Roslyn 2023_01_27

HEALTH, WELLNESS AND BEAUTY

PAGES 21-24

TOWN POSTPONES VOTE ON MANHASSET SEWER PLAN

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Santos changes story on source of funds

Modifies federal filing to show $500K less in questioned personal loan

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Republican U.S. Rep. George Santos filed new campaign disclosure reports Tuesday that changed the source of a $500,000 loan previously claimed as “personal funds.”

Financial disclosure reports Santos filed following the November election showed an outstanding balance of $630,000 on loans from his personal funds. He had originally listed a $705,000 loan to his campaign.

Filings on Tuesday showed that $500,000 in loans were not listed from his personal funds and did not specify where the loan originated.

Money Santos listed as a loan in his campaign filings and its source have been questioned in complaints filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Santos’ campaign lawyer Joe Murray, told Newsday that “Due to the FEC complaints it would be inappropriate to comment on an open investigation.”

Efforts to reach a representative from Santos’ Congressional office for comment were unavailing.

Santos faces a pair of new complaints filed by a watchdog group and two of his Democratic colleagues from New York.

The Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit organization that aims to

advance democracy through the law, questioned the newly-elected congressman’s influx of wealth after reporting a salary of $55,000 in 2020 to $750,000 in 2022 and $1 million to $5 million in dividends.

The organization also called the congressman’s $705,000 loan to his campaign into question, claiming he falsified reports on nearly 40 expenditure filings under $200.

The center filed the complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Monday and to the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Democratic U.S. Reps. Ritchie Torres and Daniel Goldman filed a complaint with the House Ethics Committee on Tuesday for allegedly violating the Ethics in Government Act, saying the Republican must be held accountable for deceiving voters and Congress.

The Ethics in Government Act, officials said, was created to “preserve and promote the integrity of public officials and institutions,” which Torres and Goldman believe Santos has failed to adhere to. The two described financial reports submitted in 2020 and 2022 as “sparse and perplexing” in the complaint.

Torres (NY-15) said during a news conference in Long Island on Tuesday

Continued on Page 34

LURVEY, DESENA CLASH ON DEPARTMENT GAINS

YEAR OF THE RABBIT IN ROSLYN

Roslyn Middle School hosted Lunar Year celebrations on Friday, Jan. 20. Students were treated to a wide buffet of Asian cuisine and had the opportunity to try character painting and lantern making.

Finally, first trains run to Grand Central Madison

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

The Long Island Rail Road will begin running trains into Grand Central Madison Wednesday as part of the MTA’s East Side Access Proj-

ect following the postponement of the December 2022 opening that had been promised for at least five years.

The first train will leave Jamaica at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday and is

expected to arrive at Grand Central Madison by 11:07 a.m., officials said. The ride will be the culmination of the $11.1 billion project that took 15 years to construct.

Continued on Page 35

PHOTO COURTESY OF CYNTHIA YOUNKER

Town Dems cite outstanding questions on $3.1M grant

BY BRANDON DUFFY

A tense North Hempstead Town Board meeting Tuesday night saw a vote postponed to allocate $3.1 million from the town’s general fund to the capital fund for the Manhasset Sewer Conversion Project and reappointment of one member to the town’s Board of Ethics.

The four-and-a-half-hour meeting included an hour-long discussion centered around whether or not to wait for more information from the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District or show a commitment to the project and allocate the funds now.

North Hempstead Board of Ethics Chair Joseph Sciame was also reappointed to a four-year term ending on Dec. 31, 2026. Another resolution to appoint Rachel Fox, of Port Washington, was voted down 3-3 in a party-line vote, with Democrat Councilmember Mariann Dalimonte abstaining.

The 4-3 party-line vote to postpone the resolution to the March 14

meeting followed an original vote in which Democrats abstained before motioning to both reconsider the vote and postpone it.

Postponing the resolution keeps it on the agenda and can be voted on again at any meeting, as opposed to tabling it which would need a majority vote to bring it to the foor again.

“Allocating a portion of the town’s remaining ARPA funds to leverage the existing funds that are in place for the Manhasset Sewer Conversion Project will fnally push it over the line to completion,” Republican North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said at the beginning of discussions.

Democrat Councilmember Veronica Lurvey said, along with the three other members of the majority on the board, that she is a longtime supporter of the project and wants to see its completion, but wants more answers to understand the specifc amount of money left to complete the project, among other things.

Last year, state Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti (D-Port Washington) and

then-state Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-North Hills) secured a $5 million grant for the project.

Lurvey said Tuesday night the district wrote a letter to the board saying after a fnancial analysis, the grant would likely be sufcient to cover the installation of a low-pressure sewer main for the commercial section of Plandome Road.

“This is a good project and the ARPA funds are uniquely suited for a project like this,” Lurvey said. “But there are still many unanswered questions about the project.”

Lurvey continued that a letter was sent to the district with a list of questions to answer ahead of a Feb. 6 meeting with members of the town board. The questions, she said, relate to the overall cost and funding of the project and the costs of businesses to connect, among other things.

“I really hope we can move forward, but I don’t think we are in the position to allocate the funds right now,” Lurvey said.

Continued on Page 34

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volunteers, community support

Glen Cove Animal Shelter needs help Seeks

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Glen Cove Animal Shelter needs volunteers to assist in walking their dogs, socializing the cats, helping clean, raising funds, writing grants and doing research, and it is asking the community to step in.

The shelter, which services the city of Glen Cove, houses both cats and dogs that have been surrendered by the community’s residents. It is small – currently housing eight dogs with a large outdoor play area and 50 cats in a cage-free environment – yet open seven days a week.

“We’re really interested in them having a comfortable place while they look for their forever home,” Kathy Norcia, the shelter’s director, said. “I’ve been here a long time, and my purpose is to maintain the shelter as best I can to provide for these animals. It’s important that they have the care and love that every animal deserves.”

The Glen Cove Animal Shelter is operated by Cove Animal Rescue, a 501(c)3 not-for-proft charity that began in March 2015.

Norcia said that many community members do not know that

the Glen Cove Animal Shelter exists, which the center can achieve through the help of volunteers. The shelter has also seen a decline in support since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The shelter closed at the beginning of the pandemic, yet since reopening has experienced a decline in donations and overall support by the community, Norcia said.

“Because we are small, it is sometimes difcult for people to even realize that we’re here,” Norcia said.

The shelter needs more consistent volunteers, she said, specifcally adults with a variety of skills and abilities as volunteers under the age of 18 are limited in the help they can provide the shelter.

Junior volunteers, or those 16 years of age, can work with the cats, whereas volunteers must be 18 years or older to work with the dogs. Volunteers ages 14 to 16 can volunteer but must have a parent or legal guardian to accompany them.

Continued on Page 35

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE GLEN COVE ANIMAL SHELTER

EDITORIAL:

Brandon Duffy 516-307-1045 x215 • bduffy@theisland360.com

Manhasset Times: Robert Pelaez 516-307-1045 x203 • rpelaez@theisland360.com

Roslyn Times: Brandon Duffy 516-307-1045 x215 • bduffy@theisland360.com

Williston Times: Brandon Duffy 516-307-1045 x215 • bduffy@theisland360.com

Port Washington Times: Robert Pelaez 516-307-1045 x203 • rpelaez@theisland360.com

PHOTO BY BRANDON DUFFY

Robert Donno speaks to the North Hempstead Town Board regarding the Manhasset Sewer Conversion Project.

New charges for Ex-Schechter employee

David Ostrove now accused of illegally trying to sell selling presidential memorabilia

BY BRANDON DUFFY

An ex-employee from the Schechter School of Long Island who was fred last summer after being charged with money laundering has also been charged with trying to illegally sell presidential memorabilia.

West Islip resident David Ostrove, 51, pleaded not guilty to one count of second-degree criminal contempt and three counts of unlawful disposition of assets subject to forfeiture Wednesday.

Ostrove allegedly attempted to sell three items of historical signifcance and beneft from the proceeds, a violation of a court order preventing so, prosecutors said.

On Dec. 10 Ostrove entered a consignment contract with SMR Collectibles in Amityville to sell a check signed by President Benjamin Harrison, an 1867 warrant letter by President Andrew Johnson and a John Wilkes Booth 1863 Playbill, according to documents.

The three items have approximate estimated values of $8,000, $2,000 and $4,500 respectively according to court documents.

A July 2022 court order prohibited Ostrove from selling any property to recover the $8.4 million he is accused of stealing from the Williston Park school.

Ostrove, who is currently out on a $2 million bond, allegedly stole millions from the school to purchase homes on Fire Island and pay for his daughter’s college tuition, the Sufolk County District Attorney’s Ofce said last July.

He allegedly used the school’s PayPal and

Stripe accounts to transfer funds into a personal PayPal account between March 2014 and April 2022, ofcials said.

Ostrove then transferred the stolen funds

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into various other bank accounts that had him listed as the sole account holder, according to the DA.

Ostrove is accused of using the stolen funds

to purchase fve homes on Fire Island between 2018 and 2021 by utilizing fve diferent shell corporations to do so, the authorities said.

More than $1.4 million in stolen funds were allegedly used to renovate the Fire Island properties, resulting in Ostrove receiving roughly $600,000 in rental income, ofcials said.

He also purchased two Mercedes Benz vehicles, a 1965 Mustang, a 2021 Lincoln Navigator and collectible coins with the stolen funds, the DA’s ofce said.

Ostrove also used the stolen funds to fnance his daughter’s college tuition and make home equity payments on his West Islip home.

Ostrove, who spent 11 years at the school and served as its chief fnancial and technology ofcer and director of operations, is charged with frst-degree grand larceny and frst-degree money laundering. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of up to 25 years in prison, according to a release.

John LoTurco, Ostrove’s attorney, said in a statement at the time that his client “adamantly denies” the charges handed down by the district attorney’s ofce.

“In the meantime, we will closely scrutinize the district attorney’s evidence and fnancial records by retaining an independent forensic auditor to assess the accuracy of the prosecutor’s claims,” LoTurco said. “It should be noted that Mr. Ostrove is presumed innocent, has no prior arrests, and has the love and support of his family who is endeavoring to post the disappointing exorbitant bail set by the court today.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

A West Islip man charged with stealing millions from the Schechter School of Long Island in Williston Park has been charged with unlawfully selling presidential memorabilia.

Natiss blames burglaries on bail reform

North Hills mayor cites changes to state law in response to concerns about recent crimes

BY JOSEPH D'ANDREA

Mayor Marvin Natiss took aim at state bail reform legislation in response to concerns about crime in North Hills during the town’s village hall meeting Wednesday.

“Fortunately we haven’t had that many burglaries,” said Natiss. “But even one is too many. The real issue is bail reform because [the people who broke into The Links] were caught, and were out the next day.”

Natiss’ responded to questions raised by Leonard Licari, speaking on behalf of the Gracewood Community, which experienced a recent burglary that was similar to ones in the RitzCarlton Residences and The Links.

“I think we need to think outside of the box in order to harden our defenses, so to speak,” Licari said. “You’re the leaders of our community—what can we do?”

Since bail reform is a state issue, the mayor said, “my friends who are judges in the district court no longer have judicial discretion if somebody has [several prior convictions]. If it’s not a violent crime, he has to let them walk without bail.”

Natiss called on the police to provide more coverage of communities hit by burglaries and said bail reform has been left to the perception of law enforcement.

“[The police] are short-handed to begin with,” he said. “And because of bail reform, there is less respect for the police and more [of-

ficers] are retiring early. It’s a sad state of affairs in my humble opinion.”

The state eliminated cash bail for misdemeanors and non-violent felonies at the end of

2019. The Legislature approved changes to give judges more discretion in the spring of 2020 and again in 2022.

Nassau County saw crime soar 41% in 2022

driven by property crimes. The rate exceeded both Suffolk County, which recorded a 15% rise and New York City, which had a 22% increase.

Studies conducted by the state and news media companies have concluded that bail reform has not been a significant cause of the rise of crime in New York in the past two years.

Natiss said creating a village police department would be too costly to taxpayers. He went on to outline the existing security additions that have been made to reduce the few incidents that occur in these communities.

“[The Links’ board] approved exterior lighting, so from the top of all of the units, there are now floodlights going down into the backyards of all of the homes,” he said. “We would not have a problem giving [Gracewood] a higher fence, as long as it doesn’t have barbed wire.” In addition to lighting, the board has worked on a guide of Nassau County’s crime prevention tips for town presidents, encouraging a distribution of the information to residents.

The mayor said he would personally engage with the commissioner of the Nassau County Police Department, Patrick Ryder, as well as the County Executive Bruce Blakeman, to address these issues.

“Anything you want to do within your community,” Natiss told Licari, “you have this board’s cooperation. We want to keep this community safe.”

Lisa Rosario, the property manager at

Continued on Page 35

“William, you were always my hero. I wanted to be just like you, but I didn't play football or basketball like 'The Will', just didn't have your touch. I enjoyed watching you and was always proud to be your brother. Never does a day go by that I do not think of you. What would it be like to be able to call you. I have told my daughters about you letting me drive Mom and Dad’s new car around Tarboro although I was only 14 years old. October 2, 1970, Daddy’s birthday and the day that changed my life. You were my hero before Nam and you are still and one day I hope to walk with you again. I Love you. Mike”

was forever changed by their loss Help

those who sacr ificed all in Vietnam

PHOTO BY JOSEPH D’ANDREA.

North Hills Village Board meet on Wednesday.

Port resident Mullins pleads guilty to fraud

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Edward Mullins, the former head of the NYPD’s Sergeants Benevolent Association and a Port Washington resident, pleaded guilty to defrauding the 13,000-member union of $1 million on Thursday, federal ofcials announced.

Mullins, who was charged with wire fraud in February 2022, admitted to his involvement in a scheme to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Sergeants Benevolent Association by submitting falsifed expense reports.

Around September 2017, ofcials said, Mullins defrauded the association by using his personal credit card to pay for various luxury items and meals at high-end restaurants before submitting the infated expense reports for reimbursement.

In one instance, ofcials said, Mullins submitted an expense report to the association’s treasurer for a $3,000 meal at a Manhattan restaurant, when the meal had no relevance to police work. Mullins also rarely included receipts when seeking reimbursements, according to offcials.

Mullins was ultimately reimbursed for more than $1 million, a majority of which was fraudulently obtained, ofcials said.

“Edward Mullins promised to look out for the thousands of hard-working NYPD Sergeants who are members of the SBA,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said. “Instead, as admitted today in federal court, he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from them to fund his lavish lifestyle.”

Mullins earned more than $220,000 from his job at the NYPD in 2020, according to public data. The Sergeants Benevolent Association manages a $264 million retirement fund and its 13,000 members make it the ffth-largest police union in the nation, according to the group’s website.

Mullins, who served as a member of the NYPD since 1982, assumed his role as president of the police union on July 1, 2002. FBI agents

raided the union’s Manhattan ofce and his Port Washington home in September 2021.

Mullins was also docked more than $31,000 for comments he made about two government ofcials and for tweeting arrest information about former New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s daughter. Mullins was docked 70 vacation days after being found guilty of administrative charges the same day his resignation became offcial.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board, which tried the case regarding the language Mullins used about the two ofcials, former Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot and U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, wanted him fred.

Mullins said he felt the need to speak out against Barbot last year when she reportedly denied a request from a former Police Department chief to provide ofcers with protective equipment.

Mullins also said he spoke out against Torres, an openly gay person who was in the midst of a campaign for public ofce because he had accused ofcers of engaging in a work slowdown that resulted in an uptick in murders and shootings.

Ofcials also said Mullins was found guilty of publicizing the information about the arrest of de Blasio’s daughter, Chiara, at a demonstration in 2020 over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Mullins argued that the information in the report he tweeted was already posted online.

Mullins’ one count of wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He is required to forfeit $600,000 to the United States and make an additional $600,000 restitution payment to the union.

Mullins’ attorney Thomas Kennif told reporters that his client “acknowledged he’s wrong, accepted responsibility, and we’re hopeful the judge will treat him fairly at sentencing.”

