Baldwin Herald 10-16-2025

‘Butch’ honored for 50 years Firefighter celebrated for volunteer service

By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

For half a century, Paul “Butch” Yanantuono has been answering the call — day or night, rain or shine — as a member of the Baldwin Fire Department.

On May 7, the 71-year-old firefighter marked 50 years since he first joined Hose Company One in 1975. Earlier this month, fellow firefighters, family members and friends gathered to mark the milestone with a dinner celebrating Yanantuono’s decades of dedication to Baldwin and the brotherhood of the fire service.

“Fifty years is just an amazing accomplishment,” Kevin Smith, an ex-chief of the department and one of the event organizers, said. “I think 30 years was a long time, but 50 is incredible. And to boot, he’s still our senior most active member.”

Over the course of his career, Yanantuono has filled nearly every role in the department, including chief, captain and commis-

sioner, and he maintains one of the highest call averages in Hose Company One.

“He’s not someone who just kept his name on the roster,” Smith said. “He’s still up at 4 a.m. for alarms, still driving the trucks, still training the next generation. He’s done it all, and he’s done it at every level.”

Yanantuono’s 50th-anniversary dinner, on Oct. 4 at O’Connell Gardens in Oceanside, drew a large crowd, including colleagues from neighboring departments, instructors from the Nassau County Fire Service Academy — where he once taught — and friends he made in his work with the New York State Association of Fire Districts.

“It was a surprise,” Yanantuono said. “I didn’t expect it to be that big, because in 50 years you meet a lot of people at the local, state, and county levels.”

“He’s always been the teacher,” Smith said. “Even now he’s researching, learning

New member joins Baldwin school board

By HERNESTo GAlDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

Katrina Smith, a longtime Baldwin resident and active school volunteer, has been appointed to the Baldwin Board of Education as the newest trustee.

Smith, who has lived in Baldwin since 2009, brings with her more than 20 years of professional experience in finance, along with over a decade of involvement in the school district’s PTA.

A graduate of Howard University with a degree in finance, Smith began her career at JPMorgan Chase before joining Goldman Sachs, where she spent 15 years in the firm’s international accounting department. Most recently, she headed the compensation department at Mizuho Investment Bank.

win schools began as a volunteer. After her oldest daughter started kindergarten at Lenox Elementary School in 2014, Smith joined the PTA and steadily took on greater roles, serving as treasurer, program chair and, later, president for two years.

I understood very early on the importance of parents being involved in the school.

KATRINA SMITH Trustee

“When I had children, I understood very early on the importance of parents being involved in the school,” she said. “At first, it was small volunteer roles, but over time it grew into something much bigger. That was my first exposure to how the public school system works and how important the parent voice is.”

“Finance and accounting have been my whole career,” Smith said. “Now I’m adding another fun thing to my list.”

Her involvement with Bald -

Smith’s two daughters, Kennedy and Courtney, both attend Baldwin public schools. Kennedy is a junior at Baldwin High School, while Courtney just began sixth grade at Baldwin Middle School.

Smith said she was motivated to step into the trustee role to give back to the community

ContinueD on Page 9

things to know from the Baldwin school Board meeting

Summarizing the Oct. 8 meeting

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

n Strong financial and audit reports

Baldwin’s financial health continues to shine. The claims audit found only one minor issue out of 1,770 claims reviewed. The external audit confirmed a clean, unmodified opinion on the district’s financial statements, and the internal audit reported zero high-risk areas in the safety and security review.

n Student and PTA celebrations

The board recognized the work of the PTA and highlighted new dual enrollment opportunities for seniors to earn college credits at reduced rates. Students from multiple schools also shared speeches and presentations, expressing appreciation for the board’s leadership.

n Honoring outgoing board members & upcoming events

Special thanks went to longtime trustee Mary Jo O’Hagan for 30 years of service. The board also reviewed upcoming events, including financial aid night, eighth-grade open houses, and a PTA-sponsored legislative forum.

The Herald dives into what was discussed at the Oct. 8 Board of Education meeting.

Join Us!

For more than 100 years the American Red Cross on Long Island has helped the community prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.

HONORING

COMMUNITY IMPACT HERO

Luv Michael

FIRST RESPONDER HEROES

Officers Timothy Deegan and Matthew Walling

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP HERO

Dr. Tochi Iroku-Malize

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2025

8:00 A.M. TO 10:00 A.M.

The Heritage Club at Bethpage

DISASTER HERO

Jennifer Keane

MILITARY HERO

Mel Cohen

YOUTH HEROES

Charlie Dubofsky and Sydney Hassenbein

The American Red Cross Heroes Celebration is the signature fundraising event for the American Red Cross on Long Island, serving Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Event Co-chairs: James Quent, Greg Lavine, and Jennifer Solomon

For tickets, sponsorships, journal ads and to learn more, please visit redcross.org/LIheroes

What’s up next door and around the corner

HERALD neighbors

Pubpalooza brings Baldwin together

The Irish Pub of Baldwin was filled with music, food, and community spirit during the Pubpalooza event on Sept. 27, held to raise funds for Christmas lights across Baldwin.

The daylong celebration featured live performances by the Simply Stapleton Band and

Bunktown Falls, drawing crowds to support the cause. Attendees enjoyed food and drinks, participated in raffles for prizes such as a 65-inch smart TV and Weber grills, and competed in a cornhole tournament with cash prizes.

— Hernesto Galdamez

Cecere Fullerton Family Funeral Home Inc.

The Cecere Family is proud and honored to be taking over the Fullerton Funeral Home. We wish the Fullerton Family all the best in their well deserved retirement.

We are committed to continue being a resource for our community. A resource for Comfort, Dignity and Grace, upholding all the Traditions you have come to expect from the Cecere and Fullerton Families.

We will always remain “Our Family Serving Your Family”

Please do not hesitate to call or stop in if you have any questions.

Cecere Fullerton Family Funeral Home

Crime Brief

Nassau County police say they arrested a Shirley man following a road rage incident on Wednesday, Oct. 1.

According to police, two motorists became involved in an argument near Sunrise Highway and Milburn Avenue around 5:55 p.m. The dispute began when a male driver in a Toyota pickup got into a verbal argument with an 18-year-old male in a sedan.

The argument escalated when the Toyota intentionally collided with the rear of the sedan. Both vehicles pulled

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When the unfortunate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia is made, the whole world shifts for the patient and their family. Uncertainty abounds. For this reason, Ettinger Law Firm has published a guide for families facing these dilemmas, available as a free download at our website, trustlaw.com.

Sections of interest are:

Communication Strategies: Adapting communication techniques to improve connection and reduce frustration.

Establishing Daily Routes: Predictability reduces anxiety, helps with orientation and promotes independence.

Creating a Safe Home Environment: Modifying the home to reduce the risk of falls and other accidents.

Medical Care and Support: The importance and benefits of early diagnosis in slowing the progress of the disease and improving quality of life, as well as a list of questions to ask the doctor. Non-Medical Interventions: Different types of therapy, both physical and

mental to support physical and mental wellbeing. Building a Care Team: Who is on the team and avoiding caregiver burnout.

Coping with Behavioral Changes: Tips on managing new and challenging behaviors, such as agitation, depression, waking and sleep disturbances.

One of the biggest mistakes we see families make is the failure to connect with an elder law attorney upon learning of the illness. We understand that it is easy to overlook the legal where there are so many other social, emotional, psychological and medical issues in play. Early legal intervention, however, allows the family to obtain all the legal documents they will need later on, such as the “prescription strength” elder law power of attorney. The earlier the family moves to protect assets from being depleted for the cost of care, the more assets will be saved. Perhaps most important of all, the elder law attorney will be able to assure the family that caregiver services will be available when needed and the home and life savings will not all be lost for care.

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over, and the driver of the pickup struck the sedan multiple times with a closed fist before fleeing the scene.

Police later located Alfredo Ushpa Ortiz, 30, of Shirley, and arrested him without incident.

Investigators determined Ortiz had an outstanding Warrant of Removal with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Ortiz is charged with two counts of criminal mischief. He was released on an appearance ticket and taken into custody by ICE agents.

Shirley man arrested in Baldwin News Briefs

Hempstead continues car seat safety program

The Town of Hempstead is continuing its Child Car Seat Safety Inspection Program this fall, offering families free opportunities to ensure their car seats are properly installed and safe for children.

In past years, many parents who attended inspections discovered issues they had not noticed on their own — from expired or recalled seats to something as simple as a loose strap. Each session also provides one-on-one education, so caregivers leave knowing how to

reinstall the seat correctly themselves. Remaining inspection dates are Oct. 22 at Uniondale Park in Uniondale, Oct. 26 at Forest City Community Park in Wantagh, and Oct. 29 at Maclaren Stadium in Levittown. Appointments are required and available between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Families can schedule by calling the Department of Public Safety at (516) 5381900 ext. 7709, Monday through Friday.

SARAH FLYNN

V.S. NORTH Senior SWIMMING

A KEY MEMBER OF Valley Stream Central High School District’s girls’ swim program since its inception in 2023, Flynn earned the coaches award as a sophomore and has served as a two-year captain. She has earned an appearance in the Nassau County championships in each season and reached the finals of the 100-yard butterfly as a junior. Her career-best time in the event is 1:07.02, and she also thrives in the 100 and 200 freestyle.

games to watch

Friday, Oct. 17

Girls Volleyball: V.S. North at Clarke 5 p.m.

Football: Freeport at Westbury 5 p.m.

Football: Plainview at Oceanside 6 p.m.

Football: Floral Park at South Side 6 p.m.

Football: Elmont at Hewlett 6 p.m.

Football: Bethpage at Wantagh 6 p.m.

Football: Locust Valley at Plainedge 6:30 p.m.

Girls Volleyball: Mepham at Calhoun 6:45 p.m.

Football: Sewanhaka at V.S. North 7 p.m.

