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Sassouni to bow out as ed board prez

Says time for transition after serving 3 years, will continue as G.N. trustee

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Great Neck Board of Education President Rebecca Sassouni said she will no longer serve as the board’s president for the upcoming school year.

“I’m eager for the transition to the next as we rotate,” Sassouni said. “I think it’s a healthy transition for a board. It’s not to meant to be that someone remains president for too long.”

Sassouni said that she feels good about stepping down from her post, especially with the reassurance of Superintendent Kenneth Bossert’s ability to lead the district.

“The community that I lead with love now has a hand rocking the cradle of democracy and the nursery of democracy,” Sassouni said, referencing Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer’s comment that public schools are the nursery of democracy.

Sassouni made the announcement at the board’s final meeting of the year Thursday night.

The board will be holding its annual re-organizational meeting July 9 where the board determines who will fill the president and vice president roles. Sassouni said at last week’s meeting that she would not seek to renew her presidential role.

Sassouni said she is satisfied with her action, saying it comes with “a great deal of relief and joy.” She described her tenure as satisfying with many advancements made for the district.

She has served as the board’s president for the past three years. She was first elected as a trustee in 2017.

Bookending her time as president were two votes reflecting a wide disparity in public opinion.

The first that directly preceded her appointment was in 2021 when a budget vote was scheduled on a prominent holiday and drew strong opposition and a low pass rate.

That was in comparison to the most recent budget vote this May which received an 82% pass rate.

Sassouni cited a changing of times in the school district while she has served on the board, specifically attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and broader global events.

Accomplishments Sassouni shared during her tenure as president included securing collective bargaining agreements, hiring Bossert, hiring Assistant Superintendent for Business John O’Keefe, hiring a new district counsel and establishing live-streamed meetings.

Continued on Page 42

BLANK SLATE HONORS TOP BUSINESS LEADERS

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LEGO EXPO

County Republicans OK trans athlete ban

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Nassau County Legislature approved along party lines a law that codifies County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s executive order barring transgender women and girls from playing on female athletic teams at county facilities.

The law was passed on a 12-6 vote. All Republicans voted in favor and all Democrats, excluding Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D–Glen Cove), who was absent, voted against

the law.

The public hearing Monday was contentious throughout the hourslong session, with audience members calling out to the legislators. At times audience members were threatened with being removed if they continued to speak out of turn.

Democrats compared the law to historical instances of fear-mongering used to target other communities and individuals.

“You’re creating a false narrative and promulgated based on fear of a

perceived advantage,” Legislator Arnold Drucker (D–Plainview) said.

Drucker called the law a “fatally flawed bill based on fear and speculation.”

“This legislation is a clear contravention of the state of the law and it’s beyond me why this county executive wants to continue squandering taxpayer, hard-earned dollars on legal fees defending this proposed law,” Drucker said.

Continued on Page 43

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NEW HYDE PARK-GARDEN CITY PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT CREDIT

The New Hyde Park-Garden City Park Lego robotics team showcased their Lego projects at the expo.

Keiserman wins Dem primary for NY senate

Will face off against Sen. Jack Martins in District 7 race

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Port Washington’s Kim Keiserman will face off against Republican state Sen. Jack Martins in the race for District 7 after defeating Brad Schwartz in a landslide in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

“My name is Kim Keiserman, and I’m proud to be your nominee for NY State Senate District 7,” Keiserman wrote in a Facebook post. “Together, we will flip the script on the Nassau GOP because Long Island’s so-called “red wave” stops right here, right now.”

Keiserman defeated Schwartz in the primary contest with 75.14% of the 9,135 votes cast — 6,905 to 2,230, according to the Nassau County Board of Elections.

All votes had been counted at the time of publication.

Martins, a Republican endorsed by the Conservative Party, did not face a Republican primary and will compete against Keiserman in the Nov. 5 general election.

The district, which includes much of the North Shore and the Town of Oyster Bay as far east as Woodbury, is represented by Martins, who flipped the district red in 2022.

Keiserman is an education consultant and serves as a commissioner for the North Hempstead Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, chairwoman of the Baxter Estates Planning Board and a board member of the Come to Believe Network.

She is also president of the Port Washington Democratic Club, a zone Leader for the Nassau County Democratic Committee and co-president of the Baxter’s Pond Foundation.

Her campaign platform advocated for reproductive rights, investing in public education, fostering gun safety legislation, lowering taxes, bolstering affordability, protecting the environment and standing up against bigotry.

Keiserman said she intends to give Long Island a seat at the table at the state level, where Democrats control the Senate and the Assembly, to ensure their voices are heard,

Port’s Kim Keiserman won the Democratic primary for New York State Senate District 7 Tuesday night.

Keiserman was endorsed during her primary campaign by Planned Parenthood Empire State Votes Political Action Committee, Everytown for Gun Safety, Rep. Tom Suozzi (NY03), Nassau County and New York State Democratic Party Chairman Jay Jacobs, and various other past and present Democrats.

This was Schwartz’s second unsuccessful campaign. He launched one in 2018 against former state Sen. Anna Kaplan but dropped out of the race before the primary.

Schwartz, founding chairman of the Sid Jacobson JCC’s Community

Needs Bank, is a former television editor and producer with a Ph.D in public policy. He is a lifelong Long Island’s North Shore resident and lives in Roslyn.

In a candidate forum hosted by the Port Washington–Manhasset League of Women Voters, Keiserman and Schwartz touted their ability to unseat Martins in this November’s general election.

Both also denounced Martins’ “extremist” rhetoric.

“I believe we deserve to be represented by someone who can bring

F.P. man found drowned in Greece

Renowned horse trainer at Belmont

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Floral Park’s Toby Sheets, who served as a longtime assistant trainer to hall-of-fame horse trainer Steve Asmussen at Belmont Park, drowned while vacationing in Greece, according to ABC News. He was 55.

Sheets’ body was found Sunday on the Greek Island of Mathraki, where he was vacationing. A Greek coroner determined his cause of death to have been drowning.

“Toby was a part of our stable for many years, including our Belmont Stakes win with Creator, as well as his expert handling of Haynesfield among others,” Asmussen told the Thoroughbred Daily News. “He will be deeply missed by his family and many friends.”

Sheets was a resident of Floral Park for more than 20 years.

The Daily News reported that Sheets’ body had been located on a stretch of beach previously searched. Officials suggested that his body may have been washed out to sea.

Another tourist had found Sheets’ body and reported it to the

police, according to CBS.

ABC News reported on Sheets’ cause of death Tuesday, which was provided by Ioannis Aivatidis, the coroner in Corfu, Greece, who performed Sheets’ autopsy.

According to reports, Sheets was last seen alive on Jun 11 and reported missing on June 13.

Sheets was reported missing after a friend had found the door open to his home with the air conditioner running, according to the New York Times.

He was last reported to be seen with two other female tourists at a cafe. The AP reported that the two tourists have since left the island.

Mathraki, where Sheets was vacationing at the time of his death, is a small and quiet Island off the coast of Greece with just shy of 200 residents. It is not considered a popular tourist destination.

Sheets’ death comes amid multiple other tourist disappearances and deaths in Greece coupled with an extreme heat wave washing over the island.

The U.S. Embassy is coordinating to have Sheets’ body returned to the United States, ABC reported.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Floral Park’s Toby Sheets, an assistant horse trainer at Belmont Park, was found dead while on vacation in Greece. His cause of death was determined to be drowning.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIM KEISERMAN’S CAMPAIGN

Evans Street squatters removed

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Three individuals who were allegedly squatting in an abandoned New Hyde Park home were arrested Thursday evening and all individuals occupying it were removed, according to a neighbor. The house’s locks were also changed once emptied.

The neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous, expressed a sense of relief to have had the individuals removed from their neighborhood.

“Nobody was feeling comfortable in their own neighborhood,” the resident said. “And we weren’t knowing what kind of activity could have been going on behind those walls.”

The home at 109 Evans St. had been occupied by alleged squatters for about a year, the neighbor said, The individuals were said to have moved in last summer.

Three individuals were arrested Thursday, according to the neighbor. They said an additional two people fled the home from the backyard and were not arrested.

“This is great, this is great,” the neighbor said, explaining how the neighborhood was overjoyed to have them removed.

Five pit bulls were also reportedly removed from the property.

Efforts to reach the Nassau County Sheriff ’s Department for comment were unavailing.

The emptying of the home occurred throughout Thursday evening and concluded around midnight, the neighbor said.

While only five individuals were present during Thursday’s emptying of the home, more than five individuals were seen coming in and out of the home over the year. The definite

Alleged squatters had reportedly been living in a property at 109 Evans St. for months.

number of individuals occupying it is unknown.

The neighbor estimated the individuals to be ages from late teens to mid-30s.

Neighbors said the group would throw loud parties at night and housed five pitbulls who barked throughout the early hours of the morning. At times five to six cars would be parked outside the house, the neighbors said.

The neighbors also said the house attracted

rats due to the occupants leaving garbage in the driveway.

Neighbors expressed a concern for safety in their neighborhood, with some saying they wouldn’t walk past the house with their kids.

The neighbor said police told them the occupants were dangerous individuals and potentially affiliated with gangs.

The neighbor said they never learned of the

occupants’ names and that no neighbor communicated with the individuals in the home.

Blank Slate Media was not told the names of the individuals arrested Thursday, so arrest records could not be cited.

The Nassau County Police Department said they aided in the emptying of the home but did not provide information by the time of publication.

The neighbor expressed gratitude for the actions taken by law enforcement agencies to remove the occupants.

“They did everything that the law allowed them to do to the full extent before they couldn’t do anything,” the neighbor said.

The police’s removal of the occupants comes two months after another pair of squatters were removed from a New Hyde Park home at 39 Brussel Drive – a 10-minute drive away.

The couple was removed after a year in the home and a series of court hearings after the lease they provided to the courts that granted them the right to stay in the home was determined to be fake.

The Evans Street house was in the midst of the foreclosure process last year. It was set to go to auction thanks to the cooperation of the seller, who was the late homeowner’s son, when people broke into the home, Homeowners Resource Group President Eva Biondolillo said.

Neighbors watched as they occupied the home for more than a year. The removal of the occupants has brought a sense of security back to the neighborhood.

“The people in the neighborhood were all watching and it was just something we felt relieved that it happened before anything very serious happened,” the neighbor said.

Tom Ferraro has specialized in sport psychology for 20 years and works in the fields of golf, tennis, soccer, baseball, football, wrestling, lacrosse, figure skating, gymnastics, softball, fencing and more. He has helped professional teams, Olympians and elite young athletes learn how to manage the intense pressure of competitive sports. He appears on both TV and radio and has sport psychology columns in 5 different newspapers and has been featured in

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Women’s Health Care of Garden City committed to personalized care

By John L. Gomes, MD

John L. Gomes, MD, founded Women’s Health Care of Garden City in 1995. It has remained an independent private practice, providing personalized obstetrical and gynecological services.

He employs the technical advances of conventional medicine with an integrative approach to navigate women through difficult pregnancies into the menopausal years. He treats a wide variety of OB/GYN conditions and is dedicated to providing the highest quality of care.

All tests are conveniently done on the premises, and a dedicated, compassionate staff is on call 24/7.

He is committed to excellence in patient communication, education and support, as many patients come with anxiety associated with past experiences and future concerns.

Dr. Gomes received his undergraduate degree from Brown University, and his Doctor of Medicine from Columbia University.

He is both Board Certified and a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Women’s Health Care of Garden City is located at 1000 Franklin Avenue, Suite 200, Garden City.

NHP nearing deal for $5M state grant

BY NOAH POWELL

New Hyde Park Mayor Christopher Devane said Friday the village is nearing a deal for a $5 million state grant in the coming weeks to build a new commuter parking lot and playground across from the LIRR station.

Devane said the village is still waiting for two environmental surveys to be conducted and state approval to receive the $5 million in funding.

He said the money would pay for the purchase and demolition of three vacant buildings on 300 S. 12th St. and the subsequent construction of a new parking lot on the spaces.

Using the same funding, part of the current commuter parking lot on 12th Street will be converted into a new playground.

Village officials kicked off the meeting by honoring resident Adam Hallmark, who helped return Luna, a missing dog, to her family.

Luna had been missing since June 15. Flyers for her were found across New Hyde Park streets on the village website and social media.

Hallmark spotted the dog Sunday morning and waited with Luna after calling her family for retrieval. Devane presented Hallmark with a proclamation from the mayor’s office honoring his service to the New Hyde Park community.

Following the proclamation, Devane and the other board trustees approved several applications made by New Hyde Park Memorial High School to hold car washes on July 17 and Aug. 3. They also approved Jhony Landscaping Inc.’s

landscaping license renewal and G&D Brothers Landscaping Group’s license application.

Devane announced changes to the New Hyde Park Fair on Sept. 21, which would require the Chamber of Commerce of Greater New Hyde Park and other organizations to pay for booth reservations.

The mayor said that when the fair first started in 1997, the village had agreed not to charge the Chamber of Commerce or local organizations fees for booth spots to encourage attendance and build community engagement.

Devane said the village will begin charging all organizations, saying he did not believe it was fair to provide non-village residents free access when local residents are required to pay a fee for a booth space.

“If as result, there are some organizations who will choose not to come to our street fair, I respect it,” Devane said. “But a 27-year run is pretty good. But that comes to an end this year.”

The mayor did not yet say what organizations would pay for a booth, but that the public would be notified when the price was decided. Mayor Devane said the Chamber of Commerce was notified a year ago.

The Village Board convenes on the third Thursday of each month at 7 pm. The unusual Friday meeting date was due to scheduling conflict among the trustees, the mayor said. The next meeting is scheduled for July 18. Videos of the meeting are available on New Hyde Park’s YouTube channel, typically a few days afterwards.

PHOTO BY NOAH POWELSON

47 of Nassau’s top biz leaders honored

BY CAMERYN OAKES

A group of 47 local business leaders came together Thursday night to be honored for their professional achievements by Blank Slate Media.

Vision Long Island Director Eric Alexander, the keynote speaker, encouraged the leaders to continue to excel in their respective fields and support local communities by uniting businesses, educational institutions, law firms and non-profits in Nassau County.

See more photos from the Top Business Leaders event

PAGES 9-12

“We have a responsibility as leaders to build up trust,” Alexander, the director of the downtown planning organization, said.

Blank Slate Media honored the business leaders at its fourth annual Top Business Leaders networking awards event attended by more than 280 people at Leonard’s Palazzo. News 12 Long Island reporter Cecelia Dowd served as emcee.

Many of the honorees and the keynote speaker mentioned the work of community building and outreach as a cornerstone of their work as business leaders.

Alexander stressed the importance of community building, especially during a time he said was characterized by much divisiveness.

Jean-Marie Addeo Levantini, the senior director of ambulatory care for NYU Langone Health and a lifelong resident of Long Island,

Barred

Blank Slate Media honored a group of 47 local business leaders at its annual Top Business Leaders awards ceremony.

said she was honored to be recognized among a group with such high accomplishments.

Levantini said she also recognized the group’s common thread of working with and for their community.

American Red Cross Long Island CEO Jose Dominguez said he is driven by the mission of the Red Cross and the people it represents.

Dominguez said that being recognized for his work is also an honor for his organization.

“Whatever I can do to showcase the work and the services and our volunteers, it’s amaz-

Glen Cove broker gets 7 1/2 years

BY CAMERYN OAKES

A barred investment broker from Glen Cove was sentenced to up to 7 1/2 years in prison on charges related to a stock fraud scheme involving $520,000 collected from

Barred broker

investors who believed they were investing in several high-profile companies including Peloton, WeWork, Airbnb & Petco, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.

“But if a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is,” District Attorney Anne Donnelly said in a press release. “Having a trusted investment professional is essential if you are planning to wade into the stock market. Taking steps to properly vet investment opportunities and those who are bringing them to you can save you from potential fraud and significant losses.”

Six investors believed they were investing in pre-initial public offering, pre-IPO, stock for these companies, but Peter Quartararo. 57, was using the money for personal luxury items and travel, according to the DA. These items included a 2020 Mercedes Benz SUV and part of the money he put down on his Maserati.

Quartararo pleaded guilty in February to five counts of second-degree grand larceny, one count of third-degree grand larceny and one first-degree count of scheme to defraud.

His sentence delivered on June 14 is for 2 1/2 to 7 1/2 years in prison. Nassau County District Attorney’s Office said they recommended four to 12 years.

Continued on Page 50

ing,” Dominguez said.

Chief Administrative Officer for Nassau Community College Maria Conzatti said the community is paramount to her organization’s work.

Conzatti echoed Dominguez’s sentiments that the honor is not just for her but also for the broader work of the institution she represents.

WellLife Network CEO Sherry Tucker said the honor was humbling.

“It’s a blessing to me to be able to get up every morning and know that we’re changing

lives, that we’re impacting people’s lives and helping them to achieve their goals and dreams and desires,” Tucker said.

Despite saying she is not used to being in the spotlight, Tucker said she found the awards ceremony valuable in honoring individuals like herself who may not always be recognized for their work in making Nassau County “the best that it can be.”

“The altruism in this room is tremendous,” Dominguez said.

Sullivan keynoter at USMMA graduation

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was the keynote speaker at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduation in Kings Point last week.

Sullivan was joined by Congressman Tom Suozzi;; Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg; Maritime Administer Rear Admiral Ann C. Phillips; General Eric M. Smith, the 39th Commandant of the Marine Corps; Vice Admiral Joanna M. Nuna, the 14th Superintendent of USMMA; and Rear Admiral Dianna Wolfson (’96).

Wolfson delivered the distinguished Alumna speech on the 50th anniversary of the first women to be admitted to USMMA or any federal service academy.

Juha Lee Yoon, of Great Neck, was honored for graduating cum laude from USMMA

The speeches addressed the United States’ efforts to maintain its primacy of the sea and keep commerce free flowing, tackle the challenges of Ukraine, China’s incursions into the Pacific, the threats in the Mediterranean by non-state actors.

© Karen Rubin/news-photos-features. comJake Sullivan, assistant to the president for National Security Affairs, delivers the inspiring keynote commencement speech to US Merchant Marine Academy’s 2024 graduates. © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NASSAU COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Peter Quartararo, 57 of Glen Cove, pleaded guilty to charges related to a half a million stock fraud scheme in February.

PHOTO BY JOEL HARRIS

PHOTO BY KAREN RUBIN

Juha Lee Yoon, of Great Neck, is congratulated by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on graduating cum laude from USMMA.

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G.N. ed board honors district contributors

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Great Neck Board of Education honored key district contributors to the 2023-2024 school year Thursday night at the board’s final meeting on the academic calendar as well as adding three conference days to observe the holidays of Diwali and Eid.

Included in the acknowledgments were the district’s Shared Decision Making Committee members, a collection of parents, students, teachers and administrators for each school. The committees meet monthly to work collaboratively in achieving goals for its students.

