Williston Park 2023_01_20

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

MINEOLA FAITH MISSION GIVES HOPE

Santos just one of the House guys

HERRICKS HEADLOCK

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Newly-elected U.S. Rep. George Santos was named to a pair of House committees on Tuesday amidst a myriad of investigations launched into his personal, professional and financial background.

Republican House leaders said Santos will serve on Congress’ Small Business Committee as well as the Science, Space and Technology Committee amid grow calls for him to resign.

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

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

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

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

Democratic U.S. Reps. Ritchie Torres and Daniel Goldman filed a complaint with the House Ethics Committee on Tuesday

for allegedly violating the Ethics in Government Act, saying the Republican must be held accountable for deceiving voters and Congress.

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

Torres (NY-15) said during a news conference in Long Island on Tuesday he is calling on the FEC to launch an investigation into potential illegal activity and irregularities with the campaign finances of Santos.

Santos also now faces allegations of scamming a homeless, disabled veteran out of thousands of dollars that would have been used to care for the man’s service dog.

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

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

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

Feds drop spy charges against officer from W.P.

BY BRANDON DUFFY

the United States has had his case dropped after federal prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss an indictment against him.

Baimadajie Angwang, a 36-yearold Tibetan native who now lives in

Nassau County, was charged in September 2020 with acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China, committing wire fraud, making false statements and obstructing

PHOTO COURTESY OF HERRICKS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The Herricks wrestling previously had a duel against East Meadow, resulting in a 41-24 loss.

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Nassau’s hungry

FEMA help sought after holiday floods

Hempstead officials cite South Shore damage

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Hempstead officials are seeking government assistance in securing funds to help fix the damage caused by flooding and high winds on South Shore in the days leading up to Christmas.

Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin and U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park) sent a letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul last week asking her to request that President Joe Biden issue a formal disaster declaration covering the communities most directly impacted by what they are calling the “Christmas tidal flood.”

“Accessing federal resources via FEMA would provide New York State the opportunity to assist Long Islanders severely impacted by storm dam-

age,” said the letter. “In addition to contacting FEMA, we request that you explore all avenues and utilize all available New York State resources to further support our constituents struggling to overcome the impacts of the Christmas tidal flood. We stand ready as your partners in government to support you in this endeavor.”

Part of the South Shore that experienced water levels as high as 7 feet include Freeport, Baldwin Bay and Hempstead Bay, according to NBC New York.

An emergency declaration from the federal government would make available a significant amount of resources deemed vital for South Shore residents eager to complete their oftentimes expensive storm repairs,” the letter said.

BY BRANDON DUFFY

“Everyone here is an angel, can you see their wings?”

That’s the question Faith Mission Inc. Chairwoman and President Mary Joesten asked in explaining her organization’s work.

It’s not hard to find something to do when walking around Faith Mission, the Mineola food pantry at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior, located at 132 Jefferson Ave.

Whether it’s filling up the refrigerators in the kitchen with chicken, taking apart boxes of string cheese to conserve space or wheeling pallets from another Thursday morning delivery, there is always something to do.

“It’s hard work, let me tell you,” said Joesten, whose grand reputation precedes her. “But no one here is complaining.”

Every Thursday morning, roughly 20 volunteers donate their time and energy to put together over 250 boxes of food for the families that line up ev-

ery Saturday.

From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Faith Mission opens and gives as many boxes as they can to whatever families need them. Volunteers said the line can start as early as 8 a.m. and stretch for blocks.

In the last year alone, Faith Mission provided over 11,000 boxes to families in need.

About three deliveries come in every Thursday from Long Island Cares, Island Harvest and the volunteers themselves.

Around holiday time, specifically Thanksgiving, Joesten may ask for some help from St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church in Manhattan to make sure Faith Mission can give out turkeys as well.

In the room that used to hold the church’s Noah’s Ark Preschool, which ceased operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, shelves, tables, boxes and cans tower over the volunteers.

Each box holds enough food for breakfast, lunch and dinner alongside

some snacks for the kids, Joesten said. She makes sure that every box that goes to a family contains cereal, even if that means spending some of the mission’s money to guarantee it.

“The cereal is very important to me,” Joesten said. “The kids need their breakfast.”

Joesten and her late husband, Edward, founded Faith Mission in 1969. It originally started as a soup kitchen based out of South Jamaica, Queens, and has since expanded into the current hospitality center in Mineola with multiple stops in between.

In 1999, Faith Mission opened its doors at the Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church in Freeport.

In 2012, the soup kitchen moved into Roosevelt’s First United Methodist Church in Roosevelt.

Before coming to Mineola almost three years ago as of this March, Joesten had her last operation at the Pope Francis Hospitality Center at Elmont’s St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church.

Port Washington Times: Steven Keehner 516-307-1045 x214 • skeehner@theisland360.com

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE ISLAND 360 ARCHIVES

Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin, left, and U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park), right, are seeking federal assistance in helping fix the damage caused by flooding and winds on the South Shore in the days leading up to Christmas.

PHOTO BY BRANDON DUFFY

Supervisors pan Hochul housing plan

DeSena joins 2 other town leaders in opposing gov’s proposal to increase living units

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Nassau County supervisors gathered in Manhasset Tuesday to denounce a statewide plan introduced by Gov. Kathy Hochul that would increase housing on Long Island.

North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer Desena, Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin and Oyster Bay Supervisor Joe Saladino and a handful of other local offi cials said Hochul’s plan would be an end to local control.

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

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

“New York faces a housing crisis that requires bold actions and an all-hands-on-deck approach,” Ho-

chul said. “Every community in New York must do their part to encourage housing growth to move our state forward and keep our economy strong. The New York Housing Compact is a comprehensive plan to spur the changes needed to create more housing, meet rising demand and make our state a more equitable, stable, and aff ordable place to live.”

Included in the plan is allowing housing proposals that are denied at the local level to go to a “state housing approval board” or courts.

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

Clavin said Nassau County could see a potential increase of 300,000 units in the next decade and municipalities would lose zoning control of areas within half a mile of rail stations.

“Last year we had residents say we want local control, not Hochul control,” Clavin said.

In 2022, Hochul rolled out a $25 billion, fi ve-year housing plan aimed at creating and preserving 100,000

affordable homes throughout New York, 10,000 of which have support services for vulnerable populations.

Hochul also called last year for changing zoning laws for Accessory Dwelling Units, which include base-

ments, attics and garages, and was criticized by Long Island offi cials.

“Under this plan, New York State would be given a new power that would allow bureaucrats to unilaterally rezone suburban neigh-

borhoods,” DeSena said. “This proposal threatens to severely impact the quality of life of other communities.”

DeSena went on to add that high-density housing would strain critical community resources, turn neighborhoods into urban centers, overcrowd classrooms and increase traffic.

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

Manhasset resident Tom Garvey said the plan boils down to big government overstepping its authority.

“They’re attempting to implement a one-size-fi ts-all approach by taking away local zoning laws without consulting local residents and leaders,” Garvey said. “They have no idea what works here and the potential impact this can have on our town.”

Clavin finished by saying an online petition would soon be available for residents to voice their concerns.

PHOTO BY BRANDON DUFFY

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

E. Side Access opening delayed again

MTA officials say ventillation issues force postponement of direct service to Grand Central

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Ventilation issues could push the long-awaited arrival of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s East Side Access Project beyond January, transit officials announced last week.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said a “counteracting air flow” is preventing one of the exhaust systems in Grand Central Terminal from pulling in enough air. Lieber said crews were actively working to remediate the issue, but did not provide a specific date for the opening of the service into Grand Central Madison.

Delays were also announced by transit officials in January with the hopes for an opening date in early 2023. Agency officials have arranged for shuttle trains between the LIRR Jamaica station and Grand Central Madison to run in the interim.

The new terminal will be able to handle increased capacity from the LIRR’s North Shore

train stations as a result of continued express service on the Port Washington line and more commuters from the agency’s 3rd Track Project.

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

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

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

The draft morning rush hour schedule includes 15 trains arriving in Manhattan between 6:16 a.m. and 9:51 a.m., a 36% increase from the

Further delays to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s East Side Access project were announced by transit officials last week.

current 11 that arrive at Penn Station between 6:21 a.m. and 9:34 a.m., according to officials.

The branch’s afternoon and evening rush hour schedule

will also see a 43% increase in service, including three express trains. A total of 20 trains will leave Manhattan between 4:06 p.m. and 7:43 p.m., six more than the 14 trains that current-

ly provided that service to commuters on the Port Washington branch, according to officials.

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

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

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

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

“This will allow our residents to be able to stay in the city longer, enjoying whatever event they were attending and not having to worry about

making a train back home,” Fitzgerald said.

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

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

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

Est. 1948

Pip the pup pinched from Left Paw in NHP

BY BRANDON DUFFY

A 4-month-old Boston terrier was stolen from its cage at The Left Paw in New Hyde Park Wednesday, police said.

The terrier, named Pip,

is valued at approximately $5,400. He is approximately 15 lbs. with black and white fur and a white stripe down the middle of his stomach.

“Our dogs are our world to us and for a dog to be taken out of its environment with-

out their supplies or food, it is very concerning for the pet and their health,” manager Alison Steullet told News12.The store said in an Instagram post Pip is shy and his ears curl back.“As you may already know, we had a baby taken from us last night! We are all so worried for his safety. Please let the authorities know if you see any of the people shown on footage. Pip is a shy black and white Boston Terrier,” the post said. “Something rare about him is his point ears curl back since he is still a growing pup. If you see him or have any knowledge. please call 1-800-244-8477.”

A woman and child entered the store around 6 p.m. before unlocking the dog’s cage and fleeing the scene in a gray 4-door pickup truck, police said.

The child was also seen five minutes earlier in the store with a man.

Pip, a Boston terrier from The Left Paw in New Hyde Park.

The woman was described as white with black hair wearing a black top and blue jeans and the man was white with a beard and black jacket, police said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NASSAU COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT

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Sands proposes casino at Coliseum site

Part of a $4B entertainment destination plan on 80 acres; local officials noncommital

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Las Vegas Sands proposed a plan to construct a privately-funded multibillion-dollar entertainment destination at the site of the Nassau Coliseum.

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

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

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

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

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

Sands officials also said the proposal for an

entertainment destination would still move forward even if the state did not approve the casino.

Blakeman and a slew of other officials throughout Nassau encouraged others to keep an open mind when learning more about the project and to have community input presented

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE MAPS

so that the project would be beneficial to the county.

“I would be willing to sit down and negotiate concrete terms, but at this time it would be premature until the community weighs in on this proposal,” Blakeman said.

Kevan Abrahams, the Nassau County Leg-

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

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

Nassau County officials announced in 2020 that a deal was struck with Nassau Live Center LLC to take immediate control of the Coliseum as its new tenant.

Officials said the agreement with Mastroianni will allow the county to recoup the unpaid rent accrued over the past several years by the Coliseum’s former leaseholder, Mikhail Prokhorov.

Prokhorov, a Russian billionaire and owner of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, accrued more than $2 million of unpaid rent owed by his Nassau Events Center LLC.

The county issued a notice of default to Nassau Events Center LLC and its parent company, Onexim Sports and Entertainment Holdings, months before the deal to pay off $2 million in payments for the Coliseum and a surrounding 72 acres of land known as the Nassau Hub.

Proposed plans call for the Nassau Coliseum to be transformed into an entertainment venue and casino.

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Reassessment used ‘flawed data:’ Audit

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Philips’ office released a report saying former Democratic Executive Laura Curran’s controversial property reassessment relied on “flawed data.”

The report followed a yearlong audit of the 2020-2021 reassessment of the county’s approximately 386,000 residential and 37,000 commercial properties.

In the report, the Department of Assessment was criticized for not fixing property information and data weaknesses reported to the agency by two expert evaluation firms, Standard Valuation Services and Michael Haberman Associates Inc., hired by then-Executive Ed Mangano in 2015.

The two firms found the Department of Assessment was still using flawed data after it failed to fix the errors they flagged before the 2020-2021 reassessment.

“Prior to performing the 2020/21 Reassessment, the DofA did not fix property information and data weaknesses reported to them by SVS and MHA,” the report said.

Additionally, the report said the Curran administration made unexplained changes to the assessment roll that “did not allocate sufficient time to correctly perform the reassessment” and the lack of cyclical reassessments prior to the 2020-2021 school tax year led to a jump in assessed values.

Philips last year announced her office was auditing the county’s Department of Assessment over the handling of the countywide assessment.

The audit covered the department’s application of the phase-in, which went into effect in

the 2020-21 school tax year, and the assessment rolls for the years 2021 to 2024.

According to county data, 65 percent of Nassau County homeowners received increases in their school taxes compared with 35 percent who received reductions in December 2020. Curran called for the reassessment of more than 385,000 homes in 2018 after the county’s assessment roll had been frozen since 2008.

During that period, thousands of residents filed grievances on the value of their homes, winning reduced assessments and shifting the tax burden to others who did not challenge their assessments.

“Taxpayers in Nassau County have the right to expect fair and equitable property valuations, conducted with transparency,” Philips said in a statement. “Restoring trust in government is among my highest priorities, and integrity and fairness in assessed values are among our residents’ top concerns. This review of the 2020/21 Reassessment – which has implications through 2025 and beyond – sheds light on a deeply flawed process and makes recommendations for the improvement of the county’s property assessment process going forward.”

Curran was elected executive in 2018, then lost her re-election bid to current Republican Supervisor Bruce Blakeman, who was critical of the reassessment process after announcing his candidacy.

Recommendations in the report include consistently reviewing and updating data for properties, allocating sufficient time to perform quality control reviews of property valuations, maintaining a clear audit trail and maintaining accurate physical descriptions of properties.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE BRUCE BLAKEMAN

Foundation raises over $340K to benefit ACLD

The ballroom at the Garden City Hotel was filled with music, laughter and memories shared as supporters gathered for ACLD Foundation’s annual Enviable Life Ball, which raised over $340,000 for the exclusive benefit of Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities Inc.

ACLD’s mission is to provide opportunities for children and adults with autism, learning and developmental disabilities to pursue enviable lives, promote independence and foster supportive relationships within the community.

Gov. Kathy Hochul was honored this year with the Humanitarian Award, presented to an individual who has advocated for the people we support and their families. Gov. Hochul has been instrumental in signing important legislation that protects the rights of people with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Though Gov. Hochul could not attend, Kerri Neifeld, commissioner for the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities, accepted the award on her behalf. Neifeld spoke highly of Hochul’s work in her first year as governor of New York, highlighting

accomplishments such as the appointing of New York’s first Chief Disability Officer, Kim Hill, and the additional $500 million Hochul invested in the OPWDD budget to allow an increase in the access to services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities statewide.

“In the first year that she’s been in office, Gov. Hochul has done more for the developmentally disabled community then we’ve seen done in over a decade,” said Neifeld.

State Sen. John W. Mannion of Syracuse was presented with the Advocacy in Action Award for his work as the chair of the Senate Committee on Developmental Disabilities. Mannion accepted his award via video, highlighting the vital work of our staff

This year’s festivities were especially poignant as ACLD celebrates its 65th Anniversary. The ACLD Foundation honored the staff of ACLD with the Leadership Award for their dedication, commitment and unwavering

service to the people ACLD supports.

Twenty members of ACLD’s staff were selected from each program and department to represent the organization.

“The last two years, we all know, have been among the hardest in most of our lifetimes,” said ACLD President/ CEO Rob Ciatto. “Our faith, resolve and resiliency were tested time and time again, but despite the pressures, our staff rose to the occasion.”