Football: V.S. South at Division 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 18

Football: Carey at Clarke 11 a.m.

Girls Volleyball: E.Meadow at V.S. Central 11:45 a.m.

Girls Volleyball: Plainedge at Elmont 11:45 a.m.

Football: Baldwin at Roosevelt 12 p.m.

Football: Massapequa at Farmingdale 1 p.m.

Football: New Hyde Park at Mepham 2 p.m.

Football: MacArthur at Calhoun 2 p.m.

Football: Long Beach at East Meadow 2 p.m.

Football: Jericho at V.S. Central 2 p.m.

Football: Kennedy at Roslyn 2 p.m.

Football: Lynbrook at Seaford 2 p.m.

Football: East Rockaway at North Shore 2 p.m.

Football: Malverne at Lawrence 2 p.m.

Nominate a “Spotlight Athlete”

High School athletes to be featured on the Herald sports page must compete in a fall sport and have earned an AllConference award or higher last season. Please send the following information: Name, School, Grade, Sport and accomplishments to Sports@liherald.com.

Smith, Galiano lead Jets over Bruins

By TONY BELLISSIMO tbellissimo@liherald.com

East Meadow quarterback Trevor Smith is healthy, and that’s bad news for the rest of Nassau Conference II football.

Smith, who missed last season due to a blood clot and suffered a broken thumb in 2023, is “the best athlete in the school,” head coach Keith Lizzi said, and is one of the biggest reasons the Jets are off to a flying 4-1 start.

Smith’s two passing touchdowns and one rushing score steered East Meadow to a 35-16 victory at Baldwin last Saturday. Also a two-time AllCounty baseball shortstop, he went 6-for-7 passing for 117 yards.

“Everybody’s healthy and we feel great about where we’re at,” said Smith, whose main partner in crime is senior running back James Galiano, who had a pair of long touchdown runs and was on the receiving end of a momentum-changing score with less than 10 seconds remaining in the opening half. “We’re a close-knit team.”

The Bruins (3-2) got passing and rushing touchdowns from Smith’s counterpart, senior quarterback Michael Jordan, and led twice but couldn’t limit the big plays.

“I know we’re always going to battle, but that’s been a problem lately,” Baldwin head coach Mike Robinson said. “We’re giving up chunks of yardage and have to do a better job tackling.”

A fake punt on the game’s opening drive allowed the Bruins to take a 3-0 lead on junior Gavin McGinley’s 22-yard field goal. Sophomore

to East

Mekhai Samuels had a 24-yard catch to keep the chains moving early and then on fourth-and-8 from their own 46, senior Aiden Johnson, who later suffered an ankle injury putting his status for next Saturday’s game at Roosevelt in question, raced 28 yards off the punt snap.

The Jets responded on their first drive and took a 7-3 lead on an explosive 48-yard touchdown run by Smith and junior Lizzy Serra’s extra point. Baldwin regained the lead midway through the second quarter on senior Kymani Heaven’s 16-yard touchdown catch, but it was all East Meadow thereafter.

“Baldwin’s big and physical and this is a nice win for us,” Lizzi said. “We’re primarily a ground-and-pound team but we can also mix it up and hit a big pass which we showed again today.”

Behind an impressive offensive line consisting of Antonio Ribiero, Yiannis Kakavar, Eddie Brown, Vincent Garner and Alexander Lengu, Galiano had secondquarter touchdowns covering 43, 31 and 34 yards. “James has excellent feet and vision,” Lizzi said. “He carries the offensive load and is a tough, bruising runner.”

The Jets scored twice in the final 1:44 of the second quarter to take a 28-10 halftime lead. Junior Josh Perez’s interception set up Galiano’s second touchdown run, then the special teams thwarted a second fake punt attempt by the Bruins with 30 seconds left just outside the red zone.

Smith and Galiano then hooked up for a back-breaking score, a 34-yard touchdown through the air on fourth-and-forever. “That was big,” said Smith, who has the offense averaging 37 points in four victories.

Baldwin sophomore Patrick Feeney recovered a muffed punt midway through the third quarter to set up Jordan’s 1-yard touchdown that cut the margin to 28-16, but Smith struck again on the ensuing possession with a 31-yard touchdown toss to junior Nick Schwabe, who topped 100 yards receiving in wins over Kennedy and New Hyde Park.

Next up for East Meadow is a visit from Long Beach Saturday at 2 p.m.

Bethlehem unites community for peace

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

Bethlehem Lutheran Church hosted a service on Sept. 28 focused on peace, understanding, and prayer for justice, drawing about 40 attendees from congregations across Baldwin, Roosevelt, Rockville Centre, and East Rockaway.

The event, organized by church leaders concerned about the intersection of politics and faith, featured a sermon on the Good Samaritan, prayers, and a discussion on how Christian nationalism and political rhetoric are shaping perceptions of Christianity. A coffee hour followed, where attendees participated in smallgroup discussions designed to encourage dialogue across denominations.

Allison Nuñez, president of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, said she was heartened by both the turnout and the open dialogue that followed.

“Our Service for Justice and Peace was wonderful,” Nuñez said. “So many people from the community attended and held good, meaningful conversations with each other after the service. My hope is that another church will carry the torch and have a service for all to attend at their location. We need to keep the conversation going.”

The service was inspired in part by remarks from Vice President J.D. Vance, who has promoted a hierarchical notion of love — first for one’s family, then neigh-

bors, community, fellow countrymen, and finally for the rest of the world. Critics say the idea, known in theological circles as *ordo amoris*, has been used by some to justify policies that prioritize Americans or citizens of certain countries over immigrants or non-citizens.

Daniel D’Antonio, treasurer of the church council and one of the organizers, said the service exceeded expectations, even if early outreach had been challenging.

“We were getting a little nervous because we really didn’t get a lot of feedback from people who were coming,” D’Antonio said. “But in the end, nearly half of those we contacted confirmed, and the turnout was great.”

Attendees came from several local congregations, including St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Baldwin, First United Methodist Church in Baldwin, The Bridge Church in Baldwin, Calvary Lutheran in Baldwin, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Roosevelt, Holy Trinity in Rockville Centre, United Church of Rockville Centre, and a representative from the Metropolitan New York Synod.

D’Antonio said the service underscored Bethlehem Lutheran’s broader mission to live out Christ’s teachings beyond its own congregation and to give Christians a space to speak out on issues of justice.

“It fits into our ministry to show that we care about the wider world,” he said. “Sometimes we need to speak out.”

Mulé’s priorities: infrastructure, public space

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

From flooding fixes to affordable housing, County Legislator Debra Mulé says her priorities remain strengthening infrastructure and community spaces as she seeks a fifth term in office.

The Democrat, who currently represents the 6th Legislative District, which encompasses parts of Baldwin, Freeport and Oceanside, has served in the minority but has continued to find ways to deliver for residents, and plans to push for progress on long-delayed projects if she is re-elected in November.

“I was very proud, this term, to finally get Centennial Park finished for the Roosevelt community,” Mulé said during a recent roundtable with Herald reporters. “That project was a long time coming, and I really believe that park is a model for communities across the country. They pack a lot into less than three acres — it’s a crown jewel.”

Mulé said she was struggled to move forward with some Community Revitalization Program projects, as a result of what she described as a “political blockade” by County Executive Bruce Blakeman’s administration. Legislators, she explained, are each allotted district funding for local capital projects, but she claims that many of the projects overseen by Democrats have stalled.

“The score is now 56 to 2,” she said. “That means 56 Democratic projects

have been stopped at the county executive’s desk. My hope is that with a new county executive, we can get these projects going.”

Infrastructure, Mulé added, remains a central focus of hers. Baldwin continues to deal with aging sewer systems and sinkholes, including several along

Grand Avenue.

“The sinkholes happen because the sewer pipes are well past their useful life,” she said. “Cracks form, the dirt underneath the pavement goes into the pipes, and when there’s nothing left to hold the road up, you get sinkholes.”

The first phase of the Grand Avenue

Complete Streets Project — from Merrick Road to Stanton Avenue — was completed under Mulé’s leadership. There area plans to extend improvements north to the Southern State Parkway, representing more than $20 million in total investment.

She also pointed to Nassau’s housing crisis, citing the new Baldwin Commons development, which drew more than 6,000 applicants for 60 affordable units. “That shows you the need,” she said. “There’s clearly a hunger for affordable housing.”

Mulé praised similar redevelopment in Freeport, including the Moxey Rigby apartments, which reserve units for veterans and seniors.

If she is re-elected, she said, she will continue focusing on restoring Baldwin’s historic Kellogg House, environmental revitalization at Brookside Preserve, and finding a long-term solution for the Oakwood Beach Club property in Baldwin Harbor.

“That site could be something really special — ideally green space,” Mulé said. “My dream is to see something nice happen there.”

Smikle learned a lot from Assembly campaign

By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ hgaldamez@liherald.com

Danielle Smikle, who first entered the political arena with a 2024 run for the State Assembly, is now seeking a seat in the Nassau County Legislature representing the 6th District, pledging to confront issues ranging from high property taxes to frequent flooding, the housing shortage and community safety in Baldwin, Freeport and Oceanside.

Smikle, a longtime resident of Freeport, said her Assembly bid gave her valuable insight into voters’ concerns and the barriers that keep so many people from engaging in local politics.

“It was eye-opening,” she said. “People didn’t always know they could vote for someone outside their party. It showed me how crucial it is to make government accessible and understandable for everyone.”

Born in St. Ann, Jamaica, and raised in Freeport since age 3, Smikle graduated from Freeport High School and earned a degree in political science and communications from Canisius College in Buffalo. She now works as a college and career counselor at the Academy Charter School in Uniondale, helping students chart their paths after high school.

“My work with students and small

businesses gives me a perspective on the day-to-day challenges families face,”

Smikle said. “Everyone wants a good job and a good education, but there are

many roadblocks in between.”