“When I arrived in Great Neck Public Schools, it became very clear to me very quickly that the shared decision-making process was something that was part of the fiber and the fabric of this school district,” Superintendent Kenneth Bossert said. “And the work done at each of our buildings by these committees demonstrates itself in many ways in the wonderful opportunities that are provided to our students each day.”

At the final board meeting of the school year, the representatives for each school’s Shared Decision Making Committee gave its final presentation highlighting its achievements from the year.

Board President Rebecca Sassouni, who has previously served on these committees, said they are a way of finding consensus in the district’s actions and allow for a greater understanding of the various perspectives of both parents and students.

Board Trustee Donna Peirez, who also served on these committees and was a founding member, highlighted

that seven of the nine school committees mentioned the word “community” and said it was an important focus amid divisiveness.

“That is so important I feel in these times when community seems to be fractured so much, for us to be building that sense in our children and in our parents and staff,” Peirez said.

Bossert applauded the efforts of these committees in fostering the growth of the whole student through their various initiatives.

“We truly are keeping the whole child in mind when planning our activities,” Bossert said.

Also honored were its student delegates, with upwards of four students chosen to represent their school during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Student delegates attended Board of Education meetings throughout the year with the responsibility of providing reports and presenting topics that concerned their respective school to the board.

Delegates represent the district’s two middle schools, two high schools and its alternative high school.

Also included in the acknowledgments were the district’s United Parent-Teacher Council Executive

Blakeman gets say in newspaper choice

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Nassau County Legislature voted along party lines to change its laws in selecting a county newspaper, which now includes the county executive in the selection process and

omits the necessity for bipartisan consensus.

“Now what you’re doing is you’re injecting and inserting the county executive into the process,” Legislator Arnold Drucker (D–Plainview) said.

Continued on Page 43

BY NOAH MANSKAR

Board and Parent Teacher Association presidents.

The Board of Education also voted to accept the designation of tenure for 27 district employees.

The employees ranged from teachers across nine of its schools to the district’s director of technology.

“Tenure is something to have earned. It is not a right upon entry to the organization,” Bossert said.

“These candidates tonight exhibited the outstanding characteristics we look for in a prestigious learning institution. This is how administrators and Boards of Education leave their fingerprints on what happens within the district.”

The tenure class was honored as the first for Bossert, who assumed his role last August.

Bossert applauded the newly tenured employees for earning this professional achievement.

In other news, the board also voted to add three additional superintendent conference days to its calendar next school year to honor Diwali and Eid. One day would be designated for Diwali and two days for Eid.

“These will honor the lived experiences of the families who get to observe those holidays,” Sassouni said.

Manorhaven residents

eye missing ballots

BY CAMERYN OAKES

Multiple Manorhaven residents said they received absentee ballots in the mail without a ballot inside, with some calling it an attempt to suppress votes for the challenging mayoral candidate and his party running mates.

“I would assume that someone didn’t want those ballots to be counted,” a Manorhaven resident of 50 years said, adding that she did not believe it to be an error.

Manorhaven Trustee Jeff Stone ran against Mayor John Popeleski in the village’s June 18 election. Running with Stone under the Manorhaven Residents Party were two newcomers challenging two incumbent trustees for their seats.

Popeleski defeated Stone in the mayoral race with 486 votes, or 58.6% of the votes. Stone received 343 votes.

Deputy Mayor Harry Farina and Trustee Monica Ildefonso ran alongside Popeleski under the Working Families Party. Both were re-elected, garnering nearly 60% of the votes.

Farina received 490 votes, and Ildefonso

received 472 votes. Nancy Rozakis and Robert Swerdlow challenged them, each receiving 341 votes.

Stone estimated that about a dozen individuals received these empty absentee ballots in the mail. He said all the individuals he spoke with who received them were supporters of his candidacy.

Although about a dozen absentee votes would not have changed the outcome of the election, Stone said the issue at hand is the integrity of the village’s elections.

“I want to make sure people feel confident in village government,” Stone had previously told Blank Slate Media.

Popeleski said absentee ballots were sent out according to requirements by the Nassau County Board of Elections and were mailed on time.

The mayor chalked up the missing ballots to either “human error” by the deputy clerk who handles the ballots or an issue caused during postal transit, but said he did not know what caused the problem.

PHOTO

The Nassau County Legislative building.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREAT NECK PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The Great Neck Board of Education approved the tenure of 27 school district employees Thursday night.

Blank Slate Media honored 47 top business leaders of Nassau county who have all made a significant contribution in their field, from business, health, education, law and not-for-profit. The event was held at Leonard’s Palazzo of Great Neck on Thursday, June 20. Eric Alexander, Director of Vision Long Island, was the keynote speaker and Cecilia Dowd, News 12 reporter, was the emcee.

For more information about each honoree, visit https:// theisland360.com/nassau-countys-top-business-leaders/

All photos by Joel Harris Joel Harris Photography • www.joelharrisphotography.com

All photos by Joel Harris

Joel Harris Photography • www.joelharrisphotography.com

Blank Slate Media honored 47 top business leaders of Nassau county who have all made a significant contribution in their field, from business, health, education, law and not-for-profit. The event was held at Leonard’s Palazzo of Great Neck on Thursday, June 20. Eric Alexander, Director of Vision Long Island, was the keynote speaker and Cecilia Dowd, News 12 reporter, was the emcee.

For more information about each honoree, visit https:// theisland360.com/nassau-countys-top-business-leaders/ All photos by Joel Harris Joel Harris Photography • www.joelharrisphotography.com

Slate

All photos by Joel Harris Joel Harris Photography

OUR VIEWS Editorial Cartoon Opinion

Preparing at home for a fast heating planet

The good news is that Long Island escaped the worst of an expanding heat dome that had 100 million people across 27 states on alert for extremely high temperatures and broke records from the Great Lakes region through much of the Eastern United States.

Temperatures hit 85 degrees in Nassau Sunday. This compared to Baltimore, which reached a record 101 degrees Saturday, and Dulles, Va., which hit 100.

In other states, the humidity made it feel even hotter. Heat index values –a measure of how conditions feel with humidity taken in to account – reached over 100 in Philadelphia and Tampa, Fla.

New York City, just to our west, reached a heat index of 103 degrees between Saturday and Sunday.

According to a gauge used by the National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New York was among several cities in which residents faced the highest level of health risk.

Long Island residents also benefitted from living on an island with easy access to beaches, private pools, municipal pools, and a stable electric grid that kept the air conditioning running for those indoors.

Despite escaping the highest temperatures, Nassau and Suffolk counties also wisely offered those without air conditioning access to a handful of cooling centers.

The bad news is that we can expect an increase in heat domes in the future, some of which Long Island will not escape.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2023 was the warmest year since global records began being kept in 1850.

And the 10 warmest years in the 174 years since the record keeping startedoccurred in the last decade – 2014-2023. That is an unfortunate trend we can expect to continue.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration pointed out that 2005, the first year to set a new global record in the 21st century, is now the

12th warmest year on record.

Last summer, the temperature in Phoenix, Ariz., reached at least 110 degrees on 55 days.

Yes, it was a dry heat, but it still officially killed 644 in Maricopa County. And going outside for any amount of time was considered a serious health risk.

A study published in May 2023 projected that a blackout during a five-day heat wave would kill nearly 1% of Phoenix’s population – about 13,000 people –and send 800,000 to emergency rooms.

No, Long Island is not Phoenix in many ways and our highest temperatures don’t come anywhere close to 110 degrees – at least not yet.

But that doesn’t mean those on Long Island are in the clear. The temperatures on this planet are continuing to rise, Long Island included. We should respond now

For starters, we can stop ignoring the clear scientific evidence and acknowledge the central role man-made climate change has had on our environment.

Oil and gas companies, aided by willing politicians, have spent hundreds of millions, if not more, over many years spreading disinformation about climate science.

Those arguments need to be ignored – and any state or federal official who spouts the company line should be defeated at the ballot box.

This includes the presidential race in which President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump present very different responses to climate change.

Biden returned the United States to the Paris Climate Accords and joined other leaders in new efforts to keep a 1.5°C limit on warming within reach after Trump pulled the United States out of the international agreement.

Biden has promoted clean energy through the Inflation Reduction Act, including grants for electric charging stations and federal regulations. Trump has promised to remove federal regulations for oil and gas producers, even offering gas and oil companies a free hand at climate regulations in exchange for a $1 billion contribution to his presidential

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campaign.

He also told Fox News host Sean Hannity that he wished to be a dictator on day one in office to close the southern border and “drill, drill, drill.”

We should also ignore those who say switching to cleaner energy costs too much.

Increasingly frequent and severe weather events of all kinds, intensified by climate change, are imposing billions of dollars in damage annually, destroying communities and costing lives.

“Insurers have responded to these climate-related financial risks by withdrawing services, hiking premiums, and gutting coverage—actions that are affecting many U.S. households’ and businesses’ ability to obtain sufficient insurance coverage at an affordable rate or, in some cases, altogether,” according to the non-profit Center for American Progress.

State officials must closely review insurer changes to avoid this occurring in New York.

State and local officials must update plans to deal with future crises.

Many still refer to Superstorm Sandy in October 2012 as a hurricane, although technically, its wind speeds did not justify that designation.

But even at the superstorm level Sandy flooded the New York City sub-

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Cameryn Oakes, Taylor Herzlich

COLUMNIST Karen Rubin

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

way system, many Nassau communities and all the tunnels leading into New York City except the Lincoln Tunnel.

Large parts of Nassau lost electricity for days and, in some areas, weeks.

At least 43 people died in New York City as a result of the storm and 53 perished in the state. Thousands of homes and an estimated 250,000 vehicles were destroyed during the storm.

The economic losses in New York City were estimated to be roughly $19 billion,, according to a report by the city. An estimated $32.8 billion was required for restoration across the state, according to CNN

But has it been enough? That’s a question that should be asked regularly.

State and local officials need to consider closely whether to allow homes and businesses to be rebuilt in areas subject to flooding in the future.

“Don’t throw good money after bad,” as they say.

Officials must also consider what is required of homes and businesses built in areas subject to flooding.

State legislators and the governor also need to be vigilant about changes made by insurers to rates and coverage.

The skyrocketing cost of home insurance in Florida is causing some residents to sell their properties and relocate, ac-

Stacy Shaughnessy, Melissa Spitalnick, Barbara Kaplan, Bill Lucano, Angela Shirian

ART DIRECTOR

Yvonne Farley

cording to a survey by real estate brokerage Redfin and data available on Zillow.

Some 11.9% of homeowners in the Sunshine State who told Redfin that they plan to move in the next year said they were doing so because of climbing insurance costs.

The main reason behind the crisis can be traced back to the increased risk of extreme weather events. Excessive litigation, widespread fraud and the rising cost of inflation are also blamed.

We don’t want that to happen in New York, especially on Long Island with its long coastline.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency should also change its policy.

FEMA responds to natural disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes — disasters with major and obvious damage to physical infrastructure. But the agency has not historically responded to extreme heat.

That needs to change.

What were once hot spells have now turned into heat domes in which roads buckle, first responders are overwhelmed and hundreds die.

Climate change is a global problem that will get worse before it gets better.

We need to prepare for that reality starting here in Nassau County.

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OUR TOWN

Finding confidence when it’s missing

Sooner or later every patient will ask me: “How do I become confident in myself?”

It may be an athlete who realizes they are anxious and are giving up leads. Perhaps its a business person stuck in a low-paying job but lacks the confidence to quit and find a better one. Maybe a young patient is starting to date and doesn’t have the confidence to ask that pretty girl to the prom.

Often when they ask this question, it suggests to me that the patient actually hopes I have a magic wand and if I wave it in front of them, “Voila!” confidence will magically appear. Unfortunately, confidence, courage, and self-belief does not work that way.

In the world of sports, lack of confidence produces choking and in real life a lack of confidence produces avoidance and procrastination, which can last a lifetime if you don’t do something about it. But exactly how do you find confidence?

Let me tell you a story which reveals the truth about confidence and self-belief.

One of my patients is a world class golfer with one of the best short games on earth. I have watched him sink 5-foot putts on the 18th hole to win golf tournaments. He has unflinching confidence in his short game and most television commentators explain this by saying he has “natural ability.” But the reality is that he practices his put-

ting for about four hours a day, every day. His confidence has been earned and not given to him.

This works the same way in the world of business. The successful entrepreneur has earned his or her confidence and it did not come naturally or easily.

The maker of the McDonald’s dynasty was Ray Kroc, who for years was a lowly unsuccessful salesman, hawking malted-making machines to hamburger joints. But when he discovered the original McDonald’s out in California, it was love at first sight and with unrelenting tenacity, patience and hard work he took it over and created a global dynasty.

There is a saying in South Korea that the only difference between a winner and a loser is that the loser gave up too soon and the winner did not.

Bill Parcels, the former coach of the Dallas Cowboys, had the ability to turn organizations around and used the following true story to teach his players about the difference between a coward and a hero.

He opens every training camp by using the story of two boxers. The largely unskilled Vito Antuofermo was facing the hard-hitting and more talented Cyclone Hart. However, Antuofermo defeated Hart in the fifth round. After the fight both fighters went back to their makeshift locker rooms with only a thin curtain between them.

Hart was quiet and he overheard

DR. TOM FERRARO Our Town

Antuofermo say: “He hit me so hard with his left hook to my body that I thought of quitting in the second round. I felt the same way in the fourth round, but then he stopped hitting me.”

With this Hart started crying and could not stop because he realized that he could have won the fight if he had just kept hitting Antuofermo. This story is a parable about deciding not to quit. As the Korean saying goes, the only difference between the loser and the winner is that the loser quit too soon.

Another good example of how to get confidence is the story of the wildly successful life of Jerry Seinfeld, the genius behind “The Jerry Seinfeld Show” and “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”

I will grant you that Seinfeld has a gift with language, but the truth is that his confident and cool onstage presence is earned by working endlessly on the material and refining it night after night.

He said he will work on one joke for many months before it’s right. And when asked about how he creates his jokes, he said that during every conversation he has he is looking for the joke in it. In other words, he never stops working and so when he goes on stage, he is confident, calm and controlled.

Whenever I mentor my interns, they will often ask me how do they become successful and break into the field of sports psychology and I always tell them the same story. I say to them: “Look out this window and look at this parking lot. At 7 a.m. the parking lot is empty and I am the first to arrive. At 8 p.m. the parking lot is again empty and I am the last car to leave. That’s the secret to success.”

This column I began with the question of how to find confidence but ended with the answer found in perseverance, resilience, hard work and a never-say-die attitude.

This goes for anything in life. If you want to achieve confidence in sports, it will take will power, hard work and perseverance. If you want to take the prettiest girl in the school to the prom and then go on to marry her, it will take will power, hard work

and perseverance. If you want to get a better job, it will take will power, hard work and perseverance.

In other words to find confidence and self-belief there is no magic wand, no magic pill and no magic bottle that can be purchased.

As John Houseman once said in that famous Smith Barney commercial: “Smith Barney. They make money the old-fashioned way, they earn it.” You, too, can find confidence and the sweet taste of success in whatever field you choose. All you have to do is earn it.

David

both emit

How did they find it?

Dr. Fauci’s pseudo science in COVID response

Throughout the COVID lockdown, Dr. Anthony Fauci and his associates at the National Institute of Health, in the name of science, dictated how we were to conduct our lives.

Their public utterances were infallible and had to be accepted ex cathedra

Members of the medical profession who dared to disagree with a Fauci diagnosis or interpretation of data were publicly shamed as cranks spreading disinformation. They were excommunicated from the fellowship of scientists because they were incorrigible sinners.

The term “science” means experiment and observation. It is concerned with the nature of things, not in its abstract form, but in its observable and material appearance. Conclusions reached by scientists after analyzing accumulated data are always contingent. In other words, a scientist interpreting data cannot lay claim to the absolute certitude of his conclusions. The most scientists can say is “as far as we know….”

But during COVID, Fauci spoke in absolute terms when imposing restrictions on Americans.

However, with COVID behind us, the truth about the crisis is finally coming out, and those findings are dimming the aura that has surrounded Dr. Fauci.

On Sunday, June 9, The New York Times ran two major pieces under the umbrella title “Can we finally have an honest conversation about COVID?” It is fascinating reading but received little attention from the mainstream media.

Dr. Alina Chan, a molecular biologist at Harvard and MIT, writes in her piece “Why COVID Probably Started In a Lab” that “although how the pandemic started has been hotly debated, a growing volume of evidence—gleaned from public records released under the Freedom of Information Act, digital sleuthing through online databases, scientific papers analyzing the virus and its spread, and leaks from within the U.S. government—suggests that the pandemic most likely occurred because a virus escaped from a research lab in Wuhan, China.”

Dr. Chan’s lengthy analysis points out that at the “Wuhan Institute of Virology, a team of scientists had been hunting for SARS-like viruses for over

animal at the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan is not supported by strong evidence.”

Dr. Chan asks for a “credible investigation [that] would deter future acts of negligence and deceit by demonstrating that it is indeed possible to be held accountable for causing a viral pandemic.” And she calls on Dr. Fauci to cooperate with the investigation.

Sadly, despite all the evidence, the New York Post has reported that Dr. Fauci, in his forthcoming “tell all” memoir, continues to insist that talk about a lab leak in Wuhan is a conspiracy theory that generated smear campaigns.

suppressed, denied or disparaged as crackpot nonsense.”

Studies did not support the sixfoot apart mandate, or that the virus was spread by droplets, or that schools and businesses had to be closed. “Officials did not just spread these dubious ideas, they also demeaned anyone who dared to question them.”

And then there was the cover-up. A senior National Health Institute doctor, for example, deleted emails to avoid public oversight.

a decade … [and] the year before the outbreak, the Wuhan Institute, working with U.S. partners, had proposed creating viruses with SARS-CoV-2’s defining feature.”

She adds that “the Wuhan lab pursued this type of work under low biosafety conditions that could not have contained an airborne virus as infectious as SARS-CoV-2.”

The doctor concludes “the hypothesis that COVID-19 came from an

In the companion essay, Times columnist Zeynep Tufekci concedes that “big chunks of the history of the Covid pandemic were rewritten over the last month or so in a way that will have terrible consequences for many years to come.”

Under questioning of Dr. Fauci, at a congressional subcommittee hearing Americans learned “that some key parts of the public health guidance during the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, were not backed up by solid science. What’s more, inconvenient information was kept from the public

“Delays, falsehoods, and misrepresentations,” Tufekci concludes, “had terrible real-time effects on the lives of Americans.”

As for the long-term impact: “Public Health officials squandered our faith in them for not being transparent.”

Pretty powerful stuff for the leftwing Times.

To begin the long road of redemption, Dr. Fauci and his confreres should confess they are not omniscient and God-like, ask for forgiveness, and publicly proclaim “mea culpa, mea maximus culpa”—”through my fault, through my most grievous fault.”