Ciatto then presented 20 members of ACLD staff with the Leadership Award, calling them “the backbone of this agency.”

Jamie Engel, the new president of the ACLD Foundation, shared his firsthand experience with the vital work ACLD does. Engel comes from a family with a long-standing relationship with ACLD, with his father, the late Arthur Engel, serving as president of the board of directors in the 1970s, and his mother, Rita, who remains active with ACLD to this day.

“Through the decades, ACLD has remained a constant in my life; When you live and grow up in a home with developmentally disabled family, you can feel isolated. ACLD created a sense

of community with other families who had shared experiences. I am forever grateful to the life ACLD has helped create for my family, but especially for my brothers Marc and Stuart,” said Engel.

Emmy® Award-winning reporter News 4 NY’s Pei-Sze Cheng served as emcee for the evening.

Major sponsors for the Enviable Life Ball included Diamond Sponsors Carol Lever & Roy Grover, NBCUniversal, Sameer, Usha & Shashi Patel and Plum, Reshma & Christian Rudder, Pilot|RB; Amethyst Sponsor Irwin Siegel Agency; Platinum Sponsors Alan & Ellen Spiegel, PharMerica ChemRx Pharmacy Services, LLC DBA; Sapphire Sponsors Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Doris Shaw, Lisa & Lon Goldstein and Family, EmblemHealth, Enterprise Fleet Management, Sheila Hochberg, Jovia Financial Credit Union, Medisked, LLC., Moritt, Hock & Hamroff, LLP., The Bristal, Valley Bank; Entertainment Sponsor Solutions 4 Community Health; Centerpieces Sponsor Fusion Architecture, PLLC.; Auction Sponsor Alan & Ellen Spiegel; Photography Sponsor the Breuninger Family.

Uniting to honor Dr. King’s Legacy Funds to preserve local history

North Shore congregations and organizations sponsored an inspiring performance held at Temple Beth Sholom of Roslyn Heights on Jan. 15 as part of an interfaith response to hate and bigotry.

The event was one of many on Long Island that the interfaith coalition, Abraham’s Table of Long Island, created to honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s Beloved Community and foster an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood.

Long Island University announced the Palmer School of Library & Information Science was awarded a $1 million grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation to support the University’s Digitizing Local History Sources program.

The funding provides students and faculty additional opportunities to preserve sensitive historical documents relevant to Long Island’s history.

“Long Island University is grateful for the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation’s continuous partnership and ongoing commitment to preserve Long Island’s illustrious history,” said Long Island University President Kimberly R. Cline. “This funding opportunity allows our students to further develop their archiving skills while enhancing their academic experience.”

Students enrolled in the Palmer School at LIU preserve local Long Island history through advanced digital technology to capture images of important historical documents. LIU students have archived documents from 46 historical organizations, including 75,000 images, amounting to a total of 4,600 gigabytes of data.

Since 2017, the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation has contributed more than $2.2 million to Long Island University’s historical preservation projects. The funds presented by the Gardiner Foundation have enabled Palmer School students to digitize materials provided by various organizations in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

Students most recently preserved information from notable historical items, including Walt Whitman’s family bible.

“Years ago, the Foundation asked me what I saw as the greatest need for our historical societies. I had recently been to a historic site that was underutilized, and underappreciated. For years this organization had been maintaining an incredible resource of archival material that was virtually unknown. The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation’s mission is to advance regional history. I reached out to LIU and this project was initiated. Through the RDLGF Board’s support and approval, the wealth of historic documents chronically our past are now being shared, and the work of our historic stewards recognized,” said Kathryn M. Curran, executive director of the Robert

Established in 1987, the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation primarily supports the study of New York State history. The organization’s purpose is to cultivate, foster and promote interest in the culture, art and traditions of our local history. Foundation leaders aspire to encourage the collection and examination of documents and artifacts.

“Our students are highly skilled and motivated in the digital archiving process”, said Gregory Hunter, LIU professor and project director, Digitizing Local History Sources. “The added bonus is that Long Island residents benefit from this program, as important documents pertaining to local history are digitally preserved for all posterity.”

The Palmer School of Library and Information Science is the leading library science program in the New York City metropolitan area. It has the only New York State Registered Certificate of Advanced Study in Archives and Records Management, over 25 dual master’s degree programs with New York University, and the only Ph.D. in information studies in the region.

Gustavo Segredo of the Multicultural Council of New York; Cantor Ofer Barnoy of Temple Beth Sholom; North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena; soprano and event producer Soh Young Segredo; and Temple Beth Sholom’s Rabbi Paul Resnick and Rabbi Cara Weinstein Rosenthal.

David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

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What did Nassau GOP know, when?

Nassau County Republicans put on an impressive public display last Wednesday with about 30 members standing shoulder to shoulder in doing the right thing, announcing a call for fellow Republican Congressman George Santos to resign.

The GOP leaders cited their shock at the lies Santos told about his professional background, educational history, religion, race and property ownership. And just about anything else you can think of.

“He’s disgraced the House of Representatives and we do not consider him one of our congresspeople,” county GOP Chair Joe Cairo said. “Today, on behalf of the Nassau County Republican Committee, I am calling for his immediate resignation.”

Unsaid was why Cairo had reversed his announcement two weeks ago that Santos was no longer welcome in the county Republican Party, but he was willing to allow him to serve out his two-year term.

“The lies George Santos told are too numerous to count,” added North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, who publicly endorsed and campaigned with Santos. “He lied to me personally when he sought my endorsement, and while I am offended and disgusted at his deceit, my true concerns are for the residents of the 3rd Congressional District.”

But the Republicans’ expressions of shock with Santos’ avalanche of lies bear some fact-checking of its own.

Let’s start with what Republicans did know before the revelations about Santo’s self-described “embellishments” — otherwise known as lies — in the press.

The first time he ran with Nassau GOP backing in 2020 against Congressman Tom Suozzi as a Donald Trump acolyte, Santos called the Mueller Report on Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential race a “hoax.”

The claim that the Mueller Report was a hoax is, well, a lie. The report found that Russia had, in fact, interfered with the 2016 election on behalf of Trump and in at least eight instances Trump had obstructed the investigation.

In the 2022 race, Nassau Republicans knew that Santos had falsely claimed that Ukraine under President Volodymyr Zelensky was a dictatorship, attended the Stop the Steal Rally intended to overturn the 2020 presidential election and said he had given money to a law firm representing the insurrectionists.

The inspiration for Santos and other Trump supporters in seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election? What is known as the Big Lie.

That is the claim that President Biden was not elected in a free and fair election. It has been found to be false in more than 60 court cases presided over by Republican and Democratic-appointed judges, Republican election officials and experts too numerous to count.

It is true that a majority of Republicans still believe in the Big Lie, but it is a lie nonetheless. Trump lost the 2020 election by more than 7 million votes and the Electoral vote 306 to 232.

County Republicans also supported Trump in his 2020 re-election bid after he lied or exaggerated as president, according to a Washington Post count, more than 30,000 times.

So it is hard to imagine that county Republicans are shocked that Santos would lie or object so strenuously that he did.

Recent newspaper accounts have also raised two more questions: What did Nassau Republicans know and when did they know it, to borrow a phrase?

The New York Post reported in December that “senior House Republicans were so keenly aware of alleged inaccuracies and embellishments in Rep-elect George Santos’s professional biography that the topic became a “running joke,” according to multiple sources.

Why did these senior House Republicans, who include Rep. Elaine Stefanik, an upstate Republican who is the fourthranking Republican in the House, not alert state or Nassau County Republicans about these inaccuracies?

On Sunday, The New York Times reported that Santos’ lies were also known to other well-connected Republicans.

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Knowledge of these lies went back to November 2021 when a vulnerability study of Santos conducted by a Washington research firm found a “pattern of deception that cut to the heart of the image he had cultivated as a wealthy financier,” The Times reported.

Some of Santos’ vendors were so alarmed by the report that they urged him to drop out and several members of his campaign staff resigned.

The Times also reported that wellconnected supporters suspected Santos of lying and demanded to see his résumé, a former campaign vendor warned a state party official about what he believed were questionable business practices, and the head of the main House Republican super PAC told some lawmakers and donors that he believed Santos’s story did not add up.

This begs the question of what Nicholas Langworthy, the state Republican chairman who was elected to Congress in 2022, and Cairo knew.

Didn’t any of those who had concerns tell the state or Nassau County Republican chair?

Langworthy was one of the six Republican congressional members from New York who joined Nassau Republicans in calling for Santos to resign last week.

One Republican who did not join the Republican House members in calling for

REPORTERS

Santos to step down was Stefanik, one of Santos’ biggest early backers.

Her top political aide, Kristin Bianco, was brought in to assist the Santos campaign but grew suspicious when Santos falsely claimed to have secured Trump’s endorsement, according to The Times.

“That prompted her to express concerns about Mr. Santos to plugged-in Republicans, including associates” of Stefanik, the newspaper said.

The Times also reported that in the run-up to the 2022 contest, Dan Conston, a close ally of Speaker Kevin McCarthy who leads the Congressional Leadership Fund, the main House Republican super PAC, “also confided to lawmakers, donors and other associates that he was worried information would come out exposing Mr. Santos as a fraud.”

Republican House leaders have not joined Nassau Republicans in calling for Santos to resign – or even be punished –for apparently the same reason: politics.

“We have to think about our brand as a party,” said Blakeman, in explaining last week’s press conference. “Are we a party that’s behind people of good character and integrity who are transparent? Or are we a party that, for cynical reasons, we are going to allow this to continue?”

This is an especially good question given that the Republican county executive before Blakeman, Ed Mangano, is now doing time in prison for taking

Robert Pelaez, Brandon Duffy, Steven Keehner COLUMNIST Karen Rubin

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Stacy Shaughnessy, Melissa Spitalnick, Wendy Kates, Barbara Kaplan ART DIRECTOR Yvonne Farley

On the other hand, the House Republicans have a four-vote margin and don’t want to do anything to jeopardize it. So much for their brand.

McCarthy has made it clear he has no intention of barring Santos from congressional committees or otherwise penalizing him for winning the election under false pretenses. If nothing else, we can say that McCarthy is at least consistent in how he treats serial liars.

Nassau Republicans have yet to join Nassau Democrats in calling for the House to expel Santos – and risk shrinking the GOP’s margin to three.

Instead, Nassau Republicans have proposed a strategy that will turn 3rd District voters into second-class citizens. – ostracizing Santos from all contact with the party and local governments. This plan was first instituted by the Town of North Hempstead.

The GOP said they would distribute the normal congressional duties to neighboring Republican congressmen. This is not a workable plan.

What is needed now are politicians to place the residents of the 3rd District over politics.

Until then, the residents of northern Nassau County and northeast Queens will pay the price. And that’s the truth.

bribes as is the former Republican Senate majority leader, Dead Skelos, also a Nassau Republican.

An open letter to U.S. Rep. George Santos

Dear George, Now that the hostage crisis has come to a screeching halt and Kevin McCarthy has been released by the extremists and installed as Speaker of the House, it is time for you to go home and get your freakin’ shine box.

Just so you’re clear, George, the shine-box command was popularized by the mob movie “Goodfellas.”

The character “Billy Batts” (the late great Frank Vincent) uses it to insult hothead hitman Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesce), by invoking a job he held in his early years.

What’s more, the Urban Dictionary defines the shine-box taunt as a way of putting someone in their place or letting someone who thinks they are “big time” know they are nothing like what they say they are.

That would be you, George. By the way, is George Santos an alias?

When you walked into the House chamber for the very first time, as U.S. representative-elect from New York’s 3rd congressional district, you became the unofficial “elephant in the room.”

That is, someone that is obviously present but who others avoid because it is more comfortable to do so.

Perhaps for the rest of your life, and certainly in the foreseeable future, you will always be the elephant in the room. Be prepared, because the others in the room are quite likely to be ‘skeeved out’ by you.

Skeeved out? Oh, that’s just a colloquial expression. It means that there is a really good chance that your presence almost anywhere will disgust and repulse most everyone you encounter.

Well, maybe not Marjorie Taylor

Don’t play dumb George.

You flashed the white power farright “OK” sign when you voted for speaker of the House. Everybody saw it on social and conventional media. You wanted it to be seen. There was no misunderstanding.

Were you announcing an alliance with the MAGA republican extremist faction of the House? Have you joined a militia? Or, were you just trying to trigger liberals and minorities, so you might be welcome to sit at the far-right cool kids table in the House Restaurant?

your identity to suit the circumstances. Like Frank Abagnale, the real-life guy Leonardo DiCaprio portrayed in “Catch Me If You Can.” Abagnale, a convicted felon, impersonated a doctor, lawyer, airline pilot and more.

So sorry, George, but you no longer qualify for receiving the benefit of the doubt. Those days are over. We know how you roll Pinocchio.

You are a mirage, a hologram, not a substantive human being. You tried to portray yourself as someone with competence, caring, character, and conviction.

Greene. We saw you cozying up to her during the vote. And, flashing the hand signal.

ANDREW MALEKOFF The Back Road KREMER’S CORNER

Are you the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, like you said, or a neo-Nazi groupie? Have you scheduled lunch with Nick Fuentes? A recording session with Kanye?

Bottom line, George, is you’re a shapeshifter, forever trying to change

You are quite clearly none of these.

You are nada. An empty suit. Resign and repent.

Sincerely, Andrew Malekoff

Santos story is lesson for political world

It is only a matter of time before Congressman George Santos resigns from his seat or agrees to step down under pressure from some public agency. It is, however, worth exploring the who, what, where, when and whys about how Santos got the Republican nomination to begin with.

Over a period of six months, Democrat Robert Zimmerman, a highly respected party official, launched a comprehensive campaign for the congressional seat. Zimmerman ran a picture perfect campaign with help from such high level Democrats as former President Bill Clinton and U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer. Regrettably, due to the “red wave” Zimmerman lost.

Surprisingly, Zimmerman’s campaign operation failed to detect the enormity of lies promoted by Santos during the campaign. In its final days, some of the false statements in the final stretch of the race, Santos was able to fly under the radar and his lies went undetected.

It is worth exploring the process

from the very beginning. Santos appeared before his party’s screening committees, but it is rumored that most committee members disliked him. However, there was no other candidate available and some committee members viewed this as a tough seat to win because the district lines lean Democrat.

Santos got the party designation and from there the rest is history. His campaign today is now considered one that is riddled with lies, but how do you judge a candidate’s veracity?

There are three types of candidate claims. There is a fib, an exaggeration and there is an outright lie.

Candidates commit fibs frequently. An Army veteran will claim that they were in active combat, when they sat at a desk shuffling papers.

An “exaggeration” happens much less frequently. It generally occurs when a candidate claims to have extensive cybersecurity experience when all they had was a minor cybersecurity role.

And then there is George Santos. He claims to come from a family of

JERRY KREMER Kremer’s Corner

Holocaust survivors. That was a terrible lie. He claims he attended both Baruch College and NYU and worked at Goldman Sachs and Citibank. That was another lie. He claimed his parents were Jewish. He now claims he was Jew-ish. These claims plus many others were bold lies.

Last week Long Island Republican elected officials denounced Santos and urged his resignation. The state Republican Party joined in as both groups feared being attached to Santos in anyway. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy gave Santos complete political cover by claiming his fate is in the hands of the voters. This is a cop-out as Santos has a two-year term. McCarthy needs his vote so he took the cowardly way out.