His sentencing is anticipated to take place on May 25, according to multiple reports.

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Former NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association President Edward Mullins, a resident of Port Washington, pleaded guilty to wire fraud on Thursday.

DeSena, Lurvey clash on where credit is due

Board members differ on who deserves praise for building department’s improved response time

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Republican North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and Democrat Town Council Member Veronica Lurvey are in agreement that response times and the approval processes of the North Hempstead Building Department have improved in recent months.

But the two disagree over who deserves the credit.

Lurvey attributed the improvement in a press release to the installation of Citizenserve, an online system implemented under ex-Supervisor Judi Bosworth before she stepped down in January 20212

The system allows building department applications to be submitted electronically.

“The Town of North Hempstead is proud to report a substantial improvement in response times and approval processes by the Building Department, ” Lurvey said. “Statistics show that investments made in the Building Department by the Town Board under the leadership of former Supervisor Judi Bosworth are resulting in a dramatic reduction in the time needed to review building plans and issue permits.”

North Hempstead was the first municipality in the state to use Citizenserve, which provides online Building Department services for residents and can be accessed at www.mytonh.com.

The platform’s first phase was launched in November 2020 under Bosworth before being completed the same month the following year.

The average time in 2019 to receive a build-

ing permit was 133 days, which has since been cut in half to 60 days, Lurvey said.

“Our residents bank online, shop online, and now they can submit and review their building permits online, too. As we look back on the last three years, we are seeing the results of years of investment into efficiency and accountability

initiatives at the Building Department,” Lurvey said. “Sometimes it takes time to harvest the fruits of our investment, and I’m so pleased by what the statistics are showing. We continue to look for ways to improve.”

Lurvey was supported by Building Commissioner John Niewender.

“Citizenserve has really enabled us to review and process applications faster than ever before,” said Niewender in a statement. “We are truly seeing the results of years of reforms and hard work. While there is still work to be done, the numbers don’t lie – we’ve come a long way.”

Most of the 5,298 applications filed in 2022 were processed in just over a month, Lurvey said.

DeSena did not comment on Lurvey’s claims about Citizenserve’s impact on the building department’s performance but credited building department improvements on an audit she asked Nassau Comptroller Elaine Philips’ office to conduct.

The audit, which is still underway, includes an examination of its operations and procedures, internal control environment, performance monitoring and regulator compliance.

“Due to the scrutiny I added to our Building Department after initiating a Nassau County Comptroller audit, employees in the Building Department are seemingly working harder than ever before to clear their months-long backlog. But there is still a lot of work to be done,” DeSena said in a statement to Blank Slate Media in response to Lurvey’s release. “I’m hopeful that the results of the independent audit will further identify the department’s deficiencies, so I can continue to hold our workforce accountable and deliver for the people of North Hempstead.”

Brian Devine, the spokesman for the supervisor, was critical of Lurvey’s release and Niewender’s comments.

Continued on Page 38

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISOR

Democrat Councilmember Veronica Lurvey says the North Hempstead Building Department has seen substantial improvements in response times.

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Hofstra prez raises casino concerns

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Hofstra University President Susan Poser has expressed concerns surrounding the proposed entertainment destination and casino at the Nassau Coliseum by Las Vegas Sands.

Officials from the casino and resort company said they entered into agreements to purchase the long-term lease of the area home to the Coliseum and, if approved, would be in control of up to 80 acres of property in Nassau known as the Nassau Hub.

Poser, the president of the university directly adjacent to the Coliseum, wrote in a guest essay to Newsday that a casino would exacerbate traffic, contribute to addiction and mental health tendencies in college-age students and would not guarantee an increase in revenue to the area.

“A casino at the Hub is not about the future, and it would not be an engine for economic and social prosperity,” Poser said in the essay. “It would be dangerous for adjoining neighborhoods, and create a nightmare of traffic and pollution, not to mention anti-social behaviors that often crop up around casinos.”

Poser agreed with former university President Stuart Rabinowitz’s stance on how impactful a revitalized Nassau Hub can be for the community while sharing his concerns brought up to Newsday in 2010 of a casino providing “short-term revenue, and long-term problems.” She also emphasized Hofstra’s interest to aid in the local community’s success in other ways outside of the casino.

“Hofstra has a vested interest in our community’s success,” Poser said. “The Hub offers an opportunity for mixed-use development that could create economic opportunity through research, innovation and office space, and answer Gov. Kathy Hochul’s call to build more affordable housing on Long Island.”

Hofstra is one of two colleges that directly border the Nassau Hub, with Nassau Community College located directly North of it.

Maria Conzatti, acting president of Nassau Community College, said she looked forward to hearing more about the Sands’ proposal.

“Nassau Community College’s advantageous lo-

cation within the center of Nassau County provides students with convenient access to internships and career opportunities right within our educational community,” Conzatti said.

The wide array of students’ skill sets, she said, includes education in the culinary arts, hospitality management and cybersecurity sectors, to name a few.

Robert Goldstein, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands, said Long Island has the makings of being a destination to showcase the company’s work to positively impact the community.

“Our company’s track record of driving significant economic benefits to the communities in which we operate and the meaningful relationships and partnerships we have created in each of those communities gives us a unique perspective on what it takes to develop transformative tourism destinations that positively impact the local community,” Goldstein said in a statement.

The $4 billion proposal includes a gambling casino, pending approval from the state, four and five-star hotel rooms, outdoor community areas and a “world-class live performance venue” that appropriately reflects the Coliseum’s history.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said he would not have been in support of simply proposing a casino, an idea that has failed on previous occasions in the county.

Sands officials also said the proposal for an entertainment destination would still move forward even if the state did not approve the casino.

Kevan Abrahams, the Nassau County Legislature’s minority leader, said he has been in touch with some who oppose the idea of having a casino at the site of the Coliseum, but also expressed his interest in learning more about what Sands plans to do with the space.

“As this process unfolds during the next several months, it is imperative for Sands Resorts to conduct extensive community outreach and then incorporate the feedback they receive into their proposal,” Abrahams said. “I’ve heard from many residents that oppose the casino aspect, and although I agree with that sentiment based on past casino projects, it’s important to listen to everyone so we can move forward together with all perspectives in mind.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

Hofstra University President Susan Poser expressed concerns with the proposed casino at the Nassau Coliseum site.

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Hochul housing plan would require rezoning

Within a half-mile of Metropolitan Transportation Authority rail stations targeted

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Local governments would have three years to rezone areas within a half-mile of Metropolitan Transportation Authority rail stations, including the Long Island Rail Road, under Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed housing plan.

During her State of the State address Jan. 10 Hochul unveiled her plan to build 800,000 new homes over the next decade to address the state’s housing shortage. Included in the New York Housing Compact are local participation requirements and incentives to achieve housing growth along with requiring municipalities with MTA stations to rezone for higher-density residential development.

A Newsday poll of 2,910 Long Islanders showed that 43.7% were in favor of increased housing near transit hubs, while 38.6% were pleased with the current amount. A total of 17.6% of participants said they would like to see less housing near transit hubs.

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said Hochul’s plan would convert the suburban areas of Nassau County into New York City.

“This housing plan will turn Nassau County into NYC and allow NY State to unilaterally food our communities with thousands of apartment and high-density zoning,” DeSena said in a statement. ”This proposal is unacceptable, not consistent with the character of our communities, and it will negatively impact trafc, water and sewers, emergency services, and overcrowd our schools.”

Nassau and Sufolk Counties would be required to grow housing stock by 3% every three years along with downstate areas such as Westchester and Putnam Counties, while upstate New York would be required to grow by 1%.

“Putting forth a plan like this without input from local municipalities tells us that Gov. Hochul is more interested in meeting goals than working with the people directly afected by this housing plan,” DeSena said. “Together we’ll fght to maintain local control, not Hochul control.”

In 2022, Hochul rolled out a $25 billion, fve-year housing plan aimed at creating and preserving 100,000 afordable homes through-

out New York, 10,000 of which would have support services for vulnerable populations.

Hochul also called last year for changing zoning laws for Accessory Dwelling Units, which include basements, attics and garages, and was criticized by Long Island ofcials.

Proponents of the legislation have claimed establishing ADUs could help senior citizens on fxed incomes remain in their homes, enable younger people to aford homes and be a new source of income for homeowners who live in high-cost areas.

Local ofcials in Great Neck said they feared that the anti-development crowd prominent

in some villages could deter individuals from wanting to build in their municipalities during a December meeting of the peninsula’s village ofcials association.

Village of Great Neck Mayor Pedram Bral and other elected ofcials said they have heard concerns from residents about increased trafc as a result of increased residential or mixed-use development. Great Neck Estates Mayor William Warner said residential units generate less trafc than retail.

Village of Great Neck Plaza Mayor Ted Rosen said his community has faced opposition to a proposed 12-unit structure, not because of

taxes but due to the burden the building would present for the school district.

Rosen said the idea of transit-oriented developments is something villages and residents need to adapt to so that retail developers want to set up shop in Great Neck and true downtown revitalization in a more technological shopping age can be achieved.

“We were probably one of the frst villages in Nassau County to adopt transit-oriented development where you give incentives to landlords of retail buildings so they can build up,” Rosen said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Herricks ed board OKs ’23-’24 calendar

BY REMY WANG

The Herricks Board of Education approved the next school year’s calendar last week.

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Dina Maggiacomo drafted the calendar before Superintendent Tony Sinanis had others review it and made sure the number of days of school complied with the New York State Requirements.

The frst day of school will be Sept. 5 after Labor Day and there will be breaks from classes in December, February and April.

Student representative Athul Santosh said that the Herricks school district is currently selling tickets for the Winter Ball.

Sinanis also announced that the week of January 23 is midterms week for Herricks High School.

The 8th-grade boys basketball team was recognized for fnishing an undefeated season

PHOTO BY BRANDON DUFFY

North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena speaks in Manhasset alongside elected officials against a recent housing proposal made by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

PHOTO BY REMY WANG

The Herricks Board of Education gives their reports during the Jan. 19 meeting.

Brighter outlook for Mineola’s budget

BY JOSEPH D'ANDREA

The Mineola Board of Education gave a cautiously optimistic update on its budget and capital projects last Thursday at the January meeting and reported a decline in the school district’s debt.

Andrew Casale, assistant superintendent for Business and Operations for Mineola Public Schools, pointed out that the district’s debt is down 5% “due to one bus lease rolling off and no purchase this year.” He also mentioned a projected increase from $3.3 million to $3.5 million in Payment In Lieu Of Taxes.

“Looking ahead at the budget outlook in the district, we did just settle three of our five contracts. We had three unsettled contracts that we just recently settled this year, so that of course is looking ahead into 2023’s and 2024’s budget, and will obviously be an increase.”

Casale continued: “As we’ve highlighted over the last several meetings, we really got walloped with the health insurance rates this January and our health bill is over $200,000

[more] per month. And, of course, we need to account for projected increases for next January as well because the trend continues to be pretty significant in the healthcare market.”

Also noted was the increasing cost for garbage and utilities, such as fuel for buses. Dr. Michael P. Nagler, superintendent of schools for the Mineola Union Free School District, spoke on the board’s expectations.

“In spite of all these increases, we do expect some increases in revenue that are going to offset this. But we can’t always expect increases in revenue to offset things, so we need to be prudent in what we propose.”

Following up with June’s first set of bids for Mineola Middle School’s new gym addition, the board had opened bids again on Jan. 6, but the results returned in disappoint-

Continued on Page 40

Three injured in N. State collision

BY BRANDON DUFFY

The driver of a MercedesBenz that overturned following a crash on the Northern State Parkway is in serious condition, police said.

On Jan. 20, Anthony Rosati, 64, of Nesconset, was driving eastbound on the parkway in a 2004 Mercedes Benz when it struck a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder near Exit 32, police said.

The Mercedes-Benz over-

turned while the two passengers in the pathfinder were taken to Nassau University Medical Center with non-lifethreatening injuries.

Rosati was also taken to the Nassau University Medical Center in serious condition.

PHOTO BY JOSEPH D’ANDREA

Mineola Superintendent Michael Nagler during last week’s meeting.

Impact of debt ceiling on housing prices

Part 2

We reached our debt spending limit last week and hopefully have enough money to pay our current debts (not new ones). Congress has approximately until June to be able to raise our debt limit; otherwise, the U.S. will be in default on our obligations to pay our bills — an event that has never occurred.

In 2011, when similar issues arose, the credit-rating agency, Standard & Poor’s downgraded the credit rating of the U.S. government for the first time in its history, although Moody’s and Fitch kept the higher AAA ratings because they felt we were headed in the right direction but were very concerned about our future debt.

Unfortunately, at this point in time, the Republicans are refusing to increase our debt limit unless there are considerable reductions in Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and other appropriations and budget considerations already in effect. But what about the military, which they are always in favor of increasing? As one of his concessions to becoming speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy agreed to a 10-year spending limit for the military based on its 2022 budget

that could lead to a 10% decrease in funding. The GOP also wanted to defund the IRS by $80 billion.

The Democrats including President Biden say social benefits are off the table and are totally against this action. So for now they are at an impasse and nothing will get accomplished even though they have some time to figure out an agreement. Most will go about their daily lives not truly understanding what will happen unless the full Congress authorizes the increase in our national debt limit.

In 2023 consumer spending will surely decrease with the continued effects of inflation, layoffs, lost businesses, and high-interest rates. Although local real estate has done fairly well with the current demand during these inflationary times, the lag effect and the time it takes for a greater shock haven’t been totally felt just yet. Unless rates come down and inventory increases, the impact on reduced sales will be felt, especially as demand decreases when individuals and families (millennials and Gen Zs) become less serious about buying and either stay where they are, go into affordable rentals, or leave NYS altogether.

Baby Boomers are also exiting to reduce their expenses, too. Last year New York State had a net loss of 180,000 people, the highest in the U.S., fleeing to less costly states, such as Florida and Texas, which had the greatest influx as well as Idaho, South Carolina, and South Dakota gaining population, too. Things will continue to digress this year unless there is a pivot in rates, which isn’t necessarily in the cards at the moment, where the scope

and intensity of the recession is still unknown. However, I believe the No. 1 advantage that many Long Island communities possess that keeps and enables those who can truly afford to stay is top-notch and highly ranked school districts. Other benefits are the cultural diversity, scenic beaches, and camping, hiking trails, and green spaces. Here are links to many more reasons why to live or move to Long Island.

Reasons Why People Move to Long Island

In order to keep more people from leaving, Democratic Gov. Hochul has recently proposed 800,000 additional units for middle-income individuals and families as well as lower-income qualified in and around New York City and especially on Long Island. To get this accomplished, usurping as needed local restrictive housing zoning regulations will be necessary.

Long Island Republicans have come out against this potential action, saying there are better ways to accomplish this ever-pressing situation. If so, I would like to know and look forward to when I can read or hear their plans as to what they would be considering as time is of the essence in our continuing dilemma of

lack of housing. This would hopefully stem the tide of those leaving the area.

The span from 2023 to 2025 will be pivotal years for housing and we need our answers today and not sometime in the future when it just may be too late for New York and Long Island.

Continue to Donate to the Ukrainian Crisis and save a life or 2:

IOM’s Ukraine Response OR The International Organization for Migration a 501(c) 3 Corporation: OR:http://donate.iom.int

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 40 years of experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S) as well as the new “Green Industry” Certification for eco-friendly construction and upgrades. 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

Phishing: A Real and Present Danger to Small Business

Phishing is a form of cyber fraud that uses bogus emails in order to lure victims to part with something of value, such as passwords and credit cards. It does this by mimicking a trusted sender, convincing an employee to click a link. This immediately installs malware like viruses and ransomware to the company’s network where it can access invaluable data.