PHOTO BY TOM FERRARO

Leadbetter and Marty Hackel

confidence.

EARTH MATTERS

How environmental bills fared in Albany

The Legislature has gone home for the rest of 2024 unless a special session is called. A number of environmental bills made it past both houses and now await the governor’s signature.

Here’s a rundown on several of these bills.

A Ban on Taking Horseshoe Crabs. A.10140 (Glick) / S.3185-A (HoylmanSigal): This bill prohibits the taking of horseshoe crabs for commercial use as bait and biomedical purposes without a permit. Passage came as somewhat of a surprise since Sen. Brad Hoylman has been offering a form of this bill since 2015.

The justification for the bill states: “Horseshoe crabs are a vital part of the ecosystem in the waters off the coast of New York State. Unfortunately, their population has been drastically depleted by commercial fishermen who catch these crabs for use as bait. In fact, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission recently graded New York’s horseshoe crab stock assessment as “poor.” In its assessment, the ASMFC said “continued declines in abundance were evident in the New York and New England regions,” adding “current harvest within the New England and New York Regions may not be sustainable.”

If these crabs are not protected, the effects could be disastrous to migratory birds and sea life that rely on them as a

keystone species providing an essential food source. In particular, the red knot, a migratory bird that nests in the Arctic, relies on the eggs of the horseshoe crab as fuel for their journey. These birds feed almost exclusively on horseshoe crab eggs during this leg of their migration.

Horseshoe crabs are harvested for only two purposes as bait for the whelk fishery and for biomedical purposes. Biomedical harvesting of crabs for their blood includes the return of live crabs to their point of capture, but there are not currently any biomedical permits in New York. Because of bans in adjoining states, horseshoe crabs in New York are under heavy pressure, being harvested and sold in other states as bait. You might know whelk as scungilli, but the majority of the harvest goes to Asian and European markets. Whelks are also being overharvested and underregulated. The Department of Environmental Conservation recently proposed rules for size and take limits as there is some concern that the species is also under threat of extermination.

Wildlife Corridors S.4198-B (Comrie) / A.4243-B (Carroll): This bill will direct the Department of Transportation and the New York State Thruway Authority to identify state-owned roadways where wildlife crossings are most needed to provide safe passage for wildlife and reduce vehicle collisions that

JENNIFER WILSON-PINES Earth Matters

can pose a threat to public safety. This is an issue for both humans and wildlife as in the United States alone, there are more than a million automobile accidents per year involving wildlife, racking up more than $8 billion in medical costs and vehicle repairs annually.

The bill states, “According to some estimates, automobile collisions kill more than a million animals every year, making them the leading cause of death for many vertebrate species. Still worse is the way major roads and other forms of development can subdivide animal populations and fragment their habitats. Losing access to large areas of their living space makes it much harder for many woodland creatures to forage for

food, find mates and carry on their genetic legacies.” Wildlife safe crossings have a successful history in Europe and there is federal highway funding to carry out these projects.

The FLACO Act S.7098-A (Hoylman-Sigal) / A.7808-A (Kelles): The former bird-friendly building act, renamed for the Eagle Owl that escaped from the Central Park Zoo and spent a year living free before dying in a building collision, passed the NYS Senate. This bill requires state-owned or leased buildings to implement bird-friendly strategies designed to reduce collisions. While the Assembly bill wasn’t moved before the end of the legislative session, this is an important step in getting it enacted in coming years.

The Audubon letter of support states: “Bird collisions with buildings are the second largest source of bird mortalities – killing an estimated 300 million to 1 billion birds each year in the United States. Incorporating bird-friendly designs can reduce collision deaths by up to 90 percent, and in New York State we have seen how successful bird-friendly design can be. The Javits Center, which features a 760,000-square-foot exhibition hall covered with glass, used to be one of the deadliest buildings for birds in New York City. The problems at the Javits Center were solved during a major renovation, when architects redesigned the building to include a

low-reflective, fritted glass curtain wall that birds are able to see. NYC Audubon monitored the building pre- and postrenovation through their Project Safe Flight program and documented a 95 percent reduction in bird collisions.”

The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act (A.5322 (Glick) S.4246 (Harchham): Despite a big push from many groups, the bill passed the Senate but did not make it to a vote in the Assembly. This bill would “require companies to cut their single-use packaging IN HALF in 12 years and redesign what’s left to make it truly recyclable. It would also ban 15 of the most toxic chemicals currently used in packaging, including PFOA, vinyl chloride, benzene, toluene, phthalates, bisphenols, lead and other heavy metals. The bill would also save NYS taxpayers money by putting the burden of paying to deal with packaging waste where it belongs — on the companies responsible for creating it.” Again, getting it past one house is a step in the right direction. Both these bills will need help from the public next session. Legislators do respond to their constituents’ voices, so it’s important to let them know what you support. All of the bills passed still need to be signed by the governor, who has veto power, and her office needs to hear support for these measures. Expect a year-end update on what bills made it past the governor’s desk.

Climate crisis a threat to health, economy

BY KAREN RUBIN

It’s the Dog Days of August – and its only June. Texas and Florida are battling floods. But Governor Ron DeSantis is handling it: he’s made “climate change” illegal, effectively banning it from the state.

While voters are being conditioned by Republicans to obsess about inflation (eggs $1 more a week, gas 60c more a gallon!) and immigration (when immigration fuels economic growth), they are being conditioned to ignore the climate disaster that will impact the health, prosperity and well-being of all of us now and for generations to come.

We are now in the midst of the first heat wave of the year, when month after month, year after year, we have hit new records for heat, for wildfires and floods.

The climate crisis has become a public health crisis with 2,000 people a year dying from heat; thousands more because climate change is a “threat multiplier” causing acute and chronic cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses due to pollution, insectborne disease, climate disasters like flooding which causes drowning and gastrointestinal illness; water and food-related infection, actually cut-

ting a half-year off lifespan. (https:// earth.org/establishing-the-link-climate-change-and-decreasing-life-expectancy/)

“Climate change-induced extreme heat threatens health and increases health care costs,” the Center for American Progress (CAP) reports. “Extreme heat affects everything from birth outcomes to mental wellbeingand leads to increased deaths from conditions such as heart and respiratory disease.According to the National Weather Service, extreme heat kills more Americans than any other kind of weather-related death in the United States.”

A 2023 CAP report estimated that each summer, “heat event days would be responsible for almost 235,000 emergency department visits and more than 56,000 hospital admissions for heat-related or heatadjacent illness, adding approximately $1 billion in health care costs Every increase of 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) is estimated to increase heart disease death rates by 2.8 percent. As the climate continues to warm, deaths from stroke and heart attacks due to extreme heat could triple by 2050.” (https:// www.americanprogress.org/article/ extreme-heat-is-more-dangerous-forworkers-every-year/)

But because Republicans seem to only react to their livelihoods but not lives, consider these economic metrics: (https://www.niehs.nih.gov/ research/programs/climatechange/ health_impacts)

Every three weeks, the United States experiences an extreme weather event that produces $1 billion worth of damage, averaging $150 billion a year ($165 billion in 2022) according to the latest US National Climate Assessment,CNN reported (https:// www.cnn.com/2023/11/14/us/national-climate-assessment-extremeweather-costs/)

Reminder: What Superstorm Sandy did to Breezy Point. What are town and county leaders doing to mitigate the ravages of climate change? © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Upset about the cost of a dozen eggs, a gallon of gas? Climate change will hit every pocketbook.Consumer Reports published a study from global consulting firm ICF estimating the lifetime personal cost of climate change for a baby born in the US in 2024 at $500,000 from costly repairs to damaged property, astronomical increases in home insurance, higher food costs, lost labor productivity. (https://www.consumerreports.org/ home-garden/climate-change/theper-person-financial-cost-of-climatechange-a6081217358/)

Now consider that researchers estimated complying with the Paris Climate Agreement would cost the global economy $6 trillion by 2050, compared to an estimated $38 trillion economic damage due to climate change, CNN reported. (https:// www.cnn.com/2024/04/17/business/climate-change-disasters-economic-cost/index.html)

In the U.S., that is $150 billion a year spent to recover from climate disasters versus the $52.2 billion in discretionary budget spending in

2024 Biden is allocating to tackle the climate crisis (the largest budget request for climate change in history). Pretty savvy investment.

Biden has managed to conjoin climate action with environmental and economic justice, steering investment dollars where they can have the biggest bang for the buck. Here’s a sampling of actual programs:

The Biden-Harris Administration is releasing a newClimate Capital Guidebookto provide a simple, comprehensive map of capital programs across the federal government that are available to climate-related startups, small- and medium-sized businesses, and their investors, leveling the playing field with larger, institutionally-backed climate companies that have the resources to identify and access federal funding opportunities.

The Inflation Reduction Act (not a single Republican voted for it), is enabling the Environmental Protection Agency to implement a $27 billionGreenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a first-of-a-kind national financing program to catalyze private investment in clean energy projects.

The agency announced $14 billion for a National Clean Investment Fund, $6 billion for theClean Com-

VIEW POINT

KAREN RUBIN View Point

Chamber summer networking event at Science Museum

The Manhasset Chamber of Commerce recently held its summer networking event at the Science Museum of Long Island. We had a great crowd that came to exchange business cards and meet new friends.

A special thanks to Kristen Laird, the museum’s executive director, for providing the venue. The lawn gave us a beautiful view of the sound while we dined on food from Manhasset Restaurants and listened to Ken McGorry’s group, The Meade Bros.

A big thank you to all the awesome food the Manhasset restaurants provided that made this Chamber Event a resounding success!

A Slice of Julianne

Johnny Breads

Antonino’s Italian Restaurant

Kiko Ramen

Benihana

Buttercooky Bakery & Café

Louie’s Manhasset

For Five Manhasset

Pearl East

Gigi’s Juice Bar

Pita Station

Villa Milano

Gino’s of Manhasset

Publicans

Green Irish Pub

Schout Bay Tavern

Herb & Olive

Sandro’s Italian

Manhasset Chamber of Commerce Antonietta Manzi and Matthew Donno, Co-Presidents

Decongesting bad response to congestion pricing plan

The firestorm over congestion price is once again a demonstration of how warped politics and policy has become.

Let’s break out the issue in pieces. Most pro-toll advocates are tying this to MTA funding. Right off the bat, that’s disingenuous, and it follows a familiar template in our politics of using a bad reason to leverage a preferred outcome.

Funding and the environmental benefits, if any, should stand on their own merits. If they have any.

Why? Because using the toll income to fund a mismanaged and corrupted dung heap like the MTA is an ethical and fiscal non-starter. As it is, the MTA’s debt stack is larger than that of the State of New Jersey’s, and they didn’t get there overnight. As with Long Island, stochastic inertia lets problems fester to the point where curing them requires massive upheavals in policy. And that, of course, brings public blowback, so nothing gets better. Had there been more prudence and oversight over the past few decades, the MTA wouldn’t be where it is now. Hats off to that fireball of a state “comptroller” who duly noted this every five years or so.

Furthermore, after assessing this plan, does anyone doubt that congestion pricing wouldn’t be this draconian if the MTA hadn’t been left to obliterate itself? Like letting the cost of building one mile of subway track exceed $1 billion?

The irony is the MTA will be forced to resort to more bonding now

that toll income is off the table, at least for the time being. I don’t give out investing advice, but keep in mind the MTA is forbidden from declaring Chapter 9, so do with that piece of information what you will. Who cares if the rating agencies downgrade them?

Now congestion pricing might be a solution, if an imperfect one, for Midtown’s traffic and pollution problems. However, I believe that commercial vehicles should not be taxed one penny. The other problem here, recently created, is that there’s a lot of office space going begging in the very area the city wants to toll. It would seem we’re working at cross purposes here, and that’s something that shouldn’t be dismissed.

With the typical lack of selfawareness that defines Long Island, the town supervisors of Islip and Babylon wrote a guest editorial in Newsday to say that their residents can’t afford the extra tolls. First, it takes 90 minutes to get to Midtown from Islip on a GOOD day during rush hour. Imagine wasting this much of your life in a soul-crushing existence riding your brakes for 90 minutes every morning five days a week, and then doing the same thing on the way home.

Maybe rethink your choices? Like taking an Uber to a train station? Furthermore, I find it odd how these town residents can afford an 8.625% sales tax, their school taxes, county taxes, and the existing tunnel tolls, but this new one is a burden? Doesn’t make sense to me.

The irony of these complaints

from these two supervisors, aside from the phony “concern” over their constituents’ pocketbooks, is how this plays into the housing issue. These folks blocked every opportunity to build near a transit point, or simply add supply, and Nassau County obliged them further by bricking the addition of any new dwellings that are in closer proximity to Midtown, which could help people who now live way out in Suffolk.

Whoops.

And, of course, with the typical smug entitlement of the Long Island office holder, exporting your own “nuys and twaffic” to other municipalities, while restricting it in your home turf is a sacred right.

For that reason alone, I would double the toll.

Lastly, the yanking of this thing at the last second by Gov. Hochul has probably torched her political career. You need to stay the course in this business, or people are going to look at you differently.

I don’t have a dog in the hunt on this matter, but I did take the LIRR for 20 years into Midtown, and I think if you drive in, especially from Suffolk, you’re crazy.

But if you’re going to make a policy judgment, it pays to take the pieces apart, forget the shrill advocacy, and look at what you’re trying to accomplish. The current rationales aren’t so clear cut.

Hits, misses for 1st phase of Gateway Tunnel work

Pending approval of the Federal Transit Administration’s $6.9 billion capital investment full funding grant agreement caps Washington’s total dollar commitment for the $16.1 billion Phase One Gateway Tunnel project. The agreement also commits Amtrak and NJ Transit to a revenue service date on or before Nov. 9, 2040. The Gateway Development Commission is on the hook to cover costs beyond the agreed upon project cost. The GDC has no financial resources of its own. It would have to turn to Amtrak, NJ Transit, N.J. Turnpike Authority, Port Authority, Trenton and Albany to cover inevitable costs overruns.N.J motorists could end up

paying increased tolls on Port Authority bridges, tunnels and .N.J. Turnpike, on top of future New York MTA Congestion Pricing tolls. NJ Transit riders might face fare increases .The approval of this FFGA is part of any administration’s last fourth year in office.They want to legally bind the next administration into having to fund the project.The Biden administration, DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Acting FTA Administrator Veronica Vanterpool, and Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer are afraid that if Trump wins, Republicans regain control of the Senate and keep control of the House, funding in the FFGA might be held up or reducedWhen I worked as the director of the

Office of Operations and Program Management in the FTA Region 2 office serving New York and New Jersey, we called the fourth quarter (July 1 — Sept. 30) our end-of-year grant and FFGA clearance sale for approval of grants using lapsing funds or FFGAs.

It was also called the Halloween grant cycle as a code word for preElection Day grants.FTA did not want to leave any money on the table that the incoming Congress might want to take back or reduce the overall level of FTA funding.FTA headquarters always coordinates grant and FFGA announcements with the congressional delegation, governor’s office, and state and local elected officials prior

to official approval. This was so everyone could take credit for bringing home the transit “bacon.”

Remember the FTA CIG FFGA

$2.6 Billion MTA East Side Access to Grand Central Terminal (now known as Grand Central Madison) for $6.3 billion in 2006.By the time this project was completed in 2013, 10 years after the original FFGA agreed upon 2013 completion date, chad ost grew to the $11.8 billion (includithe ng $6had grownillion in long-term debt service payments). The MTA had to come up with $5.3 billion in additional funding to cover all the cost overruns. The Gateway project is bound to suffer the same fate. Two new Gateway tunnels are

failing to cope with the increasing service disruptions caused by power, signal, track, or communications problems on the Northeast Corridor, which impact both Amtrak and NJ Transit.Trains cannot enter or leave Penn Station. Billions and decades are needed to restore all Northeast Corridor capital assets to good repair.

Substantial repairs to the two original 110-year-old Hudson River tunnel (owned by Amtrak and used by NJ Transit) damaged by Super Storm Sandy in 2012 will not begin until 2036 when the two new tunnels are scheduled to be completed and open for revenue service.Given their age, can they continue to safely

Continued on Page 50

Donald Davret Morristown

Northwell to give sunscreen in parks Town’s 3rd season returning oysters to Manhasset Bay

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board have announced that the Town has again partnered with North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center to provide free sunscreen at town parks this summer.

The SPF 30 sunscreen, donated by NSUH and LIJ to help combat a rise in skin cancer diagnoses, can be found in yellow dispensers at more than a dozen town facilities throughout North Hempstead.

“Many cancers are preventable with behavioral changes and skin cancer is a perfect example,” said DeSena. “Something as simple as sunscreen can save lives in the long run, so it makes sense for us to have it readily available when you need it at a park. We’re fortunate to have good neighbors like Northwell who feel the same way.”

“Long Island Jewish Medical Center is pleased to offer free sunscreen through the Town of North Hempstead,” said Dr. Mathew Foley, medical director at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center. “It underscores our commitment to community health and wellness as we encourage residents to enjoy the outdoors safely this summer. We hope that this initiative continues to inform residents about the importance of preventative skincare.”

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime.

The organization also notes that having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma. When detected early, the 5-year survival rate for melanoma is 99%. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends the use of broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day and 30 or higher for extended outdoor activity.

Dr. David Hirschwerk, medical director at North Shore University Hospital, stated, “North Shore University Hospital is a proud sponsor of free sunscreen for Town of North Hempstead parkgoers this summer.

“Our world-class team of dermatologists advocate prevention when it comes to skin cancer awareness and properly applying sunscreen is the primary way to protect yourself when in the sun. We thank Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, the Town Board and parks department for their continued proactive approach to health and wellness.”

Free sunscreen will be available for patrons at the following parks:

• Manhasset Valley Park, Manhasset

• Mary Jane Davies Green, Manhasset

• Whitney Pond Park, Manhasset

• Clinton G. Martin Park, New Hyde Park

• Michael J. Tully Park, New Hyde Park

• Ridder’s Pond Park, New Hyde Park

• Blumenfeld Park, Port Washington

• Manorhaven Beach Park, Port Washington

• Harbor Links Golf Course, Port Washington

• North Hempstead Beach Park, Port Washington

• Caemmerer Park, Albertson

• Broadway Park, Garden City Park

• Harbor Hills Park, Great Neck

• Martin “Bunky” Reid Park, New Cassel

• Charles J. Fuschillo Park, Carle Place

Residents can visit northhempsteadny.gov/sunscreen to find this list of sunscreen dispensers locations or to learn more about the Town’s Wellness Wednesday series with Northwell Health.

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, Council Member Mariann Dalimonte, officials from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, and Bay Constable Mal Nathan and his team were proud to welcome 1 million new spat-on-shell baby oysters to their residence in Manhasset Bay on June 4.

This is the third summer that North Hempstead added one million oysters to Manhasset Bay after an extremely successful pilot program launched in the summer of 2022.

