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Friday, August 12, 2022

Vol. 71, No. 32 2

LIVING 50+

MARTINS GETS PBA BACKING

SIRIUS DJ ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES

PAGES 23-26

PAGE 2

PAGE 6

HARD KNOCKS

Crime stats show little rise after bail reform Overall decrease in major incidents by 10% since ‘17

BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z

ed assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft.

The biggest year-to-year decrease An analysis of Nassau County crime statistics for the past five years in major crime during the five-year conducted by Blank Slate Media shows analysis was from 2019 to 2020 with a decrease of more than 10% in ma- a drop of nearly 9% — from 13,387 to jor crimes from 2017-2021 but an in- 12,244 -during the pandemic-riddled crease of more than 16% increase in year, according to the statistics.

Though most crimes increased violent crimes.

Statistics that were reported by from 2019 to 2020, larceny reports the Nassau County Police Depart- decreased by nearly 15%, from 10,234 ment to the state Division of Criminal to 8,741, helping drive the overall deJustice Services show that a total of crease.

Motor vehicle thefts increased 14,039 major crimes were committed throughout the county in 2017, nearly 10%, from 639 to 702 from compared to 12,535 in 2021. The list 2019 to 2020. Aggravated assaults of major crimes included in the report increased 13.4% from 1,081 to 1,226 were murder, rape, robbery, aggravat- and burglaries increased 12%, from

870 to 975 from 2019 to 2020, according to the statistics.

Both violent and property major crimes increased slightly from 2020 to 2021, according to the statistics.

Major crimes, overall, increased less than 3% in 2021 from 12,244 in 2020. Violent crime increased 5% from 1,826 to 1,917 during this period and property crimes increased less than 2%.

The crime report appears to contradict claims that reforms to New York’s bail reform laws had led to an increase in crime, which was a central part of Republicans’ successful countywide campaigns in November 2021 Continued on Page 38

Mineola man sentenced for killing rapper’s dad Polevich will serve year in jail after hit-and-run last year

BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MINEOLA UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

The first practice for the Mineola High School football team begins in two weeks.

A Mineola man who killed rapper Nicki Minaj’s father in a hit-and-run last year was sentenced to one year in jail, acting State Supreme Court Justice Howard Sturim announced on Wednesday.

Charles Polevich, 72, is also required to pay a $5,000 fine and have his driver license suspended as part of the sentencing, officials said. In May, Polevich pleaded guilty to charges of leaving the scene of a fatal auto accident and tampering with evidence after Minaj’s father, Robert Maraj, 64,

was killed in February 2021 of Roslyn Road in Mineola.

Carol Maraj, Robert’s widow, called the sentencing “a slap on the face for the family” in court Wednesday, according to Newsday. She said Polevich “left him like a dog on the street.”

Continued on Page 39

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The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

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New surgical complex Martins endorsed at Cohen Children’s by 3 police unions $110M addition will specialize in various procedures Tout candidate for commitment to cops

BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z

would be a vote for someone who will “restore law and order” throughout New York.

PBA President Thomas Shevlin said his association and the two others are endorsing candidates that are not afraid to support police officers amidst calls for defunding the police and will fight to repeal the state’s bail reform laws.

“The time is now for change on bail reform,” Shevlin said. “The safety of our country, our county, our state and the future for our children is at stake. We are asking all of you to join us and support these officials come this November.”

Detectives Association President Jeff Gross echoed Shevlin’s comments about bail reform needing to be repealed and that the endorsements that were made were not just because the candidates were Republican.

“These candidates are the ones that have sat down with law enforcement,” Gross said. “They understand our needs, they understand our concerns and that’s why they were chosen. They are the best choice for the safety of our residents and the best choice to support law enforcement.”

Continued on Page 39

Former state Sen. and Mineola Mayor Jack Martins was endorsed by three prominent Nassau County police unions on Tuesday in the midst of his campaign to return to the Senate.

The Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, Detectives Association and the Superior Officers Association all expressed their support for Martins, and several other Republicans, at the PBA headquarters.

Martins, an Old Westbury resident who previously represented the 7th District from 2011-2016, lauded the work of the Nassau County Police Department and thanked the officials for pledging their support for his campaign.

“I am honored and humbled by the endorsement we received today from law enforcement and I want to make it clear that I have always been with law enforcement and I will conPHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHWELL HEALTH tinue to stand with law enforcement as we move forward,” Martins said Dr. Jose Prince (second from left) performs a procedure in the new Pediatric Surgical Operating Complex during a press conference. at Cohen Children’s Medical Center.

Martins criticized bail reform, blaming “the Democrats in Albany who have decided to take the side of ident and chair of Pediatric Services two decades, according to the hospi- criminals.” Martins said a vote for him

BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y at Northwell Health, said the impor- tal.

Construction for the Damaghi Cohen Children’s Medical Center tance of the complex cannot be overFamily Pediatric Surgical Operating has announced the opening of a $110 estimated.

“We understand that the surgi- Complex began in late 2021. Surgermillion, 24,000-square- foot Pediatric cal and anesthetic needs of neonates, ies previously took place at the neighSurgical Operating complex.

The complex will specialize in car- infants, children and adolescents are boring Northwell’s Long Island Jewish diothoracic, neurologic, orthopedic absolutely unique and quite different Medical Center.

The complex’s post-anesthesia than those for adults” Schleien said in procedures and general surgery.

“The complex is the culmination a statement. “The importance of this care unit includes 27 recovery bays of a multi-year project that began pediatric surgical operating complex which are 120 square feet each. Durwith the Blumenfeld Family Pavilion, cannot be overstated. The goal was to ing the COVID-19 pandemic, the a five-story extension at the children’s complete this crucial project through unfinished unit was converted for hospital built in 2013 and named in donor support and we’re grateful to patients battling the coronavirus, honor of the Blumenfeld family’s the Damaghi family and First Quality Northwell said.

The post-anesthesia care unit will lifetime giving to Cohen Children’s,” Enterprises, and all of the members of Northwell Health said in a statement. our Cohen Children’s Advisory Board be named after Gertrude and Louis “Space was left in the master plan for stepping up. This is really a trans- Feil, the family trust of the same name formative space for patients, our com- that helped support the project. with new operating rooms in mind.”

“This operating suite is the culmiEach 600-square-foot operating munity and for Northwell.”

Funding for the complex was part nation of so many people’s dreams,” suite features amenities including noshadow lighting, 3D imaging and 50- of Northwell’s Outpacing the Impos- said Jose Prince, surgeon-in-chief at sible campaign, a $1 billion fund-rais- Cohen Children’s. “It is where we as inch monitors.

PHOTO BY ROBERT PELAEZ surgeons work to save and protect the Last month, Cohen was cited by ing effort.

The complex will be named after dreams of our patients and their famiU.S. News & World as Long Island’s the Damaghi family, who have donat- lies as we teach surgery to the next Former state Sen. Jack Martins, who was endorsed by three Nassau top-ranked children’s hospital.

County police unions on Tuesday.

Charles Schleien, senior vice pres- ed over $1 million to Northwell over generation of pediatric surgeons.”

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Dems vote to continue abortion hearing Only hospitals, related facilties able to terminate pregnancies under 50-year-old town code

BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y After two hours of heated debate, North Hempstead Town Board Democrats voted to continue a hearing on the repeal of a 50-year-old section of town code that allows only hospitals, facilities administered by a hospital or facilities affiliated with a hospital to terminate pregnancies.

The vote to continue the hearing to Sept. 1 was approved 4-2 along partisan lines with Supervisor Jennifer DeSena absent due to what was said to be a longstanding family commitment.

Deputy Supervisor Joe Scalero presided over the meeting in DeSena’s place, but he was not able to vote per town code.

Town of North Hempstead Deputy Supvervisor Joseph Scalero. (Photo courtesy of the supervisor’s office) Town hall was filled with residents, activists and public officials. More than 30 spoke on both sides of the issue during public comment.

“This is about standing up for women. This is about standing up for our rights to make decisions for ourselves,” state Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-North Hills) said. “This is about sending a message that we will always stand up for women in the town of North Hempstead.”

Kaplan thanked Democratic Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey for introducing the measure while criticizing DeSena for not attending the meeting.

“I would have hoped as a woman that she would have been here to stand up for us,” Kaplan said. “Residents of the Town of North Hempstead

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF SENATOR ANNA KAPLAN

Picturerd from left to right Deputy Supervisor Joe Scalero, Town Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey and Town Councilman David Adhami during Thursday’s town board meeting. have the right to know where she stands.”

DeSena said in a statement she supports the repeal of Chapter 41A. “Although I was unfortunately unable to be there in person tonight to cast my vote due to a long-standing prior family commitment, I support the repeal of this chapter and would have voted yes for it, as it brings North Hempstead’s Town Code into conformity with state law, and removes a chapter of our code which is unenforceable and superseded by the New York Public Health Law.”

BEAT the HEAT THIS SUMMER!

The local law was adopted on Aug. 10, 1971, one year after the state Senate legalized abortion up to the 24th week of pregnancy and two years before the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v.

Wade, which permitted abortions during the first two trimesters of pregnancy in the United States.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe, ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that the U.S. Constitution does not grant a right to abortion.

In 1971, more than half of the 16,593 women

that had abortions on Long Island used nonhospital clinics in Nassau County, according to The New York Times.

At the time, North Hempstead had limited abortion access to only hospitals along with the cities of Glen Cove and Long Beach, the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay and the Suffolk County towns of Babylon and Suffolk, according to The New York Times.

State Assemblymembers Charles Lavine (DGlen Cove) and Gina Sillitti (D-Port Washington) also spoke in favor to repeal Chapter 41A of town code called “Pregnancy Termination Facilities” “Women today do not have equality so long as abortion is illegal,” Lavine said. “Only nations that have second-class citizens are second-class nations. New York is not going to be a second-class state and the United States is not going to be a second-class nation.”

Sillitti spoke on the need for local municipalities to take the matter out of upper levels of government.

“In my opinion, there has been a slow assault on women’s rights across our country,” Sillitti said.

“With the Supre Court’s decision, the courts have said women don’t get to decide what happens with their bodies, instead it leaps into the hands of state legislatures who decide the fate of women.”

Robert Zimmerman, a Democratic candidate for the 3rd Congressional District candidate, said although 41A is unenforceable due to state law, repealing it would make sure it can never be applied.

Continued on Page 38

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Street fair to be more family-focused Mineola chamber vice president says patrons can expect food, music, fun this October

BY B R A N D ON DUFFY

PHOTO BY BRANDON DUFFY

Tony Lubrano speaks to the Mineola Board of Trustees Wednesday night.

The Mineola Street Fair on Sunday, Oct. 2 will be more family-focused compared to past years, chamber of commerce Vice President Tony Lubrano told village trustees Wednesday.

“We are trying to turn it into a Mineola family fun day type of event,” Lubrano said. “We’re determined to make this the biggest and best one ever.”

Lubrano, who owned Piccola Bussola on Jericho Turnpike, said a few years ago the chamber used a private company that helped with the organization of the street fair but attracted vendors that made it resemble something closer to a flea market.

Details are still being finalized but Lubrano said residents can expect food, games, music and fun on Jericho Turnpike from Sunday morning into the afternoon.

On Sept. 24, a section of 2nd Street between Mineola Boulevard and 2nd Street Deli will be closed off to conduct an outside gathering. Lubrano said the

event will be organized similarly to the St. Patrick’s day event that was held outside The St. James Restaurant and has had discussions with the owner of Spaghettini and Burrito Boulevard and Kevin Lalezarian of Lalezarian Properties, which owns the Morgan Parc apartment complex.

There will be live music and Lubrano said the owners are committed to making that section of the village more lively and hope to conduct similar events on a more consistent basis in the future depending on the success of the September festivities.

Registrations are currently open for the 9th annual Tunnel to Towers walk and walk, conducted by Warrior for a Cause, of which Lubrano is president.

The path symbolizes firefighter Stephen Siller’s walk from the foot of the Battery Tunnel to the Twin Towers on Sept.

11, 2001, when his Brooklyn Squad 1 truck was stopped at the entrance of the tunnel due to security concerns.

Lubrano said hundreds of people attend the event and en-

courages those interested to register by Labor Day at the latest.

Registration costs $125 for adults and $65 for children 14 and under and includes shirts, breakfast, transportation to and from and lunch.

For nine years, Warriors for a Cause’s Night on the Town has raised over $1.2 million for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Lubrano said this year the event’s proceeds will benefit The Michael Magro Foundation, established in 2005 and named after Michael Magro, who died at 13 years old due to Leukemia.

Michael’s mother, Terrie, was a physician liaison at NYU Langone in Mineola.

Night on the Town will take place Monday, Oct. 24 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 249 Jericho Turnpike. The event showcases Long Island’s restaurants, bakeries and wineries and will feature live entertainment.

Tickets are $125 per person.

More information on the Mineola Street Fair and Warriors for a Cause’s events can be found at the chamber’s website and Warriors for a Cause.

Bad relationship cited in Mineola woman’s homicide

BY B R A N D ON DUFFY

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NASSAU COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT

Mark Small, 55, of Elmont.

Mark Small, the Elmont man charged with murdering 39-year-old Marivel Estevez before he fled and was hit by a car trying to protect her dog, had a “tumultuous” relationship with the victim, police said, according to multiple reports.

“Their relationship was described by friends and family as tumultuous and she confided in friends and family that she wanted to leave Mark,” Nassau County Det. Captain Stephen Fitzpatrick said at a news conference last week, according to News 12.

Small, 55, has been charged with second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon for his alleged role in the murder of Marivel Estevez, police said.

Small has pleaded not guilty and was ordered to be held without bail, according to police.

Officers responded to a wellness check July 30 at the Allure at 140 Old Country Road, where they discovered Estevez, who lived in the building and was pronounced dead at the scene.

“During the evening, it is believed that Mark and Marivel had an argument or a domestic incident. During that domestic incident, Mark shot her multiple times,” Fitzpatrick said about the incident that took place July 28.

The Allure, formerly known as Modera Mineola, is a 275unit, five-story luxury building with a swimming pool and 24hour fitness studio.

Small had a key fob to the apartment and police said family and friends told them the two had previous domestic disputes, according to News 12.

After leaving the apartment Thursday night, Small drove off in Estevez’s car with her dog, heading west on the Long Island Expressway, News 12 quoted police as saying.

“At approximately Exit 37, he was involved in an accident,” Fitzpatrick said. “He got out of the vehicle, the dog got out of the car and when going to block it from getting hit by a car, Mark got hit by a car.”

Small was released from the hospital after suffering non-life threatening injuries and was arraigned Aug. 3.

Small’s next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 29.

The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

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Leonard Finz recognized by U.S. Army Former Supreme Court justice inducted into Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame

BY J O AQ U I N C ON T R E R A S Although two years shy of his 100th birthday, Leonard Finz doesn’t look that far ahead into the future, instead preferring to live as presently as possible.

“To think that in two weeks I’ll be 98, God willing, (and) if I’m still around to think that I’ll even hit the century mark— well, I don’t go that far. I just live day to day, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second, and I leave the higher authority to chart whatever life I have for the future,” said Finz.

Though looking back on the nearly 36,000 days of his lifetime, Finz’s achievements have spanned courtrooms, stages, and a World War. The Manhasset resident was honored with an induction into the United States Army Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame on Saturday, July 23, at the historic Gracewood Mansion.

Finz was recognized for his service as a 1st lieutenant, field artillery in the Pacific Theater during World War II and was awarded with the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious and Outstanding Service.

“As a young man, Lt. Leonard Finz led his artillery battery into combat to serve and protect his nation. Today we have the honor to recognize Judge Leonard Finz for a lifetime of devoted service. He is an icon of his generation and a role model for others to follow,” said state Sen. John Brooks, who presented Finz with copies of New York State Senate and Assembly Resolutions that

were passed in his honor at the ceremony alongside state Sen. Ana M. Kaplan and state Assemblywoman Gina Sillitti.

Finz joins other famous inductees such as Sen. Bob Dole, Former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, and author, political commentator and original host of Firing LineWillam F. Buckley Jr. Born in the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 1924 to Turkish immigrants, Finz was initially a keen musician, playing both the clarinet and saxophone while attending the High School of Music and Art, from which he graduated in 1942. Finz would embark on a career as a singer and musician under the name ‘Lennie Forrest” for two years after law school, performing in venues across the country.

Finz was cast in the NBC soap opera “Another World” and even auditioned for the lead in the 1952 remake of “The Jazz Singer,” a role which went to Danny Thomas.

Graduating in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, Finz enlisted in the Army at 18 and completed basic training at Camp Pendleton, Virginia.

At the request of the captain of special services and given his background in the arts, Finz produced, wrote, and directed shows on a weekly basis, subsequently displaying his musical talent with the United States Army Band.

But louder than the music were the cries of soldiers on the battlefield.

“There were soldiers—real soldiers— dying in Europe, dying in the Pacific, and I just didn’t want to tell my grandchildren and my wife that I spent

New Meadow Drive principal approved

State Sen. Anna Kaplan (left) honored World War II veteran Leonard Finz (right) at a ceremony last month.

World War II playing music. I wanted to get into battle and be a part of the war. Therefore, I applied to officer candidate school in field artillery, which is a combat branch of the Army,” Finz said.

Graduating as part of a class of only 32 candidates, Finz was honored as a 2nd Lieutenant and boarded a troop ship for Okinawa, joining the

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BY ST E V E N K E E H N E R Mineola’s Board of Education approved Jennie Fahey’s appointment as Meadow Drive School’s principal during a meeting on Thursday night.

The board praised her as she took over her new role. She was previously one of Mineola High School’s assistant principals.

Michael Nagler, the superintendent of schools, provided humor to the celebratory occasion.

“She’s giddy with excitement, evident well when I asked her about almost two weeks ago, and I don’t think [she’s] stopped smiling,” he said. “[Her] cheeks really have to hurt.”

Nagler described Fahey as “very behind the scenes.” Yet, he said that because she oversaw so many various elements of the high school, many are familiar with her. He also addressed the idea of shifting Fahey from a high school to an elementary school.

“She’s a true learner,” he said. “And whatever she doesn’t know, she probably knows already, because she hasn’t stopped since I told her the news.

So I’m super confident, super excited, for her to be at the helm.”

Fahey received praise from the other members, such as President Margaret Ballantyne-Mannion.

“I’ve known Jennie [Fahey] since my 25-yearold started at the high school many years ago,” she said. “I’ve never known her not to do something really well and to embrace it wholeheartedly. So I’m so excited.”

