevelt — and has repeated made clear his desire to open public land to oil drilling while deregulating environmental restrictions that big businesses face. His refusal to acknowledge the role humans play in climate change and his unwillingness to hold oil, coal and similar industries accountable would, I have no doubt, make the Bull Moose apoplectic.
I’ve spent countless hours poring over biographies, watching documentaries and listening to podcasts about Roosevelt. While I obviously never met him, and have never met Trump, I can say with certainty that Trump is no Teddy Roosevelt.
Will Sheeline is an editor covering Glen Head, Locust Valley, Oyster Bay and Sea Cliff. Comments? WSheeline@liherald.com.
Framework by Tim Baker
democracy, manners are the only effective weapon against the Bowie knife.” Resolute in manners, wary, registered to vote.
BRIAN KElly Rockville Centre
To the Editor:
Re Peter King’s column last week, “Recalling the presidents I’ve met”: Former Congressman King continues his attempt to gaslight Herald readers by including the current occupier of the White House on his list of former U.S. presidents he’s collaborated with over the last several decades. As if Donald Trump’s attack on U.S. democracy and scorched-earth approach is comparable to the political ideology of any former president, Republican or Democrat. King attempts to gloss over Trump’s abhorrent behavior by reminiscing about an invitation King’s grandchildren received to visit the White House. Why is King trying to normalize the first 30 days of this chaotic presidency by recalling mundane details about
Trump — and including him on a list of former presidents who, by contrast, had a very clear and unwavering love for this republic? Why omit mention of Trump’s flurry of nonsensical executive orders, blanket pardons of the criminals who attacked our Capitol, mass firings of federal employees, attempted eviscerations of the CIA and the FBI, elimination of the Department of Education, and countless threats of retribution against perceived enemies?
Because normalization of outrageous tactics is a tool of MAGA’s propaganda machine — much like the Third Reich systematically rationalized its attacks on the free press and takeover of the military as necessary evils in order to take control of an ailing and dysfunctional government. MAGA’s use of this tactic is deceptive and dangerous, and King seems to be a willing cog in the wheel.
At the very least, in the interest of standing up for his former constituents, King should question Trump’s blatant surrender of our government systems — which include our personal and private information — to Elon Musk, under the guise of DOGE, and acknowledge that it is (at the very least) an overstep by an administration that is suddenly in the hands of an unsanctioned group of non-elected private citizens.
Not even Trump’s supporters voted for Elon Musk.
Congressman, it’s never too late to say, “I misjudged him.” It’s never too late to say, “I was wrong.” And it’s
never too late to hold someone accountable.
In 1993, Anita Rothenberg of Valley Stream was first admitted to Mount Sinai South Nassau’s ER in Oceanside and treated for a heart attack at the age of 37. She recovered, raised a family and worked as a teacher on Long Island for the next 29 years. Then, in November of 2022, an angiogram showed three blocked arteries. She underwent triple bypass surgery a few days later at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in Manhattan and completed her cardiac rehabilitation close to home at Mount Sinai South Nassau.
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• Named among the top five percent in the nation for Coronary Interventional Procedures by Healthgrades
L ea r n mo r e a t mountsinai.org/southnassauheart
In 1993, Anita Rothenberg of Valley Stream was first admitted to Mount Sinai South Nassau’s ER in Oceanside and treated for a heart attack at the age of 37. She recovered, raised a family and worked as a teacher on Long Island for the next 29 years. Then, in November of 2022, an angiogram showed three blocked arteries. She underwent triple bypass surgery a few days later at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital in Manhattan and completed her cardiac rehabilitation close to home at Mount Sinai South Nassau.
Mount Sinai South Nassau o ers comprehensive heart care for Long Islanders, and has received the following ratings and quality awards:
• Rated High Performing in heart attack and heart failure from U.S. News & World Report ® for 2024-2025
• Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Coronary Intervention™
• Healthgrades Coronary Intervention Excellence Award™
• Healthgrades Five-Star Recipient for Coronary Interventional Procedures
• Named among the top five percent in the nation for Coronary Interventional Procedures by Healthgrades