The program, spearheaded by Council Member Dalimonte in partnership with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, aims to restore the water quality of Manhasset Bay through the reintroduction and establishment of oyster beds.

Pictured left to right Andy Feinstein, intern with North Hempstead Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte; Gregg Rivera, aquaculture specialist; Dalimonte; bay constable Mal Nathan; Jesse Hopkins, hatchery technician; and Erin Molyneux, legislative aide to Dalimonte.

“It truly has been a joy to work with all the wonderful partners that have made this project so successful since its inception in 2022,” said Dalimonte. “From our Bay Constables to the wonderful team at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, thank you for working so hard on behalf of the residents of the greater North Hempstead community. Together we are helping to restore one of North Hempstead’s most treasured landmarks, Manhasset Bay. Nitrogen pollution has posed a great threat to its water quality, but studies have shown that oysters have an impressive role to play in restoring the water quality due to of their filter-feeding capabilities. This has been a practical and innovative initiative that is very much in line with many of the Town’s past environmental projects.”

DeSena added, “Many people don’t realize just how impactful an oyster drop is. It does everything from helping marine life in our bay to protecting against erosion. It’s a longterm sustainable outlook that our town is committed to.”

The plans to embark on this project began in January 2020, when Dalimonte started exploring the idea of reintroducing oysters into the bay as a means of helping the environment.

At the April 28, 2022, board meeting, Dalimonte offered the resolution to embark on this project, which was unanimously approved.

Over the last two years, Dalimonte, North Hempstead Bay Constables, and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County team members have continually assessed the reintroduced oyster population.

They noted that the oysters were not only alive but had grown since they were planted in the summer of 2022.

The positive status report allowed the Town to decide to move forward with reintroducing an additional one million oysters in July 2023 and now June 2024 as well.

Dalimonte and the team from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County will continue to assess the oyster population in the coming months as the program progresses.

On Sunday, June 16, more than 5,000 Long Islanders came out to celebrate Israelfest, a show of support for the homeland of the Jewish people in a difficult time since the attacks of October 7.

Sid Jacobson JC organized the event, which was held for the first time at the Tilles Center at Long Island University with the support of more than 40 community partners.

Special guests this year included U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres, Michael Rappaport, an actor and a passionate defender of Israel, and Ronen and Orna Neutra, the parents of Omer Neutra, a dual American and Israeli citizen taken captive by Hamas on October 7th.

Sid Jacobson Executive Director David Black awarded Torres — a vocal and ardent supporter of Israel, who has consistently maintained his support throughout this political career, with a plaque commending his “valor, courage, and fidelity to truth.”

Torres said he was “proud to be a happy warrior for the Jewish people and the Jewish State.”

He also said that bringing home the hostages from Gaza is the “greatest moral imperative of our time” and that – as Americans – we have an obligation to bring them home.

The Neutras – Israeli citizens and Plainview residents – spoke together about the last eight months and how difficult it has been for them. They wondered what their son, Omer, 22, has gone through while in captivity. Omer is an IDF soldier who was captured by Hamas last October.

“Israel’s resilience cannot be measured only by the strength of its military,” said Ronen Neutra, “rather the strength and resilience of its people… Leaders must put

political agendas aside and focus on the lives of the hostages.”

Rappaport said he is “just a Jew from New York” who would urge all attendees to embrace their Judaism in their everyday lives in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Israel and the war.

Organizers estimate upwards of 5,000 people attended the day’s events, which included Israeli music by the Maccabeats and Shlomit Levi, family activities, Israeli products, and international Jewish cuisine.

Sid Jacobson JCC also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Randie Waldbaum Malinsky Center for Israel.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD

PHOTO CREDIT: BOB GIGLIONE

Sid Jacobson Executive Director David Black with U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres at Israelfest, June 16

YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING

WWW.THEISLAND360.COM

Ex-Rep. Steve Israel to tell our story in Huntington event

The Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington will present a four-day festival from July 9 to 12, dedicated to depictions of politics and government on the screen.

Curated and hosted by former New York Congressman Steve Israel, the festival will present a selection of groundbreaking political films paired with discussions with leading political commentators and influential politicians who previously served districts on Long Island.

The event will feature four programs: a lecture by Israel, Campaigning On Celluloid: How Cinema Informs and Reflects Changing Political Communication on Screen, as well as three screening and discussion programs examining the films “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington,” “The Best Man,” and “The Candidate.”

By merging screenings of gripping political films with rigorous examinations of the film’s themes, the political film festival will explore the fascinating ways that American politics and Hollywood cinema have shaped each – and how both play a fundamental role in shaping our society today.

In addition to the post-film discussions, each program will include an audience Q&A where audience members will have the opportunity ask questions about the films and the careers of the guest speakers.

Guest speakers include:

Israel, festival curator, former congressman, head of Cornell University Institute of Politics and Global Affairs, political commentator, and owner of Theodore’s Books in Oyster Bay

Rep. Peter King, former congressman, represented New York’s 2nd and 3rd congressional districts

Basil Smikle, political strategist and policy advisor

Location: Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave, Huntington Program Schedule:

Campaigning on Celluloid: How Cinema Informs and Reflects Changing Political Communication on Screen — A lecture with IsraelTuesday, July 9th at 7:30 pm

“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” – film screening and discussion with Steve Israel & Peter King, Wednesday, July 10th at 7 pm

“The Best Man” – film screening and discussion with Steve Israel, Thursday, July 11th at 7 pm

“The Candidate” – film screening and discussion with Steve Israel and Basil Smikle, Wednesday, July 10th at 7 pm

For the full detailed program, including speaker information and ticket purchase, access here: Political Film Festival

Sponsored by Cornell’s Institute of Politics and Global Affairs

The Cinema Arts Centre is Long Island’s premier, year-round, independent and international film showcase and its leading 501(c)3 not-for-profit community cinema.

Located on Long Island’s North Shore, just an hour from Manhattan, the CAC is unique in scope and programming, with three state-ofthe-art theaters, including a main theater holding nearly 300 seats.

Founded by Vic Skolnick, Charlotte Sky and Dylan Skolnick in 1973, the CAC serves approximately 150,000 individuals each year. For more information, please visit https://cinemaartscentre.org Steve Israel

BRUCE A. BLAKEMAN NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE

STEVE ISRAEL

FORMER CONGRESSMAN

PRESENTS

Manhasset’s Rutkovsky stars in ‘Iolanthe’ opera

Manhasset’s Rebecca Rutkovsky stars, and Great Neck’s David Aubrey is featured in Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Iolanthe,” a new production of the classic comic opera presented by the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island in East Islip, Commack, Port Washington,and Rockville Centre.

The Light Opera Company is one of Long Island’s oldest cultural institutions, celebrating its 70th season; Rutkovsky, a soprano who’s active on Long Island’s musical scene, has been a company member since 2022, and was most recently seen as the title character in last season’s “Princess Ida.”

She plays a leader in a band of fairies who come into conflict with the Lord Chancellor of England when he accidentally offends the Fairy Queen by refusing to allow the marriage of a ward in Chancery to a humble shepherd who is secretly a fairy’s son.

JUNE 28TH & 29TH

LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY IN BROOKVILLE

“Iolanthe”—which debuted in 1883, with book and lyrics by W.S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan—is one of the most beloved of all the Gilbert & Sullivan operas, especially for its perfect balance of words and music, humor and drama, magic and political satire. The current production, directed by Gayden Wren, with music directed by Isabella Eredita Johnson and David Bernard, is the Light Opera Company’s first since 2015.

Rebecca Rutkovsky of Manhasset plays the fairy Celia in the Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s 2024 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Iolanthe.”

It’s one of the greatest works of musical theater ever written.”

He added that Rutkovsky is at her best in the current production.

Keynote by best-selling historian ERIK LARSON and many more author panels on Saturday, June 29th.

JUNE 30TH

DOWNTOWN OYSTER BAY

The story is a whimsical one: That humble shepherd, Strephon, has the unusual problem of being half fairy and half mortal … his mother was a fairy, his unknown father a mortal, and he’s a fairy down to the waist, though his legs are mortal. When Strephon falls in love with Phyllis, a ward in chancery sought after in marriage by half the House of Lords, it sets up a conflict between the wily Lord Chancellor and the cosmically powerful Fairy Queen, with the Queen’s band of fairies, the lovestruck Peers and Strephon and Phyllis themselves caught in between.

The dramatic side of the story involves Strephon’s mother, Iolanthe, who was sentenced to death for marrying a mortal, then reprieved at the last moment and banished from the fairy world. Her greatest concern is for her son, and when the Lord Chancellor himself falls in love with Phyllis, Iolanthe faces a dilemma that may spell the end of her immortal life.

“From directing her in ‘Princess Ida,’ I knew Rebecca had a great voice,” Wren said, “but I had no idea how funny she could be. Her Celia is a comic gem, a forever-17-year-old who happens also to have supernatural powers. It’s a great portrayal, and I couldn’t be happier to have her in the show.”

“David is a solid singer with a whimsical sense of humor that informs his performances,” Wren said. “It’s easy to overplay the humor in Gilbert & Sullivan, but David takes a droll approach, which brings out the humor in every scene. It’s fun to watch him figure things out, and it’s always funny in the end.”

ENJOY Marketplace, Kids’ Activities, More Authors in Oyster Bay’s Downtown with many wonderful local businesses!

“It’s really Gilbert & Sullivan at their best,” concluded Wren, who admitted that it’s his personal favorite of the operas. “The real magic isn’t the invisible fairies or the hypnotic spell they cast; it’s Gilbert, Sullivan, and the way that they seem to come together so closely that it’s hard to tell where one begins and the other leaves off.

Iolanthe will be presented on Saturday, June 29, at 8 p.m. at the Jeanne Rimsky Theater at the Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main Street in Port Washington, and on Sunday, June 30, at 3 p.m. at the Madison Theatre at Molloy University, 1000 Hempstead Avenue in Rockville Centre. Admission is $30, seniors and students $25. For further information, call (516) 619-7415 or visit www.gaslocoli.org.

“Celebrate literature and Long Island at the Gold Coast Book Fair!”

Before the event, be sure to check out Nassau’s top-notch Restaurants, Golf Courses, Beaches and Shopping. Nassau is back and open for business!

Try something new this weekend...The Roslyn Hotel!

Join us for an intimate Supper Club experiencepresenting an array of musical talent including international, national and local musicians. www.myfathersplace.com

Experience a culinary world tour with globally inspired flavors, the freshest ingredients and world class service. www.atlasroslyn.com

PHOTO BY MARC ELIOT STEIN. COPYRIGHT 2024

THE GILBERT & SULLIVAN LIGHT OPERA COMPANY OF LONG ISLAND.

Port troupe to hold auditions for parts in musicial

The Port Washington Play Troupe has announced auditions for its second annual concert of iconic Broadway composers! Auditions will take place on Thursday, June 27, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Details are below. After last summer’s highly successful production of “Something Wonderful—An Evening with Rodgers and Hammerstein,” Port Washington Play Troupe is pleased to announce auditions for our second Annual Concert.

The troupe will be casting a tight ensemble of 12 soloists, who will also be included in arrangements

· Light rehearsal period accommodating singers’ schedules as much as possible

· All cast members must be available week of Sept 30 [EXCEPT for Rosh Hashana]

· Director — Pam Seiderman. Musical Director — David Barnett

Auditions will take place on Thursday, June 27, 6:30-9:00 Bach to Rock

1015 Port Washington Blvd

Port Washington, NY

Please prepare 16 bars. The musical director will accompany all auditions on piano, so please bring sheet music.

Video auditions are also encouraged! Video auditions are accepted until Friday, June 28:

Please email a video with your contact info (including cell phone #) to Portwashingtonplaytroupe@gmail.com

Port Washington Play Troupe offers a welcoming theater environment for veteran and new actors. We look forward to seeing you!

For additional information, email Portwashingtonplaytroupe@gmail. com

MERCER MUSEUM & FONTHILL CASTLE

Port Promenade to be held on Main St. in July

Port Promenade will be held on the third Thursday in July from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., each in a different section of Main Street.

The July 18 event will be on Upper Main Street between Port Washington Blvd and Mackey Avenue. The popular street festival brings activities and games for families to complement the shopping, live music, and outdoor dining.

The organizing committee plans fun activities, including a mini golf course, lawn games, and a Kids’ Messy Zone. Live entertainment by local musicians will be featured each evening with opening acts performed by students from local training and instruction schools. Of course, attendees can enjoy dining al fresco at participating restaurants and eateries in each zone.

Donna Rice, president of Port Washington BID, said, “A lot has changed since we began Port Outdoors as an answer to the restrictions during the pandemic. But what started as a business recovery event has turned into a much loved, family favorite street fair. We are pleased to bring back Port Promenade again this year and invite everyone to come enjoy the ultimate block party — Port Washington style!”

Live music featuring local talent has been a mainstay for past events and this year promises to keep the tradition alive. The Landmark on

Main Street recruits and organizes live entertainment and demonstrations each year.

Amanda Kowalczuk said, “Landmark on Main Street is proud to be a part of Port Promenade, allowing local talent to perform for the community. Landmark’s commitment to making the arts accessible aligns with the mission of Port Promenade to unite the people and businesses of Port Washington through shared activities and opportunities.”

The event is sponsored by Precision Work Inc. and the Port Washington BID and hosted by Landmark on Main Street, the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce, and the Port Washington BID.

Support from the Port Washington Police Department and the Town of North Hempstead makes it possible.

Getting there is easy and free to attend. Take the LIRR to Port Washington and step right into the heart of the event. Free parking is available on side streets, municipal lots and at the LIRR lot. Fees for some activities may apply.

The event is rain or shine. Updates and a full schedule of events for each date and a list of participating restaurants will be posted on the Try Port First App under Events or at www.portwashingtonbid.org/port-promenade.

The Annual Summer Concert

JOIN US FOR AN EVENING OF ENTERTAINMENT

Thursday, July 11, 2024 | 7 pm

The Quadrangle at Nassau Community College | One Education Drive, Garden City, NY 11530

The Nassau Community College Foundation cordially invites you to celebrate summer with a concert on the Quadrangle featuring the Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra.

Enjoy an unforgettable evening outdoors as our community’s premiere orchestra performs music from Broadway, beloved television shows and blockbuster movies.

General Admission is free but gifts and special seating are reserved for “Friends of Nassau” who contribute to the NCC Fund for Educational Opportunities which provides student scholarships, faculty development grants and supports Nassau Community College campus enhancements.

To register online visit nccsummerconcert.com

DESIGN HOME

Give your l ivi ng room a new vibe

An “out wi th the old, in wi th the new” mentali ty can extend to people’s visions for their homes. A home in need of repair or renovation can serve as a catalyst to take inventor y of personal style and help make interior spaces reflect one’s unique vi be

A living room can grow stale over time and often serves as a catchcall for clothing, blankets, gadgets, and other i tems Upon recognizing a living room has seen better days, individuals may decide i t’s time to g ive the space a new vi be That transformation can start wi th these strateg ies

Organi ze fi rst

Clutter frequently is the culpri t behind a living room that may not g ive off the vi be individuals desire. As families grow and people add belong ings, space may be at a premium Less is more has never been a more important

concept Remove extraneous i tems before purchasing new furni ture or transi tioning to a new design. You may even want to remove ever ything and start from scratch before reintroducing desirable elements to the space.

Seek the assi stance of professionals

Some people are adept at decorating and designing spaces But just as you wouldn’t perform your own medical procedures, you should leave jobs like interior design and renovations to the professionals Hiring a professional interior designer and contractors can really bring a living room together in ways

homeowners may have never imag ined These pros can build off of your ideas and truly create a space that may be worthy of a magazine spread.

Promote wellness

You may want to consider adding natural materials in the design to promote well-being. Eco-friendly furnishings, raw fi bers and organic textures will create an environment from sustainable choices Plenty of plants also can create a welcoming environment that helps you surround yourself wi th posi tive energ y and the i tems you love.

Light it up

One of the easiest ways to transform a room’s vi be is to utilize lig hting. Change draperies to allow more natural lig ht to shine in Consider addi tional windows or skylig hts if yours is a particularly dark home If you desire to create a more vivid or cozy ambiance, use a combination of accent, task and supplemental lig hting in the space so there are no dim corners.

Create an i ndustrial or urban vibe

Industrial-chic design celebrates the bones of a building. It’s what makes ci ty lofts so appealing, wi th their exposed beams and brick

Even those who live in suburbia or out in the countr y can g ive a living room this look wi th subtle nods to the style Unadorned windows, clean lines on furni ture, oversized, galler y-style art, and metal accents can add touches of this popular look to your home. Revamping a living room doesn’t have to be difficult Wi th an idea in place and some professional touches, an entirely new vi be can be achieved.

individuals view their homes as a sanctuar y where they can relax and enjoy creature comforts they’ve personally chosen

The comfort people feel inside their homes can be compromised when they beg in to suspect certain safety issues, including electrical problems. The Electrical Safety Foundation estimates that home electrical fires account for roug hly 51,000 fires and 500 deaths each year Electrical problems will not always cause home fires, but i t’s still wise for homeowners to learn the potential warning signs that something is amiss wi th their home electrical systems.

• Fl ickeri ng l ights: Flickering lig hts are more than a mere nuisance Bul bs sometimes flicker because they become loose, which can be remedied by turning the fixture off, wai ting for the bul b to cool down to the touch and then tig htening i t

However, if the bul b was already tig ht when i t was flickering, then the ESFI warns this could be a sign of an overloaded circui t The tech experts at CNET advise homeowners to contact a certified electrician if they suspect their home electrical circui t is overloaded

• Warm or di scolored wall plates: It may not be common practice to touch wall plates, but the ESFI notes this can be a good way to determine if a home is having electrical issues Discoloration on the wall plates should be enoug h to draw homeowners’ attention Some wall plates may even appear to be melting. Each of these issues could be a byproduct of various problems, including damaged wiring. A certified electrician can determine what’s behind warm and/or discolored wall plates

• Burni ng odor emanati ng from outlets: The unpleasantness of this warning sign of electrical problems is enoug h to compel an immediate investigation. Homeowners who detect a burning odor in their homes but aren’t sure where i t’s coming from are urged to inspect their wall outlets If the odor seems to be coming from an outlet, i t could be due to various factors, including exposed wiring, poorly installed wiring, damaged wiring, or a foreign object in the outlet. Contact an electrician immediately if you detect a burning odor coming from an outlet

Symptoms of plumbi ng problems

• Frequently tri pped ci rcuits: In a day and age when people rely so heavily on electronic devices like

The drip of a faucet, the bang of pipes and the visi ble signs of a leak under the sink are some notable indicators of plumbing problems. Other, potentially serious issues may not be so evident How can homeowners tell if they have potential plumbing problems? The following are some sig hts and sounds that indicate i t is time to call in a plumber.