Smikle’s campaign is focused on reducing property taxes, supporting education, revitalizing small businesses

and improving infrastructure. When it comes to housing, she advocates redeveloping vacant and neglected properties to create opportunities for younger residents without building large new apartment complexes.

Flooding and storm preparedness are also key concerns in the coastal 6th District. Parts of Baldwin and Freeport are below sea level, and Smikle emphasized the importance of maintaining floodgates, repairing roads and ensuring that public facilities remain safe and accessible.

Public safety and community policing are two more of her priorities. Smikle said she hopes to strengthen relationships between residents and law enforcement, promote dialogue and address mental health challenges affecting both officers and community members.

“I want people to see government as a team effort, not a partisan fight,” she said. “Working together across differences is how we solve the problems that matter most to our towns.”

If elected, Smikle said, she plans to draw on her background in education, small business and community service to deliver tangible results for the district. “Even small changes can make a difference,” she said. “It’s about showing up for the community and making things better for everyone.”

‘It’s about our kids,’ says Katrina Smith

on a broader level.

“With my girls now in middle and high school, I felt like this was a great opportunity to help the district in other ways,” she said. “It’s not just about Lenox Elementary anymore — it’s about Baldwin as a whole.”

Smith said her experience as a Baldwin parent gives her a perspective that complements other members of the school board.

“I’m a parent with two girls in this district,” she said. “Our community looks different than it did 30 years ago, and I think it’s important to have someone who’s close to today’s Baldwin families and can bring their perspectives to the table.”

She also hopes to expand community engagement and communication, particularly by reaching residents where they are — on social media and through grassroots connections.

“We have to think about how to get information out there better,” Smith said. “Maybe utilizing social media more to reach people, and also encouraging organic relationships between parents, the board and administrators.”

Although her appointment came midyear following the resignation of Mary Jo O’Hagan, Smith said she is focused on ensuring that all voices in the community are heard.

“I want to make sure our community feels comfortable being involved,” she said. “There are so many talented people in Baldwin — entrepreneurs, educators, professionals — and if we all share those talents with our schools, the possibilities are endless.”

As she settles into her new role, Smith said she’s eager to learn from her colleagues while staying rooted in her mission to serve Baldwin’s students.

“When you take a position like this, it’s not about me — it’s about our kids,” she said. “I believe in this district. I believe in our teachers and administrators. I’m just excited to give back to the community that has given so much to my family.”

Hundreds gather for Alzheimer’s walk

By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com

Purple, yellow, blue and orange flowers filled the Promise Garden at Eisenhower Park on Oct. 4, as hundreds came together for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The annual event is the organization’s largest fundraiser, fueling cutting-edge research while also giving families and caregivers a chance to honor loved ones and show solidarity in the fight against the disease.

Participants carried flowers of various colors — each one symbolizing a personal connection to Alzheimer’s — during the moving Promise Garden ceremony.

Tinamarie Hardekopf, the association’s director of development and director for walks in Babylon, Eisenhower Park and Fire Island, said this year’s event reflected the continued growth of the movement.

“We definitely grow every year, in numbers of attendees and as well as fundraising,” she said. “It’s really important for people to come out because it gives them an opportunity to show their support for a world without Alzheimer’s — they can also memorialize a loved one they’ve lost, or they can support someone that they’re caring for at this time.”

Post-walk, Hardekopf extended her thanks to this year’s walk participants, volunteers and sponsors.

“The funds raised will help fuel disease research while also providing critical care and support to individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia,” she said in a release shared with the Herald.

The Alzheimer’s Association Long Island Chapter not only raises money for research but also provides a vital support network for people with Alzheimer’s, their families, friends and caretakers.

“We consider our walks the largest support group,” Hardekopf added. “Everyone comes together and they each carry a flower that shows their connection to the disease.”

For Tanya Eldemeyer of Rockville Centre, the walk carried deep personal meaning. Her father passed away last year from dementia, and she continues to stand as a strong advocate for the cause.

“I basically was his sole caregiver,” she said. “It was such a difficult road… There are people out there that are in the same situation, and I felt like this was a way that I could continue my dad’s legacy and help those that may not have someone fighting and advocating for them.”

Eldemeyer carried a purple flower during the Promise Garden ceremony, symbolizing the loss of her father.

Courtney Henley, an advocate with the organization whose father died form early-onset Alzheimer’s said, “My family has been attending the Nassau Walk for more than 20 years and it has grown tremendously. The sense of community and enthusiasm is inspiring to see, motivating you to make a difference in your local community. It is such a fun walk with alot of incredible people.”

According to the Long Island Chapter, more than 426,500 New Yorkers aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s Dementia, and over 7 million across the country. While symptoms of the disease often appear later in life, the brain changes that cause Alzheimer’s can begin decades earlier — making early awareness and intervention critical.

Ed Miller, vice chair of the Alzheimer’s Association Long Island Chapter Board of Directors, has played a leading role in Nassau County’s walk for the past three years. He joined the chapter after his own father was diagnosed with dementia in 2019, and he said the community’s involvement provides real hope.

“There’s been a lot of breakthroughs that have come out in the news over the course of the last couple of years,” Miller said in a prior conversation with the Herald. “These are treatments that aren’t going to eradicate the disease at this point, but they are treatments, and there is hope.”

As of press time, this year’s walk has raised over $349,000 toward the chapter’s $385,000 goal — already 84 percent of the way. For more on the organization and its efforts, visit Act.ALZ.org/Nassau. Donations are accepted through Dec. 31.

Additional reporting by Jordan Vallone.

O’Connell seeks to build on 20-year record

By AINSLEY MARTINEZ amartinez@liherald.com

Maureen O’Connell, the Nassau County clerk since 2006, is seeking re-election, with a focus on continuing the modernization of county records and expanding services for senior citizens and non-English speakers.

A registered nurse and an attorney, O’Connell, 74, has served in public office for more than three decades, including a term in the Assembly and as deputy mayor of East Williston. In the clerk’s office, she says, she is committed to improving access and service for residents.

“When I walked into that office … there were about 2 million unprocessed documents,” she said. “We were not really modernized.”

Since then, O’Connell said, the office has undergone a significant transformation. Court and land records are now digitized and available online, allowing attorneys and members of the public to file and access documents without visiting the clerk’s office in a building on Old Country Road in Mineola that is notorious for its limited parking.

“We created an electronic database so that a lawyer who wants to start a lawsuit doesn’t have to drive over,” O’Connell said. “They can electronically file a lawsuit from their home office.”

In addition to overseeing deed and mortgage filings, the clerk also serves as the clerk of county Supreme Court. O’Connell said she implemented one of the state’s first Supreme Court filing databases, and added digital interfaces with local and state agencies to streamline access to records.

She has also led efforts to digitize historical documents, a process she refers to as “backfilling.” “The more we backfill, the better the public is served,” O’Connell said. She noted frequent visits from senior

citizens needing access to decades-old property records they have misplaced. “Sometimes that safe place is so safe they can never find it again,” she said.

To further assist homeowners, O’Connell created a Property Fraud Alert Program. Property owners can sign up to receive email alerts if any documents — such as deeds or mortgages — are filed relating to their property. The goal is to prevent fraud involving falsified documents.

“Fortunately, we have not seen a lot of it in Nassau — a very minimal amount,” O’Connell said. “But the county clerks statewide do see it in some counties.”

COUNTY CLERK

If she is re-elected, O’Connell said, she plans to focus on expanding parking at the Mineola complex and to continue efforts to digitize older records. She also hopes to expand the effort to adapting services to the growing population of residents for whom English is not their primary language. A language line, which translates conversations between clerk’s office employees and visitors in real time, has been implemented to aid communication.

O’Connell said that her dual background in nursing and law has shaped her approach to public service. “As a nurse, you like to help people,” she said. “Get the problem solved, and help them resolve whatever issues they’re in need of resolving.”

A lifelong Nassau County resident, O’Connell grew up in Mineola and now lives in East Williston. She trained at Flushing Hospital School of Nursing, and has a bachelor’s degree in health care management from St. Joseph’s College and a law degree from St. John’s University School of Law. She is an assistant professor of nursing at SUNY Farmingdale, and serves on several local boards, including the Farmingdale School of Nursing advisory board and Harbor Child Care in Mineola.

She remains passionate about her work for the county. “It’s just a wonderful job,” she said. “I love working, serving in public.”

Clerk must be more accessible,Williams says

By AINSLEY MARTINEZ amartinez@liherald.com

Joylette E. Williams, a professor of English at Nassau Community College, is running for Nassau County clerk. A resident of the Village of Hempstead since 1993, she has built her career in education and local service, and in her campaign is emphasizing administrative experience, accessibility and modernization.

Williams has a Ph.D. in English, is completing a second doctorate in higher education administration at the University of Connecticut and is in her second term on the Hempstead Board of Education. She was first elected in 2022, and re-elected in May after community members urged her to continue her service. Her current term runs through 2028.

“It helps me to understand not only the concerns that residents have throughout the county, but it’s very, very rewarding to actually participate in those advocacy roles,” Williams said.

Her academic background, she added, which includes several master’s degrees and over two decades of teaching, has prepared her for the administrative demands of the clerk’s office, which manages the county’s legal documents, property records and business filings. She noted her experience with recordkeeping, document management and organizational leadership in higher education.

Williams served as a Hempstead village trustee from 2021 to 2022, and sits on the Town of Hempstead’s Industrial Development Agency board. She is also the assistant secretary of the Hempstead chapter of the NAACP, is active in the Hempstead Community Land Trust, the Hempstead chapter of the AARP and the Long Island chapter of the National Coalition of 100

Tim Baker/Herald

Joylette Williams has a Ph.D. in English and is completing a second doctorate in higher education administration at the University of Connecticut.

Black Women. She is a member of the Nassau Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

A central goal of her campaign is to digitize county records and to modernize the operating systems of the clerk’s office. “Right now it’s running like it’s 1974,” she said.