The board made several other appointments across the district.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STATE SEN. ANNA KAPLAN’S OFFICE

first wave attack force upon the Japanese mainland, but never reached his destination as Japan surrendered following the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki just days prior to the planned attack.

Honorably discharged as a 1st lieutenant in 1946, Finz pursued a law degree at New York University through the aid of the G.I. Bill, prompted by his experience as Judge Advocate General in the Philippines where he defended GI prisoners waiting to be court-martialed for various crimes. Finz fulfilled the position despite having only a high school diploma.

Returning to the law after his time in show business, Finz became politically active, organizing rallies as Queens County campaign chairman for John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, and running for senate and congressional seats unsuccessfully. He was elected as a judge to the New York City Civil Court, becoming the youngest at the time, and later as a New York State Supreme Court Justice.

During this time Finz married his late wife Pearl of 67 years and had two children.

He founded what is now Mineola-baed Finz & Finz P.C. in 1984, and later joined by his son, Stuart, secured verdicts and settlements totaling over $1 billion until his retirement in 2004.

“The firm is a family business. It has been three generations: myself, my son, my grandson and my granddaughter. I’ve also got four grandchildren and they’re all involved in law,” Finz said.

Continued on Page 39

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Meadow Drive School in Albertson. At the Thursday education board meeting, Jennie Fahey was appointed as the school’s new principal.

Nagler also set the district’s educational goals for the forthcoming academic year.

First, he said he would like to see the Synergy program continue to develop. The district purchased the $4.25 million commercial property next to Mineola High School last December.

Nagler said Synergy will emphasize personalized instruction. This includes a new competency-based system that counts learning and skills rather than classroom time.

Continued on Page 38

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

Sirius XM DJ, mail carrier indicted Pair allegedly worked together to transport cocaine, fentanyl from California through mail

BY ST E V E N K E E H N E R Police have indicted a postal worker from Rockville Centre and a Sirius XM disc jockey from Queens for participating in a drug trafficking network, announced District Attorney Anne Donnelly.

Authorities said Lance Holmes, 40, of Queens, also known as DJ Love Dinero on Sirius XM, worked with mail carrier Adrianna Lewis, 31, of Rockville Centre, to get cocaine and fentanyl over the mail from California.

The two allegedly met up along the way at several locations to transfer the drugs. Police said Holmes paid Lewis $500 for each successful delivery. The suspected trafficking plot did not involve the residents of the Hempstead addresses.

Holmes faces charges of operating as a major trafficker, attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree and conspiracy in the second degree and fourth degrees.

Lewis faces charges of two counts of first degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, second degree conspiracy, second degree criminal facilita-

and Manhattan to receive drug shipments.”

She called Homles’ alleged behavior “brazen.” In June, when four kilograms of cocaine believed to be on their way to him were recovered by police, she said he called the post office to ask about the package’s location.

“Dismantling the narcotics trade is difficult and dangerous work, and I thank our numerous partners for helping end the flood of illegal drugs into our county,” said Donnelly.

Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said the county will maintain its zero-tolerance approach.

“The arrests of defendants Lewis and Holmes send a clear and concise message to these dealers that we will continue our fight to eradicate illegal drug trafficking,” he said. “I would like to congratulate all of the assisting agencies and their investigators on a job PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NASSAU COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY well done.”

If found guilty, Holmes may be given a term of 25 years to life in A package containing drugs that was allegedly mailed to homes on accused’s mail route. prison. Lewis faces a potential maximum of 20 years. tion, fourth degree conspiracy and Adrianna Lewis allegedly rendez- grams of narcotics,” said Donnelly.

Both defendants pleaded not fourth degree criminal facilitation. voused at multiple locations along “Holmes is also alleged to have guilty. They are due back in court “Lance Holmes and mail carrier her postal route to transfer kilo- used addresses in Queens, Suffolk on Aug. 18.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

Zimmerman, Kaiman DEMOCRAT split endorsements JON KAIMAN FOR CONGRESS

BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y

Robert Zimmerman and Jon Kaiman, candidates for the 3rd Congressional District, have both secured additional endorsements ahead of the Aug. 23 Democratic primary.

ProChoice Voter, a New York-based abortion rights advocacy organization, endorsed Zimmerman while the Laborers’ International Union of North America, which includes New York State Laborers’ PAC and the Mason Tenders’ District Council PAC with over 40,000 members across the state, has endorsed Kaiman.

Founded in 1986, ProChoice Voter is an independent PAC that says its mission is to keep abortion legal and ensure that all women have unimpeded access to reproductive health care.

“ProChoice Voter is proud to endorse Robert Zimmerman for Congress. We need a strong experienced voice in Congress who will fight for reproductive freedom for all. Robert Zimmerman is that voice,” Director Catherine Lederer-Plaskett said in a statement. “He will stand up for all impacted by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. At a time when people across the country have come to fear the decisions of this extremist Scotus majority, we must elect champions like Robert Zimmerman.”

Zimmerman is co-president of ZE Creative Communications on Bond Street in Great Neck, a public relations firm he started 33 years ago with Ron Edelson.

“I am truly honored and proud to receive the ProChoice Voter endorsement,” Zimmerman said.

“Access to safe and legal abortion will always be a top priority of mine. I will use every tool at my disposal to protect access to care and fight for women’s fundamental right to bodily autonomy.”

John Hutchings, executive director of New York State Laborers PAC, and Michael McGuire, director of Mason Tenders District Council PAC, both said in a statement that Kaiman has the track record to bring results.

“LIUNA-NY is proud to endorse Jon Kaiman for New York’s 3rd Congressional District.

Whether as Town of North Hempstead supervisor

or a deputy county executive, Jon has always put workers first,” the two men said in a statement.

“His experience in negotiating fair contracts, project labor agreements and other pro-worker policies will serve New York’s construction workers well. Our members can count on him to fight for the safety conditions, wages and benefits that let Laborers build New York from the ground up.”

Kaiman, of Great Neck, ran the town from 2004 through 2013 and is currently the deputy executive for Suffolk County, a position he has held since 2017.

“LIUNA-NY represents the workers who build New York; including the invaluable infrastructure projects that help our communities function every day. I have spent my life on picket lines; learning early the importance of working with and, supporting, and advocating for working people,” Kaiman said in a statement. “I look forward to working with LIUNA-NY on ensuring our roads, bridges, sewers, waterworks and public and private buildings get build and rebuilt safely, ensuring safe worksites, improving wages and benefits, and collective bargaining rights in the workplace.”

The two are seeking the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), who lost the Democratic primary for governor to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Also running for the Democratic nomination in the district’s Aug. 23 primary are Nassau County Legislator Joshua Lafazan, Melanie D’Arrigo of Port Washington and Oyster Bay’s Reema Rasool.

George Santos is seeking the Republican nomination.

New district maps were submitted recently by a court-appointed special master and have been viewed as more neutral compared to ones that were rejected by a state appeals court earlier this year.

While the 3rd Congressional District under the new proposal does not extend as far west as the Bronx or Westchester, it does stretch to more southern parts of Nassau County such as Hicksville and Massapequa. The new lines do exclude the parts of the district that now stretch into Suffolk County, mainly Huntington and Smithtown.

I am Jon Kaiman.

I am tested, trusted and ready to meet the many challenges we are facing as a country. I would be honored to represent you in the United States Congress.

Public Safety Commissioner

Nassau County Judge

(1998-2000)

(2000-2003)

Superstorm Sandy Recovery Czar (2013-2016)

Chairman, NIFA (Nassau Interim Finance Authority) (2013-2016)

“North Hempstead Supervisor Jon Kaiman is a smart, innovative, local !"#$%&'()%*+(&(,-./*&*%!0( for integrity...”

North Hempstead Town Supervisor (2004-2013)

Deputy Cty Executive, Suffolk County (2017- Present)

”Jon Kaiman is the leader )-(0--1(%0(2&3+%04*!05(6( have complete trust in his &7%'%*8(*!(#4+*("!,(/359 —Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone

Democratic Primary August 23rd Early Voting August 13th to 21st PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CANDIDATES

Pictured left to right Robert Zimmerman and Jon Kaiman.

KaimanforCongress.com Paid for by Jon Kaiman for Congress

7

8

The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

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A couple with a flair for food and a passion for healthy living is behind Williston Park’s newest vegan restaurant.

Rock n Roots Eatery at 469 Willis Ave. has garnered a steady following since its discreet grand opening last year, enticing customers with alternatives to standard dishes with a sustainable and health-conscious approach.

“We literally rolled up our blinds at 2 p.m. on June 26 (2021). We didn’t put out any grand opening signs, we just did a silent opening and just rolled with it,” said Dina Bacalocostantis, 34, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband Samuel Martinez.

The venture started as a dream of self-employment for the couple, who became interested in health food through respective experiences, ultimately deciding to open a restaurant after working at a vegan resort in California and spotting the ideal location 20 minutes from their East Meadow home.

“I was really into health & fitness but wasn’t informed fully on how food, (specifically) animal products, was impacting my health, which in turn affected me physically. Slowly, after learning more and researching, I cut out all sorts of fast food which led to going vegetarian and then deciding to try veganism. Within 2 months, I dropped 30 pounds! I felt great and knew it all had to do with this new lifestyle change,” said Martinez, 37.

With their previous culinary experience, the couple decided to embark on their own culinary journey, one which would cater to both vegan and non-vegans while remaining loyal to the former.

“What sparked my interest first in starting this business was working in the restaurant industry for years and then spending some time traveling and seeing many cute cafes and hostels with a desire to start my own business. Later on, meeting my

husband at a restaurant, we shared a very similar dream and passion for cooking. We saw this perfect corner store with great potential because of a lot of businesses, schools, offices, and highways surrounding it. Williston Park is a nice neighborhood, so we decided to give it a shot and try it out!, ” Bacalocostantis said.

The menu at Rock n Roots is comprised of a variety of plant-based dishes spanning burgers, falafel, paninis, and wraps, to smoothies and fruit bowls, and donuts and ice cream, with the majority of options being gluten and oil-free.

Two signature vegetable and fruit blend juices are made daily, as well as an “Immune Booster,” consisting of juiced ginger and turmeric roots, lemon, cayenne, apple cider vinegar, and filtered water.

The response from the community has been positive, according to the couple, and the restaurant is rated nearly 5/5 across platforms such as Facebook, Happy Cow,and Restaurantji.

Rock n Roots also promotes sustainability through their packaging, strictly using compostable materials such as natural fibers for all their sandwich containers and plant resin, thus eschewing petroleum-based oil products.

The eatery also offers reusable bamboo utensils and a discount to those that bring their own cup for juices, smoothies, coffee & tea, known as BYOC (Bring Your Own Cup).

“We try to promote a natural and alternative way to health and healing,” said Bacalocostantis.

“It’s a passion-based drive that we have, and we want people to experience vegan food that tastes good and is healthy at the same time. We think there’s a misconception about healthy or plantbased food and we really hope that we can change that in order to improve the health of each other, animals, and the environment. We hope to inspire others to be more open to adopting a more plantbased (vegan) lifestyle after enjoying our food.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OWNERS

Dina Bacalocostantis (left) and Samuel Martinez (right) have opened a new vegan restaurant in Williston Park.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

9

South Asian coalition backs Kaplan State Sen. Kevin Thomas (D-Levittown), Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar endorse incumbent

BY B R A N D ON DUFFY State Sen. Anna Kaplan (DNorth Hills) has been endorsed by a coalition of South Asian community leaders in her reelection bid for the 7th Senate District.

The coalition of leaders includes Kaplan’s Senate colleague Kevin Thomas (D-Levittown) and state Assembly member Jenifer Rajkumar, among others.

Kaplan is running against Jeremy Joseph in the Democratic primary on Aug. 23.

Former state Sen. Jack Martins is running unopposed in the Republican primary for the 7th Senate District.

“As the first South Asian elected to the New York State Legislature, I consider it my solemn duty to look out for the needs and concerns of our community, and Sen. Kaplan has been by my side throughout my tenure, fighting alongside me for the issues that matter to us,” Thomas said in a statement.

“Sen. Kaplan is a steadfast supporter of the South Asian community, and we’ve worked to-

gether on countless initiatives to uplift our families and neighborhoods, and we need to keep her in the Senate to keep on fighting in the coming term.”

Rajkumar has served Assembly District 38 in South Queens since 2021.

“As the first South Asian woman elected to New York State office, I urge all of Long Island’s South Asian community to vote for Anna Kaplan for New York State Senate District 7. She is a proven leader who is always there for our community, whether it is meeting with all the South Asian organizations in her district, standing up against antiAsian hate crimes, or including South Asians on her team.,” Rajkumar said.

“Having immigrated to America from Iran at age 13, Sen. Kaplan has a life story similar to many South Asian Americans, and she understands exactly what they need to grow and prosper. South Asian Long Islanders have an ally in Anna Kaplan, and I look forward to many more years of partnering with her in Albany to serve all New Yorkers.”

entire community.”

Kaplan was elected to serve the Town of North Hempstead’s 4th District as a councilwoman in 2011. In 2016, she sought election to the House of Representatives but lost to current Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) in the Democratic primary. Kaplan defeated former Flower Hill Mayor Elaine Phillips in 2018 to represent the 7th Senate District.

Kaplan announced weeks ago that she had more than $504,000 cash on hand during the most recent campaign filing period.

Kaplan said she has raised more than $205,000 during the filing period from Jan. 15 – July PHOTO BY JANELLE CLAUSEN 11.

The 7th Senate district includes Floral Park, New Hyde State Sen. Anna Kaplan raised more than $205,000 in the most recent campaign Park, Williston Park, Mineola, finance filing period.

Garden City Park, North Hills, Albertson, Old Westbury, East “I’ve been proud to stand up and fighting for legislation that Hills, Roslyn, Roslyn Harbor, RoThe total list of the coalition features 35 prominent commu- for the South Asian community recognizes holidays like Eid, slyn Estates, Albertson, Searingduring my time in the Senate, Onam and Diwali,” Kaplan said. town, Lake Success, Manhasset, nity leaders.

Kaplan said when re-elect- bringing back millions of dollars “When I’m re-elected, I will con- Munsey Park, Plandome, Planded, she will advocate for the for AAPI organizations, fighting tinue to fight for South Asian ome Heights, Plandome Manor, community and stand up to back against hate and discrimi- families, combat anti-AAPI hate, and the Great Neck and Port nation targeting the community, and deliver for the needs of the Washington peninsulas. hate.

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10 The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

WT

State ed department closes Butera probe

BY B R A N D ON D U FF Y The state Education Department has closed its investigation into Vincent Butera, the former superintendent of the Manhasset School District, who was accused of harassing a teacher under his jurisdiction in a probe that divided the Nassau community.

The “law enforcement investigation,” as it was described in court documents, featured in a lawsuit between the school district and Newsday, began in late November and was closed weeks ago, without incident, Department officials said.

“Given the closure of the matter by the Office of State Review, their conclusion is consistent with the original decision of the Manhasset Board of Education 18 months ago that discipline was not warranted; the Board’s public comment in May, 2021 that their decision was “the right one;” and the Board’s Feb. 14, 2022, public statement reaffirming those sentiments,” Butera said in a statement to Blank Slate Media.

“For anyone in a leadership position, it is disconcerting to have unsubstantiated claims become a source of hurtful speculation and misinformation. While it is not known who did file the complaint here, it was not filed by either the district or superintendent.”

Butera also waived his right to privacy and has allowed the department to share its findings if it chooses to do so.

Due to the confidentiality of the department’s review processes, it is unable to provide further comments or documents regarding any review unless they

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ISLAND 360 ARCHIVES

The state Education Department has closed its investigation into outgoing Manhasset Superintendent Vincent Butera with no further action recommended. result in adverse actions, officials said.

No adverse actions were taken against Butera following the probe.

The investigation’s closing marks the end of a years-long saga between Butera and Manhasset.

In September 2020, a Shelter Rock Elementary School teacher filed a complaint alleging that Butera made her feel uncomfortable after hugging her twice in

school and frequently visiting her classroom to “just stand in the back and stare,” according to NBC News. Both incidents were described as “creepy.”

Following Butera’s voluntary leave, the district hired the law office of Shaw, Perelson, May & Lambert to investigate the allegations, according to reports. Two months later, the firm found that Butera’s actions were perceived as unwelcome by

the teacher and deemed them a violation of the school district’s policy, which has since been changed.

The Manhasset Board of Education said in its February separation agreement with Butera the initial 2020 investigation resulted in his remaining actively employed as superintendent.

Butera released his full statement to Blank Slate Media and Carlo Prinzo, the former longtime Manhasset Board of Education member who expressed his support for the former superintendent.

“Wonderful news. This horrible attack on Dr. Butera comes to a close, orchestrated by a few unhappy individuals to achieve their own goals,” Prinzo said.

“Meanwhile, the reputation of a fine person/superintendent is attacked.”

Rosemary Johnson, Manhasset’s deputy superintendent for business and operations, defended Butera during an August 2021 Board of Education meeting, saying he was targeted by “bad actors.”

“The result of this inexplicable action with questionable timing was, in my view, that the complaint, and the nature of the investigator’s findings with respect thereto, were twisted completely out of proportion,” Johnson said at the time.

“I cannot discount the deliberate actions of several bad actors, with thoughts of retribution for decisions made, and with intent to do Dr. Butera and the district harm. I believe they have succeeded in their mal intent.”

In May 2021, Manhasset Secondary School seniors staged a walkout in protest of the district’s decision not to immediately terminate Butera following the investi-

gation, according to NBC News.

Butera, who resigned from the district on July 11, had been on paid administrative leave since May 2021. The former superintendent will receive the full remainder of his annual pay, $286,844, until his contract expires on June 30, 2023, according to the agreement.

Butera said he was “pleased” the investigation has ended and that he maintains his certification.

“I am pleased to have been informed on July 8, 2022, that the investigation previously opened by the Office of State Review has been closed without incident,” Butera said in a statement. “As a result of the closure, there will be no hearing required and I remain in good standing with no effect on my administrative certification.”

The investigation was in accordance with Part 83 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations.

Officials said Part 83 permits the department to conduct an investigation into allegations of “lack of good moral character” against “certified educators.”

Butera said he is glad to be cleared by the investigation and looks forward to pursuing new opportunities.

“As difficult as the past year has been, I am pleased to have been vindicated and am grateful for the outpouring of support throughout this ordeal,” Butera said.

“I am grateful to the trustees who wrote letters of support on my behalf. Now that the matter has been fully resolved, I look forward to pursuing opportunities to continue to positively impact and improve the lives of students.”