• Bangi ng or clanki ng: Plumbers refer to these noises as water hammer. This is when a rush of water forces throug h the pipe and bumps into a closed valve, producing a metallic noise Something is in the pipe that is restricting water flow. Over time, the flow of water meeting an obstacle could loosen pipe joints as the water tries to find an easier workaround

problems

The drip of a faucet, the bang of pipes and the visi ble signs of a leak under the sink are some notable indicators of plumbing problems Other, potentially serious issues may not be so evident How can homeowners tell if they have potential plumbing problems? The following are some sig hts and sounds that indicate i t is time to call in a plumber.

• Bangi ng or clanki ng: Plumbers refer to these noises as water hammer This is when a rush of water forces throug h the pipe and bumps into a closed valve, producing a metallic noise Something is in the pipe that is restricting water flow Over time, the flow of water meeting an obstacle could loosen pipe joints as the water tries to find an easier workaround

prevent sewer gas from entering the home, while vents channel sewer odor up to the roof. If there are sewer smells, i t could mean a trap has dried out or a vent line is cracked, says Family Handyman.

• Low water pressure: If you turn on the faucet and the water pressure is poor, i t could be the result of a clog or a leak somewhere in the system Pipes that are improperly sized for a home also can affect pressure.

• Sluggi sh drai ns: Clearing drains is perhaps the only plumbing problem that homeowners should address themselves. More often than not, drains that fail to drain quickly have a blockage such as hair or other debris. If attempts to clear the drain do not work, i t is best to bring in a professional plumber.

Electrical issues in a home pose a serious safety risk Homeowners should learn the warning signs of such issues and report their presence to a licensed electrician immediately.

prevent sewer gas from entering the home, while vents channel sewer odor up to the roof If there are sewer smells, i t could mean a trap has dried out or a vent line is cracked, says Family Handyman.

• Low water pressure: If you turn on the faucet and the water pressure is poor, i t could be the result of a clog or a leak somewhere in the system. Pipes that are improperly sized for a home also can affect pressure

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• Pi pe di scoloration: If there is any sign of discoloration on pipes, particularly rust, i t could be a symptom of a dripping sink or drain line that is slowly leaking A slow leak can eventually turn into a big mess if lef t unattended

• Sewer smells: Pipes need traps and vents. Traps are designed to

• Sluggi sh drai ns: Clearing drains is perhaps the only plumbing problem that homeowners should address themselves. More of ten than not, drains that fail to drain quickly have a blockage such as hair or other debris If attempts to clear the drain do not work, i t is best to bring in a professional plumber.

• Pi pe di scoloration: If there is any sign of discoloration on pipes, particularly rust, i t could be a symptom of a dripping sink or drain line that is slowly leaking A slow leak can eventually turn into a big mess if left unattended

• Sewer smells: Pipes need traps and vents Traps are designed to

• Shaki ng sounds: Water can cause occasional noises, but if the sounds are frequent, the pipes are not secured firmly enoug h A plumber will need to tig hten the mounting straps or even completely replace them

Plumbing issues are nothing to take lig htly, as small problems can quickly escalate and cause thousands of dollars in damage

• Shaki ng sounds: Water can cause occasional noises, but if the sounds are frequent, the pipes are not secured firmly enoug h. A plumber will need to tig hten the mounting straps or even completely replace them Plumbing issues are nothing to take lig htly, as small problems can quickly escalate and cause thousands of dollars in damage.

FLOORING STORE

A rundown of 3 popular floori ng materials

Even thoug h i t’s underfoot, flooring can set the tone for how a room or even an entire home is viewed Perhaps that’s one reason why flooring generates such strong opinions when homeowners look to refurbish or replace their floors Homeowners now have more choices than ever when considering new flooring for their homes The following rundown of three popular flooring options can help homeowners as they tr y to decide which material best sui ts their homes

1. Hardwood floors

Hardwood floors mig ht once have been a relatively straig htforward option, but homeowners may now choose bet ween solid wood flooring and eng ineered wood flooring. According to The Home Depot, eng ineered wood flooring provides the look of solid wood flooring wi thout the hig h maintenance of such floors. Eng ineered wood is manmade and created wi th the use of wood strands, particles, fi bers or veneers of wood that are forged together wi th adhesives. Each eng ineered wood flooring plank is composed of several layers of plywood or fi berboard wi th a solid wood veneer on top, which is how i t can provide the look of solid wood flooring Solid wood flooring planks are made from a sing le piece of hardwood Each type of flooring has i ts pros and cons, and homeowners who prefer hardwood floors are urged to speak wi th a flooring professional about the features that make these options unique from one another

2 Lami nate floors

L aminate flooring is another eng ineered flooring product But unlike eng ineered wood flooring, laminate flooring does not utilize real wood and many people can recognize that the moment they step on a laminate floor Flooring is such a vi tal and heavily trafficked component of a home that i t’s typically best to leave installation to a qualified professional However, homeowners who prefer the DIY route should know that laminate flooring is viewed as among the easiest types of flooring for DIYers to install.

3. Vi nyl floori ng

The experts at Good Housekeeping report that vinyl flooring is the fastest-growing categor y of flooring The Home Depot notes that vinyl flooring is made from plastic and usually consists of acr ylic, PVC and similar polymers. Luxur y vinyl tile is thick and durable, and i t’s often noted for i ts likeness to solid wood Vinyl tile also is considered a versatile flooring option, as The Home Depot notes i t can be purchased in planks, sheets or tiles The Home Depot advises homeowners to consider the thickness range when mulling their vinyl flooring options. Thickness ranges bet ween four and 40 millimeters, and a thicker layer is more resistant to water, scratches and stains

Homeowners will be confronted wi th a variety of options when considering a flooring project for their homes. The rig ht option for a g iven home may come down to a host of factors, including cost, look and durabili ty

W hile home buyers typically take their time to examine each room and space inside and outside a home before making an offer, the real estate experts at Trulia note that t wo rooms in particular seem to meri t the closest inspection among prospective buyers. Ki tchens and the bathroom in an owner’s sui te can dramatically increase the value of a home. Trulia recommends that homeowners consider their neig hborhood and identif y their target buyers prior to beg inning a ki tchen or owner’s sui te renovation, as such variables can provide direction and inspiration when refurbishing these widely valued areas in a home

How to recognize

when it’s ti me to replace your

Windows are a major component of a home

Window installation professionals will tell homeowners that the average life span of residential windows is bet ween 15 and 30 years Most well-maintained products can last 20 years, so homeowners who have windows approaching that age may want to schedule a window assessment and possi ble replacement

wi ndows

• Drafts i n the wi ndow are common. If heating and cooling systems are working overtime, drafty, poorly insulated windows could be to blame Various agencies can perform energ y efficiency tests in a home

Windows that are determined to be the weak spots should be replaced.

Replacing windows is a job that requires advanced skill, and this is not a do-i t-yourself project

• Dated wi ndows are present i n the home Older windows may pose safety hazards, especially those in older homes A larger window may be needed to comply wi th fire safety codes allowing for window egress Dated windows also may simply look “old” and compromise the aesthetics of a home

There are many qualified professional window installation companies that will work wi th homeowners to measure, order and install windows that will fi t wi th the style of a home and local weather, all while providing features the homeowner desires

Windows are a major component of a home

For those wondering when to replace windows, Pella and Renewal by Andersen, t wo of the premiere window manufacturers, offer these guidelines.

• Difficulty openi ng and closi ng wi ndows. A window that does not operate as i t should can aggravate homeowners. If windows are sticking shut or cannot be securely closed, i t’s probably time for something new

Window installation professionals will tell homeowners that the average life span of residential windows is bet ween 15 and 30 years Most well-maintained products can last 20 years, so homeowners who have windows approaching that age may want to schedule a window assessment and possi ble replacement

• There’s apparent wi ndow damage Accidents happen, and if a rock is kicked up from a lawnmower and cracks a window or if spring baseball practice has gone awr y wi th an errant throw, windows may require replacement

• Outdoor noi ses are noticed quite readily. Newer windows can help reduce noise transmission So those leaf blowers, airplanes, barking dogs, and kids playing basketball up the street won’t disturb homeowners as they tr y to enjoy some peace and quiet indoors

• Drafts i n the wi ndow are common. If heating and cooling systems are working overtime, draf ty, poorly insulated windows could be to blame Various agencies can perform energ y efficiency tests in a home

• Fadi ng i ndoors i s noted

Windows that do not feature low-emissivi ty (Low-E) g lass coatings will not block UV rays Those rays can cause fading to wood floors and furni ture or pretty much anything the sunlig ht touches. Replacing existing windows wi th Low-E coating alternatives can safeguard belong ings and improve window efficiency. Window replacement may be necessar y when existing windows are showing signs of ag ing or damage

Replacing windows is a job that requires advanced skill, and this is not a do-i t-yourself project There are many qualified professional window installation companies that will work wi th homeowners to measure, order and install windows that will fi t wi th the style of a home and local

hil idi

Windows that are determined to be the weak spots should be replaced

• Dated wi ndows are present i n the home. Older windows may pose safety hazards, especially those in older homes. A larger window may be needed to comply wi th fire safety codes allowing for window egress

Dated windows also may simply look “old” and compromise the aesthetics of a home

• Outdoor noi ses are noticed quite readily. Newer windows leaf king dogs, ball up the meowners me peace

• There’s apparent wi ndow damage. Accidents happen, and if a rock is kicked up from a lawnmower and cracks a window

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g lass UV rays ading to ure or he cing

existing windows wi th Low-E coating alternatives can safeguard belong ings and improve window efficiency

Window replacement may be

How empty nesters can repurpose bedrooms i n thei r homes

Iand for all. W hen the time comes and homeowners are emotionally ready to tackle bedroom conversions, these tips can help the process go smoothly

t can be bi ttersweet when adult children decide the time has come to move out of the family home. Parents perhaps get their first trial run of this scenario when their children go off to college or enlist in the mili tar y Rooms are lef t empty, if only for a certain period of time. Eventually, those rooms will remain empty as adult children move out of the house for good.

• Repurpose the space for them. Give a childhood bedroom an adult spin wi thout chang ing too much. If furni ture is in good shape, replace the bedding, change the flooring, swap out art work, and remove “youthful” i tems like toys, trophies and other collecti bles W hen the child comes home to visi t, he or she will still feel comfortable in the space

• Create extra storage. The bedroom can be transformed into a walk-in closet or dressing space According to the design experts at Houzz, many clients request this type of dressing

the best ways to transform adult children’s bedrooms is to convert the spaces into home offices. Those who have been setting up “desks” at dining room tables or elsewhere may be exci ted about the prospects of finally having a private, dedicated space to work from home

room si tuation. There’s a bonus if the layout allows the space to connect to the owner’s sui te or bathroom. This is a major overhaul, so homeowners should enlist a professional contractor.

• Turn it i nto a craft room. The bedroom can be converted into a space to explore hobbies and various other interests A dedicated craft space, a reading nook, a place to store photography equipment, or another function can serve as a useful way to repurpose an empty bedroom.

Converting a child’s bedroom into an area for adults may take some planning. It can be exci ting to regain space, but at the same time, i t can be disheartening to convert a child’s bedroom once and for all W hen the time comes and homeowners are emotionally ready to tackle bedroom conversions, these tips can help the process go smoothly.

Empty nesters have many possi bili ties when i t comes to converting their children’s old bedrooms into adult spaces.

• Make a fitness center. A bedroom can be turned into a home g ym to make working out more convenient Homeowners should take inventor y of equipment they may have and then figure out where existing and new equipment will go. They may need to consult a structural eng ineer to ensure that the flooring can bear the weig ht of addi tional equipment

• Create a work space. One of the best ways to transform adult children’s bedrooms is to convert the spaces into home offices. Those who have been setting up

“desks” at dining room tables or

5 benefits to Florida rooms

5 benefits to Florida rooms

5 benefits to Florida rooms

SSnowbirds heading south to escape cold winters is a phenomenon that has been popular for decades Places like Florida often beckon vacationers and retirees who are eager to enjoy the sun and surf.

nowbirds heading south to escape cold winters is a phenomenon that has been popular for decades Places like Florida of ten beckon vacationers and retirees who are eager to enjoy the sun and surf

Individuals who have traveled south are likely familiar wi th outdoors spaces known as “Florida rooms ” W hile they are commonplace in Florida, these rooms are not exclusive to the Sunshine State In fact, they can be beneficial addi tions regardless of where one lives

SIndividuals who have traveled south are likely familiar wi th outdoors spaces known as “Florida rooms.” W hile they are commonplace in Florida, these rooms are not exclusive to the Sunshine State. In fact, they can be beneficial addi tions regardless of where one lives

What are Florida rooms?

What are Florida rooms?

Florida rooms used to be spaces that people could retreat to when central air condi tioning wasn’t so prevalent Today, the term is largely synonymous wi th sunrooms. Florida rooms tend to be enclosed, screened-in lanai spaces that expand a home’s living space out ward They may be outdoor patios, living rooms or even areas that surround covered swimming pools Florida rooms can be tailored to homeowners’ personal preferences and lifestyles

nowbirds heading south to escape cold winters is a phenomenon that has been popular for decades Places like Florida of ten beckon vacationers and retirees who are eager to enjoy the sun and surf.

Florida rooms used to be spaces that people could retreat to when central air condi tioning wasn’t so prevalent. Today, the term is largely synonymous wi th sunrooms Florida rooms tend to be enclosed, screened-in lanai spaces that expand a home’s living space out ward. They may be outdoor patios, living rooms or even areas that surround covered swimming pools. Florida rooms can be tailored to homeowners’ personal preferences and lifestyles

Individuals who have traveled south

The benefits to havi ng a Florida room

The benefits to havi ng a Florida room

Florida rooms are popular and soug ht-af ter, and the following are five notable benefi ts of having such a room

Florida rooms are popular and soug ht-after, and the following are five notable benefi ts of having such a room

1. Help to mai ntai n a connection to nature: Florida rooms blend the outdoors wi th the interior of a home. The rooms may be on the side of a house or overlook a backyard, enabling residents to enjoy the great outdoors wi thout full exposure to the elements

The b havi n Florida roo and the fol having suc

1. Help to mai ntai n a connection to nature: Florida rooms blend the outdoors wi th the interior of a home The rooms may be on the side of a house or overlook a backyard, enabling residents to enjoy the great outdoors wi thout full exposure to the elements.

2. Make it possible to enjoy outdoors for most of the year: People who live in temperate climates can enjoy outdoor spaces all year long Those who find i t is pleasant outside for most months of the year can retreat to Florida rooms when condi tions are less invi ting Heating and cooling capabili ties can be added to the spaces to make them full four-season rooms

1. Help to m Florida roo interior of side of a ho residents t full exposu

2. Make it possible to enjoy outdoors for most of the year: People who live in temperate climates can enjoy outdoor spaces all year long.Those who find i t is pleasant outside for most months of the year can retreat to Florida rooms when condi tions are less invi ting. Heating and cooling capabili ties can be added to the spaces to make them full four-season rooms

3. Get extra vitami n D: Vi tamin D deficiency is extremely common, affecting 42 percent of the Uni ted States population, according to the National Insti tutes of Health Florida rooms enable people to soak up some extra sunshine and vi tamin D

2. Make it most of th climates ca long.Those most mont rooms whe Heating an to the spac rooms.

4. The rooms add value: Adding a Florida room g ives homeowners addi tional space to enjoy wi th friends and family Also, i t has the potential to increase a home’s resale value wi thout commi tting to an extensive renovation.

3. Get extra vitami n D: Vi tamin D deficiency is extremely common, affecting 42 percent of the Uni ted States population, according to the National Insti tutes of Health Florida rooms enable people to soak up some extra sunshine and vi tamin D

4. The rooms add value: Adding a Florida room g ives homeowners addi tional space to enjoy wi th friends and family. Also, i t has the potential to increase a home’s resale value wi thout commi tting to an extensive renovation

What are Florida rooms?

5 Rooms can be tailored to unique needs: A Florida room can be customized based on what homeowners desire Companies who specialize in Florida rooms can design these spaces according to the parameters chosen by homeowners.

Florida rooms used to be spaces that people could retreat to when central air condi tioning wasn’t so prevalent. Today, the term is largely synonymous wi th sunrooms. Florida t d t b l d

Florida rooms add comfort, space and value to homes, making them a worthy consideration for anyone looking to improve the creature comforts of their home.

3. Get ext extremely Uni ted Sta National In enable peo and vi tami

5. Rooms can be tailored to unique needs: A Florida room can be customized based on what homeowners desire. Companies who specialize in Florida rooms can design these spaces according to the parameters chosen by homeowners.

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Florida rooms add comfort, space and value to homes, making them a worthy consideration for anyone looking to improve the creature

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Friday Jun 28th

Summer Reading Club Kickoff Party @ 11am

Join us for a fun �lled few hours to celebrate the start of our kickoff! Mineola Memorial Li‐brary, 195 Marcellus Road, Mineola

Josh Ritter @ 7pm

Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St, Port Washington

Toby Keith Tribute Band (21+ Event)

@ 7:30pm Mulcahy’s, 3232 Railroad Av‐enue, Wantagh

Get the Led Out @ 8pm / $30-$75 The Paramount, Huntington

Nate Charlie Music @ 9pm

The Wine Cellar on Main, 70 Main St, Northport

Sat 6/29

Tyree Curry 5K Run/Walk @ 10am / $35

Kennedy Memorial Park, 335 Greenwich Street, Hempstead. events@elitefeats.com

Deep Roots Farmers Market Glen Cove @ 9am

Opening Day of the Deep Roots Farmers Market in Glen Cove Saturday, June 1st, 9AM-1PM. Garvies Point Park, 100 Garvies Point Road, Glen Cove. info@deeprootsfarmers market.com, 516-3185487

Seconds Out: A Trib‐ute to the Music of Genesis: Live Con‐cert Series: Seconds Out at the John Philip Sousa Band‐shell, Port Washing‐ton, New York @ 3pm Port Washington Public Library, 1 Library Dr, Port Washington

Wild Style: Film Screening and Q&A with Film Director, Charlie Ahearn and Art Critic, Carlo McCormic @ 3pm / $35

Wild Style: Film Screen‐ing and Q&A with �lm director, Charlie Ahearn and art critic and cura‐tor, Carlo McCormick Nassau County Mu‐seum of Art, One Mu‐seum Drive, Roslyn. events@nassaumu seum.org, 516-4849338

Cryptodira @ 3pm

Looney Tunes CD Store, 31 Brookvale Ave, West Babylon

Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: Outlaw Fest @ 5:30pm / $39.50$299.50

Northwell at Jones Beach Theater, Wan‐tagh

Caroline Jones @ 5:30pm

Planting Fields Arboretum, 1395 Planting Fields Rd, Oyster Bay

Kevin Hart: Acting My Age @ 7pm / $104.50$254.50

Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair, Westbury

Honor Among Thieves @ 7:30pm Village Pub, 174 N Wellwood Ave, Lindenhurst

Jonathan PetersClassics Party @ 10pm / $30 Mulcahy's, Wantagh

Sun 6/30

Swim School - Sunday 10:00 AM Start @ 12am / $315 Jun 30th - Aug 18th

Suffolk Federal Credit Union Arena, Crooked Hill Rd, Brent‐wood. 631-123-1234

Great Neck Farmers Market @ 10am

Shop small and shop local at the Great Neck Farmers Market Fire‐�ghters Park, 30 Grace Avenue, Great Neck. info@deeprootsfarmers market.com, 516-3185487

Where Stars Collide NY @ 4pm

Seaside Sally’s Shack, 142 S Clinton Ave, Bay Shore

Oyster Bay Music Festival: Natural Emotion--A Rising Artists Concert @ 7pm / $20

For the �rst time Old Westbury Gardens is one of the concert venues for the Oyster Bay Music Festival! Old Westbury Gardens, 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury. mramirez @oldwestburygar dens.org, 516-333-0048

Empire State Fair @ 5pm / $10 Jun 28th - Jul 14th

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale. 866-666-3247

This family-fun event features thrilling rides, four nights of �reworks and other live entertainment (included with fair admission), and fa‐vorite fair food.