Williams has spoken with title insurance companies and attorneys who frequent the clerk’s office, she said, and has identified inefficiencies, including a lack

of online access to court records that makes it necessary for paralegals to visit the office in person.

The clerk’s mobile outreach van is underutilized, she added, and she has proposed increasing its presence across the county, including at libraries and senior centers. She has also proposed extending the office’s hours to 7 p.m. one day a week to accommodate working residents.

“The clerk’s office needs to be more accessible to all residents of Nassau County, and not just a few areas,” Williams said.

If elected, she plans to propose to the Legislature that fees for deed transfers and property transactions be reduced, and has identified seniors, first responders, first-time homebuyers and veterans as populations that could benefit from fee reductions or waivers.

Williams also cited the need for translators in the clerk’s office, noting a range of languages, from Spanish to Urdu, that are spoken by residents who visit the office regularly. Increased language accessibility, she said, would ensure equitable service across the county’s diverse population.

Her work in civic organizations, Williams said, has helped her better understand residents’ needs and leadership strategies. She added that she plans to request a leave of absence from Nassau Community College if she is elected, because both positions are county-funded and cannot be held simultaneously.

Williams was invited to join the ticket by the Democratic Party leadership, and underwent a vetting process that included interviews, reference checks and social media review. Her commitment to public service and community advocacy, she said, motivated her to accept the nomination.

News briefs

Baldwin student named National Merit Semifinalist

Baldwin High School senior Luna Questelles has been named a Semifinalist in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program after achieving a perfect score on the PSAT and a 1560 on the SAT.

National Merit Semifinalists represent less than 1% of high school seniors nationwide. Questelles is among roughly 16,000 students recognized from more than 1.3 million who entered the competition by taking the 2024 PSAT/NMSQT.

“These students represent a valuable national resource,” a National Merit Scholarship Corporation spokesperson said, noting that the recognition highlights both student achievement and the role of schools in fostering academic excellence.

Baldwin High Principal Dr. Neil Testa praised Questelles’ accomplishment. “We are confident that this is just the beginning for Luna, who has always been an exceptional student with a very bright future,” he said.

Semifinalists will now submit applications for Finalist status, which includes academic records, extracurricular involvement, leadership, employment history, honors, endorsements, and an essay. About 15,000 students advance, competing for nearly 7,000 scholarships totaling $26 million, which will be awarded next spring.

— Hernesto Galdamez

Learn how to vote early for the election

Early voting for the upcoming general election in Nassau County will take place from Saturday, Oct. 25, through Sunday, Nov. 2. All polling sites are accessible to voters with physical disabilities, and any eligible voter residing in the county may vote at any early voting location during the designated days and hours. Voters who cast a ballot during early voting will not be permitted to vote again on Election Day.

Voting hours are scheduled as follows: Oct. 25 and 26 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Oct. 27 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Oct. 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the Board of Elections remaining open until 8 p.m. on those two days; and Oct. 30 through Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Election Day, Nov. 4, voters must go to their assigned polling place to cast a ballot.

Early voting sites across the county include Temple Beth Am in Merrick, the Freeport Recreation Center, Massapequa Town Hall South, St. Frances de Chantal Church in Wantagh, the West Hempstead Public Library, and the Yes We Can Community Center in Westbury, among others. A complete list of early voting locations is available at NassauVotes.com or by calling (516) 571-8683.

Voters who wish to register for the general election must do so by Oct. 25, 2025. Registration applications submitted by mail must be received by the Nassau County Board of Elections by that date, and in-person registration is available at the board’s offices or participating state agencies through Oct. 25. To learn how to apply to vote, visit Elections.NY.gov.

Any registered voter may also apply for an early mail ballot. Applications must be received by the board of elections no later than 10 days before the election, or in person by Nov. 3. Ballots will be mailed beginning 46 days before the election and will continue to be sent immediately after completed applications are processed. Voters may apply for an early mail ballot online through the state’s Early Mail Ballot Request Portal, in person at the Nassau County Board of Elections at 240 Old Country Road in Mineola, or by designating another person to deliver and return their application. Visit Elections.NY.gov/request-ballot for more.

If you’re planning to vote in person on Election Day, visit VoterLookUp. Elections.NY.gov.

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Phillips has led county’s drive into digital era

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips traces her drive for public service to a childhood defined by independence, perseverance and the generosity of mentors who opened doors. Born in western Pennsylvania, the youngest of four daughters, she was the first in her family to attend college — a milestone achieved without guidance or financial help after her father’s death when she was 12.

“I was kind of left on my own a lot,” Phillips recalled. “There was no guidance for college.” That changed when she became a Rotary exchange student in Brazil for 13 months — an experience she described as life-changing. “It allowed me to mature and figure out who I wanted to be in life,” she said, adding that she still speaks fluent Portuguese nearly five decades later.

Phillips went on to earn both a bachelor’s degree in political science and an MBA in finance from Penn State, working as a bartender to pay tuition. Her career began in finance — first at Metropolitan Life, later at J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs, where she helped build mortgage-backed securities departments. After taking time off to raise her three daughters, she negotiated a rare job-sharing arrangement at Goldman that allowed her to balance motherhood with highstakes finance work for nearly a decade.

Public service came later. After serving as mayor of Flower Hill during Superstorm Sandy, she was elected to the State Senate in 2016, where she championed legislation closing a loophole that had allowed those convicted of domestic violence to keep certain firearms. In 2021 she was elected Nassau County’s comptroller — a role she calls both humbling and demanding.

Her signature initiative, she said, has been modernizing the county’s outdated financial system, which dates back to 1999. “We do our accounting basically

using Excel files,” Phillips said. “Departments like DPW, purchasing and accounting all had different data — none of it lined up.”

Her office led a two-year process to select CGI to implement a cloud-based enterprise resource planning system, dubbed Nassau Forward, that will unify county financial operations and automatically update accounting standards. “It’s transformative,” Phillips said. “Our goal is to go live between 2027 and 2028.”

During her tenure, the comptroller’s office also digitized vendor claims, cutting payment times from four months to less than 10 days. “There used to be paper almost to the ceiling,” she said. “Now it’s all online

COUNTY COMPTROLLER

through e-claims.” Phillips also overhauled the audit process, emphasizing collaboration and corrective action rather than punitive reports that “collected dust.”

She credited her staff for the county’s recognition by the Government Finance Officers Association with its Triple Crown award for excellence in financial reporting — the only county in New York state to earn it. Nassau has also received seven bond-rating upgrades during her term.

Looking ahead, Phillips said her top priorities, if re-elected, would be completing the Nassau Forward project, hiring additional accountants and expanding electronic systems for retirees’ benefits. “We’re still sending out paper checks to some retirees,” she said. “We want to move to direct deposit — it’s safer and more efficient.”

She acknowledged ongoing challenges balancing employee wages and benefits with affordability for residents. “You want to pay your employees a fair wage and provide good health care,” Phillips said. “But you also want to make sure people can still afford to live here.”

Reflecting on her career, she credited her success to teamwork. “I’m as good as the people around me,” she said. “You always want to do more — to make government more efficient, save taxpayers money, and keep Nassau in strong fiscal shape.”

Wink: Comptroller must be ‘fiscal watchdog’

By ROKSANA AMID ramid@liherald.com

Wayne Wink says Nassau County is once again standing on shaky financial ground — and he believes the comptroller’s office should be the first line of defense. The longtime public servant, attorney and former legislator is challenging incumbent Comptroller Elaine Phillips, arguing that the county needs more transparency, oversight and independence from the administration.

“I’ve always spoken truth to power,” said Wink, 58, who currently serves as minority counsel to the County Legislature. “What we need is a fiscal watchdog. What we have is a fiscal lapdog.”

A Hofstra University and St. John’s University School of Law graduate, Wink grew up in Uniondale, in what he describes as a “barely middle-class” household, and was the first in his family to go to college. He was elected to public office for the first time in the early 2000s and went on to serve 20 years in local government — including as a North Hempstead town councilman, county legislator and town clerk.

Among his legislative accomplishments, Wink cites the creation of Nassau’s Silver Alert law, modeled after the Amber Alert system but designed to locate missing seniors with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. “We’ve had a number of people saved because of that program,” he said. He also helped establish North Hempstead’s domestic partner registry before same-sex marriage was legalized in New York. and pushed for “right-sizing” government by transferring underused county assets to towns that could better manage them.

Jeff Bessen/Herald

Among his legislative accomplishments, Wink cites the creation of Nassau’s Silver Alert law, modeled after the Amber Alerts system.

Now, as he seeks to return to countywide office, Wink says that Nassau’s biggest problems aren’t new — they’re just unresolved. “When I left the Legislature in 2013, I came back 10 years later and found the same issues: the college, the medical center, the jail, assessments,” he said. “They’re all repackaged, but the same issues.”

One of his top concerns is the county’s ongoing fiscal oversight by the Nassau Interim Finance Authority, which was created more than 20 years ago amid

budget turmoil. “No county our size with our affluence and abilities should still be under a control board,” he said, adding that sustainable budgeting and stronger auditing practices could allow the county to regain autonomy.

Wink has been especially critical of the county’s use of American Rescue Plan Act funds to plug operating deficits. “The only way they’re balancing the 2025 budget is to take $120 million of Covid money,” he said. “We’re spending down reserves that were built up under Laura Curran,” he added, referring to the former county executive. “It’s unsustainable.” He said that Nassau faces a structural deficit of $200 million to $250 million per year in its four-year plan.

Wink argues that genuine transparency begins with full disclosure of how public money is spent — including vendor identities. “The county’s ‘open checkbook’ lists every transaction except who got the money,” he said. “That’s not transparency.”

If elected, he said, his first priority would be to restore field audits, which he claims have disappeared under the current administration. “The comptroller is there to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely,” Wink said. “We need to get back to real audits, in the weeds, to find waste, fraud and abuse.”