Dalton joins Faith Local hospitals receive Mission to feed kids agency’s top honors

BY B R A N D ON DUFFY The Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Home in Williston Park is hosting a back-to-school food drive to benefit the Faith Mission Pantry in Mineola on Saturday, Aug. 20.

The event will be held at the funeral home on 412 Willis Ave. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and anyone interested can also bring items ahead of time to Dalton from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.

Founded in 1969 by Mary and Edward Joeseten, Faith Mission Inc. is a nonprofit corporation composed of volunteers who serve food to those in need. It originally started as a soup kitchen which has since expanded into a hospitality center at the Lutheran Church in Mineola on Jefferson Avenue.

“We had heard about Faith Mission through the Williston Park Rotary Club,” Kathleen Mendolia of Dalton said.

“They feed over 200 families

in the area every week and we thought it would be great On Aug. 4, Dalton donated 24 backpacks filled with school supplies to Faith Mission.

Dalton is requesting anyone interested the food drive

to bring non-perishable food items or $25 gift cards to LIDL. For safety, Dalton requests no glass or breakable containers.

More information can be found by calling the funeral home at 516-354-0634.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DALTON FUNERAL HOME

Volunteers pose with backpacks donated to Faith Mission on Aug. 4.

BY R OB E RT PELAEZ A pair of local hospitals received high marks from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, according to a report published last week.

NYU Langone HospitalLong Island in Mineola and Catholic Health’s St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center in Roslyn received five-star ratings, the highest possible ones, from the federal agency, according to the report. Less than 14% of the almost 3,100 hospitals rated by the agency received a five-star rating, officials said.

2022 marks the third consecutive year St. Francis received the agency’s highest rating. St. Francis President Charles L. Lucore said the distinction by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid service is reflective of the cumulative efforts from the hospital’s staff and caretakers.

“St. Francis Hospital is honored to once again be recognized for our commitment to

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

Catholic Health’s St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center in Roslyn received high national marks from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last week. providing high quality and safe patient care,” Lucore said in a statement. “This award directly reflects the hard work of our physicians, nurses, and all staff, as well as the excellence in care that they provide.”

Hospitals are rated based on a variety of rates including safety, morality, patient readmissions and patient surveys,

officials said.

Four-star ratings were given to Northwell Health’s North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset and Glen Cove Hospital. Northwell Health President and CEO Michael Dowling lauded the efforts of the entire team to receive the agency’s high honors.

Continued on Page 39

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

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12 The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

WT

Rabbi Stoller’s unique journey to G.N. Joins Temple Beth-El after spending time as press secretary, working on Capitol Hill

BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z Rabbi Brian Stoller’s journey from Washington, D.C., to Temple BethEl in Great Neck is one with pitstops throughout the American Heartland and spurred by a national tragedy which shed light on the importance of life.

Stoller, a Houston native who joined the peninsula’s first synagogue in July, spent nearly a decade in the political realm before even entering rabbinic school. Stoller attended the University of Texas at Austin for undergraduate school, earning a degree in honors business and finance in 1996.

Working on various political campaigns in Texas, Colorado and Illinois, he served as a press secretary to former U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald in the nation’s capital from 1999-2003.

Entering the rabbinical world, Stoller said, was not a part of his plan for life until he was approached by a curious colleague wanting to know more about Judaism.

“At that time in my life, I wasn’t really engaged in Jewish life and I found that I wasn’t able to answer her knowledgeably,” Stoller said in an interview. “So I decided that I needed to learn about my own religious tradi-

PHOTO BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Rabbi Brian Stoller is Temple Beth-El’s new senior rabbi. tion a little more deeply.”

Though his enjoyment at working in the political sector did not diminish when he was drawn back into learn more about Judaism, Stoller said, he knew that what he was doing was not his “life’s work.” Jokingly, he said, that “seven years in politics is enough to drive you to God.” After a preliminary exploration

into what it would take to become a rabbi, he said, two incidents occurred that ultimately displayed how vital it is to appreciate life.

“I was working on Capitol Hill during [Sept. 11], which hit very close to me,” he said. “And about a year later, a friend that I had grown up with since first grade died from brain cancer when she was 28. So those two

events just made me realize that life is fragile.”

Stoller then pursued his rabbinic aspirations by studying at Hebrew Union College’s Cincinnati campus, receiving his ordination in 2008. He then moved to Illinois to serve as an associate rabbi at a congregation in Deerfield for nine years before his first stint as a senior rabbi in Nebraska.

Now, joining the Temple Beth-El community with his wife, Karen and their children Lindsay and Zachary, Stoller said he is eager to lead a diverse community and cultivate longstanding relationships with so many throughout the peninsula and beyond.

“I am an effective leader because I see myself as part of the community I lead,” Stoller said. “I am good at building personal relationships because I enjoy people and want to be their friend. I just go out there and try to be myself because I believe that, in the end, all of us are seeking the same thing: to feel loved, to find joy in life and to be embraced by people who genuinely care.”

Aside from the pleasant connection he felt with the Great Neck community when he interviewed for the position, Stoller said it is a “privilege and honor” to be the temple’s sixth senior rabbi in a history spanning nearly

100 years.

“I’m following some real giants in the world of Reform Judaism who have all made tremendous impacts in the New York area and beyond,” Stoller said. “So to come in as the next in that chain of leaders is very humbling and a real privilege to serve this congregation and community. I hope to honor and protect those prominent legacies as I come into the role.”

Stoller said developing and cultivating relationships with congregants and temple staff, building a bridge between the preschool and greater community and learning more about the temple’s history and culture are his three main goals to help build “a solid foundation for success.”

The concept of pluralism, having many ways to believe and practice Judaism, is something Stoller said he looks forward to promoting to the congregation.

“Pluralism says that there are many different paths that people might walk and different ways of thinking and believing, none being better or more correct than the others,” Stoller said. “I’m excited to bring a pluralistic approach to leading Temple Beth-El and welcoming in a diversity of practice and belief into our community.”

Iconic Plandome Manor home demolished

BY R OB E RT PE L A E Z

House was sold on Dec. 20, 2021, Drive, said the board was “railroad- gineering, did not properly compare for $1.3 million after being on the ing” the process through the proposi- the current traffic flow with the estimated flow if the Village Hall was The Richardson House, a Pland- market for more than two years. The tion.

Plandome Manor residents Kate relocated. ome Manor home nearly 300 years buyer was a developer who has filed “The estimation of the traffic genold, was torn down on Thursday for a demolition permit and a build- Dunn and Sarah Meriggi, in a letter to Blank Slate Media on behalf erated by the Village Hall includes an despite efforts to preserve the struc- ing permit for a new house.

Linda S. Agnew, an attorney who of Circle Drive residents, said the estimation of trips made by the three ture by preservationists and village represented homeowners on Circle traffic study, conducted by VHB En- employees plus the average number officials.

The house was built in 1730 in Massachusetts. In 1923, 10 years before Plandome Manor was incorporated, resident George Richardson had the house dismantled, moved to its present site and rebuilt. The house was approximately 2,700 square feet and had an attached garage.

This past spring, the house was a point of controversy throughout Plandome Manor, with village officials pushing for the house to be used as a new village hall, much to the ire of some residents. A referendum that would have allowed the village to utilize the home for a new village hall and called for the issuance of a $600,000 bond to finance the acquisition and relocation was defeated in April by a vote of 119-87.

Village officials planned on moving the house roughly 1,000 feet down the road from 149 Circle Drive to a vacant village-owned parcel north of Stonytown Road. Previous meetings were flooded with residential concerns and claims that environmental impact and drainage studies PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VILLAGE OF PLANDOME MANOR were not conducted.

According to the real estate website Trulia.com, the Richardson The Richardson House, located in Plandome Manor, was demolished last week.

of visitors to the village office between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.,” according to the letter.

Robert Eschbacher, principal engineer at VHB, concluded that the relocation of the Richardson House would “not have any measurable impact on the existing traffic flow conditions along Circle Drive.” VHB’s study said the weekday average of vehicles near the proposed village hall location on Circle Drive was 219 vehicles per day. If the Richardson House was moved there, the study said, 11 trips per day would be added, six of which would be by staff members.

Village Mayor Barbara Donno and other members of the village’s board of trustees expressed their support for the proposition but hoped that despite the referendum being defeated, there were other ways to preserve the longstanding home.

“The village board has always based their decisions on what they felt was in the best interest for the whole village and its residents and will continue to do so,” Donno said in a statement following the vote in April. “This vote does not end our pursuit of finding adequate space within the Village and moving our village hall back to Plandome Manor where it belongs. We will continue to discuss and evaluate all other possible options.”

Village officials did not immediately respond to requests to comment on the matter further.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

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14 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

Opinion

OUR VIEWS

Playing politics with Israel, Part II

V

illage of Great Neck Mayor Pedram Bral said he recently signed an agreement for the village to become a sister city with two towns in the Israeli-occupied West Bank because he wants to “build bridges” with communities around the world.

Bral said officials from both territories reached out to him a week before a planned trip to Israel Other international municipalities, Bral said, have already reached out to establish these agreements and he told village residents during last month’s Board of Trustees meeting that more will be coming.

“To hear that people are actually approaching us, wanting to make friendship agreements and build bridges…I think it’s extremely heartwarming,” he said. “I was more than happy to meet with them and it’s really my honor and privilege to sit here and announce these sister cities.”

We appreciate Bral’s support for building bridges with cities from around the world.

But the two towns with which the Village of Great Neck reached an agreement seem like a curious place to start.

One town, The Town of Mitzpe Yericho, is a religious Israeli settlement and the second, Township of Eli, is a large mixed Israeli settlement. Both are located on the West Bank.

The international community considers all Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law as well as being cited in several UN Security Council resolutions.

The U.S. government has long opposed the construction of settlements, saying they represent an obstacle to peace with Palestinians based on a Palestinian state roughly comprised of the occupied territories.

The Israeli government disputes that the settlements are illegal.

The world is a big place with many large, free-market economies. Why not build bridges in a less politically fraught place? Even in Israel itself, a vibrant freemarket economy that is considered one of the world’s innovation hubs?

The timing of Bral’s announcement raises other questions.

His announcement comes on the heels of County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s announcement that Nassau would sign an economic and cultural agreement with Judea and Samaria, an area that encompasses the entire Israeli-occupied West Bank, excluding East Jerusalem.

And Blakeman did nothing to hide his use of the Israeli-Palestinian issues for political purposes.

The release announcing the agreement included Congressman Lee Zeldin among the supporters.

Zeldin’s congressional district does not represent any part of Nassau County, only Suffolk. But he is the state Republican Party’s choice for governor.

In case anyone missed how he was using the office of Nassau County to further his political agenda, Blakeman concluded his press release by noting that “Nassau County is home to approximately 230,000 Jewish residents, including some of the largest synagogues in the United States.”

Not coincidentally, Blakeman was the Republican Party’s liaison to Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign and Bral has strongly promoted “conservative” values as mayor of Great Neck Plaza that align with Trump.

Bral recently congratulated newly elected County Legislator Mazi Pilip, a Republican, during her swearing-in ceremony, calling her victory over Democratic incumbent Ellen Birnbaum one that was “long overdue to the conservative values we all celebrate and cherish.”

If Bral wants to use his position as mayor of Great Neck Plaza to change U.S. foreign policy, he should say so.

He should also explain how Israel can remain both a Jewish state and a democratic state if the occupied territories are annexed.

The Arab and Palestinian populations are expected to surpass the Jewish population in the not-too-distant future.

If the West Bank was annexed by Israel, Israel would likely cease to be a Jewish state if Arabs and Palestinians were given the same rights as Jews. And if they weren’t given the same rights as Jews, then Israel would no longer be a truly democratic state.

BLANK SLATE MEDIA LLC

22 Planting Field Road, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577 Phone: 516-307-1045 E-mail: hblank@theisland360.com EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Steven Blank OFFICE MANAGER Holly Blank

Editorial Cartoon

The alternative is the status quo—— an occupation that began in 1967, more settlements and violence that flares up from time to time.

To be clear, there is fault on both sides in the failure of Palestinians and Israelis to reach an agreement.

The Palestinians, to borrow a quote used often by Israeli diplomat Abba Eban, have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Their leadership has often been corrupt, incompetent or both.

And Bral and Blakeman have not been alone in defending, if not encouraging, Jewish settlements on the occupied West Bank. Or failing to draw a distinction between Israel and Israeli-occupied territories.

Last July, town and county officials in Nassau reacted swiftly to the news that Ben & Jerry’s would no longer be sold in the Israeli-occupied West Bank or East Jerusalem as of 2023, citing concerns about the treatment of Palestinians there.

Palestinians living in the territories occupied by Israel live with severe restrictions on their access to jobs, land and public services.

The founders of Ben & Jerry’s, Merrick natives Ben Cohen and Jerry Green-

field, were quick to point out that the company’s policy applied only to the territories Israel had occupied since 1967.

Not to Israel itself.

But that made little difference to local officials in Nassau County, both Democrats and Republicans.

Republican Hempstead Town Supervisor Don Clavin said he had directed every department and commissioner to make sure that not only was the town not selling Ben & Jerry’s ice cream but any other product of the company that owns Ben & Jerry’s, Unilever Corp.

This covers 400 brands, including Dove soap, Lipton tea, Breyers ice cream, Klondike Bars and Hellman’s mayonnaise.

Hempstead officials said their actions followed legislation approved in 2016 prohibiting the town from doing business with any company boycotting Israel in what is known as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, or BDS movement.

The BDS movement calls for countries, businesses and universities to sever ties with Israel unless it ends its occupation of all land captured in 1967, grants “full equality” to Palestinian refugees and assures the right of return of Palestinian

REPORTERS Robert Pelaez, Brandon Duffy, Steven Keehner COLUMNIST Karen Rubin ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Stacy Shaughnessy, Melissa Spitalnick, Wendy Kates, Barbara Kaplan, Amanda Cipriano ART DIRECTOR Yvonne Farley

refugees and their descendants who have been displaced in wars that led to the establishment of Israel.

Hempstead Republicans were joined by then Nassau County Executive Laura Curran and Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Judy Bosworth, both Democrats.

Curran said she was “disappointed

by Ben & Jerry’s decision to align itself with the anti-Israel BDS movement, which unfairly and dangerously singles out the world’s only Jewish state.”

Bosworth sounded a similar note.

“It is incumbent upon all of us to join together in solidarity and resilience against intolerance and bigotry,” Bosworth said. “North Hempstead’s antiBDS legislation ensures that taxpayer money is never used to do business with or support any company that engages in a boycott of Israel.”

We’d like to think that Nassau County officials are motivated by a desire for peace in the Mideast.

But we can’t help thinking about the number of Jewish residents in Nassau cited by Blakeman and wonder if political advantage was not a bigger reason.

When it comes to the Mideast that can be very dangerous.

PRODUCTION MANAGER Rosemarie Palacios EDITORIAL DESIGNER Lorens Morris CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Deborah Flynn PUBLISHERS OF

Williston Times • Great Neck News Herald Courier • Roslyn Times Manhasset Times • Port Washington Times

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

15

ON THE RIGHT

The MTA is a very troubled agency

T

he mass transit services the MTA oversees are declining.

Subway stations are dirty and smelly, homeless folks have made many subway cars their home, farebeating is at an all-time high, and crime is reaching levels not seen since the early 1990s.

Then there is the issue of ridership. Mass transit took a major hit during the COVID lockdown ordered by the Cuomo-Hochul administration.

But two years after the lockdown was lifted, ridership is still significantly below the 2019 levels.

As of Aug. 3, 2022, Long Island Rail Road ridership as a percent of the 2019 monthly average is 61%; Metro-North is 61%; the subway 59.5%; and bus services are at 60.6%.

Then there are infrastructure improvements that have been plagued by cost overruns.

Take the case of the Second Ave. subway extension that the CuomoHochul administration promoted as a major achievement. As the historian, Phillip Mark Plotch pointed out in his fine work “Last Subway,” “Spending

$4.6 billion to build a 1.5-mile subway was not necessarily a cause for celebration.… Per mile, the subway cost more than four times as much as new subway lines in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris and Tokyo.”

As for the LIRR’s East Side Access project, which commenced in 2001 and was to cost $3.5 billion, well, 21 years later it is still under construction and will cost at least $12 billion—seven times more expensive than similar tunnel work in other nations.

Also, when the East Side Access finally opens, it appears that commuters on the Port Washington branch will have to endure fewer peak hour trains to take them home.

To get a handle on the extent of the fiscal and commuter crisis the MTA is facing, I recommend reading two reports released in July by New York State Comptroller, Tom DiNapoli.

The first is titled “Existential Questions Facing National Public Transit Systems Create New Fiscal Pressures For MTA.” The report paints a gloomy pic-

DiNapoli is critical of the MTA’s suggestion that in 2025 it may borrow $500 million, not to finance long-term infrastructure projects but to balance its operating budget.

That’s like using your credit card to meet your mortgage payment. Not a sound fiscal policy.

In addition, if ridership does not increase dramatically in the next few years, DiNapoli predicts the “$500 million gap could grow and even double.”

Depending on how the MTA chooses to close the fiscal gaps, the comptroller notes, “the possibility of service cuts, higher than planned On The Right fare hikes, reductions in staffing and maintenance, and reduced capital ture. It points out that farebox rev- spending, are all on the horizon withenue from riders is at an all-time low. out additional contributions from the Fares covered 51% of the MTA’s oper- MTA funding partners….”

However, the odds of the state ating costs in 2019. As of May 2022, fares covered just 31.9% of those and New York City increasing contricosts—which is well below the 40% butions to the MTA are slim—particthat the MTA projected in its budget. ularly in a recessionary period.

On July 27, Comptroller DiNapoOnce the Federal COVID relief money is exhausted, the MTA faces li issued another statement, this one growing budget gaps starting in on the MTA’s July financial plan.

DiNapoli emphasized, “The MTA’s 2025. Structural deficits could exrevised ridership projections underceed $2 billion.

GEORGE J. MARLIN

score that it must somehow bridge a looming fiscal canyon of more than $2 billion annually and plan for longterm service challenges.”

The MTA’s latest plan confirms what the comptroller’s office has been saying since September 2021: “The MTA is facing major risks to its operating revenue streams as costs continue to rise, worsening a longterm budgetary imbalance.”

While the comptroller praises the MTA for turning aside “from its illadvised plan to plug operating gaps through borrowing,” I remain skeptical.

In the unlikely event congestion pricing in Manhattan is finally approved, it may not raise enough money to bail out the agency.