Sal Valentinetti Singing all the Rat Pack Classics @ 7:30pm / $20-$49.50 The Paramount, Huntington

7/01

FAST Sports - After Camp Club - Week 4 (7/01-7/03) (3 Days) @ 1pm / $120

Jul 1st - Jul 3rd

Childs World Nursery, Middle Neck Road, Port Washington. 516-801-3533

Basketball Camp (Coed) SESSION I @ 6pm / $160

Jul 1st - Jul 12th

Herricks HS Gym, 100 Shelter Rock Rd, New Hyde Park

New York Liberty vs. Minnesota Lynx @ 7pm / $21-$1100 Barclays Center, Brooklyn

Christopher Cross @ 8pm / $29.50-$89.50 Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair, Westbury

Dan Reardon @ 5pm The Clubhouse, 134 Clubhouse Rd, Bellmore

Maroon 5 Live In Concert @ 7:30pm / $39.50-$159.50 Northwell at Jones Beach The‐ater, Wantagh

New York City FC vs. CF Montréal @ 7:30pm / $28-$10000 Citi Field, Queens

Krush The Band NY @ 9pm The Inn, 943 W Beech St, Long Beach

The Fabulous 4th of July Race in Memory of Sean Ryan @ 9am / $35 Boardwalk at Laurelton Blvd, 98 Lauelton Blvd, Long Beach. events@elitefeats.com

Independence Day 4 Mile Run/Walk @ 9:30am / $14 Bellmore Fire House, 230 Pettit Ave, Bellmore. events@elite feats.com

Lynbrook Titans Carnival @ 5pm Jul 4th - Jul 7th

This family-fun youth football fundraiser fea‐tures exciting midway rides and games and tasty carnival eats. Free admission. See website for advance ride specials and coupon savings on rides and food. Greis Park, 55 Wilbur Street, Lynbrook. 866-6663247

Ride Waves Entertainment: WHALEY BAND @ CANTINA BAY @ 6pm Cantina Bay, 400 Baylawn Ave, Copiague

7/05

Kelli Baker (solo acoustic) LIVE at The Coop in Farmingdale @ 5:30pm The Coop Bar & Lounge, 346 Main St, Farmingdale

Cuthbert Live: Solo at Great South Bay Brewery - Lindenhurst @ 7pm Great South Bay Brewery of Lindenhurst, 147 S Wellwood Ave, Lindenhurst

Calendar information is pro‐vided by event organizers. All events are subject to change or cancellation. This publica‐tion is not responsible for the accuracy of the information contained in this calendar.

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Vision LI’s 2024 Growth Awards

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena recently attended Vision Long Islands 2024 Smart Growth Awards at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury.

The Smart Growth Awards are held annually to recognize successful downtown development and housing and infrastructure projects achieved through bottom-up community planning.

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena with Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino and Vision Long Island Executive Director Eric Alexander at Vision Long Island’s 2024 Smart Growth Awards

King Kullen Grocery Co. Inc. has donated $10,000 to benefit summer camp programs for disadvantaged children in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, a tradition started by King Kullen in 1992.

The donation will be divided evenly between Family & Children’s Association (Nassau County) and Family Service League (Suffolk County).

“Camp provides a stimulating and fun environment where children can learn new activities and meet other children their age,” observed King Kullen President and Chief Operating Officer Joseph W. Brown. “King Kullen’s gift will help fund scholarships for children whose families lack the resources for summer camp. Additionally, customers who want to make a difference can participate in our annual ‘Send A Kid to Camp’ campaign this summer by scanning $5, $2, or $1 coupons at the register at all King Kullen and Wild by Nature stores.”

Family and Children’s Association President and CEO Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds stated, “The gifts we receive from individuals and corporations like King Kullen make it possible for us to provide these wonderful experiences for Long Island’s young people. We’re incredibly thankful to King Kullen for all their support through the years.”

Family Service League Chief Development Officer Jonathan Chenkin added, “We are very grateful to again receive this generous donation from King Kullen. These camps are often the highlight of the year for the children we help bringing them the Power of Play and allowing them to be joyful.”

Headquartered in Hauppauge, NY, King Kullen was founded in 1930 by Michael J. Cullen and is recognized by the Smithsonian Institution as America’s first supermarket.

King Kullen recently presented two checks totaling $10,000 to Family & Children’s Association and Family Service League to benefit their summer camp programs for disadvantaged children. On hand for the check presentation to Family & Children’s Association were, left to right, King Kullen President and Chief Operating Officer Joseph W. Brown; King Kullen Vice President – Corporate Strategy and Initiatives Tracey Cullen; Family and Children’s Association President and CEO Jeffrey Reynolds; Family & Children’s Association Chief Development Officer and Vice President of Strategic Advancement Paige O’Brien; and King Kullen Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer Bernard P. Kennedy.

Town proclaims Pollinator Week

Sands honored by United Way King Kullen aids summer camps

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board are excited to proclaim June 17 to June 23 as Pollinator Week.

The program has been extremely popular this year, with funds already exhausted and over 30 applications approved.

Over 600 people turned out to the United Way’s 2024 “United in Purpose” Gala, where Sands New York was honored as the Corporate Impact Champion.

To introduce the award, the organization showed a video of Theresa Regnante, president and CEO of United Way of Long Island driving with former New York State Gov. and Sands Senior Vice President David Paterson.

Both Matt and Jennefer thanked United Way and Sands New York for their support in pursuing their academic and professional goals.

Sands Senior Vice President Ron Reese was on site to accept the award, praising the United Way’s work in the Long Island community. “Sands New York is proud to partner with United Way to help provide critical assistance for families and individuals throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties.”

The segment included a conversation with two United Way beneficiaries, Matthew Knoblock, an alum of United Way’s Power Up! Program, which led him to a position with PSEG Long Island; and Jennefer Maldonado, who received a DREAMS Scholarship to help get her through her college education, and a career with Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Pollinator Week 2024 is a celebration of the vital role that pollinators play in our ecosystems, economies, and agriculture.

The annual event initiated by the Pollinator Partnership calls for an appreciation of these essential creatures, including bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, wasps, flies, and hummingbirds, that are the unsung heroes behind the food we enjoy and the beauty that surrounds us.

This year the town once again took National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge to commit to actions that conserve local pollinator species through public outreach, creation and maintenance of pollinator habitat, and community science initiatives.

To increase native habitat for pollinators the pollinator garden at Clark Botanic Garden was completely renovated with the installation of all native plants.

Native pollinators and wildlife have evolved with native plants that provide the food, shelter, and other resources they need to survive and thrive. Natives planted include boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), false sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides), mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium), New York aster (Aster novi-belgii) and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), which is a host plant for the monarch butterfly.

The town is also adding habitat throughout the entire community with the Native Plant Residential Rebate program, in which residents receive a rebate of up to $350 for planting native plants in their home landscape.

To help with outreach, the town offers a pollinator pledge, which allows any property owner who maintains a landscape to commit to practices that benefit pollinators and the surrounding ecosystem.

This includes reducing or eliminating pesticide use, planting native plants, and managing invasive species.

The town also has a “Meet Our Pollinators” slideshow with photos of a variety of different bees, butterflies, flies, moths, and other pollinators that were taken in Town pollinator gardens to show the diversity of these important species that can be found right in our own parks and yards.

To view the Pollinator Week Proclamation, take the Pollinator Pledge, and learn more about how you can help pollinators visit NorthHempsteadNY.gov/ Sustainability.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and staff in front of a renovated pollinator garden at Clark Botanic Garden.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNITED WAY LONG ISLAND

Sands New York honored by United Way.

Business&RealEstate

Plaster vs. sheetrock, old versus new

You have just begun your search or have been looking for a while to find your next starter or dream place to call home. There is so much to consider when purchasing: location, school district, prices, budgets, analyzing the costs of your mortgage, interest rates, taxes, what repairs and upgrades need to be considered, and so much more. It can become overwhelming when making the most expensive purchase of your life.

I have found that some buyers do not know much about how a home is constructed, or what materials are used, comparing the quality of older homes vs. newly constructed ones. I happen to live in a home with all plaster walls that was built in 1949 making it 75 years old. Some might jump to the conclusion that it’s way past its time and would not consider purchasing such a home, while others would think the opposite to be true and would thoroughly enjoy an older abode.

There are obvious differences, pros, and cons when comparing older homes to newly constructed homes. The first thing most will notice when they walk into a new home is the open space layout, vaulted ceilings, larger kitchens, and all the bells and whistles of a new home. Most know that the interiors of all new homes are put together with sheetrock. This component was created in 1916 as a faster way to assemble a home to save time and perform this more efficiently

and, most importantly, to save money. The components of plaster walls are lathing furring strips and/or wire mesh. It was and is much more labor-intensive, expensive, and time-consuming to construct. However, the quality of the finished product and its functionality are far ahead of sheetrock construction. The transition over the years away from plaster walls to sheetrock walls became the standard process when building. It was and still is all about saving time and creating efficiencies leading to earning more money.

Regardless of the quality of the product and the result, construction is a very challenging and time-sensitive industry. Today, if you wanted plaster walls, you would have to import a craftsperson from Italy or somewhere else where you might locate an artisan, with the qualifications, knowledge, and talent to perform such a service. It surely would be an extremely costly undertaking and only for those with very deep pockets who desired that level of quality and workmanship for their walls.

Some buyers might look at sheetrock as very favorable and easy to maintain, while others would truly appreciate an older home containing plaster walls. I can surely say with many years of experience, when anyone uses the bathroom with plaster walls on the second floor, you hear absolutely nothing.

Last week, I received an agreement between a buyer and seller for a home purchase in Great Neck. The home was built in 1926, with outstanding plaster walls in exceptional pristine condition. Very expensive to fabricate by today’s cost of labor and materials. The purchasers were enamored with the quality of the home, the incredible plaster walls, the inherent solid no-compromise construction, and the unique architectural style and layout of the interior and exterior.

Even the hardwood floors with intricate patterns in the dining room and cherry inlay would also be very costly to install in a new home today. The inspection was completed and passed with flying colors.

have learned over the years the pros and cons of various types of construction and materials used.

The majority of homes that I have purchased and lived in have generally had mostly plaster walls with very few issues. Sometimes there was a combination with sheetrock. But hands down, plaster walls are my favorite and in the long run, those older homes from the 1900s, if handled with TLC, will be around long after some of the new homes that are constructed today.

However, with sheetrock-style walls, the sound is not as muffled, and sometimes over the years as most homes settle, sheetrock can crack and split. There are times when repairing sheetrock can be more expensive than a few cracks on plaster walls. I have noticed issues on sheetrock ceilings of new homes one to three years later. The quality of the builder and how the home is constructed can also contribute to issues with sheetrock. Most importantly, wood used in construction today is not seasoned as it was in the early 1900s and tends to dry and shrink over the years, adding to additional maintenance.

Every once in a while when there is a crack here and there, one must open up the cracks and use spackle or drywall joint compound. However, if there is major damage, then plaster is the only material to be used to do a quality repair. There are plenty of tutorial videos on YouTube to be able to guide and educate you on how to go about fixing and repairing your plaster walls.

In my professional opinion, an older home, if proactively maintained, can be a better built home and hold its value for years more than some of the newly built homes today. Some might disagree with me, and I respect everyone’s opinions. However, from my 42-plus years in real estate and visits to thousands of homes, I

We see many knockdowns today of older homes that weren’t maintained properly and others that are still in pristine condition. Repairing and upgrading an older home is something that you need to have a passion for as well as some thick skin and patience. However, the result can be a pure gem of a residence that combines the eclectic old-world classic look inside and out in combination with all the modern creature comforts and technologies that are available today.

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. For a free 15-minute consultation, value analysis of your home, or to answer any of your questions or concerns he can be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@TurnKeyRealEstate.Com or via https://WWW.Li-RealEstate.Com

What is Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)?

Have you noticed that a website address starts with the letters and symbols of http:// or https://? What is the difference and why should you care? HTTPS secures communication and data transmission between a user’s web browser and a website. HTTPS is the newer, more secure version of HTTP.

HTTPS helps to secure websites that send or receive sensitive data. Simply put, any website that requires login credentials or involves financial transactions should use HTTPS to ensure the security of users, transactions and data. This includes personal or business information exchanged by online banking services, online retailers and healthcare providers.

A malicious actor can easily impersonate, modify or monitor an HTTP connection. HTTPS protects against these vulnerabilities. As a result, it ensures that no one can tamper with these transactions, securing users’ privacy and preventing sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.

Small and medium-sized business managers should be mindful to check for the secure HTTPS when accessing websites for banking, shopping online, and SAAS (software-as-a-service) programs. We highly recommend coaching all employees to look for this, as well. Human error is behind the majority of IT breaches and is avoidable with proper training and reinforcement. Contact Sandwire Technology Group for information on affordable cyber security training for your company.

IT SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS

PHILIP A. RAICES Real Estate Watch

Business & Real Estate

Krystal Armstrong joins Rivkin Radler

Evan H. Krinick, managing partner of Rivkin Radler, announced that Krystal Armstrong has joined the firm’s Uniondale office as an associate.

Armstrong, of Lake Grove, has joined the commercial litigation group.

Before joining Rivkin Radler, Armstrong was an associate at a private firm in New York City, where she practiced complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts. She earned her juris doctor from Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University.

This portal provides a user-friendly, self-serve turnkey platform for publishing your notices.

It’s simple to use, provides proofs and confirmations in real time.

Within moments of signing on, you will be provided with proofs and confirmations. You will also receive your notarized affidavits in an email once the ad (ads) have been published, expediting your internal paperwork.

Krystal Armstrong

Northwell named a Fortune Best Workplaces in NY

Northwell Health has been named one of the Best Workplaces in New York 2024 by Fortune magazine. As New York’s largest health care provider and private employer, Northwell was the only integrated health system in the state to make the list.

Northwell ranked 33rd overall in an independent survey of employees, showcasing a culture marked by equality and respect, according to Fortune. This is Northwell’s third time on the list. American Express was ranked first.

“There is no doubt that health care is one of the most challenging and rewarding businesses. It requires special people – compassion, versatile and competent,” said Michael Dowling, Northwell’s president and CEO. “We are proud of their commitment and dedication, evident on a daily basis and especially during the battle against COVID. They are the foundation of what makes Northwell a great place to work.”

Using its proprietary Trust Index, the firm Great Place To Work measures key behaviors that drive trust in management, connection with colleagues and loyalty to the company. More than 140,000 employees were surveyed nationwide. Rankings are based on employee feedback.

Fortune cited the following employee feedback as part of its Northwell recognition: I think North-

well does an amazing job setting the tone to treat everyone as equals, regardless of position.

From janitors to executive senior vice presidents, all are approached the same: with kindness and respect. I think it’s pretty special, especially in an organization of this large size.

Also, Northwell provides a lot of support outside of work, including wellness activities and resources. There are a lot of resources that promote and encourage career and educational growth.

“We are humbled to be recognized as a 2024 Fortune Best Workplace in New York,” said Dr. Maxine Carrington, senior vice president and chief people officer. “This honor is a testament to the progress we’re making in listening to and supporting our team members and their families, as well as our team’s collective commitment to our mission and raising health for all whom we serve.”

Fortune has also named Northwell one of America’s Most Innovative Companies, one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, one of the 40 Best Large Workplaces in Health Care as well as a Best Workplace for Diversity in recent years.

Northwell is currently hiring. The health system has more than 2,000 open roles. To start a career at Northwell, search openings in a variety of jobs: https://jobs.northwell.edu

Old Westbury listed among best colleges by Money

The State University of New York at Old Westbury earned a strong 4.5-star rating (out of five) to be included on Money’s 2024 list of Best Colleges.

According to Money, “Money’s analysis showcases the country’s top 745 colleges based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries and more.”

The 745 selected schools are culled from a starting list of more than 2,400 institutions of fouryear public and private nonprofit colleges and universities throughout the U.S.

The rankings are based on 25 factors in three categories: quality of education, affordability, and outcomes focused on earnings ten years after college entry.

“The university is regularly recognized for

its commitment to diversity and inclusion…and the school scores in the top 2% of all colleges on think tank Third Way’s economic mobility index,” Money’s editors said of SUNY Old Westbury. “On the outskirts of New York City, SUNY Old Westbury offers students the best of both worlds. They can attend classes on a 600-acre, tree-lined campus on Long Island, then hop on a roughly 45-minute train ride to Manhattan for easy access to a world of cultural attractions and internship opportunities.”

This marks the 10th year Money has published its Best Colleges ratings. The full methodology can be found on Money.com.

Money is a leading digital news provider on issues related to finance that grew from its start more than 50 years ago with its iconic print magazine.

Messina’s new memoir inspires resilience and hope

Maggie Messina’s highly anticipated literary masterpiece, “Tattered Laces: A Sister’s Promise,” gives readers freedom, truth, and hope. Life has a mysterious manner of imparting wisdom upon people, often without their conscious realization. They frequently perceive their struggles and experiences as forms of punishment.

However, Maggie has come to understand that the struggles are merely stepping stones on readers’ paths to becoming their most authentic selves.

In her tell-all memoir, “Tattered Laces: A Sister’s Promise,” Maggie’s story grips readers’ heartstrings yet leaves them with a sense of hope and a newfound willingness to embrace life’s challenges.

“Tattered Laces: A Sister’s Promise” is a captivating book that takes readers on a journey through Maggie’s life, from a traumatic childhood to a triumphant

success story. With a drug-addicted, welfare mother, Maggie’s life was filled with despair, but her resilience and determination eventually led her to victory.

Throughout the book, readers meet Maggie’s family members, who either add to her misery or aid in her healing. The storyline builds and captures readers’ attention page by page, leaving them wanting more. This heart-gripping story of abandonment and eventual success will inspire and motivate readers to endure obstacles. Join Maggie on the rollercoaster of life and experience her journey of hope, perseverance, and triumph.