He also called for greater oversight of county contracts, jail operations and agencies such as the Nassau University Medical Center, which he says have faced mounting financial and management issues.

“The county is slowly fading into the fiscal abyss again,” Wink said. “We’ve been here before — and if we keep the status quo, we’ll be back there again. Nassau needs new eyes, real accountability, and leadership willing to tell the truth.”

STEPPING OUT

At the mock store modeled after Freeport’s Two Cousins Fish Market, kids role play as fishmongers and customers.

Visitors are introduced to the exhibit’s many components.

THE SEA IS CALLING

Children’s Museum’s ‘Saltwater Stories’ is rooted in local maritime traditions

By Abbey Salvemini

Long Island Children’s Museum sets sail on a bold new chapter with “Saltwater Stories: We Need the Sea and the Sea Needs Me,” its first new permanent exhibition in over a decade. The 1,900-square-foot immersive installation, which officially opened last week, invites families to explore Long Island’s rich nautical heritage, celebrating the people, traditions and cultures that have long relied on the sea.

Our coastal identity comes to life through storytelling, interactive play and local traditions. Kids (and grown-ups!) can climb into a full-size bay house, sort the day’s catch in a bustling fish market, explore the wonders under the sea and even hop inside a 500-pound hand-carved canoe. That canoe — a mishoon (Indigenous dugout canoe) commissioned by the museum — was created through the collaboration of Shinnecock Cultural Steward Chenae Bullock, her mentor Darius Coombs of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and apprentice Shane Weeks of the Shinnecock Nation. Welcomed by the museum in June, it now takes up residence within “Saltwater Stories.”

A culmination of more than 15 years of museum programming and partnerships with local fishermen, Indigenous communities and historians, it anchors Long Island’s past to its future with creativity and care. The concept first took shape several years ago, sparked by the museum’s long-running partnerships with tradition bearers and a desire to give families a more personal connection to the natural world around them.

Museum President Erika Floreska describes the exhibit as “authentic, playful and beautiful.”

Director of Exhibits Margo Malter traces its roots back to weekend programs begun in 2009, when local baymen and fishermen shared firsthand stories about life on the water. Over the years, those early conversations grew into a deeper exploration of Long Island’s maritime culture. The turning point came in 2019, when the museum received a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. That funding allowed the team to assemble a cohort of community advisors — fisherfolk, Indigenous leaders, historians, and educators — whose voices helped shape Saltwater’s foundation.

“We like to say the exhibit is informed by community, for the community,” Floreska adds.

From the stories of generations of baymen to the bustling fish markets of the Nautical Mile, the exhibit’s components are rooted in the everyday lives of Long

Anthony Rodia

Anthony Rodia is back with his “Laugh Till It Hurts” tour. Building on the success of his previous outing, this is his biggest and most ambitious yet. Born and raised in Westchester, Rodia came out of the womb making people laugh. In his 20s he tried a few open mics, but ultimately took a different career path. In 2019, Rodia returned to comedy and left his day job to become a full-time stand-up comic. With a background steeped in family traditions, Italian-American culture and the ups and downs of modern life, Anthony’s comedy feels like a conversation with your funniest friend. His blend of observational humor, self-deprecation and witty impressions has led him on his path as one of the most exciting rising stars on the comedy scene.

Saturday, Oct. 18, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

Islanders past and present. It also highlights the connections between the traditions of immigrant communities who share seaside cultures, offering opportunities for shared experiences and dialogue.

Visitors are welcomed by a nine-foot high immersive, stylized wave tunnel. Visible from the three entries to the museum’s second floor, this wow-moment hooks you into the gallery and recreates that first introduction to the sea for many of us — a day at the beach. Lighting and sound effects give a transportive transition into “Saltwater Stories.”

• Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Among the exhibit’s many features, young visitors can role-play life on the bay in a walkin replica of a bay house, where a “magic window” lets them observe real-time changes in weather, tides and marsh life. Nearby, in a classic Long Island fish market, you can sort, weigh and sell the day’s catch — mimicking the work of generations who lived off the sea. Also everyone will enjoy “Lifting the Ocean’s Lid,” an early learner area where kids can get a close-up look at what lives under the sea.

• View the events calendar at licm.org for additional information or call (516) 224-5800

• Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City

For Floreska, Saltwater’s heart lies in its ability to tell a local story while providing a playful, hands-on space that’s deeply connected to the real world — something she describes as both unique and meaningful.

“It gives visitors of all ages a chance to connect with a cultural richness that defines Long Island,” she says.

Integrating new technology felt like a natural next step in the evolution of the museum’s approach to storytelling, according to Malter. She highlights the bay house installation as a standout example, where digital features are used to make the environment feel dynamic and real.

To create the immersive “magic window,” the team hired a videographer to capture time-lapse footage of a local marsh over the course of several days, including scenes at night and during a storm. With the push of a button, kids can change the view outside the window — transforming from day to night or calm to stormy — making the experience both magical and grounded in the real world.

“Observing the natural world was a big educational goal for me,” Malter explains. By blending real footage with playful interaction, young visitors notice environmental details they might otherwise overlook — fostering a sense of wonder and curiosity rooted in the rhythms of local life.

The phrase “we need the sea and the sea needs me” serves as the exhibit’s guiding inspiration.

Even the quintessential Long Island Islander — Billy Joel — has a place here. Everyone can watch a video of his “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’,” commercial fishing’s unofficial anthem.

To help families turn inspiration into action, a resource guide on the museum website provides ideas for local, family-friendly activities that extend the learning into the home. Floreska points to community programs like Freeport-based “Operation Splash,” where families can participate in cleaning up local shorelines.

As a permanent fixture now, “Saltwater Stories” continues the museum’s commitment to ignite curiosity, encourage stewardship and strengthen our bond with the environment — reminding us all that the sea’s story is deeply intertwined with our own.

$144.75, $108.75, $98.25, $86.50, $76.25, $64.75. The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington. Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com.

Nassau Pops Symphony Orchestra

Gala

Maestro Louis Panacciulli and the Nassau Pops Orchestra return to the Tilles Center for their annual gala supporting the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County, joined again by Tony Danza and his band. Danza’s latest cabaret show, “Sinatra and Stories,” blends personal anecdotes, humor and some classic tunes. He pays tribute to the music of ‘Ol Blue Eyes, whose music formed the soundtrack of his childhood. He brings his trademark charisma and storytelling — along with touch of soft shoe and ukulele-strumming — to his selection of Sinatra’s timeless classics. Swing into an afternoon of great tunes and fascinating stories — all to benefit this vital organization.

Sunday, Oct. 19, 3 p.m. Tickets start at $30. Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, LIU Post Campus, 720 Northern Blvd., Brookville. Tickets available at npso.org/tickets or tillescenter.org.

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CALENDAR

OCT 17

Spooky Fest

Spooky Fest is back at the Center for Science Teaching & Learning, through the month. Celebrate the season with Halloween for all. Be scared if you dare or enjoy not-so-spooky thrills with the younger folks.

• Where: 1450 Tanglewood Road, Rockville Centre

• Time: 6-9:30 p.m.: also Oct. 18-19

• Contact: cstl.org or (516) 764-0045

OCT 18

Let’s learn about Diwali

Baldwin Public Library welcomes grades 4-7 to celebrate Diwali, the five-day festival of lights. Registration required.

• Where: 2385 Grand Ave.

• Time: 2:30-3:30 p.m., also Oct. 19 for grades 8-12

• Contact: baldwinpl.org or call (516) 223-6228

Korean Culture Day

Celebrate the vibrant traditions of Korea at Old Westbury Gardens at the 3rd Annual Korean Culture Day Celebration. This family-friendly event brings together the sights, sounds and flavors of Korea in the beautiful garden setting. Enjoy authentic Korean foods and flavors, dance performances, Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, and more. Whether you’re discovering Korean culture for the first time or reconnecting with cherished traditions, this afternoon offers something for everyone. Free with Gardens admission.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury

• Time: 2-5 p.m.

• Contact: oldwestburygardens.org or call (516) 333-0048

Oktoberfest

Baldwin Civic Association

welcomes all to the 7th annual Oktoberfest. Enjoy the seasonal celebration.

• Where: 1980 Grand Ave.

• Time: 2-6 p.m.

• Contact: baldwincivic.org

Enchanted Forest

Nassau County Museum of Art invites families to another Super Family Saturday program. This magical adventure includes handson art activities themed around transformation, fantasy, and discovery, plus a special trail through the site’s fall forest.. $20 non-member adults, $10 members and children.

• Where: Manes Center, 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor

• Time: Session 1, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.; Session 2, 1-2:30 p.m.

• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337

OCT

25

Little Feat

One of America’s most distinctive and longest-running rock bands, Little Feat is back in a big way with a revitalized lineup, a stellar new record — its first album of original material in over a decade The venerable six-piece is touring in support of ‘Strike Up the Band,” their first new studio album reliant on new material since 2012’s Rooster Rag. It’s Little Feat’s triumphant return to rock ‘n roll with plenty of swampy Southern soul. The band builds on a deep, over 50-year history. Little Feat used a combination of elite musicianship and brilliant, idiosyncratic songwriting to create a repertoire that transcends all boundaries. California rock, funk, folk, jazz, country and rockabilly mixed with New Orleans swamp boogie led to a powerful sound that has kept the audience dancing for decades. Their groove — in songs like “Dixie Chicken,” “Spanish Moon,” “Fat Man in the Bathtub,” and “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now” — was so infectious it allowed them to endure and press on even when losing their founder, Lowell George, and founding drummer, Richie Hayward. They’re in top form now with Scott Sharrard on lead/vox and Tony Leone on drums/vox, and with founder Bill Payne on keys/vox, Fred Tackett on guitars/vox, Kenny Gradney on bass, and Sam Clayton on percussion/vox. Fifty years on, they’ve been up and they’ve been down and they know where they belong — standing or sitting behind their instruments, playing for you. And anything’s possible, because the end is not in sight. Tickets are $141.25, $120.25, $99.75, $77.75, $66.25

• Where: The Paramount, 370 New York Ave., Huntington

• Time: 8 p.m.