Sandwire Technology Group fights back on behalf of its clients, small and midsize businesses (SMBs), with limited budgets. Our CyberSafe stack serves as a defensive shield, featuring:

• Email/data backup to retrieve and restore data

• Spam filtration, secure email platform

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven anti-phishing software

• Dark web monitoring/credential exposure protection

• Employee training with phishing tests and educational videos

President and Founder Sandwire Technology Group

Phishing emails are becoming increasingly difficult to spot, a trend that sees no end. Today, nearly every major data breach begins with a successful attack. Is your company protected?

Business&RealEstate

Behar elevated to co-chair of litigation group

Jarrett M. Behar, a partner at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman LLP , has been elevated to co-chair of the Litigation Practice Group.

He will work in both Hauppauge and East Meadow offices. He has vast litigation experience in the areas of real estate, commercial lending, construction, general contractual

disputes, land use, bankruptcy, intellectual property, professional liability defense matters and appellate practice in both federal and state courts.

He is the dean of the Suffolk Academy of Law, a director of Suffolk County Bar Association, and formerly co-chaired the Suffolk County Bar Association Transaction & Corpora-

tion Law Committee. For six years, he served as Vice President/Trustee of the Commack Union Free School District Board of Education.

Behar has authored articles in a myriad of publications including New York Law Journal Magazine and the Suffolk Lawyer.

He earned his juris doctor from

New York University School of Law and his bachelor of arts in political science from the University of Florida.

He is admitted to practice in New York and the Supreme Court of the United States, U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Northwell names top doc to lead oncology programs

Northwell Health has appointed Dr. Richard D. Carvajal, an internationally recognized clinician and researcher in melanoma and early-phase drug development, as deputy physicianin-chief and director of medical oncology at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute.

He also was named the R. J. Zuckerberg chair in Medical Oncology. Carvajal’s expertise includes the development of novel therapies for patients with melanoma and other cancers, with the goals of controlling and curing these diseases.

Prior to joining Northwell, Carvajal led the Developmental Therapeutics Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and then served as director of Experimental Therapeutics and director of the Melanoma Service at Columbia University Irving

Medical Center, as well as co-lead of the Precision Oncology and Systems Biology Program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center.

At the Northwell Cancer Institute, Carvajal will oversee medical oncology across Northwell’s cancer network, the largest in New York State, collaborating with the cancer institute’s other two deputy physician-in-chiefs who specialize in surgical and radiation oncology.

In this team structure, deputy physician-in-chiefs lead all cancer programs in their oncologic specialty, integrating and expanding the health system’s services with regional and hospital cancer leaders across New York City, Long Island and Westchester.

He also will help lead efforts for Northwell’s Cancer Institute to achieve National Cancer Insti-

tute designation as a Consortium with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

“Dr. Carvajal is an innovator in clinical care, immunotherapy and leading-edge research in the field of melanoma and other cancers,” said Dr. Richard Barakat, physician-in-chief and director of the Northwell Health Cancer Institute, and senior vice president of the health system’s service line. “We are very fortunate to have such an esteemed medical oncologist and cancer researcher join the Cancer Institute’s leadership team. Our colleagues are looking forward to closely working with Dr. Carvajal to help design new clinical trials and treatment options more quickly to help patients fighting not only melanoma but other complex cancers.”

At Northwell, Carvajal will see patients at the R. J. Zucker-

berg Cancer Center in Lake Success and Northwell’s Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital. He also will participate in clinical research at Northwell’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, with which Northwell has a strategic affiliation.

Carvajal will hold an academic title of professor of medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at

Hofstra/Northwell.

Carvajal received his medical degree from NYU Grossman School of Medicine and completed his fellowship in medical oncology/hematology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Carvajal’s research has been supported by the National Cancer Institute, the Food and Drug Administration, the Conquer Cancer Foundation, the Melanoma Research Alliance, the Melanoma Research Foundation and the Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program.

He has authored or co-authored more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, books and book chapters. Carvajal serves on the editorial board of six cancer journals and is an ad hoc reviewer for nearly 65 prestigious oncology and medical journals. He has received several awards in recog-

nition of his work, including the Louise and Allston Boyer Young Investigator Award and the Melanoma Research Foundation CURE OM Vision of Hope Award.

In addition, Carvajal has served as the co-chair of the International Rare Cancer Initiative Uveal Melanoma working group, a joint initiative between the National Cancer Institute, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, and the Cancer Research UK to enhance international collaboration in the conduct of clinical trials for uveal melanoma (arising from the eye).

With more than 400 physicians, Northwell Health Cancer Institute treats more than 19,000 cancer patients annually, more than any other provider in New York State. For an oncology appointment, please call 855-8588550.

Jerry Balentine has been appointed provost at New York Institute of Technology, adding to his existing role as executive vice president. He had been serving as interim provost since March 2022. Reporting to New York Tech President Henry C. “Hank” Foley, Balentine will continue to evaluate new opportunities for university growth and expansion, especially in the area of faculty research, as well as oversee strategic resource allocation, among other responsibilities.

“Since he assumed the role of interim provost nearly a year ago, Dr. Balentine has proven to be an effective, resourceful, and collaborative academic leader, dedicated to students, faculty, and staff, as well as to New York Tech’s strategic vision,” Foley said.

Balentine first joined the university in 1992, as an adjunct faculty member at New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine.

In 2009, he was named chair of the emergency medicine di-

vision within the Department of Clinical Specialties and in 2010, was appointed faculty associate in the Center for Global Health. In 2014, he became vice president for medical affairs and global health, later taking on the role of dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine.

During that time, NYITCOM grew its research output in several areas and added the university’s first Ph.D. program, a combined doctor of osteopathic medicine /doctor of philosophy degree in biological and medical

sciences.

Most recently, he served as interim provost, chief operating officer, and executive vice president.

Foley appointed Balentine as co-chair of New York Tech’s long-term strategic planning initiative in 2018, setting in motion a planning process to develop a Strategic Three-Year Action Plan to ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for the university.

Balentine’s career has included serving as chief medical officer and executive vice presi-

dent of St. Barnabas Hospital and Healthcare System in the Bronx, and as a hospital medical director, emergency department director, and residency director.

“I am honored and excited to continue my work at New York Tech and work with our faculty,

staff, and students to build on our tradition of education, innovation, and research,” Balentine said.

A graduate of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Balentine completed his internship at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Philadelphia and his emergency medicine residency at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center in the Bronx, where he also served as chief resident.

He earned his undergraduate degree from McDaniel College in Westminster, Md.

FCA names Carla DeFrancisco, VP, chief financial officer

FCA, a leading health and human services not-for-profit organization on Long Island, recently named Carla DeFrancisco, CPA, vice president and chief financial officer.

FCA President and CEO Jeffrey L. Reynolds, made the announcement on behalf of the organization.

“FCA is extremely fortunate to welcome a financial professional of Carla’s caliber to our management team,” said Reynolds. “Her expertise will help guide and support

our current and future initiatives as we strive to meet the evolving challenges of Long Island’s underserved communities. Equal to Carla’s skills is her dedication to our mission.”

In her role as vice president and chief financial officer, DeFrancisco will oversee all aspects of FCA’s finances, from budgeting and financial planning to preparing reports for the board of trustees. She will also develop policies and procedures as necessary to improve operations.

Her 25 years of experience in non-profit and government accounting includes close to two decades as CFO at the Syosset-based child welfare agency MercyFirst.

Prior to that she was a partner at the regional accounting firm Israeloff Trattner, in charge of the firm’s governmental and non-profit practice as well as the firm’s quality control.DeFrancisco has worked as a strategic partner with internal and external stakeholders and has collaborated with governmental entities in establishing accounting

protocols for financial reporting.

Throughout her career, she has worked in partnership with other CFOs to advocate for sufficient funding to support the missions of not-for-profit organizations.

“FCA is on a trajectory of growth to serve a broader population,” said DeFrancisco. “This requires vigilant oversight of a complex process working with various government entities, private funders and foundations, each with its own specifications that need to be managed. I believe peo-

ple who are underserved deserve opportunities that give them the tools to be able to thrive.”

DeFrancisco earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from C.W. Post Center of Long Island University and is a New York State Certified Public Accountant.

She is a member of the Nassau Chapter, New York Society of CPAs and the AICPA. A long-time resident of Long Island currently residing in Smithtown, DeFrancisco considers it a privilege to have joined FCA.

In addition to helping FCA grow, in her spare time, DeFrancisco enjoys spending time with her family and nurturing the gardens around their home.

Jerry Balentine appointed provost at New York Tech

Opinion

OUR VIEWS Editorial Cartoon

Stop the suburban fear-mongering talk

Nassau County’s three town supervisors came together last week at a press conference in Manhasset to oppose Gov. Hochul’s plan to add 800,000 new housing units across New York State in the next decade.

Hochul’s plan calls for every town, village and city in the state to set a target number of new homes to be built over a three-year period in an effort to combat the state’s housing shortage.

The plan places a particular emphasis on transit-oriented housing in Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties that have lagged behind other U.S. suburbs in approving new housing.

The potential benefits of this approach include greater use of public transit, reduced car traffic and greater housing choices, according to research published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

But the town’s three town supervisors, all Republicans, don’t agree with Hochul’s plan.

“We’re here to express our outrage at Gov. Hochul’s attempt to take the suburban dream and turn it into an urban nightmare,” Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin said.

For those keeping score at home, this is the fourth time in the past year that Nassau Republican county officials have said that the suburban dream was threatened by some state action.

1) The first time was in February when Hochul proposed legislation to require municipalities to allow a minimum of one accessory dwelling unit on all owner-occupied residential zoned lots in an effort to add 100,000 housing units.

2 The second came in June when two Democratic legislators from the suburbs proposed that local town and city elections outside of New York City should be held in November in even-numbered years.

3) The third claim was made in response to the MTA’s congestion pricing plan for Manhattan followed by Hochul’s plan for more housing.

Then President Trump used a similar appeal during the 2020 political cam-

paign when he said he would preserve the “Suburban Lifestyle Dream” by opposing low-income housing in all suburban neighborhoods.

His idea of the suburban dream, at least, appeared to rule out multi-family housing and, by inference, black and brown people.

But the claim that more transit-oriented housing would be the end of suburban living does not hold water.

Developers and government officials of both parties have long advocated building multi-family housing units near LIRR stations to retain downtown business districts.

And the 3% increase in housing called for by Hochul in Nassau would hardly endanger its suburban lifestyle unless you buy Trump’s definition.

Free-standing, single-family homes account for 75% of the housing stock in Nassau – the third highest rate among counties in the New York metropolitan area behind sparsely populated Pike County in eastern Pennsylvania and Suffolk County.

By comparison, in Westchester County single-family homes make up only 44 percent of the housing. In Bergen County, N.J., across the Hudson River from New York, that share is 52 percent. In Fairfield County, Conn., the single-family share is 57 percent.

Are people in Westchester, Bergen and Fairfield Counties not also living the suburban dream?

They maintain their suburban lifestyle while accepting mixed-use town centers, subdivisions of attached town homes and apartment blocks

If the three Nassau town supervisors have an alternative to transit-oriented housing to address the shortage, we’d like to hear about it.

Otherwise, they are merely calling for the county to raise the gangplank and leave the state’s housing problem to everyone else. This is a bad idea.

Nassau and Suffolk have trailed the rest of the metro area in creating new homes.

Among 32 counties in New York City and its suburbs, Suffolk ranked 32nd

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and Nassau ranked 31st in the number of housing permits issued from 2010 to 2020, according to a Regional Plan Association report last year.

This is at a time when New York leads the nation in population loss as Texas and Florida gain.

New York had both the greatest sheer population loss of about 180,000 people and relative population decrease of 0.9 percent last year. Comparatively, Texas led the nation in population gained at about 471,000 and Florida led the nation in relative population increase of 1.9%.

This kind of population loss emerged as one of the top issues during the gubernatorial campaign. U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-Long Island, who like many other Republicans attributed the exodus to high taxes, increasing government regulation and spiking crime rates.

“Gov. Hochul and elected officials should look at it as the ultimate job-performance barometer,” Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, a Republican, said during the campaign.

State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt, also a Republican, said “the greatest threat to New York State and our future viability is the loss of human capital.”

We agree.

What the Republican leaders did not mention was the possibility that the state lacking a place to live for 800,000 families and individuals might be playing even a

small role in the state’s loss of population.

But this scarcity of housing can be seen in raised rents and housing prices across the area, making places like Nassau too expensive for first-time home buyers and difficult for people looking to downsize who continue to live here.

“Hochul has noted the state has created 1.2 million jobs in the past decade but built only 400,000 new housing units,” Newsday reported. “More than half of renters statewide pay 30% or more of their income toward rent. On Long Island, home prices set records last summer, while the number of homes for sale remains close to the lowest it has been in at least 20 years.”

The lack of housing has also contributed to homelessness in the city and made it more difficult to staff businesses in Nassau.

The three supervisors also cited the loss of local control sought by Hochul.

Under this Hochul’s plan “New York State would be given a new power that would allow bureaucrats to unilaterally rezone suburban neighborhoods,” North Hempstead Town Supervisor JenniferDeSena said. “This proposal threatens to severely impact the quality of life of other communities.”

DeSena is correct that Hochul is calling on the state to take control of some zoning decisions.

If localities don’t meet a goal of a

3% increase in housing over three years and don’t take certain steps to remedy the issue, developers could appeal to a proposed State Housing Approval Board under her plan.

At that point, the state could greenlight mixed-income, multifamily proposals even if they don’t meet local zoning standards. Municipalities would have to object for health or safety reasons to defeat an appeal.

But DeSena’s alternative appears to be more of the same.

Zoning decisions at the moment are under the control of towns and villages.

While there may be many benefits to additional housing, the officials in the towns and villages answer to homeowners who now live there and actually benefit in the form of higher home values from the housing shortage.

The state asserting some control would add some balance to local zoning decisions. It is also not without precedent.

The state-mandated 2% cap on annual increases of local government tax levies has been wildly popular in Nassau even though it ties the hands of local officials in setting budgets.

There is a housing shortage in New York that needs to be addressed. It is well past time that Nassau County’s officials stopped with the fear-mongering and accepted their responsibility to be part of the solution, not the problem.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene declared, “We need to be the party of nationalism and I’m a Christian, and I say it proudly, we should be Christian nationalists.”

Faithful America, a Christian group dedicated to advancing social justice, gathered more than 15,000 signatures condemning U.S. Rep. Greene’s embrace of Christian nationalism as a prime concern for the Republican Party.

“The church is supposed to direct the government, the government is not supposed to direct the church,” avowed Rep. Lauren Boebert at Cornerstone Christian Center, a church nearby Aspen, Colo. “I’m tired of this separation of church and state junk.”

The governing board of the National Council of Churches condemned the teachings of the Christian nationalist movement and welcomes people of all faiths who are devoted to the common good.

I know little about Christian nationalism and thought it was time to learn more. What I do know, is that opposition to Christian nationalism is

neither opposition to Christianity nor anathema to American patriotism.

The Pew Research Center conducted a survey in October 2022. They asked 2,540 respondents about Christian nationalism. They found that most Americans know little about it.

What Pew did find was that “declaring the United States a Christian nation and ending federal enforcement of the separation of church and state are minority views among American adults.”

In December 2022, the House of Representatives Oversight Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties held its final hearing on the threat of white nationalism.

Amanda Tyler, co-organizer of “Christians Against Christian Nationalism,” testified that “Christian nationalism is not patriotism, a healthy love of country.”

“The Christian nation myth,” continued Ms. Tyler, “must downplay or ignore the role of indigenous communities, Black Americans, immigrant populations, religious minorities, secular Americans, and all others who undercut the false narrative that the U.S.

is special because it was founded by and for White Christians.”

The thin line between Christian nationalism and white supremacy is troubling.

As former president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund Sherrilyn Ifill points out, white supremacy is “used to manipulate elections, destroy public education, deny disaster relief, justify starving babies, poison communities,

destroy empathy, deny the truth, steal land, has the power to turn people into murderers and is an existential threat to our democracy.”