One reviewer says, “Tattered Laces echoes the stories of countless children and sheds light on a dark subject, offering readers freedom and hope. I appreciate the resources provided at the end of the book, which can help readers

cope with their situation and overcome it.”

“Tattered Laces: A Sister’s Promise” is now available at www.MakingMaggie.com, Amazon, and everywhere books are sold.

Maggie Messina owns and operates Taecole Tae Kwon Do and Fitness Inc., founded in 1996, and Female fighters matter too, a movement bringing equality to female athletes Worldwide. GM Maggie is a world-class 8th-degree martial artist and an awe-inspiring speaker who casts a spell on her audience with her profound passion for advocating for women in sports.

However, her captivating speeches go beyond the realm of athletics. Maggie fearlessly delves into the sensitive topics of child abuse, abusive relationships, addiction, suicide, and the significance of these issues.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY NORTHWELL HEALTH

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUNY OLD WESTBURY OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

An aerial view of the Student Union at SUNY Old Westbury

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAGGIE MESSINA Taecole studio owner Maggie Messina has released a new memoir.

Sassouni to bow out as G.N. ed board prez

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But struggles also existed during her tenure due to global and local tensions leading to divisiveness in the school district community, she said.

“Maintaining grace and equipoise, or whatever one wants to call it, have been a challenge for people, but we’ve endeavored to do so wherever humanly possible,” Sassouni said.

She said she has been personally proud of her efforts seeking and finding those consensuses to cater to the diversities of Great Neck, such as through the board’s goal of inclusivity.

“This notion of inclusiveness is paramount,” Sassouni said, which she referred to as a hallmark of her leadership.

Although Sassouni will not continue serving as president, she will remain on the board as a trustee. Her current term expires on June 30, 2026, and she is up for re-election that year.

She said she has enjoyed her service on the board and is looking forward to the next two years of her remaining term. She called her time on the board so far “well-spent.”

Keiserman wins Senate District 7 Dem primary

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us together to find real solutions, not someone who fear mongers, sows divisions and panders to the extremes of their party,” Keiserman said. “To regain our voice in Albany, it’s vital that we flip this seat.”

Keiserman called Martins’ rhetoric “increasingly hardline and out of touch with the values of our district.”

Martins defeated former state Sen. Anna

Kaplan in 2022, but Keiserman said that election was very different.

She said voters will be aware of Martins’ actions as a legislator and his rhetoric in this year’s election. Keiserman said Martins has not been active in the district.

She said she expected higher voter turnout in this year’s election due to the presidential election, which could bolster the chances of a Democrat win.

Manorhaven residents eye missing absentee ballots

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Blank Slate Media spoke with four residents who said they received the empty absentee ballots. All asked to remain anonymous, but Blank Slate Media was able to confirm they are residents of Manorhaven.

The four residents said they were supporters of Stone.

The residents said the absentee ballot envelopes they received did not appear to be tampered with and were completely sealed. The only thing out of the ordinary was the absence of a ballot inside, leaving just the return envelope.

“Completely clean envelope, well-sealed and hadn’t been opened before I opened it,” one resident said.

Some residents also said they had not received their ballots until after they had already left for vacation – the reason why multiple were planning to vote absentee.

One resident described opening up her absentee ballot to find there was no ballot inside, but this happened after she returned from vacation since it did not arrive before her departure.

She said her first thought was that it was user error, assuming she was missing information on where to vote since it was her first time voting absentee.

But after asking a neighbor, she said she learned that it wasn’t user error but the absence of a ballot entirely.

Another resident, an elderly woman, said she requested an absentee ballot due to her limited mobility but didn’t receive it in the mail

until the day before the election. She said she was shocked to find no ballot inside even when it did arrive.

Even if the ballot was inside, she said it arrived too late for it to be mailed back and received by the village. She opted to vote in person on Election Day and was still able to cast her vote.

Another resident said she requested an absentee ballot because she was planning to be in the city the entire day, but came home early to vote since she did not receive the absentee ballot before leaving.

When she came home, she retrieved her absentee ballot from the mail and found that there was no ballot inside.

When asked whether or not he would be investigating the issue, Popeleski said it would be something the village attorney would look into as the mayor cannot.

Popeleski said he would not ask the attorney to investigate, which is something the mayor can do, because the election was not close enough.

One resident called it a “sinister attempt” to limit the voting for a specific candidate and disappointing to see signs of corruption locally.

“As old as I am, I’ve come to realize that there are a lot of people who will do a lot of things that are inappropriate or even illegal to maintain power and keep power,” one resident said, but added that he couldn’t ascertain whether that was at play here in a local election.

Popeleski said he is not informed about who is being sent ballots. He denounced the fingerpointing at him and his party for allegedly playing a hand in the issue.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREAT NECK PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Great Neck Board of Education President Rebecca Sassouni announced she will not pursue reappointment as board’s president at its reorganization meeting in July.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Republicans OK county trans athlete ban

Republicans countered that the legislation is not in opposition to transgender people and is not an entire ban to prevent them from playing sports. They continuously argued that transgender women have a competitive advantage against female athletes.

Blakeman signed an executive order in February that prohibited transgender women and girls from competing on female sports teams that play at Nassau County facilities.

The law does not prevent transgender men and boys from competing on male teams.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James issued a cease-and-desist order in response to the executive order. Her office claimed the executive order was discriminatory and violated human and civil rights laws.

The State Supreme Court struck down the executive order in May after the New York Civil Liberties Union and a Long Island roller derby team filed a lawsuit against the order.

The order was abolished in court on the basis that Blakeman did not have the authority to issue it without legislative action.

Victoria LaGreca, a lawyer with the county attorney’s office, presented and defended the bill during the hearing Monday afternoon.

Drucker questioned LaGreca on whether or not transgender people are considered a protected class under New York State human rights law, which LaGreca affirmed they are.

LaGreca said the state law is “diametrically opposed” to the federal law which protects women.

Drucker asked then whether the public policy concerns override the human rights protections, which LaGreca denied.

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LaGreca said the state is able to expand pro-

tections to other classes, as it has for transgender people, but that it cannot be at the expense of other protected classes. In this law’s case, LaGreca argued that transgender protections come at the cost of protections for women.

Another argument made for the law is that transgender athletes will take scholarships, college sports opportunities and accolades away from other female athletes. Drucker asked if this is happening in Nassau County, which LaGreca affirmed it is not.

“That doesn’t mean it’s not an issue,” LaGreca said.

“It’s not an issue in Nassau County, is it?” Drucker said in response.

LaGreca said the law would protect injuries against female athletes by transgender athletes. She provided four examples of such injuries, but none from Nassau County. Democrats argued that this showed a lack of need for the law in the county.

“Is the new standard now that we have to wait?” Legislator John Ferretti Jr. (R–Levittown) asked. “We have to wait for a young woman to be playing volleyball with a biological male and have the volleyball spiked into her face, have multiple neck surgeries, concussions and lifelong injuries? We have to wait for that?”

Debra Mulé (D–Freeport) asked LaGreca for the data on female athletes being injured by other female athletes, which LaGreca said she did not have. Mule questioned LaGreca’s, and the law’s, causal relationship between transgender athletes and injuries.

“It seems that you’re making a leap of logic,” Mule said

Legislator Rose Marie Walker (R–Hicksville) suggested a transgender athlete league should be established instead.

Drucker said there are lawsuits ready to be filed in response to this law and condemned the use of taxpayer money to defend a law he said will be overturned in courts.

Audience members chanted “shame” and “this is how it starts,” in reference to historical events that fostered fear and discrimination against certain groups.

Blakeman gets say in county newspaper choice

The Nassau County Legislature, like all government municipalities, votes to select a local newspaper to publish its legal notices. Publishing legal notices in newspapers is a requirement under state law.

The currently designated newspapers are Newsday, New York Law Journal — Nassau Rates, New York Post, The Jewish Week, The Jewish Press, LI Business News, The Jewish Voice and Nassau Lawyer, according to the county website.

The amended law now permits the county executive to recommend newspapers to be designated for publication of county legal notices.

Drucker said the law change “represents a curtailment of the legislature.” He cited New York State laws governing the county that say designating a county newspaper is solely the power of the legislature.

Chris Leimone from Blakeman’s administration denied the accusations that the change represents a “curtailment” since the county executive’s recommendation would still be subject to legislative approval.

“There is a joint process, so to speak,” Lemoine said.

“It’s not joint now,” Drucker said. “As of right now the statute does not make it a joint process. It’s a process solely within the ambit of

the legislature, and that’s a change and that’s something that’s not correct.”

Drucker also referenced the county legislature’s 12-7 Republican majority, embarking on a near super-majority.

“Well, we all know how that’s going to turn out,” Drucker said about how the newspaper will be selected.

Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton (D–Glen Cove) said the county’s law defining how a county newspaper is designated has been the same as the state’s since 1996.

She cautioned against the amendment and alluded to the potential for a lawsuit challenging it.

“It should be a warning sign for all of us that the county executive is seeking to curtail the Legislature’s clearly delineated powers by needlessly inserting himself into this process and striking language ensuring it remains a bipartisan endeavor,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “Not only is this another troubling attempt to erode the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, any curtailment of legislative powers must be subjected to a permissive referendum. That makes today’s vote a recipe for yet another lawsuit targeting the county that taxpayers will end up footing the bill for.”

PHOTO BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Nassau County Legislature voted along party lines Monday to enact a law that bars transgender female athletes from playing on female sports teams at county facilities.

Floral Park Board of Trustees June 18 meeting reports

Deputy Mayor Lynn Pombonyo

Vision Long Island, Smart Growth Awards

On Friday, June 14, seventeen Long Island Villages, Towns and other organizations were honored at the 23rd Annual LI Smart Growth Awards Ceremony at the Crest Hollow Country Club.

Over six hundred attended with many Elected Officials, Chamber of Commerce leaders, Civic leaders, Attorneys, Developers, Architects, Engineers, Clergy, Philanthropists and many more, hosted by Vision Long Island Director Eric Alexander.

The June 13 issue of LI Business News, in collaboration with Vision Long Island, reported that the event “is recognizing successful downtown development and housing and infrastructure projects achieved through bottom-up community planning”.

Beginning in 2015, the Village’s community planning for Centennial Hall’s future use included widespread outreach to all in the Village and numerous community meetings to gather input about continuing Village ownership of Centennial Hall, leasing or selling it; identifying a highly reputable commercial real estate company (with our final selection, CBRE) to guide the community in brainstorming potential uses (residential was the decision); and engage potential developers (the Friedman Group, located in Nassau County, was chosen) to purchase the property. The developer agreed to a thirty year commitment to residential development only, at the site.

So, along with the Village, Floral Park’s own One Carnation Avenue and the Friedman Group developers were honored for our smart growth Transit-Oriented Development on the site of the former Centennial Hall building.

Both the Village of Floral Park and the Friedman Group were honored with attractive Smart Growth plaques, on display at Village Hall. On hand for the ceremony were Guy and Ryan Friedman, their Architects and Engineer, and Village Administrator Gerry Bambrick, Building Department Superintendent Renee Marcus, and Deputy Mayor Lynn Pombonyo. Congratulations to our award winning Village of Floral Park!

Police Department

For our Police Department, I’d like to start off with the Floral Park Chamber of Commerce Street Festival on the evening of Friday, June 7th and the incredible Police Department/ Department of Public Works teamwork that made this all happen.

First, the Police and DPW organize for easy access and safety. This includes the strategic placement of garbage trucks, vehicles, barriers, tables, tents, personnel and other. Throughout the event, both Departments organize the site to maximize enjoyment and safety. Both Departments also enjoy interacting with the public, adding to the spirit.

As the Street Festival starts to shut down at 10 PM-ish, the Police guide our energized festival-goers to the sidewalks, and we thank all for your cooperation. Then the magic begins as the Police, DPW and our very large vehicles move up and down Tulip Avenue, and the enormous trash bags are thrown into the trucks, debris is blown, the street sweeper arrives, and Tulip Avenue begins to look pristine and ready for Saturday morning breakfasts. It’s amazing to watch!

A big shout-out goes to our Village team leaders: Lieutenant Doherty, Sergeant Vigorito and their FPPD Officers, all working with Commissioner McAllister, and Highway Department Supervisor Roe, Sanitation Supervisor Karam and their strong DPW crews, all

working with Superintendent Ginnane.

Our FPPD and DPW — they’re THE BEST!

And an important reminder from our Police — Summer is here and schools are closing within days. Please drive slowly and carefully, and watch out for our children walking in our neighborhoods, crossing our streets, and riding their bikes. Our precious children rely on us to be safe drivers. Please protect them.

Conservation Society (FPCS)

On a spectacular, sunny Saturday afternoon, June 15th, Father Tom Fusco of the Our Lady of Victory Church celebrated a most inspiring Centennial Gardens Mass for several hundred worshippers. We express our gratitude to Father Fusco and OLV, Grand Knight Matt Troy and the Knights of Columbus, President Dennis McEnery and the FPCS Volunteers, Superintendent Kurt Meyfohrt and the Parks Department, Superintendent Kevin Ginnane and DPW, and John Power and Con-Kel Landscaping.

Visit Centennial Gardens and Bird Sanctuary for your own special, sunshine-filled experience, open daily, noon to 5 PM.

Chambers of Commerce and Our Businesses

Tulip Avenue was a sea of several thousand joyful people as all of Floral Park turned out for the Friday night before the Belmont Stakes — Floral Park Chamber of Commerce Street Festival. Thanks go to President Marie Grant, Chairperson Bill Barry, the Chamber Board and Members, and Village Clerk Joe O’Grady for a BEST NIGHT on Tulip Avenue and fun for all!

Summer is here with outdoor dining. SHOP, DINE AND CELEBRATE LOCAL in Floral Park and Stewart Manor!

Congratulations to Our Graduates!

We wish all the best to our May and June Class of 2024 graduates. You have made us proud and confident, knowing that you are creating the future and becoming our leaders.

To the Class of 2024, may your futures be filled with Success, Joy and Peace.

Trustee Frank Chiara

Fire Department

Our Volunteer Fire Department, along with other Fire Departments throughout the state have been notified that the Federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed changes to the Fire Brigade Standards (190.156) that may negatively affect many departments. These changes, on the surface, are intended to provide safer standards, however they will negatively affect retention and volunteerism in many departments. There will be unfunded mandates which will create a strain on smaller volunteer departments. The training standards will double to approximately 300 hours, making it extremely difficult for volunteers to meet them. It will change the medical screening process to a cost which may be unstainable for many departments and there will be additional mandates that will significantly increase the cost of providing fire protection to local fire departments and local governments.

Local Departments are requesting an extension to the public information process, allowing them the opportunity to have a balanced approach into consideration of the reality of each department. Currently the comment period ends on 7/21/2024.

The Firefighter Association of New York State (WWW.FASNY.com) is requesting additional time to digest and appropriately respond to the proposed changes.

Please feel free to contact any of our local elected state officials to voice a concern on

this matter. Our Fire Department needs your support on this very important issue. Ultimately, the cost of these new mandates will be paid for by the taxpayers in each community. Comments and a request for an extension can be sent to the federalregister.gov/documents / emergency-response.

Library

The month of June is halfway over and there are lots of planned activities and events taking place at the Floral Park Library:

The Summer Reading Program kickoff starts on Saturday June 23rd with Petra’s Puppets and Animal Fun on the library lawn.The Adult Summer Reading Club will have weekly raffles for anyone who submits a review on a book they read. When you submit a review, you will be entered into the weekly raffle beginning Fridays from July 5th through August 9th. Prizes have been donated from our local merchants. Anyone who submits at least one review will be entered into the Grand Prize raffle drawn on August 16th. The Grand Prize is a gift card of $100 to the Harrison Restaurant.

Here are some of the save the dates for two summer concerts on the library lawn:

• Bon Journey Concert — July 18th at 7 PM

• Bobby Sings Bobby Concert – August 1st at 7 PM

Please remember our Library hours change in the summer time. Weekday hours will remain the same but starting in July the Library will be open on Saturdays from 9 AM to 1 PM and closed on Sundays.

Details on these and other scheduled events can be found on the Library’s website at www.floralparklibrary.org .

On Saturday, June 8th, our 103 yearyoung local veteran hero Dominck Critelli was welcomed back to his Mayfair Avenue home after being one of 11 D-Day participants honored by the French President in Normandy for his service at D-Day.

Mr. Critelli was given an NYPD police escort, along with Veteran motorcycle groups, from Kennedy Airport to the Village of Floral Park. Our Village of Floral Park Police picked up the escort and led him to his home on Mayfair Avenue. Our Volunteer Fire Department, along with neighboring Departments lined both sides of street sounding their sirens welcoming him home. Many local residents and a large contingent of Veteran groups were on the street to greet him. The owner of Nonna’s Italian Deli and Market and his son were there to welcome him back and graciously delivered free of charge, a number of pizzas and a large Italian hero for him and his family to enjoy. It was heartwarming to see this a well-deserved welcome home.

We at Floral Park want to give a huge THANK YOU to Mr. Critelli for his distinguished service to our country. Thank you to all who came to support and welcome him back to our community, as well as Nonna’s Italian Deli. Their generosity is a great example of how our local businesses support our community.

Trustee Jennifer Stewart 4VS

At the last Cable Committee Meeting, James Green reported that the newly purchased frame-sync generator is being installed next week. The upgraded equipment will eventually allow the studio to send an HD signal to the frame sync, which will then be converted to a 16×9 SD signal, then sent to the Altice headend for viewers. After installation, testing with Altice technicians will commence.

The success of this project will ultimately determine a timeline for the conversion of our facility into a full HD production studio.

Jim Green and Francis Brandt continue to work on the project honoring WWII veterans from Floral Park who died while in service. The program is scheduled to be completed and aired by Veteran’s Day this November 2024. An ongoing recruitment effort during May and June has resulted in three additional high school and college students joining the 4VS staff. These new staff members are in addition to the three individuals who joined during the winter/spring months. Please visit the studio’s website at 4VS.org for information about our weekly programming.

DPW

The Highway Department has put down 50 tons of hot patch and completed various road repairs, as well as swept all Village roads. The Parks Department has satisfied several property maintenance violations around the Village, including placing planter boxes outside on commercial strips, watering all flowers, hanging baskets, and planter boxes, and performing maintenance in all Village Parks. The Maintenance Department cleaned all Village buildings and continues to work on the new doors inside the library. The Sanitation Department collected 53 tons of household garbage, 8 tons of paper and cardboard, 5 tons of commingled plastics and bottles, and 14 tons of bulk rubbish.

I would like to thank DPW, and supervisors Kevin Roe, and Joe Karam for their efforts in getting Tulip Avenue prepared for the Chamber of Commerce Street Fair and just as importantly, breaking it down and cleaning up afterwards.