• Contact: ticketmaster.com or paramountny.com

Ghostly Gala

Bring the kids to Long Island Children’s Museum’s annual Halloween celebration. Enjoy the holiday in a fun, safe and spooky (not scary) way! Show off your costumes and dance moves in a Monster Mash Dance Party. Visit the Spooky Studio and meet mysterious underwater creatures. Also make some cool and creepy crafts. Start offyour spooky night by decorating a bewitching trick-or-treat bag, then collect ghostly goodies from the museum’s roaming staff. Also a special showing of “Uncle Vlad’s Pumpkin Patch” in the LICM theater. $16, $14 members; show $5.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 6-9 p.m.

• Contact: licm.org or call (516) 224-5800

OCT 23

‘Brown Bag’ Art Conversation

Join Nassau County Museum of Art Docent

Riva Ettus for her popular Brown Bag Lecture. Experience the museum’s exhibition “At Play: Artists & Entertainment” through a lively and informative presentation. Participants are invited to ask questions at the end of the program. Registration not required. First come, first seated.

• Where: 1 Museum Drive, Roslyn Harbor

• Time: 1 p.m.

• Contact: nassaumuseum.org or (516) 484-9337

OCT 25

Zombie makeup effects workshop

Kids in grades 3-5 can zombify themselves at Baldwin Library. With a step-by-step process, be transformed into a zombie. Using special effects techniques applied in movies, create cuts, tears, wounds, and other forms of zombification. Also learn about the history of zombies as you turn into the living dead! Registration required.

• Where: 2385 Grand Ave.

• Time: Noon-1:30 p.m.

• Contact: baldwinpl.org or call (516) 223-6228

Pumpkin Fun

Families can stop by Baldwin Library for fun and fast-paced activities that celebrate the season.

• Where: 2385 Grand Ave.

• Time: 10 a.m.-10:45 p.m.

• Contact: baldwinpl.org or call (516) 223-6228

whole family. $5 with museum admission ($4 members). $10 theater only.

• Where: Museum Row, Garden City

• Time: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., also Oct. 26

• Contact: licm.org or (516) 224-5800

Sunday Music

OCT

26

Stop by Baldwin Public Library for a concert with LIC Groove. The energy flows from start to finish with the R&B and classic rock cover band. Tickets required.

• Where: 2385 Grand Ave.

• Time: 2-3 p.m.

• Contact: baldwinpl.org or call (516) 223-6228

Suicide Awareness Walk

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Long Island Chapter holds their Long Island Out of the Darkness Community Walk at Jones Beach. Register to walk or become a sponsor.

• Where: Field 5, 2400 Ocean Parkway, Wantagh

• Time: 10 a.m.

• Contact: Carrie Aronson at (516) 865-3944 or afsp.org/ longislandwalkwest

Dog Days Weekend

Enjoy the glorious grounds of Old Westbury Gardens with your pooch (leashed of course), With fall dog parade and costume contest on Sunday. Prizes awarded to best dog costumes, including Prettiest, Most Handsome, Most Original, Best Duo or Group, Funniest. Costume contest participants must register.

• Where: 71 Old Westbury Rd., Old Westbury.

• Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: also Oct. 26, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with costume parade/contest, 3-5 p.m.

• Contact: oldwestburygardens. org or call (516) 333-0048

‘Uncle Vlad’s Pumpkin Patch: Under New Management’

Long Island Children’s Museum welcomes all to its latest theater production. Horrible news! The Mountain Boo Soda Company has their eyes on a piece of property for their new factory — Uncle Vlad’s pumpkin patch! Join Uncle Vlad, his nephew Chad, and their freakish friends as they team up to protect their Halloween home from the bony fingers of big business. The company is run by a skeleton, after all! With puppeteers and actors from LICM’s Theater, this musical adventure will tickle your funny bone as a Halloween treat for the

OCT

29

Eisenhower Farmers Market

Cornell Cooperative Extension hosts a farmers market in Eisenhower Park.

• Where: Eisenhower Park, Parking Field 8

• Time: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

• Contact: CCENassau.org

Having an event?

Items on the Calendar page are listed free of charge. The Herald welcomes listings of upcoming events, community meetings and items of public interest. All submissions should include date, time and location of the event, cost, and a contact name and phone number. Submissions can be emailed to kbloom@ liherald.com.

Maureen Lennon/Herald paul Yanantuono has held nearly every role in the department, including chief, captain, and commissioner. His father, paul Sr., also served as chief, and his sons, Craig and thomas, have followed in his footsteps — Craig as chief and thomas as captain.

A family of firefighters

and bringing us up to speed with new tactics. He’s always looking to educate — the younger members, the older members, everyone.”

For the Yanantuonos, service runs deep. Butch’s father, Paul Sr., was a department chief in the 1960s, and Butch and Barbara, two sons, Craig and Thomas, have followed in his footsteps — Craig as an chief and Thomas as a captain. Butch’s brother, Joe, is also an ex-chief, and his niece Tiffany now serves with Hose Company One.

Craig Yanantuono, 44, said his father’s devotion to the fire service has shaped their entire family. “It’s just a testament to him,” Craig said. “He’s put his heart into this from day one, and never stopped. Even after retiring, he’s still got one of the highest call averages in the company. Every living moment goes toward the fire service. It’s incredible.”

Craig, who joined Hose Company One right after he graduated from Baldwin High School in 1999, said that growing up around the department made it a natural path.

“As a kid, it was exciting just to tag

HERALD

ATTENTION STUDENTS: THE HERALD IS HOLDING A CONTEST TO DESIGN HOLIDAY WRAPPING PAPER

THE WINNING DESIGNS WILL BE PRINTED AS HOLIDAY GIFT WRAP IN 12/4/25 & 12/11/25 ISSUES OF YOUR HERALD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

CONTEST RULES:

Who can enter: There will be 2 categories:

Students in grades k-5. Students in 6-12

One entry per student

Deadline: Entries must be received by 5 p.m.

Friday, October 31, 2025

Grand prize: Winners will have their design printed as wrapping paper in the Herald and will be featured in an article in their local Herald newspaper.

Entry format: Please use an 8 1/2 by 11 inch piece of unlined paper. All entries should have the student’s name, age, address, telephone number, email, grade and school printed on the back. Design can be reflective of all religious holidays. Entries will not be returned.

Mail or hand-deliver to:

Wrapping Paper Contest

Herald Community Newspapers

2 Endo Boulevard, Garden City, NY 11530 OR Scan and email to: ekimbrell@liherald.com

along and see what was going on,” he recalled. “It gave me a sense of community — and once I could, I joined. It’s been part of who we are.”

He described his father as “a living personification of what it means to do the job.”

Smith, who joined the department in 1994, said he has worked alongside Yanantuono for all 31 of those years. “Anytime I’ve been here, he’s been around,” Smith said. “He’s always positive, always willing to lend a helping hand. There isn’t one specific moment that stands out — it’s just 31 years of memories with him being there for everyone.”

“Family is very important to him,” Smith added. “You saw it that night — they came from everywhere to celebrate him. It really shows what kind of person he is, and what he means to all of us.”

Asked what future firefighters can learn from Yanantuono’s legacy, Smith didn’t hesitate. “Sacrifice, loyalty and commitment,” he said. “You need all three of those to make it work — and he demonstrates them better than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

(No Photos of Artwork Will Be Accepted).

Winners will be notified by email or phone by November 14

HELPFUL HINTS

• Must use 8 1/2 x 11” unlined paper, copy paper or construction paper.

• Be creative & original.

• Use bright colors.

• Fill the entire page.

• Choose paint, crayon, chalk, markers, pens, or other creative materials.

• Remember your design will be used to make a real sheet of wrapping paper.

Blakeman’s ban for transgender women in sports remains

By ALYSSA R. GRIFFIN agriffin@liherald.com

After a long battle with the courts, a temporary block of a Nassau County law restricting sports teams at county facilities based on biological sex has been denied in court once again.

The County gave the announcement on Oct. 6 stating, “The Court has reviewed the Plaintiffs’ arguments and does not find that Local Law 121-24 excludes transgender women and girls from public facilities based on their gender identity. Furthermore, the Plaintiffs have not shown discrimination under the Human Rights Law or the Civil Rights Law.”

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman released in a statement, ““We are grateful that the court found our legislation to be valid and legal. We will continue to protect girls and women from unsafe and unfair competition.”

The county stated, “Although the Plaintiffs claim that scientific conclusions regarding distinctions between biological males and biological females are irrelevant, the Court finds otherwise. The purpose of Local Law 12124 is to protect women and girls, and their physical protection is certainly relevant to the enactment of this law.”

Blakeman had signed the measure into law in July, which was followed by lawsuits from New York Civil Liberties Union and state Attorney General Letitia James on means of discrimination. This county law requires teams who seek permits to use public facilities that correspond with biological sex assigned at birth of each player. This specifically limits trans women and girls from competing in female-designated sports divisions which several feel violates states civil rights law.

However, opposers of the ban still remain hopeful for change including the NEW Pride Agenda. “New York

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman signs Nassau County law restricting sports teams at county facilities

on biological sex in July 2024 alongside co-sponsor of bill, Legislator Samantha Goetz, with others who voted for its passing.

must remain a beacon of hope and safety for transgender and gender nonconforming people— especially as we face a coordinated national effort to erase our existence from public life,” the NEW Pride Agenda said in a statement, “Nassau County’s law is a disruptive, bullying policy intended to isolate and demonize those who already live at the margins. It denies transgender youth the simple freedom to play, to belong, and to thrive.”