As a result, I have no doubt the MTA will resort to using most any fiscal sleight-of-hand financing, including borrowing long-term, to pay today’s bills.

The MTA is facing problems, mostly of its own making, for as far as the eye can see. Rest assured, however. Commuters will be the ones who suffer the most from higher fares and fewer services.

A LOOK ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

A not so fine line ‘tween glad rags, rag bag

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ow that people are venturing back out from their pandemic bunkers and into the wider world, the concept of fashion has once again reared its stylish head.

“What a great fashion trove you have here!” exclaimed my friend.

She had come over to help me sort some of my belongings into a bag for charity.

“Please tell me what you mean because I’ve never been fashionable in my life,” I answered.

“Well, just look at the news — ripped and torn blue jeans are all the rage. Today’s fashion icons are wearing jeans so full of holes and rips that they barely qualify as clothing at all.

So you’re in luck.”

My eyes drifted over to the bed, where we had piled quite a stack of blue jeans. It’s true, I have a lot of ripped and torn blue jeans in my personal collection. But somehow,

even with all the sandpapered and acid-washed and worn-to-a-frazzle things you can see people wearing, nobody has yet sported my own personal look.

I have yet to see Kim Kardashian in a pair of jeans that are still intact everywhere except where her thighs rub together.

Even when I was skinny, that was the only place my jeans wore out. I remember wearing one particularly disheveled pair to work one day at Channel 13. I was scheduled to be doing desk work, nowhere near the studio — just finishing up some expense reports and throwing out old files. Might as well be comfortable, I figured.

But that day, our receptionist had called in sick, and suddenly I was instructed to meet one of that day’s guests at the elevator and bring them back to our offices. Oh well, I told myself, at least my jeans look

he didn’t think I was rude, but there was no way I was going to stay in his line of sight; I stayed well behind the relative who was pushing his chair.

That day was the source of my rule, “Never go to work in anything you couldn’t wear to greet a guest in a wheelchair.”

Suddenly, a different picture took over my mind: an adorable little pair of “Baby’s First Blue Jeans.” They were the first jeans I ever bought for my baby boy.

I used to wonder why the thrift shops had every other item of clothing except boys’ pants. I soon learned JUDY EPSTEIN the answer after my little whirlwind A Look on the Lighter Side had worn holes in both knees.

My first experience with ironon patches was fixing the knees on OK while I’m standing up. those little pants. (The patches were Then the elevator doors opened almost the size of the entire outfit.) to reveal a war veteran in a wheel- But all too soon, the patches themchair, whose field of vision was selves needed patching. I may even therefore right at crotch-level! I hope have tried patching them for the

third and final time, before I realized it would be a lot less trouble to just buy that child some new clothes.

I stored those little pants in the attic somewhere — if only to prove that once upon a time, I knew how to sew. Because from that day forward, I haven’t bothered to patch or sew anything——except hemlines that unravel and threaten to trip people on their way out the door to a job interview.

As for my raggedy blue jeans, I think even Kim Kardashian would agree that you have to be able to close your jeans’ zipper, no matter how artistically shredded they are everywhere else.

And that’s why my friend helped me put three garbage-bags-full of old blue jeans on my porch at the end of the day. Kim, they’re all yours if you can get here before the Big Brothers Big Sisters truck comes in the morning.

LETTERS POLICY Letters should be typed or neatly handwritten, and those longer than 750 words may be edited for brevity and clarity. All letters must include the writer’s name and phone number for verification. Anonymously sent letters will not be printed. Letters must be received by Monday noon to appear in the next week’s paper. All letters become the property of Blank Slate Media LLC and may be republished in any format. Letters can be submitted online at theisland360.com/submit-opinion/ or mailed to Blank Slate Media, 22 Planting Field Road, Roslyn Heights, NY 11577.

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16 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

THE BACK ROAD

Alex Jones is the missing link in politics

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s an elementary school child in the 1950s, I was assigned My Weekly Reader. To this day I remember only one story from that publication and it gave me nightmares. It was about a large ape-like creature known as the Abominable Snowman that was purported to roam the Himalayan mountain range.

The illustrated image of the creature that accompanied the article stuck with me. Every time thereafter that it snowed I was petrified. I lived in a second-story flat in Newark, N.J. and imagined that it was tall enough to peer through my bedroom window, reach through the glass and grab me.

Merriam-Webster defines “boogeyman” as a “monstrous imaginary figure used in threatening children” or a “terrifying or dreaded person.” The Abominable Snowman was my childhood boogeyman.

About the same time, I learned about the Abominable Snowman, I started to hear the term: “missing

link.” In the late 19th century, Dutch physician Dr. Eugène Dubois, an acolyte of Charles Darwin, referred to the missing link as “an intermediate species” or “transitional form” between humankind and the apes.

Although I never read Darwin’s “On the Origin of the Species” in any depth, I must confess that my first exposure to the missing link was an episode of The Three Stooges, my goto television program that aired weekday afternoons after school.

In one unforgettable episode, Curly was deemed to be a dead ringer for the missing link. As a result, I started to conflate the Abominable Snowman with Curly Howard. Although I lived in fear of the Abominable Snowman, the beloved Curly was one of my childhood idols. I was so confused!

Obviously, I had issues as a child.

I later learned that many missing link stories have been deemed hoaxes.

For example, a 2010 Live Science report noted that “in 1912 a skull and jawbone found in a gravel pit in Eng-

ANDREW MALEKOFF The Back Road

land were declared by scientists to be concrete proof of the connection between humans and apes.” The find, dubbed the “Piltdown Man,” was later determined to be a paleoanthropological fraud.

I hadn’t thought much about the Abominable Snowman or missing link for many years. That changed when

I started to follow the defamation trial against Alex Jones, founder of Infowars, a far-right conspiracy theory and fake news website.

I’ve since come to believe that Alex Jones is the missing link.

He made the outrageous claim that the 2012 massacre of 20 children and 6 staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT was a false flag operation carried out by crisis actors. His incessant claims only served to compound the inconsolable and traumatic grief suffered by surviving family members, many of whom were later targeted by Jones’ deranged followers.

For example, the parents of 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, one of the children slain at Sandy Hook, took the witness stand on August 2 in the first of three defamation trials against Jones. The Texas Tribune reported that Jesse’s mom Scarlett Lewis testified that she saw a photo “circulating of Sandy Hook’s choir, which had been invited to perform at the Super

Bowl, a few weeks after the killings.

The image had the names of Jesse and other children who died at Sandy Hook superimposed over the choir members as if they were still alive.”

Jesse’s parents are suing Jones for his false claims that the 2012 mass shooting was a scam intended to remove guns from American citizens.

During her testimony, Lewis fixed her gaze directly on Jones and told him: “Jesse was real. I am a real mom.”

The added pain and suffering that Alex Jones has delivered to the surviving loved ones of the Sandy Hook victims is unforgivable.

Despite his roly-poly exterior, Jones is neither an endearing Curly Howard kind of missing link nor has he descended from the great apes.

There is nothing whatsoever that is great about Jones. He is more likely a descendent of soft-bodied, unsegmented burrowing invertebrates.

He is a modern-day boogeyman.

Just ask the surviving Sandy Hook family members.

VIEW POINT

Zimmerman over Kaiman for Congress

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ut of a strong Democratic field for Congress for the 3rd District, Robert Zimmerman will get my vote. Early voting begins Aug. 13; Election Day is Tues., Aug. 23.

Jon Kaiman, who I would be proud to call my congressman, has an exceptional resume and a proven record as North Hempstead supervisor, as the deputy county executive of Suffolk. He knows the nitty gritty of local governance (which is distinct from politics) and has been a bold, visionary leader.

He has had to negotiate, compromise, ultimately be the decision-maker and leader. Kaiman’s strength is in governance. He has proved his ability to finetune policies into actual programs that better the lives of community. And he has proved he can win elections.

Congress, though, is a very different milieu than local government, offering a much narrower corridor for leadership and bold, visionary ideas.

And when you think about it, the role of a congressman is not the same as the town supervisor or county executive or even the governor. The function of a congressional reps is to turn policy into legislation that affects the lives of everyday Americans and can get past maliciously partisan obstruction. The role of a congressman, at its heart, is more political than “governance.”

Besides being keenly engaged in the key policies championed by left-ofcenter Democrats, Zimmerman, who is a Great Neck resident, has been a stalwart advocate for women’s rights and reproductive rights, voting rights, Medicare for All, LGBTQ+ rights, gun safety policies, a truly safe and secure

Israel and a two-state solution in the Middle East, comprehensive immigration reform, restoring the SALT deduction, protecting the environment and climate action.

But Zimmerman brings an added strength: communication and messaging – he has done it throughout his career as a public relations/marketing executive and as an on-air pundit for national cable news channels. And what Democrats need probably more than anything at a time when the Republican Party, in the throes of White Christo Fascists, is weaponizing agitprop, propaganda, fake news and outright lies in a war of words, is a messaging maven. You only have to listen to bits from CPAC to understand the danger.

Zimmerman has been a force behind the scenes of politics at every level for decades. Former Congressman Gary Ackerman, in his endorsement, noted, “Robert has been a close adviser to me over the years, and in that time I have seen him in action in our congressional district and on Capitol Hill. During these most critical and challenging of times, Robert Zimmerman is eminently and uniquely qualified to serve in Congress to represent our values. He believes America’s military strength must be matched by its moral leadership, and I know Robert to be a stalwart advocate for economic security, staunchly pro-Israel and a national voice for education, clean air and water, and preserving a woman’s right to choose. He will provide strong and steady leadership for us in Washington, DC.” Ideologically, both Zimmerman and Kaiman hug the left-of-center,

KAREN RUBIN View Point

pragmatic progressive values without going for pie-in-the-sky-line-in-thesand proposals, and have the skill and gravitas to achieve results, to the extent anyone can, especially if (horror of horrors) the Republicans take control of Congress.

I have to say that while I see strengths in both Kaiman and Zimmerman, I am persuaded by Zimmerman’s list of endorsements that include just about everyone I admire and respect, from Tom DiNapoli to Judi Bosworth to Hillary Clinton — an extraordinarily broad coalition that touches on all the issues that Democrats, even the progressives, have been desperately trying to achieve for decades.

He’s won the endorsement of JoAnn D. Smith, the retired CEO of Planned Parenthood of Nassau County, who said, “Women’s health and reproductive freedom are under assault like never before and we need leaders, not

just voices in Congress, who will protect and preserve our rights. Robert Zimmerman will be that leader. I know that because he has been a champion for Planned Parenthood and reproductive rights both nationally and locally.”

Liuba Grechen Shirley, founder and CEO of Vote Mama, in her endorsement, said, “Robert Zimmerman is exactly the kind of representative we so desperately need in Congress.

Washington is filled with people who are there to serve themselves and are beholden to special interests, but Robert is different. He has dedicated his life to advancing progressive policy and fighting for those who are so often dismissed by people in power.”

She added, “Robert doesn’t just talk about doing what is right — he takes action. He is one of the few politicians that will not accept corporate PAC money in his campaign. He is an ardent supporter of Medicare for All and is not afraid to take on powerful interests to defend healthcare as a human right. He will protect women’s rights, combat environmental injustice, and fight to end the gun violence epidemic. I am proud to endorse my dear friend, Robert Zimmerman, who will bring compassion and decency to Congress.”

State Assemblyman Charles Lavine declared, “We are facing unprecedented challenges to rebuild our infrastructure and protect the Long Island Sound and our environment. Robert’s keen understanding of Washington, and his proven dedication to our communities, makes him uniquely qualified to advocate effectively in Congress. I look forward to partnering with him in our mission to protect our environment

and enhance our quality of life.”

John R. Durso, President of Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW, said, “It is becoming increasingly important to have representatives in Washington, D.C., who are willing to fight for our country’s working families. Robert Zimmerman has been a longtime friend of Local 338 and has supported our essential workers from the very start of the pandemic. With plans to protect voting rights, combat climate change, and a commitment to fight for working people, Robert Zimmerman is clearly the best choice for the 3rd Congressional District. We’re proud to endorse him to be our next United States representative, and we know he’ll serve as a strong voice for working people not just in New York, but across the country.”

Perhaps most importantly in deciding who to vote for in the Democratic primary, is which Democrat has the best chance of winning. Democrats cannot afford to lose a single House seat.

Kaiman has won elections in the past, is probably better known in parts of the district where he governed, but Zimmerman has the broadest coalition of support, may be better known in the newly drawn district because of his national platform and has made the best effort at outreach.

Zimmerman has demonstrated his interest in being hyper-local by holding town halls all over the redrawn district – which also speaks to the importance he places on reaching out, being accessible, getting to know constituents personally. I’ve known Zimmerman for decades; I can’t wait to call him congressman.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

17

OUR TOWN

Why so many Americans take drugs

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he current movement to legalize marijuana brings to mind the obvious question why people use drugs. This is not a simple question, but it’s worth trying to answer since it is now estimated that, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 50% of Americans are either mildly or severely abusing some drug, be it alcohol, sedatives, narcotics, stimulants or marijuana.

In fact, there has been a growing global epidemic of drug abuse that began in the Fifties and has been gaining speed ever since. Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” was written in 1932 and predicted a future where we all would be mandated to take “Soma,” a magic hangover-free opiate that would remove all our anxiety, stress and unrest.

My patients, who are largely athletes, often seek out drugs in an effort to calm their anxiety, manage their pain or suppress their depressing disappointments. Both research and my clinical experience suggest that there has not been a single drug invented, with the exception of caffeine, that helps an athlete’s performance.

Let us spend a little time understanding why it is that so many Americans take drugs. The psychoanalyst Heinz Kohut noted that drug addiction is the result of a defective self which creates huge problems in affect control. He suggests that drug users go through a typical vicious cycle that endlessly repeats itself.

Initially there is some sort of crisis caused by unreasonable expectations.

I have seen athletes get depressed following a big win and remark to me: “Is that all there is?” One reason vacationers get depressed either on or following a vacation is because they had harbored an unrealistic vision of how glorious it would be. These disappointments can be felt as severe and so painful that the person immediately turns to drugs to escape the flood of anger and despair.

This cycle repeats itself over and over and little is learned about why they harbor such great but unrealistic expectations. The drug offers temporary relief or euphoria, but there is no growth or psychological learning that takes place as to what the depression is about. All that is achieved is

DR. TOM FERRARO Our Town

short-term relief from the crisis. The formula is simple. Unconscious defects in the self will force unrealistic expectations, which lead to inevitable disappointment and then drug use to sooth the pain.

The cure for all this is psychotherapy, but no one believes that anymore.

The pharmaceutical industry uses well-produced, well-written and extremely persuasive commercials that encourage a belief in drugs, drugs, drugs. You cannot watch a show on

television without seeing another drug ad.

Psychoanalysis has had a bad name for years as moribund, irrelevant and overly lengthy, but the question is what else works and the answer is that nothing else works.

Behavior modification does not work, rehab often does not work and other drugs to treat drug use typically fail as well. As an example, the promise that methadone could cure heroin addiction was an impressive failure.

Athletes and the many others who are addicted to one drug or another tend to externalize the answer and believe that the answers are found outside of the self. But the fact is that most of our unrest comes from within and the only way to figure that out is to look inside. Madison Avenue has done a splendid job of convincing us that the answer to all our problems can be purchased at the local CVS or nowadays at the local marijuana dispensary.

Aldous Huxley predicted all of this 90 years ago. But just like in his book, some people realized that life can never be nor does it have to be

a bowl of perfect cherries.People need lots of help in seeing how good they are, but it seems that more and more people are less and less convinced of that. We’ve been overexposed to images of Brad Pitt, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Angelina Jolie, Madonna and Taylor Swift. And if we don’t look like them, act like them and vacation where they vacation that means we feel like losers.

That shame is a nasty feeling and accounts for why so many people are angry and do their best to drown their rage and shame with meds or booze or pot. It’s a brave new world for sure and there is plenty of Soma to go around.

Drugs are used when people are afraid to look within.

E A R T H M AT T E R S

Tackling climate change one bite at a time

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ou probably don’t think about your choice of food as an environmental statement or a way to address climate change, but it is. According to climate scientists, growing crops, raising livestock, processing, transporting and distributing food accounts for about one-quarter to one-third of all manmade greenhouse gas emissions. And some food choices take a much heavier toll on the environment than others.

Eating for the sake of the planet is catching on with a large and growing segment of our society and has inspired a new name: climatarianism. A climatarian diet is one that is both good for the planet and good for your health. It focuses on the environmental impact of foods, preferring those that are locally grown or more sustainably produced, and eschewing foods like beef and lamb that have the highest (or worst) environmental impact.

If you must eat beef, the experts say, at least eat beef that is pasture raised (or grass fed) and comes from American farms and not from factory farms located halfway around the world. The environmental cost of transporting meat produced overseas to your local supermarket is staggering.

That’s not to say that a climatarian diet is necessarily a vegetarian diet. Eating small amounts of local, sustainably produced meat will not spell disaster for the climate, but as my climatarian friend

says, “Use meat as a condiment, not the main course.”

Eating locally sourced, in-season fruits and vegetables also plays a huge role in determining the carbon footprint of the food on your plate. Fill your bowl with strawberries in June when they grow plentifully around here, instead of in the winter when they have to be transported from far away. Enjoy peaches, tomatoes and peppers mostly in late summer and fall, not in March when they are ripening on a distant farm on the other side of the country. Our grandparents filled their freezers and pantry shelves with the plentiful seasonal foods that they then consumed all year long.

Another important recommendation is to eat primarily organic fruits and vegetables grown without the use of chemical pesticides.

Pesticides are largely responsible for upsetting the natural biological balance that has existed for millennia, wreaking havoc on all living things and resulting in the need for ever-more and stronger pesticides as chemical engineers try, inevitably in vain, to outsmart nature.

Pesticides impact climate change through their manufacture, transportation and application.

They emit the three most potent greenhouse gases during their production: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. And finally, fossil fuels, especially petroleum, are the typical feedstock of pesticides.

Despite these facts, scientists

know that RoundUp can cause cancer in humans, and new research shows it may also be responsible for an increase in Alzheimer’s disease, as well as contributing to the increased incidence of ADHD and autism.