While the New York denunciations are clear-cut and are made to make Santos feel unwelcome, he has been sworn in and has an official office. He is awaiting his committee assignments, which are expected to be minor in nature. Will his congressional colleagues take any actions against him? That is unlikely, considering the Republicans rule by a narrow margin.

Santos’ ethical issues do not set him apart from the balance of the Republican Party in the House. Republican Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) has blamed a variety of problems on “Jewish Laser Beams” controlled by billion-

aire George Soros. She spouts many other quirky theories. Last year, after being punished by the Democrats, she is about to be elevated to major committees as a reward for supporting Speaker McCarthy.

So what is the fate of George Santos? While his conduct is being looked at by the Nassau County district attorney and the New York State attorney general, his most serious threat comes from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Santos’ campaign expenditures are under current scrutiny, which would force Santos to resign if found in violation of the law.

Eventually, Santos will be gone. But the Santos story is a warning to all future candidates on how far they can go before they are caught and run out of town. It is also a lesson to political committees that they must use much more discretion when meeting with potential candidates.

In the end, the tragedy of George Santos may turn out to be a badly needed lesson for the entire political world.

Illness of sociopathy in American politics

George Santos has been the topic of nearly every dinner conversation I have had over the last two weeks. The nation seems to be obsessed with Mr. Santos and his flawed character. So let’s get topical this week and discuss sociopathy or what the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V terms anti-social personality disorder.

George Santos is the U.S. representative from New York’s 3rd Congressional District and at the ripe of age of 34 he has become the poster boy for everything that is wrong in American politics. He has been accused of lying about his education, his work history, his religion, his residency, his financial status and his sexual identity. Have I left anything out?

Now, I have not met Mr. Santos and it is unlikely that I ever will, but these accusations do have the ring of sociopathy. He sounded utterly Nixonian when he defended himself with the phrase “I am not a criminal” to charges that he was accused of writing fraudulent checks in Brazil. Having lived through a Trump administration, the American public is now familiar with descriptions of both pathological

narcissism and sociopathy.

But in case you need to bone up on the way DSM V describes the sociopathic personality, let me explain.

It is usually diagnosed when the patient has more than a few of the following traits. The diagnosis is warranted If the patient fails to conform to social or legal norms, is emotionally cool, deceptive and lies often, uses aliases, is aggressive, has no regard for their own or others’ safety, is irresponsible financially, feels no remorse or guilt, is capable of acting with charm, exudes an air of superiority, lacks empathy, is egocentric and seeks self-esteem through power. As many as 7.5 million Americans carry this diagnosis called anti-social personality disorder. And if these traits describe anyone you know, I suggest that you hide your pocket.

Politics has become more issuedriven than character-driven so I suspect that stories like this should come as no surprise. As I was reading about this ongoing scandal, I came across a chilling fact. It is now common practice to rely on research quaintly referred to as “vulnerability studies,” which identifies anything problematic that an opponent may seize on to un-

DR. TOM FERRARO Our Town

dermine and destroy the opposition. It made me realize that politics is a true blood sport.

Years ago a friend of mine was recruited to run for office early in his career. He wisely decided to say no and stick to his career in law. You would have to be either madly driven by the need for power or be as saintly as Mother Theresa or Ralph Nader to decide on a life of politics. This seems sad but true.

This, of course, leads us toward the unholy conclusion that we can expect our future to be filled with more

of the same: people who perhaps pretend to embrace certain issues but in fact are motivated solely to achieve fame and/or power. And this means that politics will be run by narcissists or sociopaths who talk well, look good, and have an endless capacity to lie without remorse or guilt.

Great quotes from our recent political past include such gems as “I did not have sexual relations with that woman,” “I didn’t inhale,” “That de-

pends on what your definition of ‘is’ is,” and “I am not a criminal.” These denials are as quotable as Johnnie Cochran’s “If the glove don’t fit, you must acquit” or the great line “Greed is good” spoken by Michael Douglas in the film “Wall Street.”

Let’s hope that as Americans we don’t “inhale” this toxic waste or become cynical, confused, distrusting or disenfranchised from the democratic process we all prosper from.

EARTH MATTERS

Native plants can combat flooding on L.I.

It’s been nearly two weeks of practically constant rain and snow across California, causing flooding, levee breaks and evacuations. At least 17 people have died and the property destruction is incomprehensible. The rainfall has exceeded average rainfall for nearly all parts of the state by 400 to 600 percent. With more rain in the forecast, flooding and more property damage are assured because the ground cannot absorb any more water.

Like a sponge, the available undeveloped land is saturated. Further rainfall will not be soaked up by the soil, but will pool and follow the path of least resistance, unleashing flooding and other harm as it flows. Creeks and rivers are overwhelmed and cannot contain all the water that is falling.

While scientists and others discuss how this is another example of the climate change impact of fossil fuels, we should be thinking about how we can prepare for a similar event here on Long Island. Superstorm Sandy is recent history, and we should all understand that weather patterns of the past are just that, the past. What we will ex-

perience going forward is much more unpredictable. We do know storms will be more severe and the risk of flooding and drought are much higher. Interestingly, a response to both is the same: improve the land’s capacity to absorb water.

In a flood, the land’s ability to absorb water is critical to minimizing flooding. If the water is soaked up by the land, then it cannot pool in places and cause flooding. In a time of drought, reservoirs of water in the ground are critical for providing needed water both to people and plants. The capacity to absorb water is affected by the quality and nature of the land.

Developed land, or land where soil is no longer exposed and plants do not grow, does not absorb water at all. The only exception to this is streets, parking lots or other paved surfaces that are paved with permeable material that allows the water to seep in and be absorbed by the soil underneath.

While undeveloped land will absorb more water than developed land, where the water runs off the surface, not all undeveloped land is equal.

LYNN CAPUANO Earth Matters

A standard lawn will not absorb as much rain as a yard full of native plants. A yard of grass will flood in heavy rainfall because the grass, and its root system, cannot take in as much water as other plants like trees and native plants. Instead of drawing in water through its root system and helping it disburse into the soil, a lawn will let water pool on the surface and cause

flooding. In some cases, depending on the health of the soil in which the grass is planted, the root system may be so weak that the entire top layer washes away in heavy rain.

This has to do with the health of the soil and whether the plants are helping to hold the soil in place. The soil under chemically treated lawns is not as healthy as soil left alone and fed with fallen leaves and populated by various insects and invertebrates. It is more susceptible to having its top layer eroded by rain. Soil that is full of native plants and trees and fed by organic matter will stay in place and will fill itself with water, allowing more and more to flow deeper underground.

Yards planted with native plants can absorb many times as much water as a lawn, thereby reducing the risk of flooding and also storing more water for use during a drought. Native plants can do this because of deeper root systems that can draw water deep into the ground. They are also better able to store water and use the water made available. One study demonstrated that the soil under a mix of native trees ab-

sorbed water 67 times faster than soil under grass. The root systems create pathways for the water and the soil can hold the water, making it available to the plants when needed.

We are not immune from the risks of flooding as our neighbors in Queens and on Long Island can attest to. In this highly developed area there are not a lot of open spaces where the rain can be absorbed. With the runoff from all the paved areas needing to find somewhere to go, the sewers and the open land can be overwhelmed.

We can help by installing plants that can handle both heavy rain and drought. Plants that are native to this area are best suited to thrive in our changing climate. They are most adept at mitigating any extreme weather we experience. There is plenty of information online and through talks and webinars sponsored by the Town, library and many community organizations. Local nurseries can also help. As an added bonus, these plants often will also attract pollinators and birds, bringing an extra layer of beauty and health to your yard.

Politics seems to have lost its moral compass

VIEW POINT

Santos could cost district millions in federal aid

What will happen to North Hempstead’s cherished Project Independence in the absence of a congressman who can effectively bring funding for the elderly to the district, as Tom Suozzi did?

Nina Gordon asked North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena at the Town Board meeting. DeSena curtly replied, “We will do everything possible.”

And what will happen if there is a disaster and we need federal assistance, another constituent wondered.

“We’ll work as hard as we can.”

Vasu Krishnamurthy of Manhasset, wondered about the many areas of federal support town relies on – infrastructure, affordable housing, emergency management, senior services. “Santos is completely useless. Isolated. We cannot rely on him for any services. So what is the town’s plan to make sure we continue to obtain federal resources for our residents?” **See note below

DeSena: ”We will advocate as best we can – rely on other Long Island Congress members and senators.

What about constituent problems with Social Security, Medicare, passports that require a Congress member? And what about federal aid to our public schools to relieve the burden of high property taxes?

“We’ll do the best we can.”

Not counting the millions of dollars that will come to our area as part of the

Infrastructure, Inflation Reduction, and other legislation, funding specific to our area that a competent, respected, effective Congressman like Tom Suozzi secured includes: $40 million for Long Island Sound, $18 million for the Helen Keller National Institute; millions in community- funded projects including Glen Cove Hospital Geriatric Center of Excellence, Little Neck Bay Stormwater Management, North Short Shellfish Seeding, Glen Cove’s Nancy Court Pump Station Rehabilitation, SUNY Maritime wind energy training program, new roof for Sid Jacobson JCC, Main Street flooding in Northport, Asharoken flood abatement, Duck Pond Road water infrastructure project, renovation of SNAP , Queens senior center, Center for the Women of New York workforce development proposal, cancer research at Cold Spring Harbor Labs, NYC Office of Emergency Management, and the list goes on and on.

And what about funding for projects the town insists it can’t afford – like the cat shelter that advocates have been clamoring for for years. And the Stepping Stones Lighthouse, which despite being its steward and having $500,000 in grants, this Town administration seems content to allow to crumble into the Sound.

“He’s not just sitting here, he’s collecting a six-figure salary,” Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey remarked about Santos. “I’ve just met with a school district in

KAREN RUBIN View Point

panic over losing federal aid.”

“We’ll do the best we can,” DeSena repeated.

And how did she come to endorse George Santos and call him a friend, when red flags about his background had already been raised. “I was duped, just like you,” she replied.

Peter Fishkind, among others, pushed back on that. Chiding DeSena, who used to be an attorney at the Securities and Exchange Commission, he questioned, “Were you aware his last job was at a Ponzi scheme [shut down by the SEC]?”

“I was not aware of that,” DeSena replied.

In fact, The New York Times published a report that documented how well-connected Republicans, including New York’s Elise Stefanik, were alerted to Santos’ fabrications as early as the 2020 campaign and again in early 2021, before the primary. To the extent they were aware of the fraud, they are co-conspirators in the crime of defrauding the United States and the 3rd District constituents.

Kimberly Keiserman, Port Washington, said, “It is my moral obligation as a citizen to speak out and push for concerted action until Santos no longer is our congressional representative. It is difficult to overstate the difficulty of the crisis Santos created for our district. We are represented by a liar, a fraud, a conman, which means we aren’t represented at all.

She said Santos would spend his time in Congress dealing with a series of negative revelations and defending himself against the investigations launched by authorities at the local, state and federal levels.

Keiserman pointed out that Santos supported the extremists at the Jan. 6 insurrection, attended a far right gala in Manhattan with neo-Nazis in December and is a pariah in Congress on both sides of the aisle.

“It is important to acknowledge this crisis didn’t just happen, but by decisions of local party leaders who nominated, endorsed, promoted, and campaigned for this man, despite huge red flags – a

Ponzi scheme, shady finances, extremism,” she said.

Addressing DeSena, Keiserman said, “You are one of the local leaders who endorsed Santos – yours was one of the most public, enthusiastic he received. I ask if you will take two actions to address this crisis: Commit to providing people of the district with a full explanation of your decision to endorse and call on Republican members of New York’s congressional delegation to introduce a resolution to expel him from Congress?”

Her request was greeted with applause.

That is now the focus of constituents, who have switched gears from demanding the impotent House Ethics Committee investigate Santos to demanding Speaker Kevin McCarthy hold a vote to expel Santos from Congress. Go to: www. whoisgeorgesantos.com. To volunteer go to: https://bit.ly/JanVolSantosForm

Here’s another thought: Since the criminal investigations by the U.S. attorney, New York State attorney general, Nassau County and Queens district attorneys and FEC are unlikely to bear fruit before the 2024 election, constituents should file a class action suit for the harm caused by being robbed of federal dollars and our fair representation.

**Note: An earlier version of the story should have attributed the quote to Vasu Krishnamurthy of Manhasset. We regret the error.

County exec owes residents action, not rhetoric

As we embark upon 2023, Nassau County taxpayers should take stock of what County Executive Bruce Blakeman has — and has not — achieved during his first year in office. While he made many promises on the campaign trail and during his first year in office, he has unfortunately followed through on very few.

For months, the county executive told Nassau County voters that, if elected, he would cut property taxes by over $128 million and “would pay for that tax cut by returning Nassau County’s entire budget surplus to residents.”

He did neither — instead, in his first budget, he gave himself a 125 raise to the tune of $24,000.

Additionally, the county executive has failed to follow through on his promises to “fix” what he called a “broken” assessment system.

While candidate Bruce Blakeman vowed to hire “qualified professionals to run the Assessment Department and create a new and fair system,” one of his first acts as county executive was to pass the buck to Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips to audit the assessment department.

As county residents continue to wait for the findings of the comptroller’s largely unnecessary and politically driven audit — findings that were supposed to have been published last September — major errors have occurred on school and general tax bills that will cost mil-

lions of taxpayer dollars to fix. Where is the urgency for preventing more of these costly assessment-related mistakes?

Rather than make good on his promise to “hire qualified professionals to run the Assessment Department,” the county executive’s budget has no signs of the necessary resources to invest in a full revaluation that would set us back on a course to fairness and accuracy.

He has continued to use acting assessors and administrators for the last 12 months. Making matters worse, his administration has allowed the term of the acting assessor — who must be approved by the legislature every six months — to once again lapse as Nassau’s tax rolls remain frozen.

All of this has further destabilized the assessment system, to the benefit of politically connected real property tax certiorari firms that have donated $526,875 to Republican campaigns – not the taxpayers who elected him to office.

And while the county executive’s bombastic rhetoric on issues of crime have indeed garnered attention, his administration has done little to enhance public safety.

It is in direct contrast with the administration of Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, during which crime decreased by more than 10% and the County was consistently named one of the safest places in America of its size.

Since County Executive Blakeman took office last January, major crimes

have increased by over 34 percent. To help reverse that trend, this caucus proposed a budget amendment that would have enhanced community policing by funding the hiring of an additional 110 police officers.

The county executive and his Republican colleagues in the Legislature refused to support this common sense, sustainable proposal.

All of this is indicative of an administration that lacks a coherent vision for the future and insulates itself from the public.

At a time when Nassau County has a projected surplus of $120 million and $385 million in American Rescue Plan federal funds at its disposal, the risk of

missed opportunities is great.

The minority caucus’ pleas to create an advisory council to guide the use of American Rescue Plan funds, which are governed by stringent federal guidelines and must be obligated by the end of 2024 and spent by 2026, have been ignored.

What is even more worrisome is that the County’s surplus is being misused to give jobs and money to political allies and promote partisan campaigns in violation of local, state, and federal laws.