The battle with Nassau County goes back to 2024 when Blakeman first introduced the bill and was passed in June of that year. This came after Blakeman responded with a federal lawsuit contesting the order which originally denied his bill in federal court and which was dismissed that April. Afterwards, the county Supreme Court struck down Blakeman’s executive order in May

2024, after a legal challenge by the NYCLU to which Blakeman planned to appeal.

Despite its original dismissal, Blakeman’s ban excluding sports teams at county facilities based on biological sex remains active in the county.

“If the freedom to participate is not protected in this state, it will only add to the rollbacks of freedoms seen across the country,” The NEW Pride Agenda said, “The NEW Pride Agenda urges our state’s elected leaders to rigorously enforce New York’s anti-discrimination laws and ensure that transgender New Yorkers can live, play, and exist freely and safely. We will continue to hold the line— because we know what is at stake if we do not.”

There are currently no updates on potential future court hearings or appeals.

Public Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT

COUNTY OF NASSAU, U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE OF THE FW SERIES I TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. DANIEL FERNANDEZ, ET AL., Defendant(s).

Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on April 17, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the front steps on the north side of the Nassau County Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY 11501 on November 13, 2025 at 2:00 p.m., premises known as 840 Kings Parkway, Baldwin a/k/a North Baldwin, NY 11510. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in Baldwin, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York, Section 36, Block 132 and Lots 196-198. Approximate amount of judgment is $919,807.64 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #604647/2024.

Brian J. Davis, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 160147-3 156139

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT NASSAU COUNTY

DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE, IN TRUST FOR REGISTERED HOLDERS OF LONG BEACH MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2005-2, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-2, Plaintiff against BAC REALTY, INC., et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Fein Such & Crane, LLP, 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800, Rochester, NY 14614. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered August 31, 2023, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at North Side Steps of the Nassau County Supreme Court at 100 Supreme Court Drive,

Mineola, NY 11501 on November 18, 2025 at 2:30 PM. Premises known as 3367 Harbor Point Road, Baldwin, NY 11510. Sec 54 Block 352

Lot 347. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Baldwin, in the Town of Hempstead, County of Nassau and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $1,289,227.25 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 002520/2017.

The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 10th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. If proper social distancing cannot be maintained or there are other health or safety concerns, then the Court Appointed Referee shall cancel the foreclosure auction. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine.”

Keith LaVallee, Esq., Referee File # SPSJN381 156302

LEGAL NOTICE

SUMMONS Supreme Court of New York, Nassau County. U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF11 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, Plaintiff, -againstPATRICIA KEE, PURPORTED HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JAMES B. LOWE; JANAYA LOWE, PURPORTED HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JAMES B. LOWE; JAMES K. LOWE, PURPORTED HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JAMES B. LOWE; J.A.L., A MINOR, PURPORTED HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JAMES B. LOWE; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF JAMES B. LOWE; PATRICIA K. LOWE; ARROW FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; MICAH DANK; FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY, LLC; NORTHEAST RECOVERY, INC.; TICOR TITLE

INSURANCE COMPANY; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; WOODOAK REALTY LLC, Defendants Index No. 005807/2013. Mortgaged Premises: 970 Wood Oak Drive Baldwin, NY 11510 Section: 54 Block: 556 Lot: 7 TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above captioned action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a Defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. YOU ARE HEREBY PUTON NOTICE THAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT, AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. The amount of the Debt: $363,635.36 consisting of principal balance of $245,138.87 plus interest of $65,450.60, escrow/impound shortages or credits of $51,686.69, late charges of $711.06; Broker’s Price Opinion, inspection and miscellaneous charges of $1,625.00; Attomey fees of $1,000.00 and title search costs of $275.00; Less a Suspense Balance of($2,251.86). Because of interest and other charges that may vary from day to day, the amount due on the day you pay may be greater. Hence, if you pay the amount shown above, an adjustment may be necessary after we receive the check, in which event we will inform you NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing

the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

FRIEDMAN VARTOLO, LLP 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160 Garden City, NY 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff. 156295

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT. NASSAU COUNTY. COMMUNITY LOAN SERVICING F/K/A BAYVIEW LOAN SERVICING LLC, Pltf. vs. NATHTOE SPENCE, et al, Defts. Index #617290/2023. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered Oct. 16, 2024, I will sell at public auction on the North Side steps of the Nassau Supreme Court, 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola, NY on November 19, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. premises k/a 1312 Grand Avenue, Baldwin, NY 11510 a/k/a Section 36, Block 216, Lot 158. Said property beginning at the corner formed by the intersection of the northerly side of Washington Boulevard with the westerly side of the northerly side of Washington Boulevard with the westerly side of Grand Avenue, as widened in 1952, being a plot 104.49 ft. x 20 ft. x 102.57 ft. x 20.09 ft. Approximate amount of judgment is $281,600.29 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. The sale will take place “rain or shine.”

MICHELLE AULIVOLA, Referee. DEROSE & SURICO, Attys. for Pltf., 213-44 38th Avenue, Bayside, NY 11361. #102568 156278

AND LEGAL NOTICES… To place a notice here call us us at 516-569-4000

U.S Rep. Laura Gillen weighs in on stalled government funding bill

By JOSEPH D’ALESSANDRO jdalessandro@liherald.com

With the federal government currently in shutdown, U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen, who representes New York’s Congressional District 4, offered a bipartisan solution.

Gillen shared her perspective on the federal government’s shutdown at the Family and Health Center office in Uniondale on Oct. 2, calling for her Republican colleagues in the house to hear Democrats’ concerns about the budget.

Health care spending is at the center of the disagreement in the House. The budget Congress had attempted to pass, up until Oct. 1 at midnight, includes cuts to a selection of programs that Gillen called “the largest cut to health care in America’s history.”

Tfiscal year, which is Oct. 1 for the federal government. During a shutdown, nonessential departments are halted, while vital institutions must continue working without pay.

The last government shutdown was in 2019.

Gabriel Pedeira is the legislative and political organizer for the American Federation of Government Employees — the largest federal labor union in the country with 800,000 members. In the previous shutdown, Pedeira saw federal workers struggle with delayed pay.

his is really going to hurt people.

L AuRA GiLLEN

U.S. Representative Congressional District 4

Gillen called for both parties to seek a bipartisan solution before rising health costs contribute to the financial burden of families across her district.

“If House Republicans governed responsibly, they would have met with us,” she said. “Instead, they’ve chosen to throw our health care system into further crisis, just months after they voted to gut Medicaid for millions of children, seniors and people with disabilities.”

The “Big Bad Bill,” according to Gillen, includes cuts that would significantly raise premiums for people who have plans under the Affordable Healthcare Act.

“A middle class family of four could see their health care bills rise by an additional $3,200 next year,” she explained. “This is really going to hurt people. We are already struggling with the cost of living crisis, and Long Islanders cannot afford another increased bill.”

A shutdown occurs when congress does not pass a budget for the upcoming

“We had people going to food banks,” he said. “We had people who could not pay their utility bills at the time. We had families who couldn’t pay for childcare at the time. We had people who were forced to go to work and literally couldn’t afford the gasoline.

“This is not something that should be happening in a developed nation like the United States of America,” he continued. “I know we can do better.”

Jeffery Reynolds, president and chief executive of Family & Children’s Association, explained that suicides, divorces and other civil disruptions have been on downward treand post-coronavirus pandemic, but that progress could be at risk.

“I worry that the threats to Medicaid, the threats to the ACA to the grants that we hold here at FCA put all of that in jeopardy,” he said.

Vanessa Barid-Streeter, president and chief executive of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island, urged for healthcare spending to remain a priority in the federal budget.

“They are lifelines for people, for communities and for individuals,” she said. “If we let these credits expire, we will all feel it deeply, personally and collectively.”

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Why can’t the architect and the contractor be friends?

Q. We’re trying to figure out how a mess started right at the beginning of our renovation. The plans were permitted, so we believe they were properly reviewed, but the mason and the contractor built something different than what was in the plans. The contractor is a friend who we trust. They have told us that the architect made mistakes, and they couldn’t build it the way the plans show, so they did something different.

We don’t want to stop the job, but the architect came by and said that there are many problems now, because the structure isn’t going to work the way the contractor made changes, and because the structure had to be a certain way. The contractor keeps sending us texts showing different ways to do the job, complete with sketches. The architect is saying that the work will be unsafe the way the contractor is proposing the changes. What should we do?

A. When plans aren’t followed, which happens all too frequently, the job has to stop while the design is reassessed by the architect. If you take that authority away from the architect, you set yourself up for a prolonged set of problems that can go on and on, delaying the work and possibly not even getting the outcome you were looking for.

The contractor is not given the authority to change the design or construction. Most construction plans have clauses stating that the contractor is not to deviate from them, and also instruct the contractor to contact the architect with questions, or to get clarification on any issues or discrepancies before any work starts. Once the work starts, the contractor will often begin to point fingers at the architect for anything not clear and misunderstood. I refer to this as “divide and conquer,” a common practice in which the contractor, empowered to run the construction job, alienates the architect from the owner, creating an often permanent rift.

Contractors and building inspectors have told me it is rare to see an architect on a construction site, but I recommend that the architect look at the work — especially foundation forms — before a concrete pour and also framing. During demolition is an important time to see previously hidden structure, especially because older homes were often built with bare-minimum beams — hence the explanation for sagging floors that people often point out before the architect starts redesigning. You need to listen to the architect before this problem becomes harder, and more expensive, to undo.

If you have doubts about the architect, especially about structure, bring in a structural engineer to meet with the architect. One of the biggest reasons these problems occur is because of a lack of communication. You, the owner, should have brought everyone, including the architect, contractor, subcontractors — especially the mason — together and had a team meeting. Letting everyone do their own thing with the assumption that everything would run smoothly was the first problem. But it’s not too late. Good luck!

© 2025 Monte Leeper

Readers are encouraged to send questions to yourhousedr@aol.com, with “Herald question” in the subject line, or to Herald Homes, 2 Endo Blvd., Garden City, NY 11530, Attn: Monte Leeper, architect.