But that’s not all. Over time, weeds that were supposed to be killed by RoundUp have developed resistance, and the product is no longer very effective. The chemical industry has responded to this development in typical fashion: It is now spraying these crops with a much more toxic pesticide, a chemical known as 2,4-D, one of the Earth Matters chemicals used to make the infamous defoliant Agent Orange that and marketing executives at the caused cancer in both American Monsanto company (now owned by troops and the Vietnamese populaBayer) thought it would be a great tion, as well as birth defects in their idea to genetically engineer the children. A tragedy of enormous food industry’s staple crops, like proportions. soybeans and corn, to be resistant Obviously, this is a disaster to their miracle pesticide RoundUp, not only for humans but also for which they claimed was relatively the planet, as pesticide residues harmless to humans. For decades, from all this spraying find their RoundUp-resistant GMO soybeans way into the environment and reand corn have been the backbone verberate among all living things. of the food industry, especially for Other pesticides used by the food the highly processed “foods” like industry have decimated beneficial Doritos and other similar snack insect populations, ironically putfoods that many kids live on and ting many crops at risk as bees are contain pesticide residues that can crucial for pollination. Neverthebe quite high. less, the chemical and food indusWell, it turned out the people try continues with their relentless at Monsanto didn’t fully appreciate efforts to control nature. how nature works, or the implicaYou might ask isn’t our governtions of spraying our most impor- ment doing something about this ? tant crops with pesticides. Now we The answer, sadly, is no. Budgets

PATTI WOOD

have been cut, legislation has been thwarted, and the revolving door of Washington ensures that the folks who regulate our food business come from the food industry itself.

Their reward for “good service” is often another lucrative private industry job that pays more than their government salary.

So, prospective climatarians, I implore you to take some steps to push back against the reckless actions and billion-dollar advertising budgets of the food industry and think for yourself. Do you really need to buy that multi-pack of hamburger meat from Argentina?

Is it a good idea to order a Big Mac at lunchtime? Should you be feeding bags of GMO corn-based snack foods to your kids? Are there pesticide residues in the corn syrup that makes your soda sweet?

If these questions cause you to think about your diet, good! Join the growing number of people around the world who are using their food purchases to make a statement about climate change, their health and protection of the environment.

One of the best ways to join the climatarians and do your part is to visit and support your local farmers’ market where you can actually meet the farmers who grow your food. You can’t beat the freshness or nutritional value, especially if the food is grown organically using sustainable methods that don’t contribute to our climate crisis.

18 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

FROM THE DESK OF DELIA DERIGGI-WHIT TON

Where’s Nassau’s plan for Opioid settlement?

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assau County’s ongoing mission to address the opioid addiction crisis is one of the most important and most heart-wrenching issues I contend with as a mother and the ranking member of the Nassau County Legislature’s Health & Social Services committee.

It is a merciless and unforgiving scourge has touched nearly all our lives.

As Nassau sits on tens of millions of settlement dollars from the nation’s largest opioid drug manufacturers and distributors, Suffolk has already announced plans for their share — a blueprint that was devised through the work of a transparent, bipartisan, and collaborative advisory panel. To date, Nassau County has offered little more than conceptual plans for using our share.

It is time to follow Suffolk County’s lead so that these funds can get into the hands of agencies and enti-

ties on the front lines of our response to the addiction crisis.

On July 26, Suffolk County announced that it would dedicate settlement funds received from opioid distributors AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Cardinal Health, Inc., and McKesson Corporation to finance grants for drug treatment providers, community groups and County agencies for programs.

These actions were based upon guidance from the Suffolk County Addiction Prevention and Support Advisory Panel, a body consisting of legislators, public health experts, recovery advocates and community leaders that was convened by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. The advisory panel also published a report describing how future funds would be spent.

Meanwhile, in Nassau, we still lack a clear vision from County Executive Bruce Blakeman. According to annual reports from the Nassau County Comptroller’s office and the

DELIA DeRIGGI-WHITTON Nassau County Legislator

independent Office of Legislative Budget Review, the County has received $55.9 million, of which $15 million is restricted for use toward recovery, prevention, and education resources. None of these funds have been spent as of July 2022.

Since telling Newsday on April 19 that he would “meet with Barry Wilansky, his new director of substance abuse policy who has more than 30 years of experience in rehabilitation services, to identify the best way to spend the money,” County Executive Blakeman’s administration has not articulated a clearly defined strategy. To my knowledge, the administration has not engaged legislators or community stakeholders on best uses for these funds, either.

That is especially unfortunate when you consider how those resources could amplify the benefits of successful programs that are already running and those that could come soon. Nassau’s highly successful Operation: Natalie — which floods opioid “hot spots” in the County with enforcement, education, community outreach and treatment resources — is back up and running at full force after the pandemic.

Legislation to provide Narcan to

nightlife establishments statewide is on the Governor’s desk. In Nassau, my Minority Caucus colleagues and I are pushing for fentanyl testing strips to be added to the Narcan kits Nassau distributed as part of efforts to reduce the number of overdose deaths caused by fentanyl-laced drugs.

A collaborative and communitypowered strategic plan for the use of Nassau County’s settlement funds would be another giant step forward in our mission to amplify and deliver the treatment, education and prevention services that will save lives and help residents free themselves from the grips of addiction. For the sake of all the people that we have lost and the families that continue to grapple with the horrors of this disease, we must not miss this opportunity.

Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, of Glen Cove, was first elected to the Nassau County Legislature in 2011. She represents the 11th District in the Nassau County Legislature.

FROM THE DESK OF VINCENT BUTERA

Butera responds to Ed Dept. closing probe

I

am pleased to have been informed on July 8, 2022, that the investigation previously opened by the Office of State Review has been closed without incident.

As a result of the closure, there will be no hearing required and I remain in good standing with no effect on my administrative certification.

The Office of State Review is responsible for conducting investigations upon receipt of a Part 83 complaint to determine if a question exists as to the moral character of a certified individual or an applicant. If it is determined that such

a question does exist, the matter is referred for a hearing.

Part 83 complaints are intended to remain private in order to maintain the integrity of the investigative process and to ensure that no one is deprived of their right to an impartial adjudication.

In this instance, the Part 83 complaint became public when the district submitted a public filing on May 13, 2022 denying Newsday’s FOIA request for the investigative file citing the lack “of any disciplinary findings, charges, reprimands, determinations or employment actions against Dr. Butera.” The dis-

VINCENT BUTERA

trict wrote that disclosure would thus constitute “an unwarranted invasion of Dr. Butera’s privacy.”

Given the closure of the matter by the Office of State Review, their conclusion is consistent with the original decision of the Manhasset Board of Education 18 months ago that discipline was not warranted; the board’s public comment in May 2021 that their decision was “the right one;” and the board’s Feb. 14, 2022, public statement reaffirming those sentiments.

For anyone in a leadership position, it is disconcerting to have unsubstantiated claims become a

source of hurtful speculation and misinformation. While it is not known who did file the complaint here, it was not filed by either the district or superintendent.

As difficult as the past year has been, I am pleased to have been vindicated and am grateful for the outpouring of support throughout this ordeal. I am grateful to the trustees who wrote letters of support on my behalf. Now that the matter has been fully resolved, I look forward to pursuing opportunities to continue to positively impact and improve the lives of students.

READERS WRITE

A correction on my oil market essay

M

y essay. “Let’s discuss U.S. oil production, consumption, imports, exports, supply, prices, & geopolitics,” had some errors.

One, in particular, is an opportunity to clarify the fact that oil production (supply) is constantly being adjusted to match demand (consumption).

My essay said a large oversupply of oil occurred when the March 2020 pandemic hit, depressing prices from $100 barrel to $40 barrel.

Prices actually plunged and bottomed out

around -$40 a barrel. That’s right, producers paid volume buyers minus $40 a barrel to take oil off their hands, because up to then production, consumption, and a normal supply chain were in operation.

Typical amounts of oil were produced each day (100-plus million barrels) and were already in the system based on contracts and sales as part of the regular workings of market-based supply and demand.

The system is mostly set up to move with one

purpose and direction depending on predictability and sales. The pandemic changed things overnight. Predictability flew out the window. There was suddenly nowhere for a very large amount of oil to go. The market became unstable.

Only so much oil could be stored, the system couldn’t adjust that quickly and with not enough storage capacity, producers grappled with trying to adjust to the rapidly changing realities of massively reduced demand until production was brought in line.

With apologies, please find the corrected essay that was too late to make the print deadline here: https://theisland360.com/readers-write/ readers-write-lets-discuss-u-s-oil-production-consumption-imports-exports-supply-prices-geopolitics-2/ Stephen Cipot Garden City Park Letters Continued on Page 29

F o r t h e l a t e s t n e w s , v i s i t u s a t w w w. t h e i s l a n d 3 6 0 . c o m

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

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20 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

German is for Everyone at: German American School German lessons since 1897

Welcome to our after-school program

COMMUNITY NEWS

Dalimonte sings with Red Stocking Revue Town of North Hempstead Council Member Mariann Dalimonte recently attended Port Outdoors on July 21. During the event, she took to the streets to perform with members of CancerCare’s Red Stocking Revue.

Port Outdoors transforms Main Street in Downtown Port Washington into a venue for outdoor dining, shopping and live entertainment. Upcoming Port Outdoors events include

NY State Accredited Language Program • Low tuition • Manhattan location: Upper East Side • No previous German necessary • Location also in Franklin Square • Minimum age: 6 years and Garden City (Long Island)

Classes start second week in September inquiries to: kidslearngerman@aol.com or www.german-american-school.org

Sport Psychology Dr. Tom Ferraro

has specialized in sport psychology for 20 years and works in the fields of golf, tennis, soccer, baseball, football, wrestling, lacrosse, figure skating, gymnastics, softball, fencing and more. He has helped professional teams, Olympians and elite young athletes learn how to manage the intense pressure of competitive sports. He appears on both TV and radio and has sport psychology columns in 5 different newspapers and has been featured in The New York Times, Wall street Journal and the London Times. Golf Digest includes him in their list of top mental game gurus in America. For a consultation see below: Williston Park Professional Center 2 Hillside Ave, Suite E. Williston Park NY 11596 (building parallel to E. Williston railroad station)

drtomferraro.com drtferraro@aol.com

(516) 248-7189

Aug. 18, Sep. 15 and Sep. 22. For more information, visit: www.portwashingtonbid.org/portoutdoors The Red Stocking Revue is a treasured variety show that has been part of the community for over 40 years. They continuously dedicate their time to helping raise money for CancerCare, which provides support services, counseling and financial help to those affected by cancer.

BLANK SLATE MEDIA August 12, 2022

YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING

MUSEUM DAY BACK IN GLEN COVE

BY J ES S I C A R E N

The annual Garvies Point Museum and Preserve’s Museum Day returned to Glen Cove last Saturday after being postponed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year also marks the museum’s 55th anniversary.

“We never really went virtual,” said Veronica Natale, the director of the museum. “We were able to have summer camps safely right after COVID, but it’s just very nice to have the public back out again because you get to see them and there’s a lot of one-on-one and it’s nice to see the kids’ faces.”

She added, “There is something to be said for the virtual world,” said Natale. “It’s a great tool, but it’s nice when people can and are able to be out in-person and in the real world and out in nature. I think it’s great and the kids love it.”

The beach exploration walk, held at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., on Museum Day at Garvies Point Museum and Preserve.

The event was held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Adults and children ages 5 and older paid a $5 admission fee, which gave them access to 10 different programs that were scattered throughout the day. Each program ran from 30 to 45 minutes.

The programs included nature walks, bird watching, beach exploration walks, insect studies, native habitat garden tours, live animal meet and greets (in collaboration with Tackapausha Museum), paper-making crafts, rock, mineral and fossil identification, and featured films.

“It feels great to be back,” said Jason Abdale, a 10-year museum volunteer who ran the geology workshop for the day. “I’ve been here since 2012 and Museum Day has been a consistent thing since then. It was disappointing to not be able to do it.”

The museum is open to the public on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The next events for the month of August include “Incredible Invertebrates” on Aug. 13, “Garvies Geology” on Aug. 20, and “Intro to Outdoor Survival” on Aug. 27.

For more information on the museum and nature preserve, as well as future events, visit Garvies Point Museum and Preserve.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JESSICA REN

Staff members of the Tackapausha Museum hosting the live animal meet and greet on Museum Day at Garvies Point Museum and Preserve.

22 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

CSTL’s Dinosaurs, live animals exhibit expands Located at Tanglewood Preserve, in Rockville Centre, The Center for Science, Teaching & Learning recently hosted a special celebration for the expansion of their Dinosaurs! and Live Animals exhibit. New to the exhibit will be two animatronic dinosaurs, Protoceratops (7 ft X 3 ft) and Pachycephalosaurs (16 ft X 6 ft) that are located inside the exhibition hall. The exhibit now features 40 dinosaurs (18 partial skeletons, 12 full skeletons, 10 animatronic Dinos) and over 40 live animals.

The celebration was led by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, and CSTL Director Ray Ann Havasy. The two kicked off the event with opening remarks celebrating the new ad-

ditions.

“CSTL’s dinosaur and animal exhibit is a jewel right the heart of Nassau County. This is the only permanent Dinosaur exhibit here on Long Island and I encourage Nassau County residents and families from across the region to come, explore and learn. Exhibits like this support our local economy and demonstrate that Nassau County has so much to offer residents and visitors. Nassau is back and open for business!,” said Blakeman.

“The expansion of our exhibit marks the latest step in our mission to inspire and educate children and families. As the largest permanent Dinosaur exhibition on Long Island,

CSTL will continue to bring tourists and economic activity to Rockville Centre and Nassau County,” said Havasy. “Dinosaurs! And Live Animals offers a fun-filled experience for children and adults of all ages.”

The Dinosaurs! And Live Animals Exhibit is the only tourist and educational attraction of its kind on Long Island. The exhibit gives visitors a unique and up-close-and-personal experience where they can learn how animals adapt and survive, which is demonstrated through a unique intermixing of dinosaur models and live animals together. Families and children can also enjoy floor-to-ceiling hand-painted prehistoric dinosaur murals and an assortment of live wild animals, including owls, emus, golden pheasants, goats, alligators, lizards, turtles, frogs and more.

“Dinosaurs come alive with the addition of the two animatronic Protoceratops and Pachycephalosaurs at CTSL,” commented Village of Rockville Centre Mayor Francis X. Murray.

“CTSL has been inspiring and educating youth and adults through hands-on learning right here in Rockville Centre for over 20 years. I am certain that children and their families will

enjoy their trip back to prehistoric times.”

“CTSL has innovative and unique exhibits that brings visitors from all over face-to-face with animals and nature so that children can have fun while learning,” commented Village of Rockville Centre Deputy Mayor Kathy Baxley. “These new animatronic dinosaurs will serve as a valuable educational resource.”

As a science and STEM education-focused not-for-profit organization, CSTL is dedicated to providing people of all ages with a place to engage in both formal and informal learning.

CSTL also creates signature corporate programs and delivers educational workshops.

Dinosaurs! and Live Animals Exhibit is open every day except Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for children under 10 and children under one are free. Tickets can only be purchased on-site or online.

For special group rates and programs for special events, birthday parties, camp trips and school field trips call (516) 764–0045 or email helpdesk@cstl.org. For more information about CSTL and special events, please visit www.cstl.org.

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24 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

Revocable trusts a tool to consider

BY E LL E N G . M A KOF S K Y, ESQ.

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COVID-19 has disrupted the court system; it was shut down for weeks on end resulting in significant delays to many important pending legal matters.

Critical court matters such as probate and administration proceedings of decedents came to a complete halt for a long period of time. This means that executors and administrators did not receive the Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration that they needed to proceed with accessing a decedent’s assets to pay estate bills and keep loved ones afloat; there were extreme delays in having guardians named for minor and/or disabled heirs; and estates were unable to be settled.

Even though courts have reopened, there are ongoing staffing shortages and the courts are bogged down with a backload of cases as well as dealing with the implementation of brand-new procedures for moving legal matters forward. This is a daunting task and we can only expect to see the courts become more increasingly backlogged.

In Nassau County, for a non-complicated estate, it is currently not unusual to wait at least 8-10 weeks before receiving Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, leaving the executor or administrator with no ability to sell real estate, manage stock portfolios, pay creditors or to resolve other estate issues during the waiting period.

All of this delay is occurring in a period of economic volatility and rising mortgage rates which is creating much anxiety for executors, administrators and beneficiaries.

A revocable trust is an estate planning tool that can provide for a seamless transition of assets upon your death while alleviating your loved ones from ever having to step a foot in the courthouse.

A revocable trust can achieve many goals such as keeping one’s affairs private and allowing for the individual establishing the trust (often referred to as the “Grantor” or “Settlor”) to maintain control over his or her assets during life while also pro-

viding for asset management upon incapacity or death.

But one of the most important features of a fully funded revocable trust is that it permits assets titled in the name of the trust to pass seamlessly to the named beneficiaries of the trust upon the death of the grantor, without any court involvement.

Unlike a last will and testament which requires a court proceeding to have an executor appointed and to be able to gain access to a decedent’s assets, a revocable trust provides for trust assets to be available immediately following the death of the grantor and it does not require any court approval.

Revocable trusts are not for everyone. At the death of the grantor, a revocable trust can only transfer to heirs those assets which are owned by the trust.

What this means is that in order to be an effective substitute for a Will, the Grantor must transfer his or her assets into the trust during life.

New deeds for real property need to be prepared and filed with the County Clerk and the title to bank accounts and brokerage accounts need to be changed to reflect trust ownership.

Any asset not retitled into the trust by the grantor that lacks a beneficiary requires a probate or estate administration, even though the deceased person created a revocable trust. Depending upon the type of assets an individual owns, transferring all assets into a trust can be complicated.

Every person’s estate plan contains different issues. Each one of us is unique and solutions need to be customized to an individual’s needs. As we all look forward to life going back to “normal”, now is a good time to plan in order to protect our families and assets. While we cannot control events like a global pandemic, we can leave a plan in place that saves our loved ones from unnecessary stress.

Ellen G. Makofsky, Esq., Makofsky Law Group, P.C., 600 Old Country Rd., STE 444, Garden City, NY 11530 Ellen@MakofskyLaw.com

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25

How to organize a social club

Social media: It’s not just for kids anymore

T

he early stages of the COVID19 pandemic taught the world many lessons, not the least of which was how easy it can be take socializing for granted. Lockdown was a big part of life during the early days of the pandemic, as people were forced to stay home from work and school and remain largely isolated, even from their own friends and family members.

The sense of isolation that many people developed during those early days of the pandemic likely didn’t come as a surprise to medical researchers, particularly those who have studied the effects of isolation on aging populations. The National Institute on Aging indicates that social isolation and loneliness are linked to depression as well as a host of other negative health outcomes, including high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and cognitive decline.

Social clubs can be a great way for adults over 50 to avoid isolation and loneliness. Such clubs can provide opportunities to connect with individuals who share similar interests, laying the foundation for new friendships that can be hard to develop in midlife.