What can the county’s taxpayers and business leaders do then to get this county executive’s attention and spur his administration to act? As a starting point, we suggest this list of New Year’s resolutions:

• Cut taxes by $128 million and give the county’s surplus back to the taxpayers

• Appoint a permanent assessor and support a full reassessment

• Abide by Executive Order 1-2018, which prohibits political leaders from simultaneously serving in certain County government roles

• Stop using County-funded free concerts to promote partisan political candidates

• Support our proposals to:

Extend the gasoline sales tax cut to March 1, 2023 and give residents the maximum allowable relief

Establish an American Rescue Plan advisory council to allow the community to guide the allocation and spending of

historic $385 million in federal funding

Implement a clothing and footwear tax sales holiday to support local families and businesses

Expand the NCPD by 110 officers and create a dedicated hate crimes division to improve public safety

Create the position of deputy commissioner of cybersecurity and hire a dedicated team to protect our County from cyber threat

Supply fentanyl testing strips to individuals to prevent overdoses

Deliver drug deactivation pouches for the safe disposal of prescription medication

Protect food allergy sufferers by creating a restaurant Epi-Pen pilot program

Mandate the disclosure of income statements by utility companies

Require gun store owners to lock up firearms at night to protect our children from gun violence — the leading cause for children’s deaths

In this new year, our residents deserve accountability and meaningful action, not empty rhetoric. At a time when trust in our institutions is so fragile, it is more important than ever to hold officials accountable when they fail to fulfill their promise — and it starts right here in Nassau County.

By Kevan M. Abrahams, Siela A. Bynoe, Carrié Solages, Debra Mulé, Delia DeRiggi-Whiton, Arnold W. Drucker and Joshua A. Lafazan

FROM THE DESK OF KEVAN M. ABRAHAMS

KEVAN M. ABRAHAMS Nassau County Legislator

Municipal finance 101: Lessons for official to learn

The past few years have seen billions in Federal COVID financial relief through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the American Rescue Plan Act flowing into the coffers of every Long Island municipality. Because of this “free” money, local governments were able to balance their budgets without facing draconian budget cuts caused by a sclerotic COVID economy.

Now that CARES and ARPA funding are coming to a conclusion, elected officials must find ways to balance budgets in the face of inflation caused by all this largess. One solution is for Long Island governments to improve cash management.

Municipal cash management over the last several years has been limited to putting all cash and cash reserve accounts into checking and savings accounts, or certificates of deposit, which have paid

little interest. That won’t work anymore, because interest rates have jumped dramatically over the last 12 months. For example, the one-year U.S. Treasury on Jan. 14, 2022, was 0.51%. One year later the same interest rate on a one-year Treasury is about 4.7%!

Because government change moves at a glacial pace, most Long Island municipalities keep their cash at the same banks they always have. Unfortunately, this usually means an annual interest rate at 2% or less. As a result, local governments are missing a huge, no- risk opportunity to earn additional interest on their cash.

There are two ways municipalities can earn 4% or more on their cash balances, which could equate to an additional $200,000 of annual interest on every $10 million in cash and/or cash reserves. The easiest and fastest is to sweep cash into municipal money market funds allowed under New York State law.

Rest in the Afternoon

The blue-silver leaves of old olive trees reflect the sky, and roots run deep in parched earth unchanged for centuries not years.

This air holds the scent of wild fennel, garlic, olives, and the sweet promise of citrus and ripened figs. Sometimes I catch their aroma on the brush of the wind. The silences are equally beautiful and deep.

This Greek light refracts endlessly, but how my thought lingers.

I want to gather it in my cupped hands like a refreshing splash of water and drink.

The blue deepens as light winnows toward evening, shadows settle like birds quieted by absence.

Gaps lengthen, merge, and drain off

After a while I am left with the dark rising between us like the width of memory.

I am buoyant, walking. The sky opens to the slow rotation of twinkling stars not blurred by motion. There is a tall cypress ahead, and I’m thinking of a favorite Van Gogh without its frame, listening to the sound of an aeolian wind in a language I know by heart.

The secret is all around.

Silence shines like the moon rising beyond the edge of the world.

All goes gentle into night.

Home beckons.

Stephen Cipot Garden City Park

ADAM HABER

All Things Political

There are two widely used municipal money market funds in New York. NYCLASS, the larger of the two, works with about 100 Long Island municipalities, made up of school, water and fire

districts, villages, towns and counties (both Nassau and Suffolk are NYCLASS users). https://www.newyorkclass.org/ The smaller of the two, The NY Liquid Asset Fund (NYLAF) is equally capable but serves fewer government entities. https://nylaf.org/

The benefits of putting a government’s cash in either NYCLASS or NYLAF instead of at a bank include:-Daily Compounding of Interest-All participants earn the same daily rate, which quickly adjusts automatically following interest rate decisions by the Fed-When interest rates are on the rise, locking into CD rates can result in missed earnings,CDs have penalties for early withdrawal-Invested dollars are fully liquid daily and never locked upNo transaction fees or minimum balance requirements-Efficiency! Saves time and effort, no need to plan for and manually reinvest/roll CDs or Treasuries

The second way a municipality can

earn even a slightly higher rate than NYCLASS or NYLAF is by managing their own cash balances and purchasing a monthly Treasury ladder. For example, governments can purchase a one-, twoand three-month Treasury Bill (T Bill), and as each T-Bill comes due, purchase a new three-month one. This method yields a higher interest rate of roughly 2550 basis points, but requires someone to actively manage the purchasing process. While T-Bills can be purchased and sold with complete liquidity, there is a small amount of interest rate risk, which goes away at maturity. To date, only a few municipalities in NYS purchase T-Bill ladders.

The bottom line: All municipalities should set up a NYCLASS or NYLAF account as soon as possible. This would enable them to better serve constituents and lower taxes. Every day they delay, risk-free revenue is left on the table.

DeSena shrugs on George Santos

“We’re gonna do the best we can.” That’s what North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jen DeSena said about her residents’ lack of congressional representation at the most recent town board meeting.

After formally endorsing George Santos during the election, DeSena now says she no longer considers him to be her congressman. So, where does that leave the 3rd District, including the entire Town of North Hempstead?

At the meeting, DeSena showed impatience with the concerns raised during public comment, stating that our congressman was not a town issue. One speaker after another asked her what we can do given the scathing weakness of George Santos.

Beyond voting for federal legislation, congressmen do constituent work: helping the people they represent negotiate the complex structures of the federal government. A federal representative helps senior citizens seeking help with social security, veterans who need help from the VA, and anyone trying to get a passport or help with immigration.

The town works with our congressperson on getting funding for projects in the town. These desperate human needs are now piling up without a viable partner on the federal end.

None of this appeared to have any effect on the town supervisor. She suggested that anyone with problems needing help in Washington should reach out to neighboring congressman Anthony D’Esposito for help.

Representative D’Esposito may be earnest in his willingness to pitch in, but, as a freshman member of Congress himself with limited previous experience in government and who was elected by and represents another district, that’s a lot to ask.

Nevertheless, DeSena suggests that this level of service, unsupported by any constitutional responsibility, is enough for us. She evidently wants us all to be second-class citizens.“We’re gonna do the best we can.”That’s the best DeSena could come up with after taking to the microphone at the head of her fellow Nassau County Republicans on Jan. 11. Full of high moralism and public-spiritedness, she joined a call for George Santos to resign.

Clearly, this would make the problem go away for Nassau Republicans, but they can do nothing but shrug when it comes to making that happen. Humility is a fine quality in public life. Fecklessness is not.

Town Board Member Mariann Dalimonte said at the same meeting that she’s been in touch with Senators Schumer and Gillibrand. But as far as the second half of Congress — the one ultimately responsible for federal spending — goes, Dalimonte said that “we are without a representative.”

This is a gaping void in our civic life and our Town Supervisor is all out of ideas.“We’re gonna do the best we can.”Supervisor DeSena repeated that line throughout the meeting. When pressed for specifics, she offered none. George Santos is a legitimately elected member of Congress and the constitutional mechanisms for remov-

ing representatives are necessarily limited.

A growing list of law enforcement agencies are looking into Santos’ troubling history, but such investigations are deliberative and slow. Several speakers at the town board meeting suggested that DeSena request that other members of the Long Island congressional delegation call for a vote to expel Santos from his seat, which would require a two-thirds vote.

DeSena did not bite, and of course, that kind of vote is very unlikely in a House with a 4-seat GOP majority. Essentially, the only remaining option is for Santos — whose only confirmed quality is his shamelessness — to resign, and, if this resignation is unlikely, DeSena’s readiness to accept the disenfranchisement of her more than 230,000 constituents — is unforgivable.

So, “We’re gonna do the best we can” might honestly be the best we can expect. It’s not the response of a true public servant. It’s not the vision of a leader. It’s the words that a politician says when she either has no ideas or no real commitment to pursuing them.

Town Supervisor Jen DeSena says we all just have to take it. Nothing to be done. That’s a gutsy stance for any public official. It’ll make for a risky campaign slogan in future elections. As for those of us who think Town Supervisor DeSena needs a stronger response, who think that government without representation is a betrayal of our democratic republic, who think that the shame of this cheap huckster stains us all and needs to be purged from our community, well, we’ll remember all this.

We’ll remember on future election days when finding Santos or DeSena’s name on a ballot. And we’ll remember at every public function where either dares to appear. We’ll remember. Or at least, we’re gonna do the best we can.

PHOTO BY DENNIS COMIS

Rebecca Hughes Parker Port Washington

YOUR GUIDE TO THE ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING

L.I. MUSIC HALL A NEW PLACE FOR LIVE MUSIC

Scheduled performances at the newly opened Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (97 Main St., Stony Brook) in January 2023:

Sunday, Jan. 22 from 3-4 pm The Mary Lamont Band Sunday, Jan. 29, from 3-4 pm A Band Called SamMore details and for tickets visit: https://www.limusichalloffame.org/tickets-and-giftcards/

About Mary Lamont

Called the “Queen of Long Island Country” by Newsday, Mary Lamont was three times voted Band of the Year by the NY Metro CMA, twice voted Singer/Songwriter of the Year by the NJ CMA, and is the fi rst American country act to tour Mainland China.

Raised in rural Ontario, Mary has been featured in ASCAP’s prestigious Playback Magazine, is featured in ASCAP.com’s Audio Portraits, and has opened for Delbert McClinton and Marshall Tucker as well as Charlie Daniels Band at NYCB Theatre at

Westbury.

Mary also had the honor of singing with Les Paul’s Trio at the famous Iridium Club in New York City.

Mary’s latest CD “Not Far from Here” features original tunes as well as a country song given to Mary to record by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dennis Dunaway, original bassist of the Alice Cooper group and writer of such AC hits as “School’s Out.”

The title track has the legendary Steve Holley (drummer for Paul McCartney, Elton John, Joe Cocker, Ian Hunter).

Mary was on the cover of Newsday’s “Explore LI” section, and was also included in Newsday’s Jones Beach anniversary feature. (Mary Lamont Band has performed at the Jones Beach Boardwalk Bandshell for more seasons than any other act.)

Mary is also a radio DJ at WUSB 90.1 Stony Brook University, where she hosts “Down Home Country” on alternate Sundays, 12:00-1:00pm. For more info, visit Mary’s website

at: http://www.marylamont.com

About A Band Called Sam

The Spirit Of The Late Legendary Long Island Hall Of Fame Inductee Sam “Bluzman” Taylor continues to live on courtesy of his long time backing band, A Band Called Sam featuring Mario Staino (Drums), Gary Sellers (Guitar), Gary Grob (Bass), Danny Kean (Keyboards) and carrying the last name tradition is Sam’s oldest daughter top tier vocalist Sandra Taylor and her son L*A*W (Lawrence Taylor Worrell) know for his prolific work with Parliament-Funkadelic and the late great Amy Winehouse

True to Sam’s blueprint unorthodox vision, A Band Called Sam combines the best of progressive high energy Blues, Funk-Soul & Rock but can easily lead way to elements of Jazz, Country & even Hip-Hop thanks to Sam’s profound guitar work being sampled by rap artists like EPMD, Jay-Z, Public Enemy & many others.

You can always expect A Band

Called Sam to make the crowd wanna dance, jump, scream and yell through the pulse of their tight-knit musicianship and wave which is one of many reasons why their album “Legacy” was #1 on various Blues & Soul charts around the world.

LIMEHOF Hours and ticket detailsThe Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame is open Wednesdays-Sundays from 12 noon through 5 pm. Admission prices are: Adult $19.50, Seniors (65+) and Veterans $17.00, Students (w/ID) $15.00. Children under 12 are free. Tickets and now gift cards can be purchased online at the LIMEHOF. org website and at the door.

The first exhibit features replicas of clubs, with videos of artists performing, ads, posters, instruments, and an exact replica of a typical 1970’s stage, with vintage equipment and sound system.

There is also a permanent “Hall of Fame” with plaques and exhibits recognizing over 120 inductees, as well as areas for a library, class-

rooms for educational programs and master classes, a surround -sound theater and a gift shop with music and entertainment-themed memorabilia.

There are a wide range of compelling visual elements and rare artifacts on display throughout the building. Inducted artists who have donated their memorabilia include Billy Joel, Joan Jett, Debbie Gibson, Blue Öyster Cult, Twisted Sister, and families and estates of Harry Chapin, Guy Lombardo, John Coltrane, and so many more. Donations include various musical instruments, performance outfits, rare posters and photos, handwritten lyrics, and much more.

For more information about the Hall of Fame please visit www. limehof.orgLIMEHOF has a new event calendar page https://www.limusichallo ff ame.org/museum/GIFT CARDS now available online, as well as admission tickets: https://www. limusichalloffame.org/tickets-andgift-cards/

Grand Folk Railroad, The Mary Lamont Band and A Band Called Sam to perform at Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook in January

Col. Wilkerson to talk on national security at temple

On Sunday, January 22 at 3:00 PM, Stephen C. Widom Cultural Arts at Emanuel will present a Video Conversation with Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson (retired), former chief of staff to the late General Colin Powell, moderated by NY1 news anchor, host of Inside City Hall, and CNN political analyst, Errol Louis. Their discussion is entitled: “Conservation of Enemies.”

This program can be viewed through February 5, 2023.

Colonel Wilkerson explains his theme: “Conservation of enemies was a principle of international relations — or the relations of nations — of a brilliant diplomat and teacher of diplomacy, Frederick H. Hartmann.

He was such a stickler for perfection, his book of the same name, Conservation of Enemies, had at least six editions, each more perfect than the last, which was his intent.” Wilkerson continues: “Simply stated, the principle holds that a nation — particularly a great power — needs to conserve its enemies, that is, not create any more than it can manage at any one time.”

Wilkerson will offer his views on the two existential enemies that create danger for the American Empire — nuclear weapons and the humaninduced changing climate.

Wilkerson’s last positions in government were as the late Secretary of State Colin Powell’s chief of staff (2002-05), and associate director of the State Department’s Policy Planning staff under the directorship of Ambassador Richard N. Haass.

Before serving at the State Department, Wilkerson served 31 years in the U.S. Army, including as deputy executive officer to then-General Colin

Powell when he commanded the U.S. Army Forces Command (1989), special assistant to General Powell when he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989-93), and as director and deputy director of the U.S. Marine Corps War College at Quantico, Va. (1993-97). More recently, he was Visiting Professor of Government and Public Policy at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA.

Since leaving the State Department, Wilkerson speaks to groups all over America, publishes articles in newspapers and magazines across the country, and regularly offers commentary on television.

He serves as board member with advisory status to The Military Religious Freedom Foundation; The Eisenhower Media Network; America’s Promise (whose purpose is a 28th amendment to our Constitution to reverse the Supreme Court’s decision that allows dark money to flow overwhelmingly into political campaigns); and The Baskerville Institute. He is a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, and cofounder of, and advisor to, the All-Volunteer Force Forum.