Christian nationalism is comfortable with authoritarian control, states Andrew Whitehead, reporting for TIME magazine on Sept. 26, 2022. He adds that “that includes the threat and use of violence and where non-white and non-natural born citizens are viewed as unworthy of full participation in American civic life.”

Increasingly, Americans who identify as Christian nationalists, driven by fear and the sense that Christians are victims of persecution, believe “they need to prepare to fight, physically, to preserve America’s identity, an argument that played into the January 6 riot,” explains Paul D. Miller in the Feb. 3, 2021 edition of “Christianity Today” magazine.

Katherine Stewart, who has reported on the Christian right for more than a decade, said of Christian nationalism, “theocracy is really not the end point. It’s sort of a means to an end, which is authoritarianism, [which is] the point of the plan.”

The Pew survey asked respondents: “In your own words, what does the phrase ‘Christian nationalism’ mean to you?” Following are responses that offer a snapshot of people’s level of understanding.

‘Using Christian beliefs and morals to guide political decisions’…’Bringing back the faith in God’…’Turning the country into a Christian and White society only’…’White supremacists and male superiority’…’Laws and all aspects of life be guided by biblical interpretation’…’It is a euphemism for racism and antisemitic fascism’…’a polite term for a Nazi sympathizer’.

Do we need to better understand Christian nationalism? In her House Committee testimony Amanda Tyler argued that we must.

“Understanding the political ideology and cultural framework of Christian nationalism is imperative,” Tyler said, “to both dismantling white supremacy and preserving religious freedom for all. Our belonging in American society must never depend on how we worship, what we believe or how we identify religiously.”

Hear, hear!

Better understanding Christian nationalism Gov. Kathy Hochul has political tin ear

When Kathy Hochul was sworn in as governor in August 2021, she was not prepared to assume that office.

That was by design. Andrew Cuomo, like his father, preferred inexperienced political nobodies as their lieutenant governors.

Why?

Mario Cuomo learned during his tenure as lieutenant governor that if the boss, in his case Gov. Hugh Carey, doesn’t care what you do, the lieutenant governor can travel the state and build a political network.

Between 1979 and 1981, that’s exactly what Mario did. He spent lots of time unearthing what was on the minds of upstate legislators and studying the issues that mattered to their constituents. He also organized, in every county, a cadre of Democrats loyal to him.

In 1982, his efforts paid off. He handily beat Mayor Ed Koch in the Democratic primary for governor.

The lesson the Cuomos took from that experience: never name a lieutenant governor who could pose a

threat.

That is why Kathy Hochul, a minor official from Buffalo, became Andrew’s lieutenant governor.

Serving as governor, Hochul has proven why she was chosen by Andrew: She has a political tin ear and is a weak executive.

In early 2022, for example, Hochul permitted Albany legislators to walk all over her during the budget negotiations. This happened despite the fact that the governor has primary responsibility for shaping the state’s financial policies with limited legislative meddling.

But Hochul failed to utilize that power and signed off on a bloated $220 billion budget that will haunt her and the taxpayers for the next four years.

Hochul may have won the November 2022 election, but she ran the most inept gubernatorial campaign in modern memory.

Spending a record-breaking $60 million, she barely won in a deep blue state.

Hochul failed to grasp that crime, not abortion, was the key campaign

issue. She was blind to the facts that New Yorkers were afraid to walk in their neighborhoods or to travel on mass transportation.

And she refuses to believe, to this day, that Albany’s cashless bail reform has contributed to the surge in crime—despite the evidence.

The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Riley recently noted that “last year 327 career criminals were respon-

sible for 30% of New York City’s 22,000 shoplifting arrests….” Over 70% of those criminals are still on the streets this month because the bail reform legislation protects most shoplifting suspects “from pretrial detention and judges aren’t permitted to consider a defendant’s danger to the community.”

Here’s another beaut: In December, the state Legislature held a lameduck session to approve a 29% pay increase for themselves.

With the median income of New Yorkers at $42,308, the part-time legislators will now be paid a whopping $142,000 annually.

The governor not only signed off on this ludicrous proposal, but she failed to get anything in return.

Even her hapless Republican predecessor, Gov. George Pataki, effectively traded in 1998 with the Democratic-controlled Assembly before agreeing to approve a raise for legislators.

He got charter schools despite the fierce opposition of the powerful teachers’ unions.

Pataki proved legislators will

agree to most anything to further line their pockets.

Worse yet has been Hochul’s handling of her nomination of Hector La Salle to be chief judge of the Court of Appeals—the state’s highest tribunal.

The eminently qualified candidate was rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which was purposely stacked with radical leftists.

This happenstance exposed the governor as an incompetent political chump.

Govs. Roosevelt, Dewey, Rockefeller, Carey, and the Cuomos would have ruthlessly exercised the immense powers of their office to get their nominees approved.

But not Gov. Hochul.

New York is facing a fiscal and economic crisis. Years of reckless spending and excessive taxing is catching up.

And if Hochul permits Albany radicals to continue running roughshod over her, they will destroy the state’s tax base, drive millions more to Florida and Texas and push the Empire State into financial insolvency.

Heights, NY 11577.

America’s longstanding love affair with cars

Americans have always had a love affair with cars. Cars symbolize post-modern life in that they are speedy, beautiful and get you nowhere fast. Every teenager understands that a driver’s license and the purchase of your first car is a rite of passage into adulthood. The teenage muscle car is louder than in the past. For some kids, loud muffler-free cars are a power grab to prove that they have arrived.

Cars are unique phenomena and have fascinated artists, song writers, film makers and novelists. The Beach Boys made it big with the irresistibly light-hearted and upbeat “Little GTO.“ Michael Mann’s riveting film “Collater-

al” starred Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx and most of it took place in a taxi cab cruising the streets of late night Los Angeles.

Stephen King channeled the more sinister nature of automobiles as he wrote the horror novel “Christine” about a 1958 Plymouth Fury, which was apparently possessed by demonic forces transforming Arnold from an acne-faced nerd into a super greaser.

The great American writer and cultural anthropologist Tom Wolfe penned many articles about cars. His classic “The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine Flake Streamline Baby” helped put the custom car movement on the map.

Wolfe discovered the customized car craze in Burbank, a suburb of California, and he described it as an art form controlled by the wealthy teenage world of that state in the late 1950s.

of walking along one of the streets in Monte Carlo, a windy thoroughfare that is used in the Monaco Grand Pix and its Formula One cars. The racing that takes place in Monte Carlo is on the opposite end to what we as Americans witnessed in the Demolition Derby in Riverhead.

The European idea of racing is to combine glamor, prestige, celebrities, yachts, and very expensive cars into an admixture of excitement. You may recall seeing this race in one of the “Iron Man” films. American racing is to combine death, explosions, blood, bone fractures with a middle-class tone.

write about the Riverhead Raceway on Long Island.

Audis and drivers aged 20 to 45 always gravitate to the left lane as soon as they get on the parkway and they drive either Porsches, BMWs or very expensive looking pick-up trucks that are clean and that have never picked up anything but groceries.

Years ago Bob Lipsyte of The New York Times did a brilliant series called NASCAR Nation and he asked for my take on NASCAR drivers. I told him they sought the excitement that comes when you flirt with death. But undoubtedly people have a variety of motives when they buy and drive their cars.

Cars, cars, cars.

Wolfe also wrote about the car craze in the South with his essay “The Last American Hero.” This essay was about Junior Johnson, who earned his bones running whisky up and down the Appalachian slopes of North Carolina and converted his skills into stock car racing. But Wolfe lived in Manhattan, so it was inevitable that he would

He recounted how Lawrence Mendelsohn created the Demolition Derby, an evening of thrills and spills, by inviting 100 drivers with sturdy old jalopies to carom off of each other until all but one was demolished. Such fun in Riverhead in the good old days. Now all kids can do is wreck things in video games.

Thus far I have described distinctively American approaches to cars. A few years ago I had the pleasure

EARTH MATTERS

When I was a kid, I recall my father saying that one of his goals in life was to get a chauffeured limousine so that he would never have to drive again. I never could understand why he felt that way until I got into my later years. Now I understand exactly how he felt.

As I drive now, I stick to the right lane. I have come to observe that people 65 and older are the right lane drivers and usually drive either Mercedes or Toyotas. People 45 to 65 years of age tend to stick to the middle lanes and like to drive new Volkswagens or

We all feel more cyborg-like, detached, impatient and angry when driving. Some gain a sense of power with muscle cars that make noise. Some feel pride if their car is new or expensive. I do love the new colors cars now have. It’s kind of a mat flat color instead of that old-fashioned shiny gray or white coat.

But as I said at the outset of this piece, one thing is for sure. Cars are a big part of our post-modern life and just like post-modern life, they are speedy, beautiful and get you nowhere fast.

Are Americans becoming plastic people?

The conversation about plastic has changed from those unsightly discarded plastic bags and Styrofoam cups to the nanoplastics we are inhaling with every breath we take. Nanoplastics (100 nanometers or less) and microplastics (5 millimeters or less) are the worrisome result of the breaking apart of the billions of plastic items that we throw away every day.

These ubiquitous tiny plastic pieces are nature’s way of reminding us that there is “no away.” There is only “here on Earth.”

Try to live for a day without using plastic. Our daily shower routine usually includes using plastic bottles filled with shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Our newspapers get delivered in plastic bags. We grab our morning coffee at a local shop, handed to us in a plastic cup with a plastic top. We wear clothes made from plastic fabrics. Food deliveries come in plastic containers with plastic utensils.

We pour water, milk, juice, and soda out of plastic bottles. We clean our dishes and clothes with detergents that come packaged in plastic. Our kids play sports on plastic fields. Their lunchboxes are filled with food wrapped in plastic. We work at computers with plastic keys and screens. We talk on plastic phones, drive cars with plastic dashboards, sleep in plastic sheets and buy our kids plastic

toys… think about all those Legos!

When you consider that every bit of plastic that has not been incinerated is still here on Earth somewhere, slowly breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces, day after day, month after month and year after year, you can begin to understand how fast this global crisis is growing. What you may not realize is that things are going to get a lot worse before they ever get better. We’ve loaded up the world with plastic debris, and now we — and our kids and their kids, and their kids – are going to pay dearly for it.

Plastic is not safe for anyone to ingest or inhale. It’s made from a combination of fossil fuels and chemicals, including those proven to cause a long list of human diseases and conditions, from cancer and endocrine disruption to reproductive problems. Many of the diseases showing up in survivors and people who lived in the area around the 9/11 attacks are in part related to the burning of plastic and inhalation of nanoplastics from the building materials and contents.

Research is showing that nanoplastics are far more toxicologically active than microplastics. This is primarily due to their smaller size and ability to penetrate biological barriers. There is already evidence that humans are suffering from exposure to nanoplastics in the air, which can be inhaled into our lungs and wind up in

our blood, with the potential to damage internal organs and critical body systems.

Every once in a while we hear news reports of some microorganism that will consume or break down plastic into its organic elements. But we don’t hear much after that, because they seldom work. The chemical bonds that are formed when making plastic are extremely strong, and not typically found in nature. Microorganisms that naturally break down biodegradable materials do not recognize the bonds that hold plastics together. Researchers estimate that it will take hundreds of thousands of years for plastics to decompose into some kind

of natural state. But by then, the damage will be done.

So, will every human on Earth eventually have to wear a filtering mask to venture outside? Are we hoping that some miraculous technology will be developed to filter all of the air on Earth to take out tiny plastic particles? Or maybe big pharma will develop new blockbuster drugs to treat the medical problems caused by breathing nanoplastics?

Actually, the only answer is producing and using less plastic. Some scientists say we can’t afford to make even one more piece of plastic. But if you are looking for immediate practical solutions, here are some thoughts…

Kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms are spaces in our homes that are typically filled with plastic items. If you have children, their plastic toys will wind up in every room, and teenagers and adults fill their spaces with plastic technology and entertainment devices. I haven’t even mentioned plastic furniture, carpets, lamps, etc….too many to list.

The good news is that many companies are making non-plastic alternatives! I just bought dental floss that is packaged in paper, we have switched to a dairy yogurt that comes in beautiful and reusable pottery jars (with a foil top) and coconut yogurt packaged in a paper container. I bring my cotton

mesh produce bags to the store and try my best to buy staples in bulk, put them in a paper bag and then store in glass jars when I get home.

Powdered laundry detergent comes in a cardboard box, shampoo and conditioner come in bars. Installing your own drinking water filter in your home keeps plastic water bottles out of the environment. Plastic alternatives for kids include books, puzzles and board games.

Parent Alert! Keep track of LEGO pieces and put all the right pieces back into the box to pass along or save for the next generation. Don’t throw them out!

There are many more examples of non-plastic essentials and new ones are being developed daily. Try switching one thing a week — everyone doing one thing makes a huge difference.

I read a recent article in The New York Times entitled “Trying to Live A Day Without Plastics” and was not happy with the message. The author made it seem hopeless and comical. It was about trying not to touch or use plastic on just one day. That’s not the point. We need to reject single-use plastics and replace commonly used items with non-plastic alternatives. Due to the serious nature of this problem, the message needs to be hopeful and encouraging. I hope you’re feeling encouraged and empowered.

DR. TOM FERRARO Our

PATTI WOOD Earth Matters

PHOTO PROVIDED BY TOM FERRARO

Women protest to reclaim reproductive rights

What should have been a celebration of 50 years of women’s constitutional right to reproductive freedom was instead a renewed call for “radical feminism” in the wake of the radical, religious, extremist SCOTUS6 overturn of Roe v. Wade – the first time in history the Supreme Court rescinded a constitutional right.

Some 200 protests, rallies and demonstrations were scheduled around the nation – the marquee event held in Madison, Wis., where Republicans resurrected a 174-year-old law from 1849 that has no exceptions for rape or incest, and where a crucial election for a deciding vote on the state supreme court will be conducted.

The Dobbs decision pushed the fight for those who champion women’s reproductive rights to the state level, even as the Republican congressional majority is trying to advance their nationwide-ban and other restrictions that have the effect of blocking access to reproductive health care as soon as conception occurs. They are even attacking contraception.

And that’s not all: Texas is among the states trying to make it illegal for a woman to travel outside the state where abortion is banned to a state where abortion is legal – literally imprisoning women (how does that not violate the 14th Amendment’s equal protection?). state Republicans have sued the Biden administration to prevent implementation of its order to make the abortion pill available without

seeing a doctor and accessible by mail (50 percent of abortions today use a pill instead of invasive procedures).

“On what would have been the 50th anniversary of protections under Roe v. Wade, my administration is resolute in its commitment to defending reproductive rights and continuing our nation’s progress toward equality for all,” Biden stated in a proclamation honoring the 50th anniversary.

Among the actions Biden has taken in response to the court’s extreme Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision: he issued executive orders to ensure that patients receive care during medical emergencies; to protect access to contraception and abortion services, including access to medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and to improve the safety of patients, providers, and clinics. The administration is helping safeguard patients’ privacy over their health data and is ensuring that women everywhere have access to accurate information about their reproductive rights.

Biden also created an Interagency Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access, which includes Vice President Kamala Harris, to lead a government-wide response, he said in the proclamation issued to honor the anniversary.

New York City mounted two Women’s March events – one at Washington Square Park organized by Black Feminists Matter, attended by about 250 people, who then

marched to the Federal Building. The one held I attended was organized by NYC Mobilization for Reproductive Justice around the corner from Manhattan 17th police district. From there the protesters marched to St. Patrick’s Cathedral where they held a protest on the street and chanted “Not the church, not the state, women must decide own fate,” “Keep your rosaries off my ovaries,” and “Get your theology off my biology.”

A government that can ban abortion can also force abortion – or sterilization – as this group reminded, noting that it has a heinous record of sterilizing Blacks, poor, imprisoned, disabled and as recently as 2020 migrant women.