Perhaps the best thing about social clubs is that anyone can start one.

These tips can help individuals over 50 start social clubs that appeal to locals who are on the lookout for fun ways to meet new people.

Think of a hobby unique to your location. One of the best ways to attract other locals is to find a hobby that caters to residents in your area.

For example, coastal residents may want to start a local fishing club,

while city dwellers may draw more interest starting a club focused on local museums or restaurants.

Take all comers. Individuals over 50 may aspire to meet people in situations similar to their own, but they should still allow anyone interested in their club to join. Adults in the early stages of midlife (i.e., their thirties and forties) are often too busy with their personal and professional lives to make much time for social clubs, so it’s likely that those interested will be 50 or older.

But accepting all who are interested can increases the chances of starting a diverse and engaging group.

Spread the word. Meetup (meetup.com) has been facilitating connections for two decades, making it a great place to start a group for people with shared interests. In addition to utilizing a service like Meetup, founders can spread the word through their social media apps and create fliers to post on public boards at local community centers and libraries.

Find a public place to get together. It’s best to avoid hosting club events and meetings at a private residence, including your own. Instead, prior to starting the club, look around for meeting places, which can include local churches, libraries or community centers. Ask about reserving spaces for meetings and look for places that are accessible for all people, including those with mobility issues.

Starting a social club can be a great way for individuals over 50 to meet new people and explore new or existing passions.

P

erhaps due to the popularity of social media among a generation of young people who grew up with it, platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are often associated with people born in the 21st century. However, a

2018 study from the Pew Institute found that 65 percent of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 used Facebook and 68 percent used YouTube.

Social media is often on the receiving end of negative attention, but it’s also a potentially valuable tool that can help men and women over 50 stay connected with their communities. That’s not always so easy for adults who no longer have children at home. And as its name suggests, social media can help users connect with others who share their interests. Such connections also can be hard to make for adults over 50.

Adults over 50 may be more comfortable with social media now than they were a decade ago, but it’s still a good idea to brush up on basic security measures that can help men and women protect their privacy as they utilize platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Protect your personal information. No social media user has the right to access your personal information, including your address, date of birth or other data unique to you. Avoid interacting with anyone who requests personal information, employing the function to block such users from connecting with you when possible. It’s also important to keep information about travel plans private. For example,

sharing details of an upcoming vacation can serve notice to potential criminals that no one will be in your house, making it a potential target for burglars.

Aim for quality, not quantity, when building social media networks. Avoid accepting friend requests from individuals you don’t know. Cyber criminals often gain access to victims via social media, so limit your social media network to people you know and trust.

Turn off location information. The technology behind social media is impressive and even makes it possible to determine where users are when they tweet or post to other platforms. But many users, especially those concerned about their privacy, don’t want to share location information with anyone, much less strangers. Turn off location information and routinely double check to make sure it’s still turned off.

Discuss others’ privacy concerns before posting to social media.

Social media isn’t for everyone, and some people may not want photos of themselves or their children posted to platforms like Facebook or Instagram. Prior to posting pictures or information about other people, confirm that they’re OK with you doing so.

Adults over 50 are engaging with social media. But no matter how comfortable users become, it’s still best to keep various social media safety protocols in mind.

26 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

29

READERS WRITE

Origins—Hydrogen Alpha Sun Origins—Hydrogen Alpha Sun When I was young and could no longer sleep, Before the sun rose I climbed the little hill In front of the house to watch the sky turn over The starlit fields of dark, unlocking the greatest morning, Like a doorway slowly opening.

The infinite routes I have traveled since Come together here in the prominent sunlight, How else can you find what is missing?

But let’s be clear, while I hope no shadows follow, There is only one life, I repeat it tirelessly.

Stephen Cipot Garden City Park During a recent free moment, my colleague took a few hydrogen alpha pictures of the sun. Note the huge solar prominence that’s about 325,000 kilometers long! Dr. Haklar oriented the image to be consistent with the images published by the GONG (Global Oscillation Network Group) of the National Solar Observatory.

PHOTO BY DR. JAMES HAKLAR

Kaplan fights for fair treatment

I

’m so proud to support state Sen. Anna Kaplan’s campaign for re-election to Senate District 7.

As a child, I’ve always been proud of my culture and heritage as an Asian American. However, since the pandemic began, hate crimes against Asian Americans have increased by 339%. I was ashamed of my identity for some time and felt judged for being who I am. Then I heard of Anna Kaplan’s story— a former child refugee

who fled Iran amidst the revolution. She’s fought for women’s rights and fair treatment of minorities for her entire life.

I first met Senator Kaplan when she held a “Stop Asian Hate” rally in Great Neck. I felt inspired by her accomplishments and back story. I instantly knew we needed to keep her in office, representing our community.

The 2022 general election will be one of the most challenging fights we’ve ever

seen in Long Island, and Anna is someone you can trust with your vote. She’s devoted her life to changing the world for the better, and you could be part of the movement.

Please join me in voting to re-elect our state senator, Anna Kaplan, in the primary election on August 23.

Ashley Dong Great Neck

I’m available to serve on MTA board

T

here is a better choice to Newsday’s recent call for Nassau County MTA Board member David Mack to leave. “Mack’s ride should end” (Newsday Editorial — Aug. 1).

I’ve been a regular LIRR commuter for decades and previously worked for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for billions of dollars in grants that supported capital projects and programs for the MTA, including the LIRR, NYC Transit, Metro North Rail Road, MTA Bus, NYC Department of Transportation Staten Island Ferry, NJ Transit along with 30 other transit agencies in New York and New Jersey.

During my tenure at the FTA, I developed a detailed knowledge of all MTA op-

erating agencies, including the LIRR physical assets such as equipment, stations, yards, shops and maintenance as well as management of capital projects and programs. I gave emphasis to completing federally funded projects on time, within budget with a minimum number and dollar value for contract change orders that had to be justified as fair and reasonable.

This was my motto for the MTA and LIRR. I’m unaware of any MTA board member today who has firsthand experience in applying for and managing federal assistance from Washington that I would provide. Federal dollars play a key role in the success of MTA’s capital program.

My addition to the board could be a real asset. Having no drivers license, I have always been transit dependent, Unlike

David Mack, I have no interest in obtaining a police placard. Being retired, I could represent the interests of Nassau County commuters and taxpayers full time on the board at no expense.

Larry Penner Great Neck (Larry Penner is a transportation advocate, historian and writer who previously worked for the Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office. This included the development, review, approval and oversight for billions in capital projects and programs for the MTA, NYC Transit, Long Island and Metro North Rail Roads MTA Bus, New Jersey Transit along with 30 other transit agencies in NY & NJ.).

For the latest news, visit us at www.theisland360.com

Turning our G.N. parks from green to brown

A

t the heart of the Great Neck Park District is the Village Green, a quiet, verdant space 100 years old. It represents a century of parkland donated, purchased and even swapped. All of it, all of our parks, have been left in our care.

The Village Green is both too small and too steeped in history to be a victim of poor thinking. It has the Rose Garden, whose designer was of storied fame. It holds our community’s Veterans Memorial and a gazebo. It has a water fountain whose poignant past caused it to be filled in. It has a series of trees killed in a storm, their trunks given new life as sculptures in tribute to nature. On its fringe it has a latter-day children’s playground area, a popular place of happy activity.

The Great Neck Park District believes in community service. So a resident spoke to a commissioner, and from that meager beginning it somehow grew into what we heard at a meeting on June 30: a percentage of the Village Green is to be carved out for a dog park. In other words, the commissioners

are considering a plan to turn it brown.

In the 1990s the park district purchased a defunct country club at the intersection of East Shore Road and Colonial Road and created a dog park, Peninsula Park. It was hailed by dog owners. Startup costs for purchase and refurbishment were a million dollars. That’s a hefty sunk cost.

Dog owners I spoke with recently had this to say about Peninsula Park: 1. It smells. It stinks.

2. It has no sign.

3. When owners with pooch passes go there, no park worker materializes to let them in.

4. It has an abundance of poison ivy.

5. There is no sidewalk by which to approach and enter.

From this we can conclude that before allocating dog acreage in other parks, the park district needs to show the community it can rejuvenate and maintain the one dog park it has.

For example, remedy the absence of a sidewalk.

Just as New York State established fire, water, water

pollution control and park districts, it also created sidewalk districts, one of which oversaw the creation of the first sidewalks on Middle Neck Road.

So our park district may have to take recourse to the commissioners of a somnolent sidewalk district, or to the trustees of a village, to address the need for a safe approach to that dog park by sidewalk.

I’ve spoken to dog owners I know and asked why they were not at the meeting. They said they do not take their dogs to a dog park, and they gave reasons why not. So the statistical increase in dog ownership during the pandemic does not translate to a need for turning over additional park acreage to dogs.

The park district has titled its proposal for dog parks on the Village Green and at Allenwood Park a pilot program, saying it will be short-lived. Yet the Great Neck school district’s current universal pre-K started as a pilot program back in the 1950s, so the word pilot in no way promises something will go away. As it happens, the pre-K was worthy at the outset because it was years in the planning. By con-

trast, the proposed alterations to the Village Green and Allenwood Park include none of the usual research about impact on the community and its environs.

A speaker at the meeting in favor of these takeovers of open space in two parks made it clear that he looks forward to this being only the beginning.

He expects dog acreage in all the parks, great and small, in our Great Neck Park District: Steppingstone, Memorial Field, Parkwood, Allenwood, Cutter Mill, Grace Avenue/Firefighters, Lakeville, Manor, Ravine, Thomaston, Upland, Wyngate, Creek, Udall’s Pond Park, Woodland, Wooleys, plus Kings Point Park (which we have leased for 85 years), and the Village Green.

Peninsula Park needs a clean bill of health.

Meanwhile, this idea to withdraw park space from the Village Green and Allenwood Park needs to be recognized for what it is: a pilot program not ready for prime time.

Rebecca Rosenblatt Gilliar Great Neck

BLANK SLATE MEDIA WELCOMES YOUR SUBMISSIONS. PLEASE E-MAIL THEM TO NEWS@THEISLAND360.COM

30 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Town hosts night Situational awareness training out at ‘Bunky’ Reid North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and Council Member Robert Troiano were was proud to host its annual National Night Out at Martin “Bunky” Reid Park on August 2. Council Members Peter Zuckerman was in attendance for the event. National Night Out is a neighborhood event that promotes police-community partnerships.

The event kicked off with a parade and festivities continued at the park.

The event featured music, singing, dancing, health care services providers, crime prevention information,

education resources, cultural entertainment, refreshments, arts & crafts, raffles, games, giveaways, and more. his year’s National Night Out was made possible by: the Nassau County Police Department 3rd Precinct, the Westbury Fire Department, NAACP, AKA Sorority- Pi Pi Omega Chapter of Westbury, the Islamic Center of LI (ICLI), North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center, North Hempstead Housing Authority, Westbury School District, National Circus Project, Target of Westbury, the UBS Arena, and Western Beef.

With the recent tragedies in Uvalde and Buffalo still touching our hearts and in our minds, North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena today announced that the Town has arranged a Situational Awareness Training program for residents to be conducted by the Nassau County Police Department Homeland Security Unit.

The program will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. at Clinton G. Martin Park at 1601 Marcus Avenue in New Hyde Park.

“These terrible tragedies throughout our nation have left us all feeling very uneasy and worried and while we

all hope to never face such a situation, this program is a great opportunity to recognize potential warning signs and learn survival strategies,” Supervisor Jennifer DeSena said. “The safety and wellbeing of our residents is one of my top priorities and by working with the Nassau County Police Department Homeland Security Unit to offer this program, our residents will become better educated and more prepared.”

By focusing on situational awareness, the 90-minute lecture encourages participants to be vigilant for suspicious behavior, which could be indicators of a future attack.

The free workshop, which will be

conducted by the Nassau County Police Department’s Homeland Security Unit, will include topics such as emergency response plans, knowing your evacuation route, what to do if you see a suspicious package, understanding warning signs, what to do during an active shooter situation and more.

Residents will learn the proper way to respond in different situations, as instructors will identify best practices learned from past incidents.

A brief question-and-answer session will take place following the seminar.

Registration is required. Please call 311 or 516-869-6311 to reserve your spot.

Silent art auction for Ukraine The Watercolor Artists of Oyster Arboretum, are devastated by the suf- gression.

Bay, a group of watercolor enthusiasts fering of the Ukrainian people as they As a group, we wanted to help in who meet weekly at Planting Fields defend themselves against Russian Ag- any way possible and have, therefore, mounted an exhibit of original Sunflower paintings as sunflowers are the national flower.

During the month of August, a silent auction of framed, donated paintings are on exhibit at The Haybarn at Planting Fields Arboretum. Winning bidders will be contacted in early September.

Alternately, fine art giclee prints and placemats are available for purchase through the website www.theimagestoreusa.com with whom we have partnered.

All profits and contributions will be donated to The World Relief Orgahood event that promotes police-comnization (a 501c3) specifically for the munity partnerships. The event was benefit of the Ukrainian people. made possible by help from the NasIf you need additional informasau County Police Department’s Sixth tion, visit our FaceBook page: The WaPrecinct, Nassau PBA, Nassau PAL, tercolor Artists of Oyster Bay. Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department, North Hempstead Housing Authority, Manhasset Great Neck EOC, Manhasset Chamber of Commerce and Macy’s of Manhasset. Attendees were treated to booths by local businesses, raffles, music, and fun activities.

National Night Out at Whitney Pond North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and Council Member Veronica Lurvey were proud to host the 2nd Annual National Night Out event at Whitney Pond Park on August 2.

Councilmembers Peter Zuckerman and David Adhami, along with Receiver of Taxes Charles Berman, were also in attendance to kick off the event.

National Night Out is a neighbor-

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD

Night Out at Alvan Petrus

Photo from North Hempstead’s National Night Out at Alvan Petrus Park.

Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

Business&RealEstate

31

Pricing a home right crucial in this market With the increase in mortgage interest rates over the last eight months, properties are not necessarily selling as quickly as they were in the past. Rates have been down the last four weeks and just last week slipped again from 5.59% to 5.55% as of August 3rd. Rates are usually pegged to the 10-year Treasury, but the markets generally are the true determiner of rates.

They are still considerably higher than the historically lowest rate of 2.5% late in 2021 for a 30-year fixed mortgage.

With the current doubling of rates the price of homes has become unaffordable for a vast majority of consumers locally and across the U.S. Even though rates are still historically lower and incomes have increased, (but purchasing power has stayed the same for the majority factoring in inflation over the last 40 years as per Pew Research Center). More importantly, the actual purchase price is far greater and in some cases as much as 5-10 times higher than they were in 2000.

To provide some perspective, the median price of a home in New York in 1940 was $45,700, in 1980 it was $90,300 and in 2000 it was $148,700. In the past and present, inflation has always been caused by the Fed with easy money, causing budget deficits, Nixon taking the U.S off of a Gold Standard, turning us into a fiat

currency, and Keynesian economic policy and market psychology, during the 1970s.

Look around your local neighborhoods and you can see how high the prices are today, having truly stretched the pocketbooks of many who have left the market. They are staying put in a rental or relative’s home for the time being to wait for rates to further decrease, save for a larger downpayment or prices to ease and stabilize. Due to the severe lack of inventory on Long Island and the tri-state areas, prices won’t be crashing anytime soon.

But I think we will be heading into a more normalized and hopefully balanced market.Historically, bubbles occur when inventory is higher than the normal for six to seven months like in 2008 when housing listings reached 11 months. This meant that it would take 11 months for all the available properties to sell. Currently, we have less than two months of inventory.

But for now, demand is still fairly strong if your home is priced accordingly for those who have the income, credit, and down payment to purchase. I believe it will take several years for housing inventory to become normal again and that will depend on real sellers who decide to put their homes on the market as well as on developers building more homes.

$615,000 in June 2022, representing a 7.90% increase as compared to the reported $570,000 in June 2021. Across the regional coverage area, there were 6,056 closed residential sales reported in June 2022, which is 15.80% more closed transactions than the 5,230 reported the month prior.

Banks are tending to become a bit more conservative in their appraisals, so what has sold in the last three to six months may be adjusted based on future analysis of the market going forward.

Just because you see information on the major sites, don’t be fooled by thinking that is what you will receive when finally deciding to sell. No one from those sites has seen your home inside and the prices Real Estate Watch provided give a broad view of prices in a general locality.

Median prices of sold homes in One can always rely on our local June were $720,000 up 11.80% com- MLS as the No. 1 most accurate and pared with June 2021 when the price trusted source for information to make was $644,000. In Nassau County, there a clearer and more concise determinawere 1,261 closed sales transactions and tion of what is occurring in our Nassau, 1,250 pending transactions reported in Suffolk, Queens and other nearby areas.

June 2022, following 1,146 closed and Analysis and prices are very clear when 1,242 pending transactions reported in determining what is happening. So pricMay 2022. The OneKey MLS Regional ing your home is more accurately accomArea, covering all areas, Nassau, Suf- plished when using the MLS statistics and folk, Queens, and the Five Boroughs of not through the Zestimate model.

NYC and a portion of upstate New York, Attracting prospective purchasers reported a closed median sale price of will be determined by how smart you

PHILIP A. RAICES

are at pricing your home. If it is sitting for more than 30-60 days, and either not receiving the traffic or any offers, then you must look at your price and make the necessary adjustments. This will be crucial in finding one or more serious buyers to make offers to get your home sold.

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 Just email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your ideas or suggestions on future columns with your name, email and cell number and he will call or email you back.

TECH What is Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)?

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

IT Peace of Mind for Your Business to Thrive!

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

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

President and Founder Sandwire Technology Group

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

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The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

WT

37

Recent Real Estate Sales in the

Willistons

258 Park Avenue, Williston Park

491 Horton Highway, Williston Park

4 bd, 3 ba, Sold On: 5/3/22, Sold Price: $945,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Herricks

4 bd, 2 ba, Sold On: 5/6/22, Sold Price: $685,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Mineola

24 Liberty Avenue, Mineola

17 Fairfield Avenue, Mineola

4 bd, 2 ba, 1,665 sqft, Sold On: 5/6/22, Sold Price: $660,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Mineola

5 bd, 2 ba, 2,100 sqft, Sold On: 5/10/22, Sold Price: $891,000 Type: Single Family, Schools: Mineola

Editor’s note: Homes shown here were recently sold in New Hyde Park, the Willistons, Mineola and surrounding areas 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 New Hyde Park, the Willistons, Mineola and are believed by Blank Slate Media to be of interest to our readers.