This program is funded by Elaine and George Malin.

Registration for this event is $15.For further information, to register and purchase a ticket online, go to:

https://www.scwculturalarts.org/sundayseries

After Jan. 22nd at 2:00 PM, call 516.482.5701 to purchase a ticket.

Please call 516.482.5701 if you have additional questions.

Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, left, will be interviewed by journalist Errol Louis.

Guide to Home & Design

An inviting backyard can serve as a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life. After a long day at the office or an exhausting day spent transporting kids to and fro, it’s hard to resist the allure of a peaceful outdoor space in which to unwind.

Privacy is a key component of any backyard oasis. Some homes may be so remote that privacy isn’t an issue. But many suburban homeowners recognize they might need to tweak their landscapes if they hope to create a private oasis outside.

Fencing or planting?

Most homeowners looking to create more privacy on their property will have to choose between fencing and planting. Fencing provides immediate privacy because, once it’s installed, no one can see into the yard. Fencing also doesn’t require watering or other

immediate upkeep, which will be necessary when planting to ensure tree roots can establish themselves.

But planting has its benefits as well.

Planting for privacy is essentially creating a living fence that can grow over time and provide even more privacy as trees reach maturity. Plants also tend to be less costly than fencing. The home renovation experts at BobVila.com estimate that fencing projects typically cost between $1,667 and $4,075. However, fencing projects can cost considerably more than $4,000, especially for homeowners with large properties they want to enclose. Large, mature trees can be expensive, though it’s unlikely they will cost as much as fencing. In addition, fencing requires more maintenance and will potentially need to be replaced, while native trees won’t require much upkeep and can last for generations.

Planting

Homeowners who choose to plant for privacy will next have to decide which type of plants to add to their properties. Evergreens provide yearround privacy because they don’t shed their leaves, so these are the ones most often chosen when creating a living fence. A number of varieties of evergreen trees can do the job, but it’s important that homeowners consult with a landscape architect prior to choosing trees so they can ensure the trees will thrive when faced with the growing conditions on their properties. During such a consultation, homeowners may discuss the following popular privacy trees.

• Leyland Cypress: The Arbor Day Foundation® notes that the Leyland cypress is popular for hedges and boundaries, likely because a typical tree reaches a mature height of 60’-70’

and can spread as wide as 25’. The Leyland cypress grows fast, which may appeal to homeowners who don’t want to wait to establish privacy.

• Green Giant Arborvitae: There are different varieties of the arborvitae, but the Green Giant tends to be the go-to option for privacy. The ADF notes that Green Giants will grow up to three feet per year until they reach maturity, providing a fast-growing option for privacy planters. The Green Giant can spread as wide as 20 feet at maturity, which is another attribute that makes it so popular among homeowners desiring privacy.

• Eastern White Pine: The ADF notes that the eastern white pine, which can reach heights as high as 80 feet, is favored in spacious yards. That’s likely due to its height and its potential spread, which can reach 40 feet.

Homeowners who choose the eastern white pine might like it for its resemblance to a Christmas tree, and in fact it is widely used for that purpose. The privacy provided by the eastern white pine is significant, but it might be best suited to especially large properties.

Whether it’s fencing or planting, homeowners have many options to consider as they seek to create more privacy on their properties.

Let the outside in with all-season rooms

Many homeowners express interest in creating fewer barriers between the interior and exterior of their homes. Some may have backyards built for entertaining and want to facilitate the transition between the inside of the residence and the outside when guests arrive. In other instances, homes may back to a nature preserve that homeowners want to enjoy more readily. Whatever the reason for bringing the outside in, all-season rooms can serve as a welcoming bridge between indoor and outdoor spaces.

What is an all-season room? Also known as a four-season room, all-season rooms are specially engineered spaces that provide a connection to the outdoors no matter the season.

They are like sunrooms, but climate-controlled so that they will be comfortable throughout winter, spring, summer, and fall.

What is the di ff erence between a threeseason room and an all-season room? The biggest difference between these two spaces is the level of usage and the capacity of the room to be heated and cooled. Individuals who reside in climates with moderate yearround temperatures may get by with a three-season room. However, those who experience all four seasons may need a more insulated space to make the room usable throughout the year.

Features of all-season rooms

One of the more notable features of an all-season room is an abundance of windows, which allow plenty of natural light to shine in. All-season rooms also can feature creature comforts like a reading nook, outdoor kitchen spaces and televisions. Retractable screens can be installed when privacy or shade is desired.

Maintaining a comfortable temperature All-season rooms can be built with adequate thermal insulation and energy-saving features. Insulation will be installed in the walls and roof, and homeowners may have a choice of window ratings for efficiency. Some all-season rooms are specially equipped with HVAC systems that may or may not be tied in to the home’s general

heating and cooling system. Some people use portable heaters or air conditioners to control the temperature in all-season rooms. It’s best to speak with an all-season room contractor to identify heating and cooling needs.

How much does an all-season room cost? Prices vary by region and are contingent on the features homeowners desire. According to the outdoor resource Garden Center Care, a threeseason room can cost anywhere from $8,000 to $50,000 to build. A four-season room can cost $20,000 to $80,000 to add. If there is an existing three-season room, it may be more affordable to upgrade the space into an all-season room, but an architect and contractor should inspect the space to determine the scope of the project.

Upgrade to Catholic Elementary Schools

Significant progress has been made in the renewal and transformation of Catholic Elementary School education on Long Island, according to MSIImpact-Report.pdf (drvc.org by the Diocese of Rockville Centre’s Morning Star Initiative.

The Morning Star Initiative Impact Report cites progress made against the Morning Star Initiative’s four success pillars:

1) Academic Excellence, 2) Robustly Catholic Culture, 3) Safe and Supportive Communities and 4) Fiscally Sustainable Schools.

“Since the Morning Star Initiative was launched in early 2020, we have strengthened the academic rigor of our schools and stabilized enrollment despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy,” said Brother Thomas Cleary, chief revitalization officer of the Morning Star Initiative.

With more than $3.5 million in funds raised by the Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation for the Morning Star Initiative and then invested in Catholic education, the Catholic Elementary Schools in the Diocese of Rockville Centre have achieved significant academic improvements, safe in-person instruction, strong remote learning, strong marketing and recruitment efforts, innovative new academic programs and stabilization of Nursery – 8th grade enrollment.

In the area of strengthening the pillar that Catholic Schools are here to stay, the Diocese of Rockville Centre Department of Education along with the Morning Star Initiative works to increase enrollment.

Some examples include:

• Enrollment increase of 100 students for the 2022-2023 academic year at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School, Deer Park/Central Islip

• New approaches to school oversight and gov-

ernance piloted at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School, Deer Park/Central Islip and Holy Name of Mary Parish School in Valley Stream; while serving ethnically diverse and high needs student populations

• Marketing to prospects using Google, Facebook and Instagram

• Principals using technology including webinars to market schools to local communities

• More than $700,000 in scholarships for underserved students in grades K-8 across Long Island directed by the Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation

• $2.45 million provided in tuition assistance from Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation to nearly 1,200 students in 35 elementary schools for the 20212022 school year

In the area of Academic Excellence, philanthropic support of the Morning Star Initiative has enabled the Diocese of Rockville Centre Department of Education to enhance the academic rigor in its elementary schools by investing in technology, teachers and academic programs.

For example:

• Thousands of learning devices delivered to Catholic elementary school students across Long Island; more than 2,000 devices for low-income students in underserved communities

• Teachers from across the diocese are pooling resources and sharing expertise with other gradelevel and subject-area teachers through the new Curriculum Leads program

• All teachers and principals received increased compensation and professional develop-

ment for the 2021-2022 academic year. Teachers will also receive a salary and step increase for the 2022-2023 year

• Strong interest in a Dual Language pilot program at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic School, Deer Park and Central Islip

The Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready® Assessment System implemented in each school, is a new, state-of-the-art tool enabling educators to better understand how individual students are progressing throughout the school year. i-Ready offers teachers criterion-referenced and normative data to deliver impactful, equitable learning experiences in real time.

More than 8,000 students have received personalized i-Ready math and reading instruction. When receiving 30 minutes or more of personalized instruction per week, the median student was 8 percent above year-end expectations (“Typical Growth”) in Math and 28 percent above year-end expectation in reading.

In the area of a building a Robustly Catholic Cuture, the Diocese of Rockville Centre Department of Education, through the Morning Star Initiative has sharpened and enhanced its spiritual, intellectual, sacramental and liturgical capabilities.

For example:

• Catholic culture strengthened through the appointment of Father Matthew M. Browne, S.T.L. to the new position of Bishop’s Delegate to the Department of Education, to guide integration of a robustly Catholic culture in the elementary schools

• Catholic Identity and Mission is stronger through the hiring of a director of Catholic identity and mission. For the first time, the director leads workshops, faculty and student retreats

• Teachers’ faith formation strengthened through workshops and online courses

heart academy proudly welcomes the incoming

About the Diocese of Rockville Centre

The Diocese of Rockville Centre (www.drvc.org) was formed in 1957 and covers 1,198 square miles in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

The diocese serves approximately 1.4 million baptized Catholics* (total population in both counties is approximately 2.9 million). There are 132 parishes plus 1 campus parish in 115 towns.

The diocese is blessed with 336 total priests, 703 religious women, 61 Brothers and 275 permanent deacons. In 2020, 13,526 baptisms, 11,583 confirmations, 11,760 First Holy Communions and 2,169 Catholic marriages took place in the diocese. There are 11,077 students in Catholic elementary schools; 10,407 students in Catholic high schools and 3,409 students in higher institutions.

There are 35 Catholic elementary schools (31 parish or regional and 4 private), 9 high schools (2 diocesan, 2 parish and 5 private) and one Catholic college (Molloy College, Rockville Centre) in the diocese. In 2020, there were 66,578 children in parish Faith Formation programs.

In 2020, Catholic clergy and community provided consolation to families and loved ones of 9,439 deceased Catholics at 4 di-

ocesan and 20 parish cemeteries.

Catholic Health of Long Island is comprised of six hospitals, three health care centers, four homes for the aged, a regional home care and hospice network, and a community-based agency for persons with special needs.

More than 17,500 employees and 4,600 credentialed physicians work within the CH system. Catholic Charities provides Care With Dignity…Life With Hope to the poor, isolated, vulnerable, and disadvantaged on Long Island. In 2020, more than 600 staff members and 400 volunteers provided over 1.4 million face-to-face services to 45,460 people of all faiths and backgrounds from 60 service sites in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

The single largest outreach to the People of God on Long Island is through the diocesan media outlets.

The diocese maintains vibrant Facebook, Twitter and Instagram platforms. Catholic Faith Network broadcasts 24/7/365 to millions of homes; the weekly DRVC E-newsletter is emailed to more than 10,000 recipients. The diocesan website drvc.org averages approximately 18,000 unique visitors each month.

*As of 2020

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Business&RealEstate

U.S. faces big challenge over debt ceiling

Unfortunately, we are again approaching our debt limit. Since 1960, Congress has acted 78 times to consider either temporarily extending or permanently increasing the debt limit or revising the meaning of the debt limit; 49 times under Republican presidents and 29 under Democratic presidents.

Janet Yellen the secretary of the Treasury, sent a letter to Congress on Jan. 13 that our current U.S. debt limit was raised to $31.381 trillion on Dec. 16, 2021 and will be reached on Jan. 19, 2023, which will be 138% of GDP In 2013 it was 100% of the GDP . The pandemic caused a liquidity crunch with the excessive (virtually created) $8 trillion infused into the market (but not printed).

I have read recently that increasing the money supply doesn’t cause inflation. Inflation results when spending grows faster than the real rate of growth of population and production exported including services. The money supply doesn’t cause it, but it is the effect of it, so the Fed has to tweak in both directions to try to keep inflation steady and balanced. It sounds logical as production slowed to an almost standstill during the pandemic.

I have read differing opinions and facts about what causes inflation and this was a different perspective and explanation. If you are an economist,

financial whiz, or study the economy what are your opinions and thoughts on this explanation? Here is another analysis put out by the Whitehouse in 2022 that provides additional future projections of our economy, debt, and deficits: https://www.whitehouse.gov/ wp-content/uploads/2022/04/ap_3_ long_term_fy2023.pdf

There is an overabundant amount of misinformation, fake news, and just plain lack of knowledge out there from the mainstream media by those individuals who write but don’t know how to do the research to gain the most accurate and detailed data and facts. FYI, only $200 billion was actually printed in 2019 and 2020, and approximately $600 billion physical dollars were printed in 2021 and 2022 from orders provided by the Federal Reserve to the Bureau of Printing and Engraving). See article link: https://www.usatoday.com/ story/news/factcheck/2022/04/14/ fact-check-federal-reserve-has-balancesheet-9-trillion/7198368001/.

A total of $8 trillion virtual dollars was created (confused with physical printing) via Treasury bonds as IOUs issued by the government to the banks in exchange for the loans. This injected liquidity into our financial system during the pandemic, along with printing assisting in easing the concerns of corporate America, our economy, and its citizens.

PHILIP A. RAICES

Real Estate Watch

Bonds were purchased with cash by the banks (savings and checking accounts) and the government promised to pay back with interest at a future date.

However, overall in my professional opinion, I believe too much was created and given out, especially to those who received more than they earned weekly as well as those with substantial liquidity, who surely didn’t need the stimulus money. However, not having prior experience in dealing with the economic impact and consequences of a pandemic, our government did what it thought best to assist the greatest number of people

and businesses. Speed in executing their plan was the necessary evil even with all the mistakes made as well as those unscrupulous entities that took advantage of our dire situation.

I am sure if and when there is a next time, and hoping there isn’t, that there will be a more thought-out plan, with checks and balances and a decisive course of action to deliver assistance. When future inflation does occur, we’ll be in a better position to predict and control it, so it will be less detrimental to our citizens and economy.

According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, unless they pass a temporary increase to the debt limit to refinance and pay current U.S. government obligations up to June (not authorizing new spending). a default situation would occur, affecting paying beneficiaries of Social security, government pensions, Medicare benefits, military salaries, interest on the national debt, tax refunds and other debts. This would cause an economic catastrophe and irreparable harm to the U.S. economy and a negative impact on world economies.

This would have a major and monumental and mind-blowing tsunami impact affecting American jobs and savings, interest rates, and our overall economy as well as having a massive and immensely negative effect on housing for many years. Moreover, the ripple

effect on global economies due to this historic event would also be a loss in the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, and the U.S. dollar, the world’s reserve currency. This would certainly be a tragic and damaging event potentially creating a global depression not seen since the crash of 1929.

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.

Phishing: A Real and Present Danger to Small Business

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

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

• Email/data backup to retrieve and restore data

• Spam filtration, secure email platform

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven anti-phishing software

• Dark web monitoring/credential exposure protection

• Employee training with phishing tests and educational videos

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

Is your company protected?

Business&RealEstate

FREE names Chris Long as new CEO

Family Residences and Essential Enterprises Inc. a premier nonprofit innovator of health and human services is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Christopher Long as the new chief executive officer. Long has had an illustrious career with over 30 years of experience, including 15 years of strategic development planning within the health and human service industry.