This isn’t about a “right to life.” If overturning a woman’s right to choose were about protecting the vulnerable, as the anti-abortion movement claims, those same activists would not be murdering doctors, threatening the lives of medical personnel so that they let a woman die rather than give her the necessary medical care. They would be more concerned about the abysmal rates of maternal and infant mortality, child poverty and hunger, access to health care, clean water and air, child care, paid parental leave and protections for nursing mothers. They would be advocating for a living wage –none of which they are — and would be just as forceful in addressing the epidemic of gun violence, now the No. 1 killer of children.

No, this is about controlling women, bolstering (or reinstating) the patriarchal power structure. The gains that women have made since 1973 stem directly from the freedom, the autonomy that Roe bestowed. The anti-abortion fanaticism is about turning women into second-class citizens, with no more power or autonomy to determine their future than a brood mare.

These struggles fall disproportionately on Black, indigenous, poor, disabled, and migrant women, the vulnerable and marginalized. Rich and well-connected women never had a problem obtaining an abortion, even before Roe.

The Biden administration is attempt-

ing to counter these actions to make sure that doctors can legally prescribe, that pharmacies can dispense and that women can secure safe and effective medication. But when Republicans force these clinics to close, patients lose access to other basic care such as routine check-ups, cancer screenings and contraception. Women who are miscarrying can’t get medication until they are near death and possibly made sterile; women who use medication that is used for abortion for other ailments can’t get it, so they suffer needlessly.

They don’t care. Cruelty and control are the features.

“The right of every woman in every state in this country to make decisions about her own body is on the line,” Vice President Kamala Harris declared at the Bigger than Roe event organized by Planned Parenthood in Tallahassee, Fla. “Can we truly be free if a woman cannot make decisions about her own body? Can we truly be free if a doctor cannot care for her patients?”

And if you thought you were immune in states like New York, California, New Jersey, think again if Republicans succeed in getting a nationwide abortion ban.

“Congress must pass a bill that protects freedom and liberty. A bill that protects reproductive rights. And President Biden will sign it,” Harris said.

Passing the Equal Rights Amendment would also be helpful.

Whose time horizon is best for all of us?

Major challenges facing our country and the world include climate change, chronic diseases such as diabetes resulting from obesity, threats of new pandemics, and unequal access to good nutrition and education, among others.

When we think of such challenges, we also think of who will respond and who will lead the way to solutions. Who will help solve these universal challenges? The agents include governments, businesses, nonprofit or communitybased organizations and each of us. Yet each has a different time horizon for decision-making.

Take contemporary corporations.

Except for privately held or family companies, corporations generally are governed by the requirements of quarterly reports. They must report their condition every three months. While quarterly reports have some advantages, they also have substantial disadvantages when it comes to long-term planning and investments in the business of the future.

The quarterly reports include information about the financial state of the company, financial goals and challenges. They allow companies to compare their results against the past and competitors, help set and monitor the achievement of goals, inform stakeholders and shareholders of current conditions and build trust with potential investors.

There are disadvantages to quarterly

reports, however. Three months is not a long time in a dynamic market. Small changes can cause investors to lose confidence and call for changes in management, especially in businesses with fluctuating sales. They also take a lot of time to create, time that might be better spent in managing the business and improving the quality of products and services.

A focus on today’s profits in the short term can crowd out thinking about the future of the business and new market opportunities, such as alternatives to fossil fuels and medicines for chronic diseases, as well as create incentives to manipulate the figures so the reports look better.

Compensation plans can lead executives to put near-term profits over longterm success for all stakeholders.

But what about government?

The government, or public sector, is not always better. With two, four, and six-year election cycles, as well as the need under our system to raise enormous amounts of money even for local races, the incentive for elected officials is to focus on the immediate instead of the important.

The need for funds can lead to the equivalent of insider trading in business, giving advantage to some instead of serving all.

We see this in so many ways. The role of government is to serve society as a whole, not special interests. It is empowered to create public policies as if

people matter. Yet the system of election financing leads politicians to be beholden to those who have helped them win elections.

I saw this firsthand in the money that flowed to members of Congress who created the laws and regulations that permitted predatory for-profits colleges to reap enormous sums of federal money and short-change students, all while claiming that the private enterprise system was more efficient and effective than traditional colleges.

We saw it in the congressional action that denied the ability of government to negotiate drug prices as part of the Affordable Care Act. This disadvantaged U.S. citizens who had to pay higher drug

prices than in most every other country.

We see it in federal subsidies for corn production that led to high fructose corn syrup, a major contributor to America’s obesity problem. Over 40% of U.S. adults are obese, and obesity and its consequences account for nearly 25% of the nation’s health care bill.

Does the time horizon for the nonprofit sector serve society better?

While individual community-based organizations certainly face challenges of funding that require short-term thinking and action, the sector as a whole includes institutions and organizations that take a long-term view. These include universities and foundations.

The late scholar David Riesman said that the role of the university board of trustees was to save the institution of the future from the actions of the present. While this goal is often honored in the breach, it still obtains and is monitored by regional and programmatic accreditations.

In this environment, and with federal support for science, universities can encourage and support curiosity-driven research into even intractable problems of disease and technology.

The other nonprofit institution with a long-term view is the charitable foundation. Foundations such as the Gates, Ford, and Schmidt Futures can give priority to global challenges such as chronic disease and climate change.

They have the resources and time

horizon to address issues that corporations and governments shy from because of their shorter-term cycles. Andrew Carnegie did the same for literacy by supporting local libraries. Ideally, the results of foundation effort will encourage corporations and governments to follow their lead and take necessary actions.

While foundations can spur needed and desired action, I find it troubling that major issues facing our nation rely upon the generosity of wealthy individuals who alone decide on their priorities for funding. After all, their wealth is the result of public tax policy that favors the accumulation of wealth over the needs of society.

What about us?

What can we do as individuals? We can encourage candidates to reform our election financing laws, advocate for corporate Environment, Social, and Governance goals through our pensions and individual investments, and be active in community discussions about priorities.

We as individuals and members of groups can advocate for the long-term view, for public policies that address seemingly intractable problems that, if unchecked, will undermine our children’s future, the nation and the world.

Dr. Robert A. Scott is resident Emeritus of Adelphi University, author, “How University Boards Work,” Johns Hopkins University Press, Eric Hoffer Book Prize Awardee

Bail reforms needed to improve public safety

Innocent commuters pushed in front of subway cars, “smash and grab” robberies in local shops, random assaults in broad daylight and even “killers” who have taken the lives of victims with drugs, guns and more… welcome to New York State under the “cashless bail” law that extreme politicians passed in Albany during the 2019 session.

It’s true, extreme politicians in the state Legislature hastily crafted legislation in 2019 which embraced their theory that almost every crime on the books should no longer be bail eligible. The results of their “cashless bail” law have been nothing short of disastrous.

I was heartbroken when I listened to anguish in Jennifer Payne’s voice as she recounted the story of how her daughter’s live-in boyfriend shot and killed the young mother while her 4-year-old daughter slept in the adjoining bedroom. The suspected killer “walked” free under the bail laws passed in Albany. I was outraged when I read the account of Antony Ojeda, who was released due

to “cashless bail,” even though he admitted killing his infant son. The baby had ingested a lethal dose of illicit drugs. He has been on the run after being charged with murder and has landed on the U.S. Marshal’s most wanted list.

And right here on Long Island, I met and spoke with Victor Maldonado, the father of a young man who was killed by a four-time DWI driver who slammed into Victor’s son after disabling a car ignition Breathalyzer device. The alleged killer in this case bragged at the crime scene that he would be released because of the new terrible bail law, and he was correct.

What’s more, the extreme politicians who passed “cashless bail” saw to it that virtually every drug crime was not bail eligible. Moreover, drug gangs, dealers and other merchants of drug overdoses and deaths have been set free to wreak havoc in our neighborhoods again.

Imagine the depravity of a Long Island dog-fighting ring in which owners of the animals tortured and sexually

abused the dogs, even killing dogs that were deemed to be substandard fighters. Of the 10 individuals who were arrested in the case, only one was remanded to custody. These evil individuals are the types of people who are being turned loose under “cashless bail.” Perhaps the most disconcerting part of the “cashless bail” law is the fact that judges are not empowered to consider

whether an accused criminal presents a danger to society in deciding whether to remand an individual to custody. That’s why I have drafted legislation to grant judges this power, which would help keep dangerous people off of our streets.

Indeed, the Legislature can pursue some worthy and warranted criminal reforms and protect public safety by adopting my legislation, which establishes a dangerousness standard.

Allowing a judge to make a finding on the record that an individual standing before them poses a threat to public safety, and order the individual held pretrial, is a sound and sensible step forward in the quest for meaningful criminal reform. Absent a dangerousness standard, true judicial discretion does not exist; that is, the ability of a judge to evaluate the matter in front of them both in terms of the crime charged and the defendant’s history.

The 2021 “Less is More” Act poses similar problems. This was billed as a measure to prevent parolees from being re-incarcerated for minor technical vio-

lations. Thoughtful reflection and evidence gathering from this extreme law details that failing to register as a sex offender is considered a “minor technical violation.” What rational person would believe a convicted sexual predator roaming our streets, failing to notify the community is a “minor” transgression? Discovery reform measures were also adopted along with the bail reform law in 2019. Even progressive district attorneys have blanched at the law’s provisions, which forced prosecutors to provide accused violent criminals with the contact information and addresses of victims and witnesses. Understandably, this law has put a damper on witnesses to crimes, and many crime victims are also hesitant to step forward.

I believe that there are practical steps that the state Legislature can take to address rising crime while still acknowledging the well-intended spirit of sensible criminal justice reforms. It is my goal to have both Democrats and Republicans come together on well-considered criminal reforms.

Martins, D’Esposito must disclose Santos money

As has been reported, the Nassau and Hempstead GOP organizations received at least $185,000 in dirty campaign money from the Devolder-Santos scam.

They only disgorged, returned, some of it! Too late! These illegal funds polluted every campaign they were involved with. An allegedly “sophisticated investment professional” who bankrolled the Devolder-Santos scam,

and now claims to have been conned, is more likely simply a money launderer for nefarious foreign interests.

The blizzard of Santos and Jack Martins lawn signs that very early in the campaign simultaneously blan-

keted every road and byway were paid for by whom? Martins, for one, must disclose completely the source of his campaign financing.

What about the others. How much Devolder-Santos scam money did

Anthony D’Esposito take and not disgorge? These questions need to be answered. Follow the money.

Eric Cashdan Sands Point

Like a broken clock columnist right on Santos

I’ve cringed for years at the superfluous, hyper-partisan, over-the-top opinions (and observed her interviewing as well) of Karen Rubin.

I detest double standards and believe in merit in its purest form. Karen’s always busy with Republicans and I have no problem with that as a Republican. But it’s one thing to be like Chris Wallace and quite another to be like Joy Reid or Steve Colbert. As a reader, you should utterly discount hyper-par-

tisan accounts of reality.

In this respect, I recall the silence of Democratic public figures when Speaker Pelosi watered down a proposed specific censure/resolution regarding Ilhan Omar. And they remained silent when she was not removed from the foreign affairs committee, a placement as sensible as Iran’s within the UN Human Rights Commission. The new speaker, Kevin McCarthy, has at least moved this jihadist out of the way of

foreign relations. Ergo — spare me the holy pronouncements.

As to my point, I have made clear the case — on many levels — for George Santos’s immediate removal from Congress. All the reasons need not be recounted.

So in this unusual week, both Karen’s watch and mine display “1 o’clock.” She is correct that not only are we in the 3rd CD disenfranchised representatively and in proper con-

stituent service for our veterans, Social Security, Medicare, passport emergencies and other matters, we have NO representative to fight for our share of member projects and other local funding.

Santos will deliver zilch. While the most rational course looking ahead is to remove this freak show immediately, it is nonetheless a fact that even if he is removed by indictment / conviction or somehow survives his term, he is

nonetheless doomed to the alreadyannounced disqualification and rejection by Nassau Republicans. Why would any party leader in DC accord him any local funds better expended elsewhere?

Anyway, Karen and I agreed at 1 o’clock — and now it’s 2 o’clock. Back as we were…

Shame on you, GOP, for giving us George Santos

Shame on you Nassau County, GOP

First, you give us George Santos and now a casino on valuable county land.

Since 2020, they knew George Santos was dubious and questionable at best. Yet for two election cycles you offered North Hempstead and CD3 voters the opportunity to contribute to this fraudulent politician. The likes of Cairo, Blakeman, DeSena, Martins all supported and endorsed George Santos.

Too little too late when you hold a press conference in mid-January calling for Santos to resign. Did you very much call for Speaker of the House McCarthy to get Santos to resign?

Is this another folly and fool’s gold on the part of the Nassau GOP to distance themselves from the stain? I was told when you have a stain, get rid of it. The clock for Nassau County GOP had long expired by Jan. 23. It was too late.

How many contributors were fooled by the GOP to give money to

a fraud and a totally dishonest human being?

The likes of Ronald Lauder, heir to the Estee Lauder Cosmetics fortune, and others contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the GOP campaigns in New York and CD3.

How many knew of Santos’ lies and frauds, yet turned a deaf ear and contributed to his campaign anyway?

How many knew and chose to follow others, ignoring what they knew to give more contributions to the GOP and Santos?

Why wasn’t the Nassau GOP eager to get rid of the stain called George Santos sooner?

Is the casino at the Nassau Hub another of those GOP projects that cost us, the taxpayers, more than it brings in.

Same old, same old GOP: Lower the taxes for the wealthy and tax the average residents more.

When the Nassau GOP had a chance to deny Santos the opportunity to run for Congress, they endorsed him; when it was too late, they all

called for him to step down. Of course, it was beyond their control. They all want to distance themselves from the stain they helped inflict on all of us. Fool us once and get our vote, but over and over again and lose our Vote.

How honorable will the Nassau GOP be in the future? Will we be able to trust them in the future?

Charles Schneider Great Neck

READERS WRITE

YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING

BLACK HISTORY EVENT AT WESTBURY ARTS

Westbury Arts is offering a Black History Month celebration on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 3 to 5 pm at Westbury High School, 1 Post Road, Old Westbury.

African American Culture: Connecting the Community through the Arts is a rich tapestry of live performances in storytelling, dance, song, poetry, and cultural reflection. Tickets are free and can be reserved through Eventbrite.

The program features the Praise Dancers of Shiloh Baptist Church of Rockville Centre, Danse Xpressions, and the award-winning nationally recognized Rhythm of the Knights –Uniondale High School Show Choir.

Also appearing are members of the Nassau/Suffolk Pan Hellenic Council of Black Fraternities and Sororities presenting their history and performing a step routine, and Tahira Dupree-Chase, superintendent of the Westbury

School District.

The Mistress of Ceremonies is Alicia Evans, a Professor at The City College of New York and an award-winning fiber artist and storyteller.

Pat Jenkins Lewis, Westbury Arts board director, and her daughter Angela Jenkins, are the organizers of this event.

Our mission is to share the history, heritage and achievements of Black people in the arts.”

says Lewis. “Through dance, song, and spoken word, we will educate as well as entertain.”

This family-friendly event brings together the community and allows for sharing of information and history in an engaging and festive atmosphere. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome. Attendees can register at the Westbury Arts Website Eventbrite. Visit: https://westburyarts.org/upcoming-events/ and navigate to upcoming events.

PHOTO BY ED SHIN

Uniondale Show Choir & The Rhythm of the Knights with their director, Lynette Carr-Hicks.

Center for Science to host Nature Week Science meets art in Jericho Library exibit

The Center for Science will be hosting ‘Nature Week’ at its Dinosaurs! Exhibit in Rockville Centre during February school break. Children will enjoy creating their own nature arts and crafts projects that they will be able to keep and take home.

Nature Week will be open starting Saturday, Feb. 18 and continue on 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25 and 26 (Closed on Wednesday, Feb. 22). Tickets are $12 for children ages 2-13, $15 for children and adults ages 14 and up and $12 for seniors over 65. Each ticket includes entry to the exhibit along with participation for nature crafts. Tickets are available for purchase at the door.