MTA

Please continue to let the MTA know your thoughts and concerns regarding the proposed bus route into the Village.

Cultural

Arts

The schedule for our Summer Concert series will be released shortly, we are looking forward to see many of you out on the Memorial Park lawn, enjoying sounds from a variety of genres.

Trustee Michael Longobardi Building Department

At the last meeting it was mentioned that the building department received a proposal for apartment buildings at Jericho Turnpike and South Tyson Avenue with a proposed public information meeting by the North End Civic Association scheduled for June 17th. That meeting was postponed and tentatively reschedule for September to allow time to work out further details of the plan for a more informative meeting.

I have some status updates regarding several projects taking place in our Village:

• The Village is awaiting the submittal of building permits for the restaurant proposal at 99 Covert Avenue.

• Construction is set to begin this summer on Covert Avenue Fire property. Further updates on the timeline and staging will be provided once the start date is confirmed.

• Reconstruction of the 266 Jericho Turnpike fire property is underway and is expected to take about a year.

• Foundation construction is near complete for the apartment building at the former Centennial Hall site.

• Construction continues for the Tulip Avenue Pedestrian walkway connecting the Spur parking lot to the Tulip/Carnation Avenues intersection by the Post Office and is expected to be completed in July.

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Floral Park trustees’

June 18 meeting reports

Continued from Page 44

• A permit was recently requested for medical offices on the second floor of 170 Tulip Avenue. That work is expected to start soon pending some additional information.

As a reminder, all driveways and ductless air conditioning systems require a permit prior to start to ensure compliance with the zoning and building codes. Please check the Building Department website for a full list of requirements and permit applications. You are welcome to call the Building Department to ask questions or obtain assistance for permitting.

Recreation and Pool:

Our pool opened Saturday June 8th at 12:00 PM and will stay on modified hours until June 21st. June 22nd the pool will open for full summers hours from 10:00 AM to 8:45 PM. Our first heat wave is fast approaching this week. We are going to have extended hours to 9:45 PM on Thursday and Saturday. Friday night will be closed for the rescheduled Teen Luau, with was rained out thanks to Mother Nature.

If you have not joined the pool already, it is a great time to consider signing up and enjoying everything it has to offer this summer. Some of those great events include the National Ice Cream Soda Day this Thursday, June 20th with $5.00 Ice Cream Sodas at D&J Refreshments; on Wednesday July 17th D&J Refreshments will have $3 hot dogs for National Hot Dog Day. Some other events include Grandparents’ Days, Residents’ Days, Rollback Nights, Top Your Own Sundae Nights, and more.

This past weekend The Rec Center and Little league hosted the annual Michael R. Davidson Foundation Baseball Tournament. My fellow Board Members and I had the honor of attending the opening ceremony on Saturday. The Michael R. Davidson Foundation was created in memory of Resident and FDNY Lt. Michael R. Davidson who answered his final call making the ultimate sacrifice on March 23, 2018. The Foundation continues his legacy by helping first responders and military families. This Little League tournament is just one of many events to support the foundation in his honor.

I want to thank the park staff for all their hard work in getting the fields ready for the tournament, especially after Mother Nature struck on Friday Night.

Monday June 26th our youth programs will begin and Monday July 1st our morning sports programs will begin. There is still time to sign up for those activities. Village of Floral Park Leisure passes are required to use the recreation complex and to register for the programs.

A quick reminder for everyone is that for safety reasons no bikes are allowed in the park.

Town-Village Aircraft Safety & Noise Abatement Committee (TVASNAC)

The next meeting will be at 7:00 PM on Monday, June 24, 2024 at Hempstead Town Hall, One Washington Street, Hempstead. If you want to make a noise complaint regarding air traffic, you can call 1-800-225-1071. You can also go to the Village website at fpvillage.org which has the links under the TVASNAC Noise Complaint Contact Information Page on our home page

Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald

As mentioned this evening, we approved a settlement with the MTA/LIRR on the last few open items that were part of the Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) that we agreed with the LIRR prior to the commencement of the 3rd Track Project. This settlement will enable the Village to move forward with certain mitigation projects to offset some of the impacts to residents of the 3rd Track Project. As this brings to an end the MOU and although the certain physical efforts the Village now can be completed, I thought it would be a good time to thank certain individuals for their efforts over the past few decades who gave a significant time and commitment to ensure that any adverse effects on our residents and property were reduced:

• Mayor Ann Corbett who had the foresight to start the 3rd Track Task Force when the project was first proposed.

• Mayor Phil Guarneri and Mayor Kevin Greene who worked tirelessly to push back and ultimately defeat the first iteration of the project.

• Mayor Thomas Tweedy who picked up and lead the fight when the 2nd iteration was proposed.

• Mayor Dominick Longobardi who worked to ensure that once the project was approved over the many objections and serious concerns that an MOU was negotiated to ensure the Village impacts were minimalized and improvements guaranteed.

• Former State Senator (now Nassau County Comptroller)

• Elaine Phillips who worked with us and the MTA to have the MOU agreed to.

• The current Village Board who attended and spoke at the many public hearings

• Former Trustee the late Jim Rhatigan.

• Former Trustee Archie Cheng who during his tenure spent many hours as the Village’s LIRR liaison working day in and day out with the LIRR and 3TC during the construction. He even was of assistance during the past week.

• Village Administrator Gerry Bambrick who was intimately involved in every step from legal to operational to visiting residents, and more.

• Village Attorney John Ryan.

• Our Superintendent of Buildings and DPW Renee Marcus, Kevin Ginnane and Steve Swiniski.

• Our Police Commissioner Steve McAllister and the entire Police Department.

• All of our current and former Fire Chiefs.

• The members of the 3rd Track Task Force especially Dennis McEnery.

• The various School Board members and School Administrators.

• The local community relations team from 3TC.The various administrations at the LIRR especially Hector Garcia who was always willing to meet with residents in both public forums and private settings. Plus, his willingness to always pick up my calls to discuss ongoing issues.

• All of the residents, business owners and neighbors who spoke at public hearings or wrote letters with concerns.

Everyone had a significant part in making this project better and certainly a model on how large governmental projects can be successful with the input and consistent involvement of the residents

INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FLORAL PARK

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

LOCAL LAW NO. 4 OF 2024

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Article 9 of the New York State Constitution, the provisions of the Code of the Incorporated Village of Floral Park and the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, as amended, a public hearing will be held in the Incorporated Village of Floral Park at the Village Hall, One Floral Boulevard, Floral Park on the 16th day of July, 2024 at 8:00 o’clock in the evening of that day, to consider enactment of a Local Law entitled: “A Local Law amending Section 83-11 of the Code of the Incorporated Village of Floral Park.” This Local Law shall take effect immediately upon its filing with the Secretary of State.

DATED: June 28, 2024

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

INCORPORATED VILLAGE OF FLORAL PARK, NY

JOSEPH O’GRADY

VILLAGE CLERK

The resolution, a summary of which is published herewith, has been adopted on April 16, 2024, and an abstract thereof has been published and posted as required by law and the period of time has elapsed for the submission and filing of a petition for a permissive referendum and a valid petition has not been submitted and filed.

The validity of the obligations authorized by such resolution may be hereafter contested only if such obligations were authorized for an object or purpose for which the Village of Floral Park, in the County of Nassau, New York, is not authorized to expend money or if the provisions of law which should have been complied with as of the date of publication of this notice were not substantially complied with, and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity is commenced within twenty days after the date of publication of the notice, or such obligations were authorized in violation of the provisions of the constitution.

BOND RESOLUTION OF THE VILLAGE OF FLORAL PARK, NEW YORK, ADOPTED APRIL 16, 2024, AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS IN A PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED

$330,000 TO FINANCE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CONCRETE WALKWAY

CONNECTING TULIP AVENUE TO THE SPUR PARKING LOT, STATING THE ESTIMATED MAXIMUM COST THEREOF IS $330,000 AND APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT FOR SUCH

PURPOSE

The object or purpose for which the bonds are authorized is the construction of a concrete walkway connecting Tulip Avenue to the Spur parking lot, including any ancillary or related work required in connection therewith, at the estimated maximum cost of $330,000.

The period of probable usefulness of the bonds is ten (10) years.

The maximum amount of obligations authorized to be issued is $330,000.

A complete copy of the bond resolution summarized above shall be available for public inspection during normal business hours at the office of the Village of Floral Park, Village Hall, 1 Floral Boulevard, Floral Park, New York. Joseph O’Grady

Village Clerk

Dated: June 18, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE OF PERSONAL PROPERTY Notice is hereby given that GoodFriend Self-Storage facility located at: 119 South 3rd Street, New Hyde Park, NY 11040, will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on June 27, 2024 at 11:00am. Bid online at storageauctions.com.  This is a cash sale and all sales are final. Unit F105 – Johanna Perez

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF NASSAU AMERICAN ADVISORS GROUP, -againstVERNON THURMOND AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF HAZEL THURMOND AND AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF HAZEL THURMOND, ET AL.

NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Nassau on November 22, 2022, wherein AMERICAN ADVISORS GROUP is the Plaintiff and VERNON THURMOND AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF HAZEL THURMOND AND AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN OF HAZEL THURMOND, ET AL. are the Defendant(s).  I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE at the NASSAU COUNTY SUPREME COURT, NORTH SIDE STEPS, 100 SUPREME COURT DRIVE, MINEOLA, NY 11501, on August 1, 2024 at 2:00PM, premises known as 183 PARK AVE, GARDEN CITY PARK, NY 11040; and the following tax map identification:  33-164-0254. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD, COUNTY OF NASSAU AND STATE OF NEW YORK

Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 606924/2017. Jeffrey W. Halbreich, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

VILLAGE OF FLORAL PARK, NEW YORK LEGAL NOTICE

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Glen Cove broker gets 7 1/2 years

Donnelly said in a release that Quartararo has a history of defrauding investors. He had previously been barred from working as a stockbroker in March 2013 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

The scheme Quartararo was sentenced for started in July 2018 and continued through January 2021, according to the DA.

During those 2 ½ years, Quartararo met with the six victims and proposed to them preIPO stock in the high-profile companies for approximately $2 a share. He told them he would sell the shares and give the profits to the victims when the companies went public.

The amount each victim provided to Quartararo ranged from $14,000 to $202,000 in cash and checks to purchase the alleged preIPO shares.

The district attorney’s investigation found that Quartararo did not purchase any shares of stock in the pre-IPO companies. Instead, the checks and cash were deposited into accounts controlled by Leonard Quartararo, Peter Quartararo’s father; Paul Casella, Peter Quartararo’s business partner; and an uncharged individual.

The SEC confirmed that no shares of IPO stock in Peloton, WeWork, Airbnb or Petco were ever purchased by the defendant, accord-

ing to the district attorney’s press release.

Quartararo was arrested by Nassau County district attorney detective investigators in April 2021 and re-arrested in August 2021 on additional charges.

Co-defendant Paul Casella of East Meadow pleaded guilty to criminal facilitation in the fourth degree on Dec. 14. He was sentenced to a conditional discharge.

Co-defendant Leonard Quartararo, 80, pleaded guilty to criminal facilitation in the fourth degree on July 22, 2021. He was also sentenced to a conditional discharge.

Climate crisis poses economic threat

munities Investment Accelerator, and $7 billion for theSolar for All Program. Together, these investments are creating new clean energy job opportunities and reducing pollution in low-income and disadvantaged communities, as part of President Biden’sJustice40 Initiative.

generation and storage.The Departments of Energy and Transportation areworking togetherwith states to build out the infrastructure for an electric mobility future while furthering the Justice 40 Initiative.

Gateway Tunnel funding

Continued from Page 17

function twelve more years before work really begins and seventeen more years before work is completed?Phase One does nothing to increase Penn Station’s capacity. Phase 2, at an estimated cost of $22.2 billion, would bring the total cost of Gateway to $39 billion and add four new platforms and eight new tracks capable of accommodating 12-car trains.

The Treasury Department, through theCommunity Development Financial Institutions Fund(CDFI Fund), is promoting access to capital in low-income communities for projects related to climate resilience, extreme weather response or preparation, emission reduction, sustainability, energy or water efficiency, and clean energy projects.The Defense Department and the Small Business Administration are jointly rolling out theSmall Business Investment Company Critical Technologies Initiative to increase capital investment in technologies critical to U.S. economic and national security, including renewable energy

TheNational Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Programis providing $5 billion over five years to states to deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure along corridors, and theCharging and Fueling Infrastructure Programis providing $2.5 billion over five years to fill gaps in the national network by installing chargers in various communities. TheSMART Programis granting states $500 million over five years to conduct demonstration projects focused on advanced smart community technologies and systems that improve transportation efficiency and safety. And theCommunities Taking Charge Accelerator Programis providing $54 million in funding for projects that expand community e-mobility access and provide reliable clean energy, accelerating the transition to electric

vehicles, including in disadvantaged communities.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Energy are collaborating with state and local partners to ensure that funding for affordable housing development can also be used to deploy clean energy technologies like heat pumps. Programs like theGreen and Resilient Retrofit Program, the annual Innovative Housing Showcase, and theBuildings Upgrade Prizehighlight how funds for affordable housing can simultaneously benefit clean energy and climate companies.

The Administration launched aseriesofInvesting in America Workforce Hubs — partnerships with state and local officials, employers, unions, community colleges, high schools — to connect Americans to good-paying jobs. And the Labor Department launched an interactive mapto steer workers to the 1,000 clean energy projects are nationwide.

The dollars for climate action make sense. Continued from Page 16

Any detailed budget, funding sources and timetable for implementation of Phase 2 is a decade or more away.You would have to see substantial completion of Phase One, which may not occur until 2040, depending upon if they can keep to the agreed project implementation schedule of the FFGA before major construction gets underway.

According to the getsAunderwayManagement Oversight Independent Engineering consultant report, the $39 billion Gateway Tunnel project was already two years behind schedule.

The report predicts a completion date of 2040. The Gateway Development Commission that same year promised a completion date of 2038.When it comes to Gateway, Amtrak, NJ Transit and Metro North Rail Road Port Jervis and Pascack Valley commuters, potential future riders, taxpayers, motorists paying tolls and public officials — buyer beware!

Larry Penner Great Neck

Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously served as a former Director for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office of Operations and Program Management.

ADELPHI WINS TITLE

Ex-NHP, Mineola stars help lead way to D-2 championship

BY MICHAEL J. LEWIS

Every single day of the season, twice a day, the Adelphi men’s lacrosse team had to punch in a four-digit code to enter their Garden City locker room.

“0526” was what the Panthers agreed should be this year’s digit combo. Why?

Because May 26 was the date on the NCAA Division II schedule for the national championship game. And Adelphi’s players wanted the daily reminder that that’s where they expected to be. Where they needed to be.

“We manifested it to happen, because we’ve been so close for a few years now,” junior Nick O’Shea said. “So it was something that every day, we worked hard with that day in mind.”

And now, that date is going on some championship rings.

Thanks in part to two former local stars, the Panthers were indeed still playing on May 26. Competing at the mammoth Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, the home of the Eagles, Adelphi rallied from a four-goal second half deficit and beat Lenoir-Rhyne, 12-10.

Dylan Renner, the senior goalie for Adelphi who graduated from Mineola High School, was once again a star, making 15 saves in keeping the Panthers in the game, until the offense kicked into gear.

And junior O’Shea, who grew up in New Hyde Park, continued his solid season, taking nine faceoffs and playing all-around solid midfield for Adelphi, as it won its first national title since 2001.

“You talk about those two guys, and those are absolutely two of our biggest leaders on the team,” said Adelphi head coach Gordon Purdie.

“It’s so crazy to think that all the work we put in, it finally all paid off,” Renner said. “Eleven years before that day, almost to the day, I was in Philly, at that stadium watching the lacrosse championship game as a fan. So then to be there, with my team, and win it, it was just surreal. Totally surreal.”

Renner’s journey to becoming the best goalie in Division II began in Mineola, where he learned to love lacrosse at an early age. He had always been an attack, scoring goals, but a travel coach named Pat Welsh suggested to him when Renner was 9 that he switch to goalie.

“My Mom (Joy) was definitely against it; she said, ‘There’s no way he’s playing goalie; it’s too dangerous,'” Renner recalled with a laugh. “But Pat said to us, look, he’s going to be great; this is the best decision you’ll ever make in your life.

“I saw him last week at a Mineola alumni game, and he comes up to me and says “I was right, right?” Renner said. “And I said ‘absolutely you were!'”

“People say it’s crazy, playing goal, but I don’t think it’s crazy,” Renner continued. “Once you know the ball is rubber and it won’t hurt you that much, it’s fine.”

After one varsity season at Mineola (his senior year in 2020 was wiped out by Covid),

Renner went to LIU-Brookville and redshirted his freshman season.

Looking for a different challenge, he transferred to Adelphi and had the best defensive save percentage in the country in 2022. This year, Renner allowed only 7.70 goals per game.

“You don’t meet too many people like Renner, on or off the field,” O’Shea said. “He’s one of a kind. Such a great leader for us, always being positive, always being encouraging.“When he talks, everyone on the team listens.”

Purdie cited Renner’s accountability as a big part of his leadership.

“Players at all positions make mistakes over the course of a game, and no one notices, but when a goalie makes a mistake, it stands out,” Purdie said. “Dylan always is the first player to take responsibility, and he inspires the other kids to be their best.”

O’Shea was born and raised in New Hyde

Park but played varsity for five seasons at Sewanhaka, where he was zoned to go to school.

He was familiar with Adelphi from going to basketball camps there as a kid, and he was recommended to Purdie and Adelphi by legendary NYIT coach Jack Kaley, who passed away in 2021.

“I knew that the standards were really high at Adelphi, and I loved that everyone knew we could win a championship,” O’Shea said. “And since I’ve gotten here, everybody was committed to that goal.”

O’Shea has played a variety of positions for the Panthers, including faceoff man and offensive middie, before becoming a defensive middie this season. He scored six goals and added three assists in 2024.

Purdie reached for a chess analogy to describe his importance.

“In lacrosse sometimes you need a rook,

or a knight, to do one specific thing, but Nick became a Queen for us, doing everything we needed him to do, and multiple positions for us and all very well.”

The championship game was full of drama for Adelphi; having lost to the North Carolina school earlier in the year, the Panthers knew they’d have a tough battle. Trailing by two at the half, then by four, 8-4 in the third, Adelphi rallied to pull away.

Now, their rings, with the inscription “0526” on them, will be presented to the players at a ceremony in late September.

For Renner, who will return for one more year as a super senior, and O’Shea, the moments after the game are unforgettable.

“Those 30 minutes after the game were the best moments of my life,” O’Shea said. “Everyone was so emotional, so tired, but so happy.”

PHOTO BY ADELPHI/COSMIC FOX MEDIA

Nick O’Shea, who grew up in New Hyde Park, celebrates with the championship trophy after he and Adelphi won the D-2 title on May 26 in Philadelphia.