He joined FREE Inc. in 2009 as the associate executive director and for the past five years has served as president of FREE, Inc. During his tenure helped build FREE into one of the most diverse service providers with a strategic vision focused on creative excellence, technological in-

novation and growth. Prior to joining FREE Inc. Long held senior executive management positions where he led day-to-day operations for large human service provider organizations. Additionally, Long has a passion for education and a considerable amount of higher education teaching experience and remains an adjunct faculty at St. Joseph’s University, Stony Brook University and Farmingdale State College.

Long was the winner of the prestigious Zella Bronfman Butler Award for outstanding contributions in the field of special education/human services. He was also named one of Long Island Business News’ Executive Circle Awards winners for his leader-

ship skills, vision and commitment to community service and diversity. Dr. Long is dedicated to mentoring youth and has implemented many programs to help them perform academically and socially to reach their full potential.“Christopher is the right leader to build upon FREE’s powerful and lasting legacy,” said Mark Preiser, Family Residences and Essential Enterprises Inc. chairman of the Board. “His extensive background in the non-profit sector and social services will help guide FREE further strengthening its mission. Our board looks forward to working together with Christopher, and our highly dedicated executive team and valued team members, in ensuring the sustainabil-

ity of our organization and delivering solutions that meet the growing needs of the individuals we are privileged to support.”Preiser added, “We thank Robert Budd for his extraordinary leadership as CEO for the past 15 years. We are truly grateful for his dedication in making our work possible, and look forward to continuing working with Robert in his new role as President. As President, he will maintain his current responsibilities which include overseeing Federal, State, Advocacy and Partnership initiatives.” Long added, “I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as FREE’s new CEO. I have long admired FREE, Inc. as a multi-service organization that embraces change and is in-

vested in creating new opportunities for those we are honored to support. Building on what we have already accomplished, under our co-leadership model, we plan to continue to hone our strategic direction, grow and develop our organization, strengthen our partnerships, and build new relationships. I am excited and energized to continue our great work alongside our wildly talented team who truly makes the magic happen every day.“Preiser concluded, “As we look to the future, we’re confident that Dr. Long is the right person to lead FREE, Inc. and carry on the long legacy of providing the highest level of service and support to those we are honored to serve.”

Little Flower Children new members to board

Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York, a 93-year-old human services organization serving children, youth, individuals with developmental disabilities and families across New York and Long Island, welcomed attorney Robert Abiuso and Craig O’Neill to its board of directors.

Abiuso will join 16 other board members to provide strategic, fiduciary and governance oversight to ensure the organization fulfills its mission to transform caring into action.

“Abiuso has shown himself to be someone who embodies our culture of caring—not only for the community here

at Little Flower, but for his community at large,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Corinne Hammons. “His legal expertise and empathic approach are great assets to the organization.”

Abiuso is a litigator with the Sahn,Ward law firm, as well as a real estate and criminal lawyer. He routinely dedicates his time to pro bono work for charitable organizations and in 2016 was recognized as Public Interest Attorney of the Year by the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center. He has served on the board of directors of St. John’s Residence for Boys, Little Flower’s affiliate, since 2015 and is vice-president of the

board.

“I feel privileged to be part of a such great organization and to shape the hearts and minds of our young people, our future,” said Abiuso about his appointment. To learn more about Little Flower and its board of directors, please visit

Along with his fellow board members, O’Neill will provide strategic, fiduciary and governance oversight to ensure the organization fulfills its mission to transform caring into action.

“O’Neill and has been a dedicated member of the Little Flower Community for many years, and we are fortunate to have his financial acumen on our Board,”

said Hammons.

O’Neill has been the Chief Executive Officer of Hilton Capital Management, a Long Island-based asset management company, since 2010. He has volunteered alongside board members since 2016 on investment and finance oversight for Little Flower.“It is a pleasure to join the Little Flower Board of Directors,” said O’Neill. “Having been involved at the Investment Committee level for the past several years, I have been able to see what a tremendous impact Little Flower makes for children, youth, adults and families across Long Island. I am looking forward to help extend that legacy for years to come.”

Feldman named to professionals board N.Y. Tech adds to leadership team

Joshua

Young Professionals Board.

Feldman’s practice includes a diverse range of commercial litigation matters in addition to employment law and wage and hour litigation before federal, state, and appellate courts. He earned a juris doctor from Fordham University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in history from Yale University.

He was a member of the Fordham Urban Law Journal and was awarded a merit-based scholarship. Mr. Feldman was named to the “Ones to Watch” list of Best Lawyers 2023. A member of the Nassau County Bar Association, he is admitted to practice in the state of New York.

He also serves on the board of the American Heart Association Long Island Young Professionals, and as a mentor in the Lawyers Involved in Kids’ Education program.

Donald Booth, a registered architect and alumnus of New York Institute of Technology, has joined the university as vice president, capital planning and facilities.

Reporting to President Henry C. “Hank” Foley, Booth brings to New York Tech more than 30 years of experience as an owner’s representative, constructor, and registered architect, with a focus on institutional facilities.

He most recently was an assistant vice president at Northwell Health, where he was responsible for all central region capital projects, encompassing six hospitals, a regional ambulatory network, and a corporate portfolio for the health system.

“Don’s technical acumen, collaborative spirit, collegiality, and communication skills will be enormous assets to New York Tech as we embark on exciting capital projects in the years ahead,” Foley said.

At New York Tech, Booth will provide leadership in the operation, maintenance, renovation, and construction

of university buildings and grounds, real estate, and other physical plant infrastructure.

His responsibilities will span all New York Tech campuses, including its two New York campuses — in Long Island and New York City — as well as campuses in Jonesboro, Arkansas and Vancouver, Canada.

In addition to his extensive experi-

ence in healthcare facilities and capital planning at both Northwell Health and Catholic Health, Booth also has more than a decade of experience practicing architecture and construction in private industry.

“I’m excited to be at New York Tech, creating world-class spaces for faculty, staff, and students. The fact that I am a graduate of New York Tech makes it even more exciting. I am looking forward to making a difference in the student experience and helping them to reach their goals,” Booth said.

Booth is also in the 2020 class of the Energia Partnership, which brings together a diverse group of ethical leaders from Long Island’s public, private and not-for-profit sectors to help address the region’s most complex issues.

Each year, the program assembles a “class” of no more than 50 ethical, proven leaders that participates in a dynamic, two-year academy featuring a series of one-day programs, each focusing on a particular issue.

Feldman, associate in the commercial litigation practice group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman LLP has been named to the New Ground

N.Y. Tech funding could aid brain treatments

A research team led by Yingtao “Jerry” Zhao, assistant professor of biomedical sciences at the College of Osteopathic Medicine, has secured a three-year grant from the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

The $428,400 grant will support research that could improve understanding of brain cell function and deliver new treatments for some of the most pressing neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and autism spectrum disorder.

Brain diseases and disorders affect one in six people worldwide. Some of these conditions have been linked to the sugar molecule heparan sulfate, which covers the surface of all cells in the human body and is believed to help regulate cell-to-cell interactions (cell signaling).

While deficient heparan sulfate levels have been associated with autism spectrum disorder, overaccumulation has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. However, little is known about how, exactly, heparan sulfate helps to regulate brain function, and treatments are limited.

Now, for the first time, Zhao and his team will use a novel mouse model to study genetics, molecular biology, and other biomedical factors that could impact the role of heparan sulfate in the brains of adult mammals.

They hypothesize that proper heparan sulfate function in key brain cells (astrocytes) regulates behavior and gene expression, with heparan sulfate abnormalities leading to neurological disease. Their findings may have important clinical implications in humans.

“Our research is significant because it will fundamentally advance understanding of the role that heparan sulfate plays in the brain’s signaling pathways. We aim to offer a strong

scientific basis to develop new therapies for patients with neurological diseases caused by heparan sulfate irregularities,” says Zhao.

The researchers will analyze heparan sulfate activity in the brain cells of mice affected by various genetic and biomedical conditions. Among others, conditions will include gene mutations associated with sugar molecule irregularities, artificially introduced nucleic acids (DNA or RNA), and reduced or elevated gene expression.

Their findings could lead to the development of new heparan sulfate-based drugs for various brain conditions.

The project will also provide exceptional research opportunities for New York Tech’s medical and undergraduate students, with two NYITCOM students and two undergraduates (selected via the university’s Advanced Research Core program) expected to assist the team each year.

The experience will help prepare students for a wide range of research career opportunities as they will be exposed to various biomedical research areas, including genetics and molecular biology, and research practices like identifying knowledge gaps in scientific literature and forming and testing hypotheses.

Other NYITCOM researchers involved include Weikang Cai, assistant professor of biomedical sciences; Yuan Huang, senior research associate; and Sohyun Moon, a postdoctoral fellow.

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R15NS130456. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Santos one of the guys in the House

Osthoff said he never saw any of the funds after a GoFundMe was set up and subsequently deleted once it got close to hitting the $3,000 goal.

Sapphire died in January 2017, he said.

“I went through two bouts of seriously considering suicide, but thinking about leaving her without me saved my life,” Osthoff told Patch. “I loved that dog so much, I inhaled her last breaths when I had her euthanized.”

Osthoff said Santos informed him that the money would not be used for Sapphire, but rather “for other dogs.”

Santos has declined to answer questions from the media since arriving at Capitol Hill last week, and efforts to reach the congressman for comment were unavailing.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, on Thursday, told reporters that Santos would go before the Congressional Ethics Committee “if there are concerns” about his behavior and would be “held accountable exactly as anybody else” in Congress would be if something is found to be wrong.

Santos, last week, told fellow U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) that he will continue to serve in Congress until the same number of 3rd District residents that voted for him call for him to resign, despite no longer having support from the Nassau County Republican Committee and local GOP officials.

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

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

“I was elected by 142,000 people,” Santos told Gaetz, who hosted Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast on Thursday. “Until those same 142,000 people tell me they don’t want me, we’ll find out in two

years.”

PHOTO BY KAREN RUBIN/NEWS-PHOTOS-FEATURES.COM

“He’s disgraced the House of Representatives and we do not consider him one of our congresspeople,” Cairo said in a press conference. “Today, on behalf of the Nassau County Republican Committee, I am calling for his immediate resignation.”

“The lies George Santos told are too numerous to count,” DeSena, who publicly endorsed Santos, said. “He lied to me personally when he sought my endorsement, and while I am offended and disgusted at his deceit, my true concerns are for the residents of the 3rd Congressional District.”

“What was really tragic is the fact that there are so many people here in Nassau County that are survivors of the Holocaust,” Blakeman said. “These are people whose families were decimated and it many instances wiped out… For him to make up this story that his parents were Holocaust survivors, is beyond the pale. It is simply tragic and outrageous and disgusting.”

Santos also tweeted on Wednesday that he would not resign from Congress, touting his desire to serve the constituents of the 3rd District rather than other politicians or political parties.

3rd District residents against Santos have already begun to band together in the form of online petitions. Great Neck’s Jody Kass Finkel launched a change.org petition calling on Santos to step down which has received more than 1,900 signatures as of Thursday.

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

“In my 30+ years in the nonprofit world lobbying for environmental, health and affordable housing issues in Washington and Albany, I’ve never seen

anyone with such an arrogant contempt for the truth or his constituents,” Finkel, a volunteer of the Great Neck Democratic Party and organizer of a petition urging Santos to resign, said in a statement. “While the whole country is aghast at Santos’s lies and utter disregard for decency, the residents of NY-03 have the most to lose.

The Nassau County Republican Committee and local GOP officials called on Santos to resign from his position last week.

Nassau County Republican Committee Chairman Joseph Cairo, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, newly-elected state Sen. Jack Martins and newly-elected U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito called on Santos to step down from his position, saying the lies and deceit of his personal and professional background will not allow him to be an effective leader.

Finkel, along with Nassau County and state Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs, called for Cairo and other local Republican officials to sign a bipartisan statement on congressional integrity. The statement advocates for Congress to expel Santos from his position if he does not resign.

“Bipartisan calls for George Santos’ resignation are a welcomed step forward,” Jacobs said in a statement. “All of us, from both parties, that value and respect the responsibility and stature of elected office, particularly that of the House of Representatives, should unite in demanding Santos’ expeditious expulsion from the House, should he refuse to resign.”

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whom Santos voted for during the arduous election process, told reporters he has “a long way to go to earn trust” but that he was elected by 3rd District residents and is actively serving in Congress.

“It’s the voters who made that decision, he has to answer to the voters and the voters can make another decision in two years,” McCarthy told CNN Wednesday.

Santos dominates North Hempstead meeting

BY JOSEPH D'ANDREA

It wasn’t on the agenda and Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena at first questioned its relevance to “town business,” but Congressman George Santos dominated the discussion of the Town of North Hempstead last Thursday nonetheless.

Several residents pressured DeSena to answer questions regarding her relationship with the controversial congressman prior to and during this past election, with others asking for action to be taken to ensure his resignation and removal from office.

“[This board has] called loudly for investigators to keep investigating,” DeSena said. “There are several investigations open … it is in the hands of Congress now; this is a federal issue. Believe me, I appreciate your frustration, I share your frustration, your disappointment and your disgust. I have been very clear about that. We as a town board cannot do anything more, other than serve the very best we can.”

Although the topic was initially dismissed by DeSena because of a lack of relevance to “town business,” it was ultimately decided by the board to be of significant importance to residents of the Town and deserving of discussion.

Despite Santos’ remarks claiming he will not resign, residents remained adamant about expressing the need for some sort of action by the Town board, as very few attendees had faith that Santos is capable of carrying out his responsibilities as representative of New York’s 3rd Congressional District. “We’re not getting represented in Congress now,” one concerned resident said.

DeSena has been critical of Santos and joined other Nassau County Republican officials in calling

for him to resign last week. The recently elected congressman has been heavily scrutinized and criticized for lying about his personal and professional background.

Claims of working for Wall Street companies, graduating from a pair of New York schools and having a Jewish heritage have been proven to be untrue. Santos’ campaign finances and donations received during a successful election year campaign against Democrat Robert Zimmerman have also raised eyebrows.

The Republican’s connection to extremist groups and far-right officials, such as fellow U.S. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz, have resulted in condemnation from Democrats throughout the nation. Local officials and 3rd District residents have been the most vocal in bashing Santos for the blatant lies he has committed.

Port Washington Councilwoman Mariann Dali-

monte of the 6th CD spoke to the residents’ desire to rebuild trust in government officials, saying, “I’d like to state that I called for Santos to resign before he was sworn in … and I did that before he was sworn in so we would not have to be dealing with this mess right now. I wish that everybody did that before he was sworn in, but you are the residents that I represent and if you have an issue, just like when there’s an issue on something else, I would like to hear from you.”

It became clear that after these first 30 minutes of the meeting, as well as the last roughly 45 minutes, which also consisted of public comments, that pressing Santos to resign was the primary issue in the minds of the dozens of residents who attended—those living in the 3rd District or elsewhere.

Other issues raised by residents included passionate rescuers seeking the Town of North Hempstead’s support for a cat shelter, as well as the request for continued support of Project Independence’s work in aiding seniors looking to live independently.

Among the 17 items on the board’s agenda for the evening was a resolution allowing an agreement with N&P Engineering, Architecture and Land Surveying, PLLC for the replacement of track and turf fields at Michael J. Tully Park in New Hyde Park.

“As most everyone knows,” said Councilman Peter J. Zuckerman of the 2nd District, “Tully Park offers residents a wide array of recreational amenities. Tonight we are voting to completely revamp and enhance that turf field. Tully is open to all Town residents and this upgrade will certainly mean a lot to the community. Although this particular park is not in my district, I have to say that I’m quite excited by the fact of what we’re doing here tonight, and I wholeheartedly vote ‘aye.’” All present board mem-

bers voted in favor of the resolution.