“The Center for Science is always offering innovative educational experiences for families on Long Island. Among our exhibit’s dinosaurs and live animal displays, children and their parents will engage in activities while learning about nature,” said

Ray Ann Havasy, executive director of The Center for Science.

The Dinosaurs! and Live Animals Exhibit gives visitors a unique and up-close-and-personal experience where they will learn how animals adapt and survive, which is demonstrated through a unique intermixing of dinosaur models and an assortment of live animals that include owls, emu, golden pheasant, goats, snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs and more.

Located on Tanglewood Preserve, The Center for Science also has miles of wonderful nature trails where families can further explore the wonders of the natural world.

As a science and STEM education-focused notfor-profit organization, CSTL is dedicated to providing people of all ages with a place to engage in both formal and informal learning. For more information, please visit, www.cstl.org.

The Jericho Public Library has announced the opening of its inaugural contemporary ink and wash exhibition, entitled “The Light Shines in the Darkness” by artist Xiaoqiang Li.

This exhibition, curated by program coordinator Phyllis Cox, is considered one of the most extensive collections ever showcased by the library and aims to explore the relationship between science and art through a multidisciplinary discussion led by esteemed professors and experts.

The exhibition was honored by the presence of Maoye Ji, CEO of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Asia, who delivered a keynote speech on the significance of the exhibition.

Ji noted the remarkable achievement of Li, a Chinese immigrant, in overcoming cultural and language barriers to actively share unique Chinese culture with local communities.

He emphasized that such an act not only enriches cul-

tural diversity within American communities but also serves as a medium to showcase the excellence and values of Chinese culture.

The exhibition also featured Tsinghua University professor Daozi, who introduced the ways of seeing in art and used Li’s artworks as a foundation.

Daozi discussed the relationship between science and art from ancient Greece to contemporary historical narratives and emphasized that art and science overlap great-

ly at the point of their intersection, which is the latent place for miracles created by human beings.

Art critic Qingsong Hao also provided an insightful summary of Li Xiaoqiang’s ink paintings and their correlation between the themes of “double darkness” and “triple redemption”.

The public is invited to come and appreciate the beauty and meaning behind the works of Xiaoqiang Li on display in Jericho Public Library.

• Eat a healthy, low-salt diet. A diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry and fish, nuts and legumes, and non-tropical vegetable oils ensures people are getting ample nutrition from healthy sources. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan is designed specifically to help people manage their blood pressure and emphasizes limiting salt, red meat and foods with added sugars, including sweets and sugary beverages. It’s important that all people, and especially those with high blood pressure, limit their salt intake, as sodium is known to increase blood pressure.

What to do after being diagnosed with high blood pressure

Hypertension, a condition marked by abnormally high blood pressure, is more common than many people may recognize. A 2021 report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicated that nearly half of adults in the United States, or roughly 116 million people, have hypertension. And hypertension isn’t exclusive to Americans, as the World Health Organization notes that the number of people living with the condition has doubled to 1.28 billion since 1990.

Despite its prevalence, hypertension is not normal, nor is it something to take lightly. In fact, the American Heart Association notes that, if left undetected or uncontrolled, hypertension can lead to an assortment of serious, and potentially deadly, conditions, including heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease.

Since the threat posed by high blood pressure is so significant, it’s imperative that individuals know what to do upon being diagnosed with hypertension. The AHA notes that individuals diagnosed with hypertension can try various strategies to get their number down to a normal, healthy range.

• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption. The AHA notes that excessive alcohol consumption can raise blood pressure. In addition, despite what popular misconceptions may suggest, there is no evidence to suggest that red wine consumption is good for heart health. Like other alcoholic beverages, red wine should be consumed in moderation, if at all. The AHA urges individuals to limit their alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day for men and no one more than one drink per day for women.

• Exercise regularly. Routine exercise benefits the heart in myriad ways, including helping people

control high blood pressure. Individuals recently diagnosed with high blood pressure who are unaccustomed to physical activity should work with their physicians and a personal trainer to design an exercise regimen that’s within their abilities. As their bodies get used to increased physical activity, people can then work with the same individuals to tweak their routines so they can keep making progress toward their fitness goals. Routine exercise also helps to reduce stress, which the AHA notes is another step people with hypertension should take to lower their blood pressure.

• Shed extra weight. Each of the aforementioned strategies can help people shed extra weight, which is another step the AHA recommends for people with high blood pressure. The AHA notes that losing as few as 10 pounds can help to manage high blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy weight also reduces strain on the heart, thus lowering the risk for high blood pressure and the conditions that can arise from it. More than 1.2 billion people across the globe are currently living with high blood pressure. Taking steps to reduce hypertension is a great way to promote long-term health and overcome this often silent killer.

According to a study published in the journal Progress in Neurology and Psychiatry, in a given year about 5 percent of the population of the United States experiences seasonal depression, a condition also known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. A separate study published in the journal BMC Psychiatry in 2021 found that 12.7 percent of students attending higher education or vocational schools who responded to a survey showed SAD. The organization Mental Health America notes that SAD is a subtype of depression or bipolar disorder that occurs and ends around the same time every year, typically beginning in fall and continuing into the winter. Curiously, the study published in Progress in Neurology and Psychiatry found that the main age of onset of seasonal depression is between 20 and 30.

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CCBT:Certified Cognitive Behavioral Therapist

*Will provide receipt for out-of-network insurance plans.

A study published in the journal BMC Psychiatry in 2021 found that 12.7 percent of students attending higher education showed SAD.

Galaxy in Deep Space

Everyone knows there are great energies in the universe, dazzling anyone who looks up.

But even massive galaxies can only be seen after day wanes. The great constellations inspire me to the highest degree, above and beyond what my life can reach or touch. The star-studded sky inspires the dimension that goes beyond experience.

Stepping back there’s an endless vision only a god can perceive. The pure question entrusted by Galileo, a most patient being, upon seeing the invisible for the first time. Yet only phenomenon, meticulously placed at the center for us to gaze intently.

Energy and light, but one cluster of so many stars— among the many including our sun, and an incomprehension. How the universe withholds its deepest mysteries. How long ago am I seeing what’s in night’s sky? Each distance is different, given the time it takes light to reach the eyes—vast distances fascinate and terrify.

How often have I wondered, tended by aliens or how many angels-on-a-pin? Everything else is derivative and second rate. All things considered, Dante gets us nowhere. And we always have an excuse of being busy juggling things, but I was not prepared for this.

All of night opens richly.

Each light is a petal you can string together. At the center of each darkness is a bud to click open. Look how completely it takes its bold sweet hold graced with blossoming for those who observe not judge.

Until such time arrives, I believe in our better angels. And transcend darkness, imagined deeply enough as the heart spills forth full of imagination. No one told me this. I look up and know it’s true.

Stephen Cipot Garden City Park

During the lead-up to the annual library election for trustees this past October, I received an array of phone calls. “Who is this guy?” residents wanted to know. “Why does he have so many signs?” Why does he have ANY signs—library candidates never

The deep freeze experienced by most of the country over the Christmas weekend, and in particular the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, is a reminder of the impact of severe cold weather on the lives of the most vulnerable. The National Weather Service called it a “once in a generation” storm. We hope they are correct, but we know the climate is changing.

Federal officials have announced an inquiry into the operations of the electrical grid during those extreme weather conditions, which confirmed the importance of our power system to the public’s safety and health.

While we applaud Gov. Kathy Hochul’s efforts in establishing programs to help low-income residents make their homes energy efficient, we do not believe natural gas should be eliminated as an option in new construction as she proposed this week in her State of the State speech. As we go through the energy transition, the people of New York must be kept in mind. That means maintaining all energy options that are affordable as we move to decarbonize the overall energy supply while maintaining resiliency and reliability.

During the Christmas cold, Con Edison asked its 1.1 million natural gas and 3.5 million electric customers in New York

City to conserve both natural gas and power with temperatures dropping only to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, not the subzero temperatures experienced in other parts of the country. National Grid made similar requests of its Long Island and New York City customers, as did Duke Energy in Ohio and Kentucky.

New England’s system operator warned it had “insufficient reserve supplies” and called on its members to “voluntarily curtail power” due to the strain on the power grid. New England had to resort to using oil to supply 40% of the power over the weekend.

While all this might sound like a gas supply problem, it is actually due to a lack of adequate pipeline capacity into the area. Tremendous reserves of natural gas nearby are not being produced due to insufficient pipeline infrastructure to move gas supplies into the heavily populated Mid-Atlantic and Northeast areas.

Natural gas is the most efficient and lowest-emission fossil fuel for heating and cooking, and for making electricity through very efficient gas-fired turbine plants. Increased natural gas use displacing coal and oil over the past four decades has dramatically lowered the nation’s emissions from electricity generation. Natural gas-fired generation is also the

lowest-cost and most reliable backstop for the inherent variability of output from renewables.

As we move toward more renewables to meet our environmental goals, sound energy policies must ensure adequate supplies of clean natural gas to meet these inevitable coincident peak demands in both the natural gas and electric energy sectors.

A clean energy policy must balance three factors — reliability, affordability, and low emissions. The United States has lowered its emissions more than any other country by replacing coal with natural gas for power generation, with renewables playing an increasing role. The maintenance and reinforcement of the natural gas delivery system, which operates in an environmentally sound manner, should be a priority in the transition to a lowercarbon energy system.

Natural gas is a low-carbon fuel, and it can play a critical role in supporting our shift to renewable energy reliably and manageably. Let’s make sure we keep the public in mind and provide a managed transition to a low-carbon future.

Robert Catell Garden City Chairman, chief executive of Keyspan Corp.

Natural gas, our energy transition Lack of substance for transit

When it comes to transit, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s State of the State Speech and accompanying 267-page book “Achieving the New York Dream” left out how she was going to pay for all her commitments.

No explanation on how she failed to deliver on the promised start of Long Island Rail Road East Side Access to Grand Central Madison by December 2022.

No details have been provided on how Hochul’s proposed $5.5 billion Interboro Express Brooklyn to Queens Light Rail Connector will be paid for.

No details have been provided on how Albany will procure its matching 25% share, or $4 billion, toward the $16 billion Phase One (two new tunnels plus rehab of the two existing tunnels) and another $4 billion more to pay for the full build $33.4 billion Gateway Tunnel.

No details have been provided for the cost to the MTA of providing a 24/7 discounted low- cost, flat-fare, City Ticket for NYC residents boarding either Long Island Rail Road or Metro North Rail Road trains

at stations within NYC. What will happen if many of the thousands of new riders end up standing in the aisles? How will conductors manage to walk through the trains to collect fares?

No details on how Albany will deal with the looming MTA multibillion-dollar, multi-year financial shortfall.

No details about how to deal with $500 million in lost revenue due to fare beaters from 2022.

No details about any progress made by the MTA Traffic Mobility Review Board, which is supposed to determine prices for congestion toll pricing. Will the process be transparent and meetings open to the public? Tolling is supposed to be implemented by December 2023 or early 2024. Revenues are supposed to raise $15 billion toward paying for the MTA $51 billion 2020 — 2024 Five Year Capital Plan.

No details about how the MTA will deal with funding future wage increases that the Transit Workers Union will ask for when their current contract expires in May 2023. The MTA only budgeted 2% per year

for the next contract. The MTA’s current contract with the NYC Transit Transport Workers Union Local 100 is set to expire on May 15, 2023. Inflation was 4.16% in 2021 and exceeded 8% in 2022. It is fair to assume that NYC Transit union leadership will ask for wage increases to keep up with inflation? Whatever the TWU obtains, Long Island and Metro North Rail Road unions will follow and ask for parity.

No acknowledgement for a number of other major transportation projects she has previously supported. These include the $10 billion Cross Harbor Freight Tunnel, $10 billion Port Authority Bus Terminal, $8 billion Penn Station Redevelopment and MTA NYC Transit $6.9 billion Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 projects.

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).

The new king of the Great Neck Library

have lawn signs!”

Rory Lancman had moved to Great Neck only months before he ran for library trustee, and suddenly he was all over the verge.

He moved in like a big city slicker letting the rubes know how it’s done. He had a cadre of strangers

knocking on doors and, judging from my unofficial poll, most residents did not welcome a solicitation to vote for someone they had never heard of. Lancman has a résumé from New York City politics that reads like a treasure hunt. He ran for this, and then that, and then for something

else. He seemed a bird in search of a perch or as one person more jaded about politicians put it, a man trying to avoid having a regular job.

Mimi Hu was president of the Great Neck Library board of trustees for the year 2022. It was her fourth year in her four-year term, and she

had earned her stripes contending with some folks whose actions portray them as people who want to kill the library.

She had led the library even as one board member, Barry Smith, was party to a lawsuit in which he asked

Continued on Page 38

PHOTO BY DR. JAMES HAKLAR

Sports

Cronin leads team from depths to heights

Great Neck North senior gets tough love on NYC courts, puts basketball team back on the map

BY MICHAEL J. LEWIS

There were baskets hanging on each end of the court, and the free throw and 3-point lines were all where they were supposed to be.

But for the last few summers, Luke Cronin was basically in an entirely new world when he laced up his sneakers to play some hoops.

When he was in his normal environs at Great Neck North and thereabouts, he played basketball with people he knew, opponents he got familiar with.

But last summer Cronin competed at the legendary West 4th Street courts in New York City, where the ball is fierce and fouls aren’t called unless a limb is missing.

And the summer before that, he competed in the ultra-competitive Nike circuit, the EYBL, against some of the top players from across the country.

Cronin said he didn’t get that much game-playing time, but going against elite competition, and being coached by high-strung men, was jarring.

“Seeing how athletically gifted every single guy is, and if I ever screwed up in practice, I didn’t have the kind of leniency I do here,” Cronin said. “So if I screwed up, I would get screamed at in my face by the coaches. I was not used to that.”

All that tough love did pay off, though, as Cronin has become a Division I signee (he’s headed to George Washington University next year) and the linchpin of a Great Neck North squad that has made giant steps in the last two years.

Cronin, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound center, has helped lift the Blazers from the depths of the Nassau A-II conference to near the top.

On Jan. 18 against rival Elmont, a team that the Blazers had been trounced by earlier in the season, Cronin led the way to a statement win. The senior pumped in 19 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and dished out six assists in the 58-55 victory.

A squad that won only eight games, combined, in Cronin’s freshman and sophomore years, are 10-4 through games of Jan. 20. A lot of that is due to Cronin’s leadership and play; he’s averaging 14 points and 13.8 rebounds per game, to go along with 2.7 blocks and 2.7 assists as well.

“He can do a little bit of everything; he’s the ultimate teammate,” said Blazers head coach Kevin Graham. “His basketball I.Q. is so high, and this year as a senior he’s really become

more vocal and become a great leader. He’s a dream to coach.”

“It has really nice to get some statement wins because for a long time we didn’t get any respect,” Cronin said. “To beat teams like Garden City and Elmont the other night, it cements us as a team that’s good and that’s going to be hard to beat, we’re a team to be reckoned with.”

Cronin is a basketball die-hard; he’s been known to sneak looks at game film on his phone during classes at North (with a smile, he wouldn’t admit which classes he has done it in.)

Growing up with a dad who played collegiately and a brother, Jackson, who’s currently a sophomore on the University of Massachusetts basketball team, Cronin was playing since he could walk.

By the time he got to North, he was 6-foot-1 and a ballhandling wizard. But when he shot up after his sophomore year, suddenly he had to learn how to be a post player.

“That was tough,” he said. “I’d walk out every night after practice bruised and battered. Ice packs and all that. But I learned how to play down low just by practicing really hard.”

Cronin, who also was all-conference in volleyball for North this season, said while dealing with losing early in his career was tough, he used it go strengthen his resolve.

And going against players in the EYBL (he once squared off against LeBron James’ son, Bronny) made Cronin get noticed on the recruiting trail. George Washington coach Chris Caputo sold Cronin on a new era in Colonials hoops after some down years, a chance to live and study in the nation’s capital, and oh yeah, GW plays in the Atlantic 10, the same conference as UMass.