Mike Fink

Licensed Associate Broker 193 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park, NY 11596 Office: 516-743-9953 | Cell: 516-647-3737 mfink@bhhslaffey.com !"#$%$&$'(")*" !"#$%&'#(%)*#+,#-&''*./0$#0+,/*1#2+/(#3.%/(*'#4'%5*'6#/(+,#+,#.%/#)*3./#3,#3#,%0+-+/3/+%.#%"#/(3/#0+,/+.78#900#:7&'*,#3;;'%<+)3/*8#900#+."%')3/+%.#"&'.+,(*1#'*73'1+.7#,%0*#;'%;*'/$#,30*6#'*./30#%'#:.3.-+.7#+,#"%')#,%&'-*,#1**)*1#'*,;%.,+40*8#=%#'*;'*,*./3/+%.#+,#)31*#/%#/(*#3-> -&'3-$#/(*'*%"#3.1#+/#+,#,&4)+//*1#,&4?*-/#/%#*''%',6%)+,,+%.,6#-(3.7*#%"#;'+-*6#'*./308#-%))+,,+%.#%'#%/(*'#-%.1+/+%.,6#;'+%'#,30*6#0*3,*#%'#:.3.-+.7#%'#2+/(1'3230#2+/(%&/#.%/+-*8

38 The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

WT

Crime stats show little rise after bail reform Continued from Page 1 New York implemented bail reform laws in January 2020, with modifications being passed in April that same year. State officials said the modified laws eliminated pretrial detention and optional cash bail in an estimated 90 percent of cases.

Local officials, including Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, have expressed their opposition to the laws, claiming that recent increases in major crimes and reports involving repeat offenders are reflective of bail reform.

Blakeman recently said there is a “state of lawlessness” throughout New York and it has resulted in repeat offenders coming back to Nassau County to commit crimes.

“We have to get serious about changing the laws so that we don’t give criminals more rights than victims,” Blakeman said. “Unfortunately, that’s the way it is now. We’ve got people committing crime after crime and judges are not given the discretion whether or not to hold these people and I think it’s a huge mistake.”

While judges throughout New York have the option to set bail in almost any case involving a violent felony, they may also release individuals in almost all other cases on their own recognizance or enact certain terms to make sure they ultimately return to court.

Blakeman signed an executive order in January shortly after taking office that cites a need to “increase transparency by disclosing in daily reports the pending criminal case data and bail status of those rearrested” by the Police Department.”

The county has yet to release those reports.

Efforts to reach Blakeman to discuss the 5-year trend were unavailing.

In the first three months of 2022, the police department reported that major crimes increased by 75% compared to the first three months of

PHOTO BY NOAH MANSKAR

Major violent crimes throughout Nassau County increased by 16% from 2017-21, according to statistics submitted by the Nassau County Police Department.

2021.

In Nassau’s 3rd and 6th precincts, which make up a majority of North Shore communities, 645 major crimes occurred during the threemonth span this year, compared to 333 last year, an increase of 93%.

The county has yet to release county crime statistics since March.

Statistics showed that 1,662 major crimes were committed throughout Nassau County from Jan. 1-March 31, up from 950 crimes during the same time frame last year.

From Jan. 1- Mar.ch 31 of this year, more than 300 stolen vehicle reports were filed to the county’s police department, a 255% increase from the same time frame last year, according to

statistics.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said 75% of stolen cars throughout Nassau this year were done so by Newark residents. He said crime rings throughout Newark are sending younger individuals to steal cars since they will not be prosecuted as adults.

Ryder and former County Executive Laura Curran announced last July that major crimes throughout Nassau decreased by more than 10 percent from 2020, which reflected a decade-long decline in major crimes throughout the county.

Nassau County spends $1,148 per capita on police and fire protection while the national median is $359, according to U.S. News & World Report finding in 2020 that named Nassau County the safest community in America. Public safety professionals account for 1.26% of the county’s population, compared with the national median of 0.70%.

The county again received that distinction as the safest community in America from U.S. News & World report in 2021.

Total violent crimes increased by nearly 300 from 2017-2021, according to the statistics, growing from 1,650 reports in 2017 to 1,917 in 2021.

The largest increase in crimes from 2017 to 2021 was in rapes with 172 reported in 2021 eight less than the previous four years combined and 131 more than 2017.

While robberies decreased by more than 150 from 2017 to 2021, assaults jumped up more than 300 over the five-year span and murders went from 17 to 21 during the same time frame, according to the report.

The number of property-related major crimes (burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft) decreased over the five-year sample size by nearly 2,000, going from 12,389 in 2017 to 10,618 in 2021, according to the statistics.

Town Dems vote to continue abortion hearing Continued from Page 3 “We all know too well that laws can be modified, governments change and all of a sudden Chapter 41A can be used as it was intentionally meant, to harass women and make it more difficult for them to seek health care,” he said.

In 1972, New York’s Appellate Divison issued a ruling in Robin v. Incorporated Village of Hempstead that invalidated a similar law to North Hempstead’s.

Dr. Kathleen Gaffney, the former commissioner of the Nassau County Health Department from 1994 to 2000, said a repeal would signal to women they have access to quality care.

“Pregnancies can be very high risk and access to safe medical care is essential to assure the best outcomes,” Gaffney, a Williston Park resident, said.

“I hope you assure by this action you will let everyone know they have access to the highest quality sexual and reproductive care in North Hempstead.”

Many residents spoke against the repeal on the grounds of a safety net for both the mother and the child, touting the oversight hospitals and hospitalaffiliated facilities provide the ability for emergency room treatment if something goes wrong.

“You don’t have to be a Christian to be against the repeal of 41A, you have to be for human rights,” Jim McHugh of New Hyde Park said. “You have to believe that a woman has a right to a safe procedure.”

Residents echoed similar sentiments while questioning the desire to have reproductive health clinics in their villages, such as Planned Parenthood.

“I’d like to ask why in light of the escalating violence in this nation why anyone would favor rescinding a law a keeps abortion mills out of their neighborhoods,” said Bette Russo of Port Washington. “We need a completely new mindset and need to become a culture of life, not a culture of death.”

Democratic Councilmember Robert Troiano called for a motion to continue the hearing, which had gone on for hours, to the Sept. 1 meeting.

He was opposed by Republican David Adhami who alluded to previous meetings where Republican motions to continue hearings were rejected by the Democratic majority.

Troiano told Adhami that on previous motions to continue hearings, Adhami was aware two weeks in advance of the agenda items and could have sought more information in advance of the

meeting.

“Tonight is a different instance. Here we have information given to us from residents of the town and they want us to reflect on that,” Troiano said.

“I’d like the opportunity to talk to residents, which I did not have two weeks to do so, and make a decision.”

At the June 7 town board meeting, Democrats, who make up four of the seven-person board, voted not to continue the public hearing to confirm new election districts in the town.

Troiano was supported by Democratic Councilmembers Peter Zuckerman and Lurvey, who both said they would like more time to speak with residents and hear more voices.

The next Town of Nort Hempstead Town Board meeting will be held Thursday, Sept. 1.

Ed board approves new Meadow Drive principal Continued from Page 5 “In order to do that, you have to build the entire course,” said Nagler. “And you have to meet all the benchmarks that the learner would normally meet during a full year course. So as you might imagine, that’s a lot of work.”

He said the change is important to stay up with the present rate of educational advancement. Vice President Patrick Talty was one of the several board members that praised the idea.

“It seems perfectly natural to be doing this in

the habit of the crossover between synergy and your traditional high school,” he said. “I think we’ll all start building that bridge figuratively before we can literally make that transition to the future.”

The development of their instructional model is another goal. The district started working on an integrated curriculum five years ago. Those goals included rethinking evaluation, flexible learning environments and computational thinking.

“We’re not done doing them,” said Nagler.

“But that work needs to evolve to where we are now. So the structural model is a shift into a more new era of how we’re interpreting.”

Nagler emphasized that this was a celebration-worthy occurrence. He said it’s important to realize they’ve outgrown their old paradigm and initiatives.

The board agreed that evolution was a necessary step to aim for.

“It’s in [Nagler’s] book, you talk about meaningful, sustainable change being that it’s achieved

through evolution, not revolution,” said Talty.

“And I think you make a fantastic case for and why that is important today because the world is changing so fast.”

The last goal was to encourage seniors to earn the Seal of Civic Readiness.

A student’s high level of expertise in civic knowledge, abilities, mindset and experiences are recognized by this state certification.

Nagler said that this initiative will be led by Mineola Mayor Paul Pereira.

The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

WT

39

Mineola man sentenced for killing Maraj Continued from Page 1 Efforts to reach Maraj for comment were unavailing.

Polevich, according to multiple reports, admitted he initially stopped after hitting Maraj before he fled the scene and left Maraj on the side of the road. Maraj was taken to a local hospital, where he was first listed in critical condition, according to the police.

A few days after Maraj’s death, officials from the Nassau County Police Department arrested Polevich, who hit Maraj with his white 1992 Volvo station wagon.

Brendan Brosh, spokesman for the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, previously said prosecutors recommended that a sentence for Polevich be between one to three years. Brosh, in a statement, said the office disagreed with the sentencing.

Polevich is the owner of an environmental drilling and water purification company located in Guam, according to multiple reports.Marc Gann, Polevich’s attorney, told the newspaper that it was “completely out of character” for his client to leave somebody on the side of the road, saying he may have been suffering from a “medical issue” following the incident.

Carol Maraj filed a $150 million lawsuit against Polevich in 2021, according to court documents. The lawsuit,

filed in State Supreme Court of Nassau County in early March, claims Polevich was negligent and careless in his actions.

The litigation appears to be ongoing, according to the online court documents.

In several interviews, Minaj, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj, has said her father carried out various forms of abuse, ranging from drugs and alcohol to setting her childhood house in Jamaica, Queens, on fire while her mother was still inside.

“It’s the price you pay when you abuse drugs and alcohol,” Minaj said in a 2010 Rolling Stone interview. “Maybe one day your daughter will be famous and talk to every magazine about it, so think about that, dads out there who want to be crazy.”

Minaj said she was not physically abused by her father in a 2015 interview with The New York Times, but said his actions caused emotional harm to her and her mother.

“I would always hear him yelling and cursing, always,” Minaj told The Times. “And it made me feel it was the way to interact because that’s how I saw him interacting.”‘ Several reports indicated Minaj and her father’s relationship had later improved, with the rapper saying Maraj “was very loved & will be very missed.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

Robert Maraj, the father of rapper Nicki Minaj, died after a hit-and-run incident that occurred in Mineola in February.

Martins endorsed by Nassau County police unions Continued from Page 2 Martins is running for the state’s 7th Senate District against incumbent state Sen. Anna Kaplan (D-North Hills). According to the most recent Senate campaign filings, Kaplan announced she had more than $504,000 on hand, compared to Martins’ $41,000.

The 7th Senate district includes Floral Park, New Hyde Park, Williston Park, Mineola, Garden

City Park, North Hills, Albertson, Old Westbury, East Hills, Roslyn, Roslyn Harbor, Roslyn Estates, Albertson, Searingtown, Lake Success, Manhasset, Munsey Park, Plandome, Plandome Heights, Plandome Manor, and the Great Neck and Port Washington peninsulas.

Martins served as Mineola’s mayor from 2003-2010. In 2008, he ran an unsuccessful congressional campaign against former U.S. Rep.

Carolyn McCarthy before defeating incumbent 7th District Senator and Democrat Craig Johnson in 2010.

The race against Johnson was one that did not get resolved until early December due to Johnson demanding a recount of the votes, ultimately having his appeal denied by the state’s Court of Appeals.

After another failed attempt to get into Con-

gress in 2016, losing to U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (DGlen Cove), Martins shifted his focus to becoming Nassau County’s new county executive, following former County Executive Edward Mangano being indicted on federal corruption charges.

Martins ultimately lost that race to Democrat Laura Curran, who served as county executive before being defeated by Republican Bruce Blakeman this past fall.

Finz inducted into U.S. Army school’s Hall of Fame Continued from Page 5 Finz received the Army Commendation Medal for his Distinguished Meritorious Service from the United States Army Officer’s Artillery School in 2004, in addition to receiving the Army Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal prior to his induction into the Hall of Fame.

During his retirement, Finz has become an author of four published books and various le-

gal articles, a YouTube commentator on political and geopolitical affairs, and occasionally advises counsel on some of the firm’s cases. “(Finz) has been an extremely important role model to me throughout my 65-years and he is a determined, strong and caring, talented, loving and supportive father to me and my sister Sandy,” said Stuart Finz, CEO and trial attorney at Finz & Finz P.C. “This world would be a better place if more people displayed the kind of care and compassion for others that he has displayed

in his life. A day doesn’t go by that we don’t talk or discuss the day’s issues or current events. We have developed that kind of relationship and it goes to show the depth and quality of the person that my father is and how important he has been in my life and the lives of so many people in our country.”

Although stoic about the honor, Finz is grateful for the attention, particularly the light it sheds on what has become known as the “Greatest Generation.”

“We had 60 million Americans in uniform during WWII. What we have left today is less than 1% of that total and we are losing (more) at the rate of 350 to 400 veterans a day. Now most of those veterans who are still with us are either in VA homes or in nursing homes or disabled. We’re all in our mid to upper 90s, and we are really a vanishing breed. I’ll leave the higher authority to (decide) when I will fall statistically into that group known as the vanished breed,” said Finz.

Local hospitals receive federal agency’s top honors Continued from Page 10 “I see the amazing effort by Northwell Health team members every time I step inside one of our hospitals and those results are reflected in CMS’ latest ratings,” Dowling said in a statement. “Our hospitals scored extraordinarily well in mortality and safety of care, crucial metrics for any patient to consider when choosing where to get their health care. The mission is a good one — raising the health of the communities that we serve — and I’m proud of the work that we continually put

in.”

Two weeks ago, local hospitals were also praised for their work by an annual U.S. News & World report. NYU Langone Health was ranked as the best health care system in the state and third-best throughout the country, according to the report.

North Shore University Hospital was ranked the fifth-best in the state, St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center was ranked as the state’s sixth-best facility, while Northwell’s Long Island Jewish

Medical Center in New Hyde Park came in seventh in New York, according to the list.

The list used 20 benchmark procedures to grade 4,500 health care facilities and individual hospitals for their lists. The company also ranked hospitals in 15 areas of complex specialty care, taking into account the quality of patients’ experiences, how well they have fared after their treatments and adequate staffing.

St. Francis was ranked as “high performing” in 17 common adult procedures and conditions,

including hip fracture, hip replacement, kidney failure, lung cancer surgery, knee replacement, back surgery, heart bypass surgery and others.

North Shore University Hospital was nationally ranked in the top 30 for pulmonology and lung surgery, cardiology/heart surgery, geriatrics, urology and orthopedics, according to the list.

Last month, Northwell’s Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park was ranked by U.S. News & World as Long Island’s top-ranked children’s hospital.

BLANK SLATE MEDIA WELCOMES YOUR SUBMISSIONS.PLEASE E-MAIL THEM TO NEWS@THEISLAND360.COM

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BlankBlank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday,Friday, MarchAugust 25, 2022 1 Slate Media Newspapers, 12, 2022

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HELP WANTED LAW FIRM GARDEN CITY FULL TIME CLERK Responsibilities include filing, ordering and stocking office supplies, mail distribution, photocopying, scanning, and errands to banks, post office and courts.

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22 PLANTING FIELD ROAD, ROSLYN HEIGHTS, NEW YORK 11577 HELP WANTED Garden City family seeks to hire a local woman (GC based is preferred, but not required) to transport two school children within the community each afternoon.

One child is presently in middle school but will be participating in High School athletics in September and needs to be picked up each day at the Middle School and delivered to the High School in a timely manner. This is likely for the full academic year.

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41

!"MARKETPLACE, AUTOMOTIVE, REAL ESTATE, HOME IMPROVEMENT 20+ Part-Time Job Coach Positions Available in your Area!

Nassau County: Albertson • Floral Park • Freeport • Hempstead • Mineola • Levittown Suffolk County: Deer Park • Kings Park • Elwood • Floater Positions Also Available!

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Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

43

COMMUNITY NEWS

Phillip Eng heads to LiRo Group as executive v.p.

The LiRo Group, a national, multidisciplinary project and construction management, engineering, architecture, and technology firm, is pleased to announce the recent hire of Phillip Eng, PE to executive vice president.

Eng has joined LiRo after a 40-year career in public service in which his most prominent role was president of the MTA Long Island Rail Road. He held the position for nearly four years until he stepped down in February 2022.

As president, he established a customer-focused vision that managers and the workforce embraced to reverse record low on-time performance and customer satisfaction.

While leading the LIRR through the Covid-19 pandemic, the workforce rose to the challenge tackling longstanding issues to improve service and deliver historic record OTP while incorporating industry-leading technology and innovation has help to restore public trust and encourage ridership to return. Leaving the LIRR team in a position for continued success after his departure is one of his proudest accomplishments as the LIRR has continued to deliver safe, reliable, and consistent service. Eng will be a vital contributor across all business sectors of our LiRo family while bringing his public sector experience in guiding and driving LiRo’s continued success in our current markets and future growth and expansion opportunities.

Speaking on his new role with LiRo, Eng shared his enthusiasm, saying, “I have been blessed throughout my career to have been part of a great industry with a fantastic team supported by some of the most talented and dedicated colleagues in the world. Joining The LiRo Group and the GISI family is exciting and meaningful as we strive to support and deliver vital work for our clients and communities we serve during one of the most challenging, demanding and important times in history.”It was under Eng’s direction that the LIRR is able to fulfill a landmark $6 billion capital plan to upgrade and enlarge its massive framework, particularly with the East Side Access, Main Line Expansion – 3rd Track, Positive Train Control, Elmont Station, Jamaica Capacity Improvements, Centralized Train Control, new M9 rolling stock, and Mainline Double Track.

He had the privilege of playing a significant role in the 3rd Track project while still working at the state Department of Transportation as the elimination of 8 at-grade railroad crossings were essential components towards improved safety and quality of life across the 10mile project limit.

Prior to becoming the LIRR President, Mr. Eng served as the Chief Operating Officer for the MTA and Interim President of the NYC Transit Authority.Eng’s public service career started in 1983, when he worked as a junior engineer for

the state Department of Transportation, and held such posts as construction supervisor, regional director, and chief engineer before his last position as executive deputy commissioner.

He built his experience and advanced his career with stints in such diverse units as Design and Construction, Structures, Bridge Inspection, Operations and Maintenance.