Another notable item was yet another agreement to be made with N&P , this proposition allowing for services to be made to Town Dock restrooms in Port Washington.

Councilwoman Mariann Dalimonte briefly spoke on the matter: “Town Dock provides residents with an absolutely beautiful view in Manhasset Bay. It’s a perfect place to go boating or fishing, the home to concerts, and our farmer’s market that’s every Saturday … with shops and restaurants nearby, and a great location to watch the sunset. Since [I’ve been in office in] January 2020, I’ve been advocating for these bathrooms to be redone. They are in disrepair, and I’m so happy that this resolution is on the agenda. I wanted everyone to know that we are going to be hiring an engineer to look at redoing these bathrooms so that the public can enjoy.”

Town of North Hempstead President and Safety Coordinator Tom McDonough stressed the need to “stay consistent” in hiring full-timers in his and others’ departments. The item itself concerns “the employment, appointment, transfer, adjustment, correction, change in grade or salary and/or termination” of certain individuals in various departments of the Town, and for them to be subject to the completion of any necessary “paperwork and civil service approval and are subject to the rules and regulations.” The resolution received united ‘ayes’ from the board.

The remaining 14 items all received unanimous votes in favor of their resolutions from Supervisor DeSena and the five present council members. Five of the six council members on the board attended, with Councilman Dennis J. Walsh of the 3rd District absent from the meeting.

Nassau County Republicans stood united in calling for U.S. Rep. George Santos to resign, and said he would not be welcome at Nassau GOP events, meetings or receive the endorsement for a 2024 reelection bid.

PHOTO BY JOSEPH D’ANDREA

North Hempstead Town Board meeting on Thursday.

Santos lied on resume given to Nassau GOP

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

A résumé embattled U.S. Rep. George Santos submitted to the Nassau County Republican Committee in 2020 was publicly released by The New York Times Wednesday and contains more detailed falsehoods about his personal and professional background.

The Times obtained the two-page resume in which Santos claims he graduated in the top 1 percent with a 3.89 GPA at Baruch College, doubled revenue growth as a project manager at Goldman Sachs in an eight-month period and tripled sales growth within the first six months as a vice president at LinkBridge Investors.

Last month Santos said he “embellished” parts of his resume but continues to assure the general public that he will continue to serve the 3rd Congressional District. As the resume shed a stronger light on the congressman’s deceit, his campaign’s donation list continues to raise eyebrows.

The Times reported that there are no records of where the funds from one of the biggest donors to Santos’ campaign went. RedStone Strategies received a $25,000 donation from an undisclosed donor via the company’s Wells Fargo account on Oct. 21, according to The Times. The company, described online as one composed of “experts in marketing and others in politics” listed the Devolder Organization, headed up by Santos, as a managing officer.

Another twist in the filings is that the Federal Election Commission has no record of RedStone Strategies, The Times reported.

“I don’t see a record by a committee of that name registered with the FEC, and our regulations would be if a political group raises more than $1,000 for the purpose of influencing a federal election, they would be required to register with the FEC within 10 days,” Christian Hilland, a spokesman for the agency told The Times.

Efforts to reach Santos for comment were unavailing.

A Daily Beast report also claims the congressman “almost certainly” received a $500 campaign donation from Rocco Oppedisano, who was charged with smuggling 15 foreigners and $200,000 into the United States in 2019. Oppedisano’s family operates Il Bacco, the Little Neck restaurant where Santos also held his victory party at on Election Night.

Financial disclosure reports showed Santos spent over $4,500 during 25 different visits to Il Bacco during the campaign cycle and showed the campaign owed the restaurant more than $18,000 for the Election Night event.

Oppedisano, an Italian national, was expelled from the country following the 2019 incident. Federal officials charged him with smuggling undocumented immigrants into the United States and with an attempt for him to re-enter the country illegally.

Santos’ campaign outspent other Republican House winners on Long Island and his Democratic opponent, Robert Zimmerman, on flights, hotels and restaurants during the campaign, according to financial disclosure reports.

Santos spent over $42,000 on flights, more than the $17,637 spent on flights by Republican Congressman-elect Anthony D’Esposito (R-Island Park), Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), Congressmanelect Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) and Zimmerman.

He also shelled out nearly $30,000 on hotels compared to the $22,233 by the other four. Filings show spending by the Santos campaign at the Garden City Hotel, W Hotel in Miami Beach and Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C.

Santos also laid out more than $31,000 at restaurants, with Garbarino in second place with expenditures of $24,155.

The filings include an outlay of nearly $11,000 to a company called Cleaner 123 under “apartment rental for staff.”

Financial disclosures also showed that four po-

litical action committees with ties to Santos and his family contributed almost $185,000 to the Nassau County Republican Party, money that will be returned, according to Chairman Joseph Cairo.

The Rise NY PAC contributed $64,225 to the Nassau GOP and $62,500 to the Town of Hempstead Republican Party. The Nassau GOP also received $47,966 from the Devolder Santos Nassau Victory Committee, $10,000 from the GADS (George Anthony Devolder Santos) PAC and $750 from Devolder-Santos For Congress.

Cairo told Newsday that the Nassau GOP will return the Rise NY money, which totals $126,725 and reiterated the lack of support Santos has from the organization.

Over the past two years, Santos also donated thousands to Nassau County organizations and elected officials.

Included in the filings is $500 to Elaine Philips’ campaign when she was running for Nassau County comptroller for an event donation, a personal contribution of $500 to the Sands Point-Port Washington Republican Committee, $750 to the Nassau County Republican Primary Campaign, $1,000 to D’Esposito’s campaign, $250 to the Glen Cove Knights of Columbus, $200 to the campaign for Vhibuti Jha, who ran for the state’s 16th Assembly District, and $500 to the campaign for Ruka Anzai, who ran for the state’s 13th Assembly District.

Former U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, who represented the district until 2023 and defeated Santos in 2020, told CNN that the Republican had $40,000 in his campaign account two years ago before reporting an excess of $700,000 this year.

“I never even mentioned his name in the campaign, I beat him by 12 points, Suozzi said. “Now, all of a sudden he has all this money that he loaned from himself. When he was running against me, he was being evicted for non-payment of rent.”

Additionally, data from the Federal Election Commission revealed the Republican received nearly $30,000 in campaign donations from Andrew Intrater, the cousin of Russian Oligarch Viktor Vekslberg, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Vekselberg, who was born in Ukraine, made his first million from selling scrap copper before purchasing several aluminum smelters and forming the conglomerate Sual Holding in 1996, according to Forbes. Vekselberg merged Sual Holding with Russian Alumnium to create UC Rusal.

The oligarch’s $90 million, 255-foot yacht was seized by the Spanish government in April at the order of the United States. The U.S. Department of Justice said the yacht “was subject to forfeiture based on violations of U.S. bank fraud, money laundering, and sanction statutes.”

Feds drop spy charges against officer

an official proceeding, according to the criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District.

Angwang had been out on $2 million bond since February 2021 after spending four months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Court documents showed that Angwang told his official handler from China that he wanted to get promoted by the NYPD so he could bring “glory to China.” Angwang faced up to 55 years in jail if found guilty.

Angwang’s lawyer, John Carman, accused the prosecutors of using the Classified Informa-

tion Procedures Act to avoid explaining the reason for dropping the case.

“The truth is that they are hiding behind CIPA in an effort to give the impression that this was a legitimate prosecution, which it was not,” Carman told the New York Post. “Mr. Angwang is a great American who served his country in combat in Afghanistan and our government repaid him by treating him like he was the leader of the Taliban.”

FBI Special Agent Steven Deck outlined Angwang’s alleged actions in the criminal complaint that was unsealed in September 2020 in federal court in Brooklyn.

Deck said Angwang had “maintained a re-

lationship” with at least two Chinese consulates since approximately 2018, according to court documents.

One of the consulates, Deck said, was believed to be assigned to a subdivision of China’s United Front Work Department, responsible for “neutralizing sources of potential opposition to the policies and authority of the [People’s Republic of China].”

Tibet is an autonomous region in China, historically home to ethnic Tibetans and the spiritual home of Tibetan Buddhism. Since 1951, when China occupied Tibet, a Tibetan independence movement for political separation from China has been present throughout the region, accord-

ing to the documents.

Thousands of ethnic Tibetans were believed to have been killed during periods of martial law and repression under Chinese occupation, according to the documents.

Angwang was assigned to the 111th Precinct in northeast Queens and served as a patrol officer and a member of the Bayside precinct’s crime prevention team. He was also a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve stationed in Fort Dix, N.J. Angwang allegedly used his position in the Police Department to provide the Chinese consulates access to senior police officials through invitations to official NYPD events, according to the criminal complaint.

Mineola Mission keeps the faith, feeds the hungry

While in Elmont, Joesten was named Nassau County’s Senior Citizen Woman of the Year in 2018 by then-Executive Laura Curran.

Again Faith Mission is looking to move locations while Joesten searches for a space that can let her expand her services.

“I want people to come in and have breakfast, maybe a lunch, before they take their boxes and go on their way,” Joesten said. “I’m desperate to get my own place one day.”

Among the controlled chaos is Mineola’s Village Justice Scott Fairgrieve, who said he

learned about Faith Mission through word of mouth, like everyone else who was helping out.

“I found out about here when I was talking to a friend,” said Fairgrieve, who volunteers before working at the court in village hall just one block over. “It’s great what Mary is doing here.”

Aside from the food, a small office in the back of the room is filled with clothes and jackets, all donated. Faith Mission recently held a coat drive that Joesten said was able to provide every child who came with a jacket.

For their Christmas drive, they gave toys to more than 300 families, although the holidays are not the only time you can walk out with a toy.

Joesten says if a child comes Saturday with a good report card, the youngster will leave with a toy in hand.

“Sometimes a little bribery goes a long way,” Joesten joked.

Additional community events include backpack drives in the fall held in conjunction with other local organizations and businesses.

With the holiday season over, Joesten said

the donations may drop a little, but she hopes they will pick back up, as she expects more families to start coming throughout the year.

The nonprofit is also going to begin collecting Easter donations, which include baskets and candy.

Joesten said anyone interested in helping out can stop by the church on Thursday mornings or go to Faith Mission’s website to find out more information.

“Everything we want and the things we hope to do,” Joesten said, “it’s never for us. We want to provide for the people”

PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTOS

U.S. Rep. George Santos’ resume submitted to the Nassau County Republican Committee was published by the New York Times this week.

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eorge Santos simply cannot resign, because he has no conceivable idea of what he would do with his life after having done so. As long as he remains a member of the House, he is entitled to his salary,

Keep those letters coming to these papers

Congratulations to my fellow class of 2022 letter to the editor writers. Surveys reveal that Letters To The Editor is one of the most widely read and popular sections of any newspaper. Weekly newspapers such as our own Great Neck News, Manhasset Times, Port Washington Times, Roslyn Times, Williston Park Times and New Hyde Park Courier offer readers a chance to speak out. The same is true with daily newspapers such as AM Metro New York, Daily News, Post, Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Journal News, Newsday and the Staten Island Advance.

There are also numerous foreign language daily and other weekly newspapers in all five boroughs within New York City, along with Nassau and Suffolk counties. Weekly newspapers tend to offer more space for writers than daily newspapers. Some daily newspapers have quotas of no more than one letter every 30 or 60

days per writer. Most daily and weekly newspapers will print letters submitted by any writer regardless of where they live so long as the topic is relevant to readers.

It helps to have a snappy introduction, good hook, be timely, precise, have an interesting or different viewpoint to increase your odds of being published. Many papers welcome letters commenting on their own editorials, articles or previously published letters to the editor.

We continue to be fortunate to live in one of the few remaining free societies, with a wealth of information sources available. Sadly, most American cities and suburbs are down to one local daily or weekly newspaper. Newspapers have to deal with increasing costs for newsprint, delivery and distribution along with reduced advertising revenues and declining readership.

Many of us have opinions on news not only from Washington, Albany and City Hall but also

neighborhoods and local issues which impact our communities and daily lives.

I continue to be grateful that the Great Neck News and other Blank Slate Media publications along with other daily and weekly newspapers afford both me and my fellow letter to the editor writers the opportunity to express our views, as well as differing opinions on issues of the day. Thanks to you, ordinary citizens have the freedom to comment on the actions and legislation of elected officials in any Letters to the Editor section.

Public officials use taxpayers dollars to promote their views via mass mailings of newsletters, news releases, letters to the editor and guest opinion page columns. In many cases, they are produced or written by campaign or office staffers who are paid for by taxpayers. The rest of us have limited time to submit a letter. In the marketplace of ideas, let us hope there contin-

87,000

This is for all of you who are supporters of the Republican Party. Aren’t you happy that they took control of the House of Representatives and their first priority is to repeal the funding for 87,000 new IRS agents?

Did you know that the evil IRS is good for “We the People”? Did you know that most of the money that the government spends to maintain our wonderful way of life comes from the collection of taxes; 50% from individual income taxes, 7% from corporate income taxes and another 36% from payroll taxes that fund social insurance programs like Social Security and Medicare.

From these funds, we pay and support our military, build roads and bridges, support public transportation, finance education, provide lowinterest mortgages and almost anything else that you can think of that affects our daily lives. Did you know that this evil IRS is what keeps America going on a day-to-day, week-to-week, month-tomonth and year-to year basis?

Let’s talk about the IRS and taxes. You might ask, what do I know about such subjects? Years ago, I was very involved, working for one of the

top accounting firms in America. At that time, the Internal Revenue Service was both respected and feared. They were simply doing their jobs and raising the funds necessary for the government to function.

Audits of the high-income individuals and big businesses generated a great deal of revenue. Those audits were handled by “revenue agents” with sufficient training and experience who were qualified to examine those complex tax returns. But over the years, audits of that high earnings groups have diminished due to the availability or rather the lack of IRS “revenue agents.”

Currently, the most basic tax returns are checked out by “tax examiners,” who normally review the returns for accuracy. “Revenue agents” used to outnumber tax examiners, but this has slowly shifted over time. This changing mix of IRS audit staff has had a profound impact on both which types of returns get audited, as well as the depths of these audits. The scales have tilted toward the IRS targeting fewer complex issues and returns and conducting fewer in-depth audits.

While tax examiners may be cheaper to hire

in the short run, the unavailability of experienced “revenue agents” means that complex tax returns often go unexamined, while complicated tax issues, if reviewed at all, are not audited in as much depth. Yet these are the targets where experts believe the largest amount of tax revenue is escaping detection and collection.

Now the proposed influx of money to the IRS will lead to hiring 87,000 new IRS agents and generate more funds to help the government cover their proposed expenditures. But Speaker McCarthy and the Republicans claim that hiring more IRS agents will allow them to harass everyday Americans.

Do you believe the Republicans really want to protect everyday Americans? Fact is, we really do need protection. In the past year, the IRS went after taxpayers who reported less than $25,000 in income. They were being audited at a rate five times higher than for other groups. Out of 23.6 million tax returns filed by that low-income group, almost 307,000 were audited. That’s over 13%. But what about tax returns of millionaires? Out of 617,505 tax returns of millionaires

ues to be room for everyone, including the Great Neck News and all other Blank Slate Media publications.

Let us thank those few brave souls who are willing to take on the establishment and powerful special interest groups in the pages of your letters to the editor section. They fill a valuable niche in the information highway.