Which means next year the Cronin parents could be watching Cronin vs. Cronin on the court. Who to root for then?

“Oh I’m definitely guarding him if we play, absolutely,” Luke Cronin said with a smile. “I don’t know who my parents are going to root for, that’s going to be crazy for them. But I’m shutting him down.”

Before all that, though, Cronin and North are hoping to get into the playoffs and win a few games, after reaching the postseason last year.

“It’s really satisfying to know how far we’ve come, and kind of make a foundation here,” Cronin said. “We’ve done a lot but we still have more to do, us seniors.”

Great Neck North’s Luke Cronin goes up for a shot.

Recent Real Estate Sales in

40 Maple Street, Roslyn Heights

5 bd, 2 ba, 2,070 sqft, Sold On: 12/5/22, Sold Price: $980,000

Type: Single Family, Schools: Roslyn

144 Crescent Lane, East Hills

4 bd, 3 ba, Sold On: 12/2/22, Sold Price: $1,425,000

Type: Single Family, Schools: Roslyn

3 Spruce Drive, Roslyn

5 bd, 5 ba, 4,200 sqft, Sold On: 12/19/22, Sold Price: $1,745,000

Type: Single Family, Schools: Roslyn

14 Teakwood Lane, East Hills

3 bd, 3 ba, 2,672 sqft, Sold On: 12/21/22, Sold Price: $1,125,000

Type: Single Family, Schools: Roslyn

Editor’s note: Homes shown here were recently sold in Roslyn by a variety of real estate agencies. This information about the home and the photos were obtained through the Zillow. com. The homes are presented solely based on the fact that they were recently sold in Roslyn and are believed by Blank Slate Media to be of interest to our readers.

Santos changes story on personal loan

Continued from Page 1

he is calling on the FEC to launch an investigation into potential illegal activity and irregularities with the campaign fnances of Santos.

Santos has also been accused of dressing up in drag and for allowing a homeless veteran’s dog to die.

Videos and photos surfaced of Santos allegedly dressed up in drag at a party in Brazil. Some who claimed they knew Santos in Brazil said it was the congressman depicted in videos and photos from the event, though Santos has somewhat denied the claims.

“The most recent obsession from the media claiming that I am a drag Queen or “performed” as a drag Queen is categorically false,” Santos tweeted last week. “The media continues to make outrageous claims about my life while I am working to deliver results.”

But Santos later appeared to acknowledge that he had dressed in drag in Brazil while maintaining he was not a drag queen.

No, I was not a drag queen in Brazil, guys. I was young and I had fun at a festival. Sue me for having a life,” Santos said.

San is also accused of scamming a homeless, disabled veteran out of thousands of dollars that would have been used to care for the man’s service dog.

Richard Osthof told Patch that he met Santos, who introduced himself as Anthony Devolder, in 2016 while living in a tent on the side of a New Jersey highway.

Osthof’s service dog, Sapphire, was suffering from a life-threatening stomach tumor, treatment for which would cost $3,000, the veteran told Patch.

A veterinary technician told Osthof to use Friends of Pets United, a pet charity headed up by Santos under the Anthony Devolder alias.

Osthof said he never saw any of the funds after a GoFundMe was set up and subsequently

deleted once it got close to hitting the $3,000 goal.

Sapphire died in January 2017, he said.

Santos defeated Democrat Robert Zimmerman 142,017-120,060 in the district’s November election.

After multiple publications, including the New York Times, unearthed falsehoods in his personal and professional background, the newly-elected congressman said he will continue to serve the 3rd District constituents until the same number of people who voted for him call for him to step down.

3rd District residents against Santos have already begun to band together in the form of online petitions. Great Neck’s Jody Kass Finkel launched a change.org petition calling on Santos to step down which has received more than 32,000 signatures as of Wednesday.

The petition calls for the U.S. Department of Justice to prosecute Santos for fraud, local Republican leaders to apologize for backing Santos’ congressional run and for national Republican leaders to refuse Santos a seat in Congress.

“In my 30+ years in the nonproft world lobbying for environmental, health and afordable housing issues in Washington and Albany, I’ve never seen anyone with such an arrogant contempt for the truth or his constituents,” Finkel, a volunteer of the Great Neck Democratic Party and organizer of a petition urging Santos to resign, said in a statement. “While the whole country is aghast at Santos’s lies and utter disregard for decency, the residents of NY-03 have the most to lose.

George Devolder-Santos declared victory against Robert Zimmerman in the state’s 3rd Congressional District election.

Manhasset sewer project vote put off

Continued from Page 2

Concerns about the cost of maintenance for private septic tanks have been expressed by businesses along Plandome Road, with some claiming pumps have to be examined on a weekly basis.

Manhasset Chamber of Commerce Co-President Matthew Donno previously told Blank Slate Media the project, which has been analyzed for more than fve years, will provide economic and environmental benefts to Plandome Road’s business district.

Businesses and restaurants along Plandome Road can pay as much as $50,000 to $70,000 annually to pump their septic tanks. Some have also said they pay more than $500,000 a year to maintain their systems.

The system that Plandome business owners will be converting to will be a pump system that Donno said will connect to each building and essentially pump the water down the line to the district, where it will be treated.

Donno previously said the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District will be doing a design study on what exactly needs to be done to complete the project.

The district’s study along with the physical application of pipes and hookups into businesses was once estimated to cost upwards of $12 million. Now, Donno said, the project should be fully funded by the proposed funds from the town and a $5 million state grant.

Manhasset Chamber of Commerce member Robert Donno said the expected costs projected

in the 2020 feasibility study for the project have come down and that businesses can make their own decisions after looking at costs to hook up to the project when all said and done.

Robert Donno added that all businesses would have access to the new system to potentially avoid a business owner coming years later and wanting to opt into it, which would require more development.

“These businesses are taking a beating the last couple of years so it’s a good investment for everything,” Donno said. “The minute that pipe goes in the ground from the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District, the property values will increase.”

The next North Hempstead Town Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Herricks ed board approves calendar

Continued from Page 10

Friday, Jan. 20 was a day of a computerbased testing simulation for students in grades 3-8 in elementary and middle schools. Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Elizabeth Guercin said, “It’s purely a simulation. It doesn’t count for anything. There’s no scoring.”

The computer-based testing simulation is just to see how computer-based testing will go next year.

Emma and Aya, bright scholars in 5th grade, also announced updates on Searingtown Elementary School.

Herricks High will also be hosting a Lunar New Year event on Saturday, Jan. 28.

There will be rafes, arts and crafts and food starting at 5:30 p.m. with cultural performances at 7 p.m.

“It is an absolutely fantastic event,” said Trustee Juleigh Chin. The Lunar New Year event is sponsored by the Chinese American Associa-

tion of North Hempstead. Attendees are encouraged to bring an item to donate to the Herricks Food Pantry.

On March 4, Herricks school district will have its Harlem Wizards game where administrators and teachers will play basketball.

On March 16, there will be a Community Fund Dinner.

The next Herricks Board of Education meeting will be on February 2, 2023.

PHOTO BY BRANDON DUFFY

Continued from Page 1

“People have been riding the railroad the same way for a long, long time now,” LIRR President Catherine Rinaldi told News 12. “This is going to provide a lot of options with respect to how people travel.”

In December the Metropolitan Transit Authority canceled the much-anticipated opening of the Grand Central Madison service, citing ventilation system problems and the need to conclude testing. The news was greeted with widespread disappointment and frustration.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said a “counteracting air fow” prevented one of the exhaust systems in Grand Central Terminal from pulling in enough air, causingdelays.

The new terminal will be able to handle increased capacity from the LIRR’s North Shore train stations as a result of continued express

service on the Port Washington line and more commuters from the agency’s 3rd Track Project.

After proposing changes to the Long Island Rail Road’s Port Washington branch that would have eliminated express service as part of the East Side Access project, transit ofcials said they abandoned plans to do so in October.

Overall, the branch will receive an 11% boost in service, with more trains becoming available for commuters on the Port Washington Branch, according to the draft schedules following the agency’s announcement.

A total of 103 trains per day will be servicing the branch, 10 more than the current schedule has, ofcials said. On weekends, a total of fve more trains, 81 in total, will be operating along the branch.

The draft morning rush hour schedule includes 15 trains arriving in Manhattan between

6:16 a.m. and 9:51 a.m., a 36% increase from the current 11 that arrive at Penn Station between 6:21 a.m. and 9:34 a.m., according to ofcials.

The branch’s afternoon and evening rush hour schedule will also see a 43% increase in service, including three express trains. A total of 20 trains will leave Manhattan between 4:06 p.m. and 7:43 p.m., six more than the 14 trains that currently provided that service to commuters on the Port Washington branch, according to ofcials.

The frst section of the 3rd Track, which will run between Floral Park and Hicksville, opened in August.

Floral Park Mayor Kevin Fitzgerald, whose predecessor had opposed the 3rd track, voiced his support for the enhanced service Floral Park will now receive.

Glen Cove Animal Shelter needs help

Continued from Page 2

month.

Community members can sign up to volunteer by calling the shelter, visiting the shelter in person or applying through its website.

People who can’t volunteer their time can ofer donations to the shelter through its website as well.

Candy Udell, president of London Jewelers, has been involved in animal rescue work for upwards of 20 years. She said that she and her business have been supportive of the Glen Cove Animal Shelter and that she would love for the community to get more involved as well.

“They need community involvement and not to be forgotten,” Udell said. “They’re a very important part of the community and they need the community to support them. I would love

to see the shelter overfooded with volunteers, donations, food, people coming to pay attention to it and realizing that this is a part of the community that they live in – to love it and not forget it.”

Udell’s mother was an animal lover, and in the wake of her passing, Udell said she decided she wanted to pursue animal advocacy to honor her. Udell has since rescued over 10,000 dogs internationally through her organization Rescue Paw Foundation.

The community can also take their love of animals and make an impact like Udell has done on a local scale.

“There’s a whole community of animal lovers out there in Glen Cove,” Udell said. “There are so many people that love animals that need to come and spend an hour, two hours a week of

their time to give attention to these animals so we can help promote them to get homes.”

Udell said that people can learn valuable life lessons through working with animals, an added beneft of volunteering at the shelter.

“Animals teach people kindness and they teach them compassion,” Udell said. “They teach you responsibility and they teach you loyalty and love. There’s so much to learn from all of these animals.”

Both Norcia and Udell said that they hope the shelter becomes more well-known in the community and garners the support that it needs.

“The only way we can help the animals is by getting the community involved and for the community to have some interest in what goes on in their town,” Udell said.

Fitzgerald said Floral Park residents will “fnally be able to reap the rewards” of the 3rd Track Project combined with the East Side Access Project’s direct access to Grand Central Station.

The mayor said the proposed changes for the Floral Park station will result in a 50% increase in midday trains, a 20% increase in weekend train service and more frequent stops at the station post-p.m. rush hour.

“This will allow our residents to be able to stay in the city longer, enjoying whatever event they were attending and not having to worry about making a train back home,” Fitzgerald said.

In recent years, he said, Floral Park residents have been subjected to various restraints and disruptions as a result of the construction of the 3rd track and station upgrades.

Previous Floral Park board meetings were fooded with concerns and complaints about crews working on tracks longer than anticipated, excess noise coming from construction and transportation of materials, along with claims that environmental studies were not properly submitted.

“Over the past few years, the Village of Floral Park along with its neighboring villages on the main line have endured signifcant construction and disturbances to our daily lives,” Fitzgerald said. “The new schedules, as presented, will allow for the residents of Floral Park to reap the benefts from the aforementioned inconveniences. The draft schedules now make living in Floral Park even more attractive than it already is.”

1st trains to run to Grand Central Madison Natiss blames bail reform

Continued from Page 4

Gracewood, continued the discussion of community break-ins, once again prompting Natiss to question whether the bigger concern is one of tougher security or that of bail reform.

“Even if [these burglars] get caught and are arrested, they walk out the next day—sometimes the same day,” Natiss said. “When you talk to the state about amending the bail reform act, it falls on deaf ears. Most of the [monthly police reports I receive] are automobile accidents, and thank goodness in North Hills, very few carjackings, car thefts, and burglaries. We’ll continue to monitor and assist anywhere we can.”

The village board of trustees voted unanimously in favor of approving a permit for the proposed renovations to existing construction and the addition of new parking spaces on Shelter Rock Road in North Hills.

Cooperative “ayes” also approved the board’s fnancial business as well as “fre protection and emergency ambulance services for certain portions of the Village not located within a fre district” for 2023.

The board also provided an update on the village’s shuttle bus service, which was described as becoming more efcient in the past few months, though still falling behind since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PHOTO FROM THE ISLAND 360 ARCHIVES

The first passenger trains will run into Grand Central Madison on Wednesday.

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DeSena, Lurvey clash on credit

Continued from Page 6

“This release is nothing more than political grandstanding by a rogue Councilmember looking to play the role of Supervisor and claim to speak for the Town,” Devine said in a statement.

“The sad fact is the Building Department Commissioner failed to answer a recent request from the Supervisor’s Office for information from 2022 to potentially be incorporated in the State of the Town address, and instead it was seemingly provided to a member of the majority to be used for political gain. This is another example of the Town Board clearly meddling in the affairs of the Building Department, even while it’s currently under a financial and operational independent field audit by the Nassau County Comp-

troller.”

In 2022, the North Hempstead Town Board passed numerous pieces of legislation that focused on the Building Department’s operations

In June, the Town Board passed legislation submitted byLurvey to require reports given to the Town Board from commissioners and department heads at the Building Department to be delivered on a monthly basis rather than yearly.

A month later a local law was passed to make modifications to the procedure for requests for expedited permits.

The new process now allows the town’s building department and planning department commissioners to make decisions on expedited permit requests within five business days.

READERS WRITE

There is also added criteria to review requests before determining whether or not they should be granted an expedited permit.

Previously, applicants had to meet at least one of four criteria, which included accommodating emergency situations, furthering public interests like job creation or economic development, providing an essential service or avoiding extreme financial hardship to the applicant.

Additional criteria on top of the previous four now include the urgency of the situation, potential danger to property and requests relating to improved access for people with mobility impairments or disabilities, among others.

A previous version of this story was published. It has since been updated.

The new king of the library

Continued from Page 27

the court to throw out all the other trustees and also remove the library director. The board countersued against the lawsuit in order to safeguard the library, its director, its staff, its reputation.

Along with Weihua Yan, who preceded her as board president, Mimi Hu had steered the board through a series of onslaughts that smeared the library for taking recourse to New York State law rather than giving in. It had been, to say the least, quite a time.

Now, here came this new guy, Lancman, and people wondered why, with his smorgasbord of titled credentials, he had not remained in the city. Mimi Hu accepted him at face value and carried his campaign literature when she and her supporters knocked on doors. She was running for her own seat. He was running to fill a vacancy.

When the vote count was completed (a disrupted process that included a courtroom interlude), Mimi Hu’s voters carried her to victory and carried Lancman along with her.

Then something unexpected happened. Lancman made overtures to the trustees for them to elect him board president as soon as he was seated as a trustee. He was willing to bypass democratic custom and practice.

Lancman’s overreach was unprecedented and it was unacceptable. In casual conversation he seemed to know little about this Great Neck community and illprepared to be a trustee of our library, let alone to fulfill the role of president. How

could he be counted on to be a guardian of a library if he had not taken the time to first learn about it?

At the reorganization meeting in early January 2023, the first thing Lancman did was to go to take a seat with the board without waiting to be invited. It was a small thing of giant implication.

Trustee Kathy Gold proposed Lancman for president. She honored his greed. It was one of many eye-catching moments in the Lancman grab for a prominent position.

This was not the first time Gold had come up short. Early in her time as a trustee, Gold made a remark that has stayed with me: She said our Great Neck Library spends too much money on books. I wondered if she realized she was saying she wanted to limit the richness our library holds for our residents.