While moving ahead within the DOT, his efforts were critical to upgrading and streamlining the agency’s record of proj-

ect delivery. Partnering with industry, the use of the alternative procurement including design-build, best value and prequalification concepts were embraced and successfully utilized under his leadership.

Among the prominent projects that Eng participated in and helped deliver were the spectacular new Kosciuszko and the Mario M. Cuomo signature bridges, the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Expansion Project, The Moynihan Train Hall, US Peace Bridge Plaza Improve-

ments as well as the striking Rochester Train Station and Long Island Welcome Center. Eng always strives to outline a clear vision that focuses on teamwork, setting managers and an engaged workforce up for success, embracing innovation and new technologies in the delivery of safe, reliable, and improved service, transportation, and projects.

He has successfully delivered and dramatically improved reliable and robust transportation services, supported record capital program work, accelerated deferred maintenance and a state of good repair while implementing costsaving measures, identifying efficiencies and savings necessitated by huge financial shortfalls due to Covid-19 impacts, all while ensuring the safety of the workforce and the public. Eng earned a bachelor of engineering from The Cooper Union and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is a native Long Islander, where he currently resides with his wife, Carole, and the two sons and twin daughters they proudly raised.

He enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, backyard grilling/smoking, and attending ballgames.“We are delighted to have Mr. Eng join our LiRo team,” said LiRo Chief Executive Officer Rich Cavallaro. “He comes with superior industry knowledge and an impeccable reputation as a team builder and problem solver. He is a welcome addition to our senior management team.”

National 811 Day, ‘Know What’s Below’ campaign Each year, across New York City and Long Island, tens of thousands of construction projects and repairs require digging and excavation.

The potential for minor as well as severe life-threatening accidents around digging sites is real. New York 811 is the legally designated not-forprofit that acts as the communications link between utility companies, contractors, individuals, private excavation companies and others that are planning any digging activities in the five boroughs of New York City and Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island.

The organization works to ensure that all locations where mechanical digging or excavation will take place are marked and safe.

The leadership of New York 811 reminds the public and contractors that it is important to “know what’s below” the ground before digging and excavating. Every year on Aug. 11, “National 811 Day,” New York 811 highlights actions and rules that will keep construction workers, contractors, residents and the public safe anytime digging or excavation is done on public as well as private property.

On 811 Day, New York 811 encourages people to visit the organization’s social media pages where they will be hosting awareness and safe-

ty-focused trivia and other contests.

There will be a variety of different prizes based on engagement level.

New York 811’s social media sites are: Instagram https://www.instagram. com/NewYork811 Facebook https://www.facebook. com/NewYork811CBYD/, and Twitter https://twitter.com/NewYork811.

All professional contractors must abide by state law and call 8-1-1 before starting an excavation project, whether it is large or small. This includes general digging for gardening, landscaping, pool installations, any and all construction projects, demolitions and excavations.

While not mandated by law, to ensure safety home and property owners are strongly encouraged to call as well.

Nationally, 811 has been designated the dialing code to call for marking and locating underground utility and service lines.

It is important that homeowners know to check the language in contracts with their contractors. Contractors are required by law to call 811, not the homeowner. When hiring a contractor, homeowners should ask the following questions: Will a backhoe or excavator be used?

Is the contractor experienced

with this type of work?

Has the contractor called or do they plan on calling 811?

Does the contractor know the exact areas where excavating will take place and what to do when utilities lines are marked?

Does the contractor know what the different color markings and symbols mean?

Does the contractor have an emergency procedure if water, gas, electric or telecom lines are hit or damaged?

“Calling 8-1-1 is essential for keeping everyone safe and preventing damage to utilities, homes and commercial properties on Long Island and New York City. If utility lines are damaged, this could lead to power outages, loss of gas or water service or telecommunications and internet outages that could last days or weeks,” said Roger Sampson, executive director of New York 811. “Safety is our mission and top priority. We are constantly working with our partners and members to reinforce safety and encourage training. We see National 811 Day as an important annual event to spread awareness about safety and following proper protocols before projects are started.”

When contacting New York 811, residents are automatically connect-

ed to a call center where they will share information about their upcoming project. Once called, New York 811 will then contact the utility companies. Utility companies or designated professional marketing companies mark the ground with paint and/or flags to identify underground utility lines. The following colors indicate what lines are in your area: Red: Electric utilities such as power lines (Most common color) Yellow: Natural Gas, Petroleum and Steam Orange: Communication lines including telephone, internet and TV lines Blue: Water and Irrigation Purple: Non-Potable Water Green: Drains and Sewers White: Planned Excavation Pink: Temporary Markings All calls to New York 811 and services offered to the public are free of charge. In addition, there is no fee to have areas marked by utility companies. The team at New York 811 urges individuals and contractors to call at least 2-10 business days before the project begins to ensure all underground lines and pipes are appropriately marked. If unsure about areas being checked or marked, a follow-up call should be made to New York 811 before digging begins.

When digging, striking an underground water, gas, electric, cable or telephone line can cause severe injury or death, disrupt utility services and cost thousands and even millions of dollars to repair. In the United States, the cost to repair these damages has reached $30 billion each year. Failing to call or notify 811 before digging is at the root of many of these accidents. In the event a line is hit while digging, please contact 911, 811 and utility providers. Immediately evacuate the area and stay clear until the situation is resolved.

New York 811, Inc., is a nonprofit organization that acts as the communications link between utility companies and contractors, individuals, private excavation companies and other utilities that are planning any digging activity in the five boroughs of New York City and Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island.

New York 811 provides services and programs that play a critical role in protecting one of the largest populated, congested and complicated underground infrastructures in the nation.

For further information about National 811 Day, New York 811 or other questions you may have about digging, please visit, https://newyork-811.com/.

F o r t h e l a t e s t n e w s , v i s i t u s a t w w w. t h e i s l a n d 3 6 0 . c o m

44 The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

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45

COMMUNITY NEWS

Herricks summer music program is a big hit The Herricks summer music program is back, with 100 eager Herricks student musicians entering grades four through nine. The program includes counselors from the high school’s Tri-M and some of the finest music educators. These four weeks have been filled with not only phenomenal music-making, but the students have had a lot of fun building friendships and learning new music. The program took place at Herricks Middle School and has become a well-known favorite within the schools and the Herricks community since 2010.

Participants received several hours of varied musical experiences throughout the four-week program. Students participated in band or orchestra, chorus and elective opportunities under the direction of professional music educators. Orchestra students learned pieces in various styles as well as selections from popular movies. The band also explored various styles such as jazz improvisation and rock and roll. Students learned “I Love Rock and Roll,” by Joan Jett, without written music. Students also learned how to improvise solos.

Each day began with chorus where students were able to sing and dance to pop tunes such as “Try Everything” from Zootopia in addition to other cultural songs such as the Nigerian greeting song, “Funga Alafia.” During electives, students were exposed to musical theater and the ukulele. The students also participated in

small group lessons with volunteer counselors who are members of the Herricks High School Tri-M Music Honor Society.

A rising sixth grader, Julia, who has been playing the trombone since third grade, was a first-time attendee this year and said what she loves the most about the program is trying new things like, “on the spot solo playing, whatever comes to mind.” She also appreciated the one-onone experience and would highly recommend this program to anyone who enjoys playing an instrument.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for musicians to stay engaged over the summer,” said music teacher Jesse Torres, who has been involved in the program since 2011. “It gives students a different perspective and encourages them to hone their skills in a fun, low pressure, more creative environment.”

During one elective period, elementary groups worked on creating storyboards for theater skits and then began filling in dialogue, assigning roles, blocking, and using props to help tell their story. Intermediate groups developed and practiced their ukulele skills through improvisation and sight reading. They collaborated on their song choices and learned “Lava,” “Riptide,” and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Herricks High School STAC and Theatre teacher Rob Gioia, joined with Summer Music teacher Diana Minerva for one week leading some

games and helpful acting tips.

Herricks graduate, Alannah Egan, who has been involved since 2016 as a student, a volunteer and now head counselor said, “The camp definitely provides a unique experience, giving students the chance to explore music in a nontraditional setting.” Some of the things she appreciates most, the camp gives the student musicians a chance to create their own music from ear, improvising solos and experiencing other instruments.

Over the four weeks, there were a variety of special related events and guests. The Herricks Music Boosters sponsored Bash the Trash. This group of professional musicians perform and educate with musical instruments made from reused and repurposed materials.

They played rock music on instruments made from random materials and shared different ways to reuse trash to help our planet. In addition, two Herricks alumn, Music teacher Jesse Torres and well-known Ukulele player Chris Treatch performed together for the whole camp.

Also sponsored by Herricks Music Boosters, students enjoyed a repeat visit from the band Squeaky Clean who exposed student various rock and roll songs from the 50’s to today. Students were dancing in the aisles!

Among the fun and music was a new, unique addition to the program, which was the Garageband Workshop implemented by Herricks High school senior

and Tri-M Vice President, Patrick Leu. This workshop promoted a nontraditional avenue of creating music. Through this workshop, several students were taught the basics of how to use Garageband, and were subsequently given the opportunity to create their own unique song.

Students were able to conclude this oneweek experience with a complete piece of music!

The program concluded with two culminating concert performances. The first was small ensemble groups and the second was the full band, orchestra, and

chorus along with featured performances from the ukulele and musical theatre groups.

“I continue to be proud of our young musicians and am thrilled we were able to provide another successful Summer Music Program for our students,” Director of Fine and Performing Arts Anissa Arnold said. “Students were able to enrich what they have learned during the school year, but most importantly, they are making music together while having fun with fellow musicians from the Herricks music community.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HERRICKS UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT

A Herricks student plays the saxophone during the district’s four week summer music program.

Teacher-mentor Williston Park Library news training preparation The East Williston School District continues to support staff members’ professional development, enhance teacher and leadership practice, and focus training opportunities on meeting the needs of the entire school community.

As part of its preparation for the start of the 2022-2023 school year, the district partnered with Thomas Murray, director of Innovation for Future Ready Schools, and author of award-winning books including “Personal and Authentic and “Learning Transformed,” to lead training for the district’s teachers, administrators, board of education and mentors.

On Aug. 2, Murray led an engaging workshop for teacher-mentors in which they reflected on their journeys from new teachers to mentors, their reasons for doing the work they do for students, strate-

gies they can employ in their leadership of new teachers, and ways in which they can use their experience to lead others. Board of Education President, Mark Kam-

berg, joined the training session to support staff. Teacher-mentors left the training inspired to lead and serve their colleagues during the 2022-2023 school year.

If any child received a canvas and paint set in their summer reading goodie bag and would like to display their artwork in the Children’s room, please bring it (along with the easel) to Miss Beth at the Reference Desk. Make sure your name & phone number are on the back so it can be returned to you.

The library has multiple copies of books for St. Aidan’s summer reading. They are on carts in the main reading room, with signs designating grade.

If you’ve borrowed a museum pass, we ask that it be returned to the library by 10 a.m. on the due date to ensure timely pick up for the next patron on the waiting list. If you wish to return the pass prior to the due date and the library is closed, please put in the book drop.

We appreciate your cooperation.

The library is distributing Covid-19 self-test kits while supplies last.

New titles added to the collection: Suspects—Danielle Steel Girl who Survived—Lisa Jackson Drowning Sea—Sarah Stewart Taylor Cabin Fever: the Harrowing Journey of a Cruise Ship at the Dawn of a Pandemic—Michael Smith Out of the Corner: A Memoir—Jennifer Grey Second Chance Husband—Kate White Listen to Me—Tess Gerritsen

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE EAST WILLISTON SCHOOL DISTRICT

Members of the East Williston School District teacher-mentor program participated in training sessions prior to the start of the 20222023 school year.

a maximum of 12 participants who must attend the first 2 classes & a minimum of 5 for completion.

This program is designed to manage falls and increase activity levels. Call the library (516-742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Shell Lantern “Take and Make” Craft with Rosemarie Attard—Take and Make Craft. $20 material fee. Call the library (742-1820), stop by Circulation, or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register. You will be contacted when the kits arrive.

Home Seller Workshop—Thursday—August 11—11am-Noon in the Assembly Room of Village Hall.

Learn about the simultaneous process of buying and selling your home with WP Associate Broker Kenneth Olson and Maria Ottomanelli, Real Estate Agent. Light refreshments will be served. Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Empire Safety Driving Course—Wednesday—September 14—10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. $30 p/person. Checks only, payable to Empire Safety Counsel. Registration forms are available at the Circulation Desk, or call the Library at 516-7421820, and one will be mailed to you.

Children’s Programs SUMMER PROGAMS FOR KIDS 2022 REGISTRATION FOR THESE PROGRAMS WILL BEGIN ON JUNE 25 Pirates Lost at Sea—Saturday—August 13—11 a.m.

Adult Programs A Matter of Balance—Wednesdays—July 6, 13, 20, to noon—Assembly Room—all ages Come into the Library for a free children’s craft ev27; August 3, 10, 17, 24—1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. Per the presenter, there is ery Monday for Take and Make Mondays.

For the latest community news, visit us at

www.theisland360.com

46 Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, August 12, 2022

COMMUNITY NEWS

Spectrum Designs DeafBlind kids show off talents Night in White event North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and Council Member Mariann Dalimonte attended the 11th Annual Night in White Event on July 26 at the North Hempstead Country Club.

This year’s event honored Bianca and Rob DeGaudenzi and PricewaterhouseCoopers with event proceeds benefitting Spectrum Designs Foundation and the Nicholas Center.

Town officials recognized the DeGaudenzi Family for their support within the non-profit organization, Spectrum Designs. The DeGaudenzis

have dedicated their time to making a positive impact on the community including advocating and supporting individuals with developmental disabilities.

Spectrum Designs Foundation is a non-profit organization that has been dedicated to supporting individuals with Autism and related developmental disabilities in the workforce. Spectrum Designs Foundation is overseen by Nicholas Center. Nicholas Center is an organization that facilitates the services of Spectrum Design.

Helen Keller Services, a Long Island-based non-profit offering programs and services for the DeafBlind Community, hosted its annual seasonending show for its Camp Helen Keller

campers here today, with performances from kids ages 5 to 15 who are blind or visually impaired.

Show-stopping performances included dance routines to favorite songs

including “Rainbow Connection,” “The Theme From Cheers,” and singing performances by select campers.

Camp Helen Keller is a summer program created more than 50 years ago. Its main goal is to improve participants’ self-esteem, self-confidence, and socialization skills. It is held at the LIU Post campus in Brookville and admits campers from Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens, who receive free door-to-door transportation.

Campers participate in traditional activities, such as swimming, arts and crafts, music and dance classes, and field trips and technology classes that have been adapted for visually impaired people.

Every year, the camp organizes a show on the last day of the onemonth program to celebrate the campers’ achievements, show parents and friends what campers have been doing and to say goodbye to old and new friends.

Event to prevent suicide Town partners with N.Y. Blood Center North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, the town board and CSEA Unit #7555 have announced an upcoming blood donation drive to be held at Clinton G. Martin Park at 1601 Marcus Ave. in New Hyde Park on Wednesday, Aug. 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Appointments are preferred however walk-ins will be welcomed if space permits. To make an appointment, please visit: donate.nybc. org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/293166.

For complete COVID-19 safety

protocols, please visit: www.nybc.org/ coronavirus.

For those who cannot make the blood drive at Clinton G. Martin Park, the New York Blood Center also has a convenient donor center located in Lake Success. You can schedule an appointment at that location or at any other donor center by visiting the New York Blood Center’s website at nybc. org.

For more information about the upcoming blood donation drive, the Town encourages residents to call 516-869-6311 or 311.

Please join us for a walk down the Long Beach Boardwalk on Sunday, Sept. 18, 10:30 am–1:30 pm, for the “Let’s Walk, Let’s Talk Stepping Together to Prevent Suicide” walk and fundraiser hosted

by Long Island Crisis Center.

Since 2009, The walk has been an opportunity for people from across Long Island to come together, walk together, and raise awareness of suicide prevention in our community. Each year, this moving and spirited event is attended by individuals and families – young and old – with the aim of spreading the message: “No one walks alone.”

For more information and to register, please visit longislandcrisiscenter.org.

Northwell appoints Lu as CIO Northwell Health today announced the appointment of Sophy Lu as its new chief information officer (CIO). Ms. Lu, a 12-year veteran of the health system, succeeds John Bosco, who held the post from 2004 until his retirement.

Ms. Lu, a senior vice president who previously served as deputy CIO, will oversee one of the most robust digital information and technology departments in the health care space with more than 1,900 team members and 3,000 solutions at the fingertips of caregivers and administrators. Her new responsibilities include the strategic direction, talent, information, security, technology and service delivery for the health system’s digital transformation and integrated product innovation.

“It’s gratifying to be able to promote great candidates from within the health system, and while John Bosco left big shoes to fill, Sophy Lu is an outstanding leader in her field and a logical choice for this key role,” said Michael Dowling, Northwell’s president and CEO. “I’m proud to work with her

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHWELL

Sophy Lu and delighted to have the first Asian American/Pacific Islander CIO for a health system in the United States.”

Ms. Lu joined Northwell in 2010 and assumed the role the chief applications officer in 2017. There she helped the organization with its long-term digital technology goals before being appointed deputy CIO earlier this year.

Ms. Lu was responsible for the effective implementation and maintenance of digital administration systems as applications officer.

“Sophy Lu brings a tremendous amount of expertise and leadership, not only as we go through a significant digital transformation, but also as a well-respected and trusted leader throughout the organization working to advance the mission and vision of Northwell,” said Joseph Moscola, PA, MBA, executive vice president of enterprise services at Northwell. “We congratulate her on the new role and thank John Bosco for his decades of service.”

Ms. Lu has more than 20 years of experience in both health care and global information technology during a crucial time for digital transformation in health care. Prior to Northwell, Ms. Lu helped design and build a liquified natural gas plant in Indonesia as well as the design of several air separation plants for the industrial gas industry. She earned a bachelor’s of science in chemical engineering from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.

The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

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7 12th Street , Garden Cit y | Call To Order | 516-400-7 100

47

48 The Williston Times, Friday, August 12, 2022

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Mike Fink Licensed Associate Broker

193 Hillside Avenue, Williston Park, NY 11596

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Office: 516-743-9953 | Cell: 516-647-3737 | mfink@bhhslaffey.com

If your home is currently listed with another broker, this is not meant as a solicitation of that listing. All figures approximate. All information furnished regarding sole property sale, rental or financing is form sources deemed responsible. No representation is made to the accuracy thereof and it is submitted subject to errors,omissions, change of price, rental. commission or other conditions, prior sale, lease or financing or withdrawal without notice.