Please join me along with your neighbors in reading your favorite daily and local weekly community newspapers. Patronize their advertisers. They provide the revenues necessary to keep them in business. Let them know you saw their ad. This is what helps keep our neighbors employed, the local economy growing and provide space on a daily or weekly basis for your favorite or not so favorite letter writers.

Larry Penner Great Neck

IRS

filed, only 13,725 were audited. That’s a minimal 2.2%. The reason it was so low, as mentioned above, is due to the fact that there was and currently is a critical limitation in the IRS’s ability to audit millionaires due to the unavailability of experienced “revenue agents.” What’s the real reason why the Republicans insist that it stays that way? The answer! To protect their high-income supporters.

Shouldn’t millionaires, billionaires and multibillion-dollar corporations be audited at the same or even higher rate than the lowest earning taxpayers, especially when the government is in need of more funds in order to balance the budget? Hiring 87,000 new IRS agents would help even the score and have these favored, well-connected individuals and corporations pay their fair share. Let’s get back to having our representatives work for us. We the People should hold them responsible for favoring those who help put money into their campaigns and possibly into their pockets.

Alvin Goldberg Great Neck

Crime soars in Nassau 41% in ‘22

BY ROBERT PELAEZ

Major crimes increased by 41% in Nassau County in 2022 led by a spike in those against property, according to a report in Newsday.

Nassau reported 7,394 major crimes in 2022, an increase from the 5,230 reported by the department in 2021.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said murder rates are at the lowest they have been in more than 60 years, but acknowledged the overall increase in crime.

“There is a message out there that crime is on the rise and that’s true,” Ryder told Newsday.

The 41% rise in Nassau crimes compared to a 15% increase in Suffolk County, according to Newsday’s report. New York City recently reported a 22% jump in major crimes for 2022 tempered by a year-end drop.

The list of major crimes includes murder, rape, criminal sexual acts, sexual abuse, grand larceny, commercial robberies, other robberies, assault felonies, residential burglaries, other burglaries and stolen vehicles.

Nassau reported a 43% increase in grand larcenies in 2022, jumping from 3,201 to 4,584. Burglaries increased by 35% over the prior year, going from 640 to 877. A total of 968 stolen vehicles were reported in 2022, increasing by 72.5% from 561 in 2021, according to the report.

Previous reports on crime statistics in Nassau conducted by Blank Slate Media compared figures from Jan. 1- Oct. 10 in 2021 and 2022.

The 2021 year-end major crime statistics were obtained by Blank Slate Media under a Freedom of Information Law request submitted to the Nassau County Police Department. The 2022 major crime statistics through Oct. 10 on the department websites were the most up-to-date figures published as of Wednesday.

The violent crime categories of murders, rapes,

The Nassau County Police Department reported nearly 7,400 major crimes in 2022, according to a Newsday report.

criminal sexual acts and sexual abuse were the only four categories with decreased reports in 2022. Murders decreased by 14%, rape decreased by 59%, criminal sexual acts decreased by 75% and sexual abuse instances decreased by 18%.

In Nassau’s 3rd and 6th Precincts, which make up a majority of North Shore communities, 2004 major crimes had occurred as of Oct. 10 this year, compared to 1,353 last year, an increase of more than 48%.

The 3rd Precinct, located in Williston Park, serves the communities of Albertson, Bellerose Terrace, Bellerose Village, Carle Place, East Garden City, East Meadow, East Williston, Floral Park Center, Garden City Park, Herricks, Mineola, New Cassel, New Hyde Park, North New Hyde Park, Roslyn Heights, Salisbury, Searingtown, Stewart Manor, Uniondale, Westbury, and Williston Park.

The 6th Precinct, located in Manhasset, serves

COMMUNITY NEWS

the communities of East Hills, Flower Hill Great Neck Plaza, Harbor Hills, Manorhaven, Munsey Park, North Hills, Plandome, Plandome Manor, Plandome Heights, Roslyn, Roslyn Estates, Roslyn Harbor, Russell Gardens, Saddle Rock, Sea Cliff, Thomaston, Glen Head, Glenwood Landing, Great Neck, Greenvale, Manhasset, Roslyn Heights and University Gardens.

The 3rd Precinct reported a 38% increase in major crimes from last year, with 1,385 as of Oct. 10 in 2022. The 6th Precinct reported a 76% increase in major crimes, with 619 this year.

The largest increase of major crimes in the 3rd Precinct is the 109 stolen vehicles reported so far this year, compared to the 64 reported during the same time frame last year. The 3rd Precinct also saw a 70% increase in residential burglaries, with 68 reported this year, a 43% increase in other burglaries with 107 this year and a 37% increase in grand larcenies, with 900 reported so far in 2022.

The 3rd Precinct reported two murders, no rapes, one criminal sexual act, three sexual abuse instances, 44 other robberies, 49 commercial robberies and 102 assault felonies. The precinct’s reported rapes and criminal sexual acts are down from last year, while the pair of murders were in contrast to none last year.

The 6th Precinct’s largest increase is the 1,400% surge in commercial robberies, with 15 reported this year compared to just one last year. The precinct also saw a 123% rise in stolen vehicles, reporting 132 instances this year and a 120% increase in other burglaries with 33 reported this year.

The 6th Precinct also reported no murders, rapes and criminal sexual acts as of Oct. 10, figures that remained the same since last year. Additionally, two sexual abuse instances, 10 other robberies, 23 assault felonies, 52 residential burglaries and 352 grand larcenies this year. The lone category that saw a decrease since last year was other robberies with two fewer reported in 2021.

Happening at the Williston Park Library

Are you new to Williston Park? Don’t forget to apply for a library card. Just bring proof of residence in the village such as an updated driver’s license, credit card statement or any bill sent by the Village. Staff will be happy to help you. American Legion scholarship applications are now available at the library. If you’ve borrowed a museum pass, we ask that it be returned in the library by 10 am 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.

Adult Programs

Reiki Circle—Thursdays—January 19; February 2 & 16; March 2 & 16—6 pm in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. $10 p/person, p/session. Call the library (742-1820), email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com or stop by the library to register.

St. Francis Hospital Outreach Van—Wednesday— February 1 –10 am-2 pm in front of the library. Blood pressure screenings, cardiac history and cholesterol test will be available. No appointment necessary. Last screening is 1:45 pm.

Book Discussion—Wednesday—February 22—7 pm in the Assembly Room of Village Hall and via Zoom. Copies of Lost Boys of Montauk are available at the Circulation Desk. https://adelphiuniversity.zoom.us/j/968 85670102?pwd=VGtSYnkyUW9acVJyV0tyNUtUZnMy Zz09 Meeting ID: 968 8567 0102 Passcode: WPBookClub Or just call 1-929-205-6099 on your phone and it will ask for the meeting id and password above.

Tuscan Tea with Barbara Sheridan—Wednesday— March 1—6pm in the Assembly Room of Village Hall. Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Children’s Programs

Story Time for Tots—Tuesdays—January 17, 24, 31; February 7 & 14—11-11:45 am in the library for

children ages 1-4 with a parent or caregiver. Call the library (742-1820), email willistonparkprograms@ gmail.com or ask at the Circulation Desk to register. Maximum of 15 children. No walk-ins!

Valentine Wreath—Saturday—January 28—10 am in the Children’s Room for ages 10+. Per the vendor, limited to 15 participants. Call the library (7421820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Build-a-Valentine Bear or Puppy—Tuesday—February 14—3:30 pm in the Assembly Room of Village Hall for children ages 2+. Limited to 30 participants. Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Minecraft Winter Wonderland—Tuesday—February 21—11 am-1 pm in the library for children ages 7+. Per the vendor, limited to 15 participants, who must bring their own device compatible with Minecraft (Microsoft & Apple preferred. No Chrome, Amazon or Nintendo devices). Call the library (7421820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

Frogs, Bugs & Animals with Green Meadows Farm—Thursday—February 23—11 am in the Assembly Room of Village Hall for children of all ages. Call the library (742-1820) or email willistonparkprograms@gmail.com to register.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Herricks recognizes swim team at meet

At the Jan. 5 Herricks Board of Education meeting, the board congratulated and recognized the varsity swim team for their outstanding season and for finishing third in the New York State Swimming Championships. Pictured from left to right are Herricks Board of Education Trustee Brian Hassan, Vice President Henry Zanetti,

President James Gounaris, Katie Yee, Natalie Wu, Ellie Wu, Isabella Chang, Kayra Patan, Kailey Simons, Herricks Varsity Swimming and Diving Head Coach Danielle Sullivan, Herricks Athletic Director Jim Petricca and Trustees Juleigh Chin and Nancy Feinstein. Students missing from the picture include Cathy Chang and Jayden Lai.

Mineola students help families in need

Before the break, the Mineola High School Key Club and National Honor Society wrapped up its annual Holiday Drive and extended their gratitude to those who supported their efforts.

Thanks to the generous contributions from the Mineola community,

students collected presents and gift cards which were distributed to local families in need.

Students wrapped gifts and created handmade thank you cards, which were sent to all donors who helped make this year’s drive a success.

Jovia grant to Mineola schools Students accepted to honor bands

Mineola School District congratulates the student musicians who were accepted to join the New York State Band Directors Association (NYSBDA) Middle and High School Honor Bands. These students will rehearse and perform in person at the annual NYSBDA Symposium in Syracuse, NY from Mar. 3-5, 2023.

The following students were recognized by the Mineola Board of Edu-

cation at their monthly meeting on Jan. 5.

NYSBDA Middle School Honor Band

Jonathan Leskowicz – trumpet

Caitlin Kelly – clarinet Luke Cloghessy – trumpet (alternate)

NYSBDA High School Honor Band Michael Jimenez – euphonium

Two Mineola schools were selected to receive grants as part of Jovia Financial Credit Union’s “Funding Your Ideas” Teacher Grant Program. Each school will receive $500 to help fund specific programs that were submitted with the applications.

Mineola Middle School’s “Great Tools Build Great Mindsets” program is spearheaded by Band Director Zach St. John who will use the funds to purchase high quality mouthpieces and ligatures for instruments used by the seventh grade music students.

Mineola High School’s Student Service Center submitted the “One World” program, an initiative that fosters friendships and bridges the gap between generations. Their grant will be used to purchase supplies needed for students to create small flowering planters with personalized messages of friendship that will be delivered to senior citizens the students have met at luncheons and events throughout the year, including some living in nursing homes.

Mineola school board meetings

The following is a list of upcoming Mineola School District Board of Education Meetings: Board Meetings are held at the Mineola Synergy Building, 2400 Jericho Turnpike and Garden City Park.

• Thursday, Jan. 19 — Business Meeting

• Thursday, Feb. 9 — Workshop Meeting

• Thursday, March 2 — Workshop Meeting

• Thursday, March 16 — Business Meeting

PHOTO COURTESY OF HERRICKS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Members of the Mineola High School Key Club and National Honor Society wrap donations that were distributed to local families in need before the holidays.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Mineola students Catilin Kelly, left, and Johnathan Leskowicz, right, were honored for their acceptance into the NYSBDA Middle School Honor Band by Mineola administration and faculty.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINEOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT

Mineola High School students creating planters with personalized messages of friendship that will be delivered to senior citizens they met during various luncheons and events organized by the Student Service Center.

Sports

Kenney twins follow mom’s legacy

BY MICHAEL J. LEWIS

The film exists. It surely does. Cameras and videotape were most certainly around and being used in the early 1990s.

But Suzanne Collins Kenney’s daughters say they’ve never seen it.

Caitlin and Liz Kenney, junior stars for the Mineola girls basketball team, have been hearing tales of their mom’s career since they were babies, small enough to fit through a hoop.

Suzanne Collins Kenney was a captain and starter for St. John’s University from 1991-95, and later went on to coach Manhasset High School’s girls team as well.

Since her twins Caitlin and Liz

were born 16 years ago, she’s coached them, developed a love for roundball in them, and told them about some of her days playing ball.

Thing is, the girls have never actuallyseen visual, moving proof that mom was all that on the court.

“We’ve asked her to find some video and it just hasn’t happened yet,” Liz said, laughing during a recent phone interview. “We know she was really good, though.”

Like mother, like daughters. Since arriving on varsity in 8th grade (Caitlin) and 9th grade (Liz), the Kenney kids have made an impact for the Mustangs in a major way.

Last year as a sophomore Caitlin averaged 11 points per game while Liz

led the team in three-pointers, and this year both have boosted their numbers considerably.

Caitlin, a 6-foot-1 post player who also excels in lacrosse and volleyball, is averaging 16.5 points and 12 rebounds per game through games of Jan. 13, and adds 4.75 assists and 3.6 steals as well.

Liz, a 5-foot-10 sharpshooting guard, is pouring in 14.9 points and ripping down six rebounds per game, and has sunk 32 3-pointers.

Together the Kenneys are hoping to go at least a step or two further than last season when Mineola last in the Class A semifinals. After a slow start this season, the Mustangs’ recent win streak has boosted their record to 5-7,

and 3-3 in Conference A-IV.

“They’re both just extremely reliable players who have become leaders on the team,” said Mineola head coach Kayla Koch. “Caitlin is so adaptable, she can bring the ball up, she play inside when we need her to, she can do it all.

“And Liz is our best clutch shooter; she can knock down a 3 at any given point, from any spot.

“Both of them are true leaders on the floor.”

For Caitlin and Liz, being twins means more than just finishing each other’s sentences or being such good friends that they were stumped when asked an annoying trait their sister possesses.

On the court, it means having a

comfort level with a teammate you’ve known since the womb.

“We’re always pushing each other to get better, in practice and in games,” Caitlin said. “When we’re playing together she’s always my first option (to pass to), but it’s also I see things in her game that I want to get better at, and learn from her.

Liz remembers the twins first getting serious about basketball in elementary school, and competitive vibes kicking in. Suzanne has coached them since childhood on the Rising Stars AAU team.

“I’ve just always tried to be like her and compete with her,” Liz said. “Like in fourth grade, or maybe it was fifth, she was on the better Rising Stars team, and I knew I had to get better to keep up with Caitlin.”

While the two have developed different games, they’ve each taken aspects of the other’s to get better. Caitlin has developed more of an outside game, Koch said, to keep from teams suffocating her in the paint, defensively. And Liz has worked hard to become more than just a shooter, becoming a penetrator and driver this season.

“We’re just always watching basketball around the house and picking up things from college and pro games,” Caitlin said. “It’s not like ‘oh, do what Candace Parker just did,’ but it’s more like Mom will say ‘see what she did to get open there, you could try that’ kind of thing.”

Like most twins, the Kenneys are protective of each other and have had lots of one-on-one battles growing up, but continue to be close. Sure, Liz is more into social media (she manages Mineola H.S.’s sports social media accounts) and Caitlin has a thing for LEGOs, but their interests converge on the basketball court.

Both Caitlin and Liz said they’re just starting to get into the college search process, with Caitlin likely to garner recruiting attention in her other sports as well. They are getting used to being leaders on the team and primary scoring options, and trying to gain that elusive county title.

“We want to be conference champs and then go further than last year, and it’s starting to come together for us,” Liz said. “The team is growing closer and we just need to keep at it and keep getting better.”

Imagine how good the Kenneys would be if they could ever find the video of mom playing.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINEOLA H.S.

Caitlin Kenney (20) of Mineola has emerged as one of Nassau County’s best girls basketball players this season.

Caitlin, Liz power Mineola High basketball 30 years after Suzanne Collins starred for St. John’s

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