At that reorganization meeting, there was also what appeared to be a quid pro quo (an exchange of favors). After Lancman had been voted president by a consortium of Lancman himself, Gold, Don Panetta, and Barry Smith, the position of treasurer came up for a vote. Mimi Hu and Panetta were nominated. Lancman voted for Panetta: Lancman voted against Mimi Hu, the person who had assured him his seat on the board.

For all to see, Lancman came to light as a chameleon, his loyalty changeable, negotiable. Panetta voted for Lancman for president = Lancman voted for Panetta against Hu.

A remarkable thing about all these interplays is that Lancman as a new trustee

deserved no title at all, at least not in a democracy. He was No. 7 of seven, last in line for an elected position. He elbowed ahead, like the bully on the lunch line. By becoming president, Lancman assumed ownership of the board.

The questions are these: What did Lancman promise Smith and Panetta and Gold? Did he tell Gold he would stop defending the library in court (and thereby stop spending that money)? As for Panetta and Smith, they and their cohorts have cost the library a huge sum of our money in their selfish legal adventuring. Did Lancman promise them he would prematurely exit from the library’s countersuit and not seek court costs from Smith, Panetta and company?

The role of a trustee is defined by law, but in light of Lancman’s self-important behavior there is little hope he will confine himself to board business. He acquired a position he did not earn, so what will he do next? Will he try to micromanage the administration of the library itself? Will he interfere inside the library, assign employees tasks and intrude on their work time and their work space? Will he presume to do these things even though he is definitely not supposed to?

[See https://theislandnow.com/ readers-write/readers-write-a-coup-in-anunlikely-place-a-library/ and https://theisland360.com/readers-write/readers-writeg-n-library-lawsuit-brought-to-light/]

Rebecca Rosenblatt Gilliar Great Neck

Pols honor Troop 201 Eagle Scouts Celebrating an 103rd birthday

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, Council Member Peter Zuckerman, and Town Clerk Ragini Srivastava honored the newest Eagle Scouts from Troop 201 of Albertson during a ceremony at the Albertson Hook & Ladder, Engine & Hose, Company No. 1 station on Jan. 7.

Town officials presented proclamations to Michael Baranello, Ryan

Trai Doan, Aidan Joneleit, and Constantine Koutsoftas in recognition of this special occasion.

An Eagle Scout is the highest award a Scout can receive, with each Eagle Scout earning a minimum of 21 merit badges, demonstrating leadership skills and completing an Eagle Scout Service Project benefiting the local community.

Officials at NAACP’s MLK Jr. program

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and Council

Members Robert Troiano, Jr. and Veronica Lurvey recently attended the NAACP’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. program at the “Yes We Can” Com-

munity Center in New Cassel on Jan. 16.

The event was put together by the NAACP Westbury/New Cassel Branch #2184. Musical and dance routines were performed by local students.

North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, Council Member Peter Zuckerman and Council Member Veronica Lurvey celebrated Geraldine Goldner’s 103rd birthday on Jan. 17. Surrounded by friends and family, Goldner celebrated the momentous occasion at the Atria in Roslyn.

She became a North Hempstead resident in 1955 when she moved to her fi rst home in Westbury.

Geraldine has two daughters, four grandchildren, and six greatgrandchildren. She moved to the Atria in Roslyn in 2018 and is still actively involved in social games and lunch with friends.

She is part of the “Welcoming Ambassadors” to the community and active in exercise classes, opera lectures, and social events.

Marriage vow renewal ceremony

North Hempstead Town Clerk Ragini Srivastava, Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and the Town Board are proud to announce the return of the popular Valentine’s Day Marriage Vow Renewal ceremony.

The event, now in its fourteenth year, will allow couples who wish to celebrate their milestone anniversaries to reaffirm their commitment. The renewal ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Harbor Links Golf Course in Port Washington.

A lunch and champagne toast will be served following the ceremony at a cost of $18 per person. Due to overwhelming demand and limited seating, you must reserve a place in advance. For more information, please call 311.

As an event of its Jews Around the World series, Congregation Tifereth Israel (CTI) in Glen Cove presents a talk by Brad Kolodny, author of 125 Years of Synagogues on Long Island, on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 12:30 pm. Kolodny is president of the Long Island Jewish Historical Society. His Feb. 19 program will be offered in person and virtually, on Zoom.

Refreshments will be available to those attending in person. There is no admission fee; registration is not needed. The public is welcome to join CTI members in viewing this talk about Long Island’s rich Jewish history. For a link to the Zoom talk, visit www.ctionline.org and scroll down to the event information.

Congregation Tifereth Israel is lo-

cated in Glen Cove, at 40 Hill Street at the intersection with Landing Road. For further information about programs and activities at CTI, call (516) 676-5080 or log onto ctionline.org. CTI, Long Island’s oldest continuously operating Jewish congregation, has provided innovative Jewish programming and education to the Long Island community since 1897.

Troop 201 Eagle Scout Court of Honor last Saturday at the Albertson Fire Department.

Bright outlook for Mineola’s budget

Continued from Page 11

ing numbers. Cautious about overpaying, Nagler recommended a rejection of the bids, citing timing difculty relating to contractors’ electrical supplies as another reason for his stance.

Speaking about the renovation of the middle school’s current gym into a kitchen and cafeteria, Nagler said contractors believe that they will be able to give a better price for square footage a year and a half out once prices drop.

Nagler went on to clarify the justifcation for his suggestion, saying “the question is how many school districts, in particular, have the money to award things at this infated rate and how much work is out there?” He confrmed that a formal resolution to reject the bids will take place at the Board’s next meeting.

Mineola School District teachers Nicki Gonias and Georgia Amigdalos addressed the mission of unlocking the full potential of students through responsive instructional practice, which has continued to be reassessed and adjusted over the last fve years.

Gonias began the presentation by explaining that over this past summer and into the fall, a shift to responsive instructional practices took place within the school district. Even though instructors had a positive goal in mind, which is one of cultivating learners, Gonias explained that “we needed more of a roadmap.”

“In Mineola,” she said, “to be responsive means: What we are doing tomorrow is responsive to what happens today. We are noticing collective anecdotal data and identifying what learners have understood and where they are struggling to be able to say, ‘this is what my kids need tomorrow.’ Simultaneously, we are independently empowering our learners so that they are able to say, ‘I’m where I am, and know what I need to do to move to where I need to go.’”

The presentation emphasized four main components of this structured style of learning: beliefs (taking time to get to know learners), intentions (the “why”), practice (the “how”), and transfer (how learners can apply the content).

Amigdalos continued to express this mindset by outlining a system of gradually releasing responsibility. Focusing on “intent and purpose,” this responsive-based approach would give instructors the opportunity to observe and gather information on their students, while allowing them to understand the most efective way in which their classroom operates.

“I do want to note,” she said, “that this is a critical time where the educator has the chance to connect and build relationships, and hold learners accountable. The educator sends the message to the learner that they see them, that they care, and that they believe in them.”

The overarching objective of this style of instruction and learning, which Gonias, Amigdalos, and other educators in the district hope to pursue, is one of getting learners to recognize what they need to improve and when they should make necessary adjustments. This would not be possible without the eforts of educators, who Gonias and Amigdalos say must be empowered and “believe that their learners can improve.”

All three resolutions on the board’s agenda passed unanimously, including revised board policies regarding subjects such as equal employment opportunity and remote working, as well as approvals of educators’ leaves of absence and substitute teacher appointments.

The Board of Education’s next workshop meeting will be held on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in Mineola High School’s Synergy Building.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Cutting ribbon at the Boulevard Hair Salon

The Greater Roslyn Chamber of Commerce was pleased to participate in the ribbon cutting of member Boulevard Hair Salon on Thursday, Jan. 19.

Boulevard Hair Salon is located at 1372 Old Northern Blvd. in Roslyn Village. Owners Jennifer Boertzel and Anthony

Erdogan were on hand to welcome customers and friends.

Town of North Hempstead Councilman Peter Zuckerman presented the owners with a Certifcate of Recognition, Achievement and Appreciation. Roslyn Chamber President Rich Branciforte and his wife, Sandy,

VP of Marketing and Public Relations Barbara Kaplan, and board members Wayne Wink, Graciela Hall, Alicia Brown, Melissa Spitalnick, Jim Zanfardino, Howie Mann, and Janine Dion, member Mimi Howard, and legislative aide Brandon Gimpelman joined in the festivities.

Japanese steakhouse Shiro to close on Feb. 4

The owners of Shiro of Japan announced today that after over 50 years in business and a long history of introducing traditional Japanese cuisine and culture to Long Island and the New York region, the restaurant will be closing. Over the past fve decades, more than three million patrons have enjoyed hibachi, sushi and Japanese fair at Shiro of Japan.

Shiro opened its doors in 1972 and was known as Long Island’s frst authentic Japanese steakhouse ofering traditional Japanese fare. The restaurant was one of the frst to have a sushi bar and its chefs helped introduce sushi to Long Island. Entertaining hibachi chefs wowed patrons with their knife, fre and teppanyaki cooking skills. Many expatriate Japanese living on Long Island frequently visited its tatami rooms and sushi bar, including executives from Olympus, Canon, Nikon and others.

The property owners of 401 Old Country Rd, Carle Place, NY 11514, chose not to renew Shiro of Japan’s lease. Owners determined after exhaustive research that moving to a new location would not be economically viable.

The fnal week of operation will begin on January 29 and the last dinner service will be on Saturday, February 4, 2023. Demand for the fnal dinner services is expected to be high and advanced reservations are strongly encouraged.

Shiro of Japan’s of-premise and corporate catering services for business clients will continue to operate and be overseen by partner Hiro Ishikawa.

“While it is disappointing that Shiro of Japan will be closing, we see this as a time to celebrate the success we have enjoyed and thank our cus-

tomers. Shiro is more than a restaurant – it is a special place that has created countless memories for many thousands of families, couples and groups. People will always remember Shiro of Japan and we plan to go out in style,” said managing partner Peter Faccibene. “I want to personally express my thanks and gratitude to our business partner Hiro Ishikawa, whose legacy is undeniable and his contributions to the Long Island and New York dining experience and introducing Japanese cuisine to the public will continue to be felt for decades to come.”

“On behalf of all the owners and staf of Shiro of Japan we humbly and with great gratitude thank all of our customers for their many years of support and patronage. We wish them well and thank them for the opportunity to share our food and special form of hospitality with them,” said Co-owner Joe Faccibene.

“We owe a special debt of gratitude to our staf, some who have been with us for decades. Their commitment to service and our customers has been unmatched on Long Island,” said partner Hiro Ishikawa. “We wish them the best and we will assist them as much as possible in seeking other employment options.”

To learn more about Shiro of Japan, visit www. shiroofjapan.com.

Pols congratulate Herricks’ Bernardi on hall induction

Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti (DPort Washington) congratulated Lou Bernardi for his induction into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame. Sillitti recently presented a New York State Assembly proclamation to Bernardi celebrating the work he has put in, both on the feld and in the community.

“Today is a proud moment for Herricks High School and our community,” said Sillitti. “Lou Bernardi has worked incredibly hard throughout his baseball career, and what’s especially commendable is his dedication to coaching and mentoring the next generation. I’m grateful that Lou is now sharing his expertise and passion for baseball within the district at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. It was an honor to present Lou with a proclamation from the New York

State Assembly for his many achievements and induction into the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame.”

The ceremony was attended by Herricks Public Schools Superintendent Tony Sinanis, Herricks Athletic Director Jim Petricca and North Hempstead Town Councilman Peter Zuckerman. Petricca was the athletic director when Lou attended Herricks High School and remembers Lou fondly. Lou Bernardi’s picture and achievements are featured in the Herricks Hall of Fame.

“Lou is truly a local baseball legend, ” said Zuckerman. “He and I have been friends for many years, dating back to when Lou coached my son in Little League. It was a tremendous honor to present him with a proclamation from the town to celebrate his induction into the New York State

Baseball Hall of Fame.”

An alumnus of Herricks High School’s Class of 2006, Bernardi played four seasons of Division I baseball at the New York Institute of Technology while studying criminology. He played professionally for several years before beginning his coaching journey and becoming an accomplished collegiate pitching coach. Bernardi, who enters his ffth year at Kings Point and 12th year coaching collegiate baseball, has been a member of Head Coach Michael Notebaert’s coaching staf as the Mariners’ Pitching Coach and Recruiting Coordinator since the 2019 season.

“Bernardi’s love for the game and commitment to be the best baseball player, coach and mentor has made him a role model for all in our community,” noted Sillitti.

Colts Drum & Bugle Corps pick Honored with ASSET award

Mineola High School teacher and Coordinator of Information Technology (CIT) Kathleen Sheehan has been honored with the Bright Lights Award by the Association of Sufolk Supervisors for Educational Technologies (ASSET). This award recognizes educators for their exemplary integration of technology into the educational environment.

Ms. Sheehan is a 35year veteran of Mineola Schools. She is dual certifed in technology education and business education and splits her time between teaching and information technology support for the district.

In the classroom, Ms. Sheehan is inspiring the next generation of coders and digital storytellers, teaching 3D modeling and other design rich coursework, including work in the high school

“Fab Lab” and “Mac Lab.”

In her role as Mineola CIT, Ms. Sheehan is an omnipresent fgure in all levels of technology within the district supporting teachers, students and admin-

istrators with the integration of technology.

The award was presented at the ASSET Bright Lights Luncheon on Jan. 12 at the Heritage Club in Bethpage.

Mineola School District congratulates high school junior Michael Jimenez on being selected to play euphonium for the prestigious Colts Drum & Bugle Corps. Only 165 musicians are invited to join the program each year. This is the second consecutive year that Michael has been selected for his honor.

Michael’s Colts membership requires traveling to Dubuque, Iowa for monthly rehearsal camps and a fve-week Spring

Training starting in May. Once the season begins, the Colts will perform at over 20 competitions at stadiums throughout the country, culminating with the Drum Corps International (DCI) fnals in Indianapolis, Indiana from Aug. 10-12.

The Colts Drum & Bugle Corps is one of 22 DCI World Class groups in the country. These are considered among the world’s most elite and exclusive marching ensembles.

Rewarded with pizza party

Mineola High School teacher and Coordinator of Information Technology Kathleen Sheehan receives Bright Lights Award from ASSET president Patrick Kiley-Rendon at the Bright Lights Luncheon on Jan. 12 at the Heritage Club in Bethpage.

Mineola Union Free School District congratulates Ms. Celestine’s frst grade dual language class at Hampton Street School for earning designation as a National Knock It Out of the Park! classroom by Imagine Español. The classroom was recognized for averaging three or more hours this past fall with the Imagine Learning Spanish literacy program. For their hard work and dedication, the classroom was treated to a pizza party, courtesy of Imagine Learning.

Mineola students selected for L.I. String Festival

Seven Mineola students have been accepted by the Long Island String Festival Association (LISFA) to perform in their upcoming concerts.

At their Jan. 5 meeting, the Mineola Board of Education recognized these high school and middle school learners for their outstanding musical talent and dedication to their craft that led to this honor.

Representing Mineola High School: Aimee Elias

(violin), Elyssa Chan (cello) and Lily Scott (violin II).

Representing Mineola Middle School: Rachel Fogarty (double bass), Yannis Tam (violin II), Juliet Scott (cello) and Ciaran Gonzalez (violin II).

The Nassau Secondary Festival is scheduled for Feb. 5 and the Nassau Intermediate Festival will take place on March 4 and March 5. All concerts are at Uniondale High School.

Mineola students selected to perform at the Long Island String Festival Association concerts were recognized at the district’s board of education meeting on Jan. 5. Students received their certificates from Mineola Superintendent of Schools Michael Nagler and District Supervisor of Fine and

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF GINA SILLITTI State Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti and Town of North Hempstead Councilmember Peter Zuckerman present proclamations to Lou Bernardi.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Mineola High School junior Michael Jimenez performing the euphonium with the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps in 2022.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Performing Arts Karen Bernstein.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Mineola first graders at Hampton Street School celebrate their dual language success with a pizza party, courtesy of Imagine Learning.

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