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We will remain the leader of the free world

American foreign policy is at a watershed moment, comparable to the critical years after World War II, when the United States and our allies were forced to accept that the euphoria of victory over Nazi Germany and imperial Japan had been supplanted by the reality of the Iron Curtain and the threat of Soviet expansion. The Cold War had begun.

The NATO alliance was formed to prevent Joseph Stalin from emulating Adolf Hitler’s march through Europe after the Munich Conference capitulation in 1938, which had given Hitler virtually free rein to invade and seize Czechoslovakia. A decadeslong struggle would continue through various iterations and crises until the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 — a struggle that today’s isolationists would have labeled an “endless war.” Fortunately, neither American political party elected isolationists during those defining 45 years. Pre-World War II isolationism had long since been consigned to the ash heap of history.

The fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 created a sense of euphoria similar to

Staying

Ithat of 1945 and ’46. Eastern Europe was liberated from the yoke of Soviet communist rule, and the Soviet republics declared their independence from Moscow. One of them was Ukraine, which, tragically, had been brutalized for centuries by Russia.

TUkraine was also left with thousands of Soviet nuclear weapons. In 1994, in keeping with the spirit of the Soviet demise, Ukraine gave up those weapons in return for guarantees of security from the United States, Britain and Russia, in what was known as the Budapest Agreement. All indicators seemed to foresee a reformed Russia, and no aggression of the type that drew the U.S. into the two world wars of the 20th century.

rump’s turnabout with Zelensky and Putin sends a clear message to China.

There would be fits and starts with Russia during the later Bush years, including an incursion into Georgia, and then a promise by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2009 that the Obama administration would “reset” the relationship with Russia. That reset never worked, and Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. There was no Russian aggression during the first Trump administration, but then, in February 2022, Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine — the first invasion of a sovereign European nation since the end of World War II.

defeating Russian aggression, having supplied more funding to Ukraine than the U.S. Unfortunately, President Trump has shown reluctance to stand with Ukraine, ascribing equal blame for the war to Zelensky — even berating him in the White House, telling him he had no cards to play.

I accompanied President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to Moscow in September 1998 for meetings with Russian President Boris Yeltsin and other Russian officials to strengthen economic and cultural ties between our two nations. The dialogue between the leaders was extremely positive. Then, after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the newly elected Russian president, Vladimir Putin, was among the first foreign leaders to pledge President George W. Bush his full support.

Ukraine, under its newly elected reform president, Volodymyr Zelensky, was expected to succumb in days or weeks. President Joseph Biden even offered to have American jets provide Zelensky safe passage out of Ukraine. But with the U.S. and NATO countries supplying weapons and logistical support, Zelensky and Ukraine have fought Russia to a stalemate for over three and a half years — longer than America’s war against Nazi Germany.

Russia has suffered more than a million casualties, and has had to resort to using North Korean troops. Its economy is in shambles. NATO has admitted two previously neutral nations, Sweden and Finland, and remains committed to

Trump met with Putin in Alaska, and implored him to meet with Zelensky to reach a compromise. Putin implied that he would, but reneged. Realizing he was being played, Trump denounced Putin in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly last month, and just hours later, met one on one with Zelensky. Then, going full circle, Trump released a statement hailing Zelensky’s leadership, saying that Ukraine was in a position to “fight and win,” and pledging to continue to supply weapons to NATO for Ukraine’s use against Russia.

Trump’s turnabout will prevent a catastrophic replay of Munich and halt Putin’s attempt to rebuild the Russian empire. This defeat of Russian aggression in Europe will simultaneously send a clear message to China not to move against Taiwan or other Pacific nations such as the Philippines and Japan. The United States will remain the leader of the free world.

Peter King is a former congressman, and a former chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security. Comments? pking@ liherald.com.

sane in the age of information overload

’m tired. In fact, I’m exhausted. I’m overwhelmed. It’s not from going to the gym. It’s not from being glued to my TV, watching my favorite baseball team trying to survive the playoffs.

It’s the torrent of information that has been drowning me 24 hours a day, with no promise of abating. Is there any hope that the flood will end and that I’ll have a respite from information overload? Is there any hope that the barrage will shut down over the weekend, when we try to pay less attention to our laptops and cellphones? Or are we doomed to being perpetually overwhelmed by the greatest avalanche of facts, figures, news, emails, text messages and robocalls since the dawn of the high-tech era?

There is no one culprit that we can identify whose elimination would give us a reprieve from the onslaught. One of the biggest offenders of them all is,

Aof course, the White House, which engages in a strategy known as Flood the Zone. Every day, it releases so many “hot” news items that it would take you or me two or three days just to get through them. In addition to the media flood, President Trump holds freewheeling news conferences that can last well over an hour. Generally, those events generate other news stories on top of the daily pressroom output.

Then there’s the smartphone app challenge. I checked my phone and found that I am attached to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X and have subscriptions to the Daily News, the New York Post, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Newsday, Newsday TV, the Huffington Post, Apple News, The Hill, CNN, The Weather Channel and some others that I’ve forgotten. I know that over the course of the day, I tap into every one of those outlets for some type of information.

imagine waiting at a bus stop for six hours. It’s a long time.

ll ‘breaking’ news all the time — and for goodness’ sake, don’t forget podcasts.

Beyond all these challenges is the introduction of artificial intelligence into our lives. No matter how hard you try, there’s no way to escape the onslaught of articles, studies, memos and office talk about AI. Just a few years ago, if someone had uttered the words artificial intelligence, they would have been largely ignored. These days, those words hover over us like a threatening storm cloud, with most of us having no idea whether it will help or harm us.

program. How many times in a halfhour can there be so much “breaking” news? And the repetition of the same stories can be head-splitting.

Last, but by far not least, is the introduction into our space of the podcast. Today, almost every media, political, religious, sports or entertainment personality has a podcast of some kind. They have rotating guests, and offer a mountain of opinions on the subjects of the moment. Many of them are interesting and informative, but how many hours in a day do we have to partake in this newest information vehicle?

Once a week, I get a text telling me that, on average, I’m on my phone for a minimum of six hours a week. That doesn’t sound like a lot of hours, but

Once upon a time, watching television was a respite from the pressures of the day. Today, watching TV can leave you dazed and confused by hour after hour of commercials for countless drugs, all of which, apparently, will save humanity. On top of the drug tsunami, there are countless other ads that dominate the time you would like to just sit back and watch your favorite show, uninterrupted.

To add to the desperation for some chill time, there’s today’s typical news

So that is my ongoing nightmare. It is mine, but it’s the nightmare that we all face. We’re just human beings; we’re not robots. At least for now, they can’t implant a chip in our brain to help us fend off the cascade of facts, figures, opinions, ideas, theories and concepts that flood our every waking hour. So we’ll have to find new ways to help ourselves live a normal life, and still be adequately informed people.

Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. Comments about this column? jkremer@ liherald.com.

Established 1994

Incorporating the The South Shore Reporter and The Baldwin Citizen in 2013

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HERALD

iHerald editorial

Real journalists, reporting real stories

n an age of uncertainty and skepticism toward the media, one mission has remained unwavering: to inform, empower and connect our community with journalism rooted in truth and integrity.

That mission defines Herald Community Media, publisher of 27 community weekly newspapers serving Nassau and Suffolk counties and a touch of New York City. It is the foundation of everything we do — every story we report, every question we ask and every issue we print.

The Herald’s purpose has never been clearer or more vital, especially now, during election season. Across the nation, trust in media has declined as misinformation spreads faster than facts and as social media platforms blur the line between opinion and truth. Yet despite this turbulence, the need for reliable local journalism has never been greater. We know you depend on us not only to tell you what’s happening, but also to help you understand why it matters — to your neighborhood, your family and your future.

This summer, the Pew Research Center published “How Americans View Journalists in the Digital Age,” an indepth look at how the public perceives our profession. Pew surveyed nearly 9,400 U.S. adults and convened a number of focus groups, and found both optimism and concern. Most Americans still believe journalists are vital to our soci-

letters

There’s often been bias in journalism

To the Editor:

Re Nick Buglione’s column in the Oct. 2-8 issue, “I was proud to be a reporter — but things have changed”: I, too, would like to put to rest the argument that Facebook, Instagram, Tik-Tok and other social media have any role in serious journalism. It’s indeed unfortunate that so many people rely on these geysers of rumor, gossip, misinformation and lies for their news.

But the journalism profession has never been as idealistic and innocent as Mr. Buglione seems to suggest it once was. In fact, long before social media invaded our world, the press’s coverage of important events was at times nakedly partisan, ignorant and dishonest.

In the 19th century, for example, some newspapers accepted hefty sums of money from politicians for favorable coverage of their campaigns. At least one paper from that era, William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal, ran sensationalized stories about Spanish atrocities in Cuba, which, many believe, helped drum up support for American involvement in the Span-

ety’s well-being — but many also express frustration, feeling that the media’s credibility and influence have declined amid political division and technological upheaval.

Yet within those findings lies a message of hope and direction. Americans say what they value most in their news providers is honesty, intelligence and authenticity — qualities that have guided the Herald’s reporting since its founding in 1964. Our journalists live by those values every day. We verify information carefully, we listen with compassion and we report with clarity and context. We are not distant observers; we are your neighbors, your fellow community members and your partners in truth.

At a time when the term “media” often evokes distrust, the Herald reaffirms its promise: to deliver accurate, objective and trustworthy local journalism. That means being transparent about how we report, being accountable when we err, and being authentic in how we connect with you.

Authenticity, as editors across the country have noted, may be the most powerful defense against today’s flood of misinformation and artificial intelligence-generated content. Real, local journalism can’t be practiced from behind a desk or from a distant city. It requires trained professionals who show up in the community, ask hard questions and share the stories of other real-life

people.

Every week, Herald journalists attend school board meetings, interview local business owners, chronicle civic debates, and celebrate the achievements of neighbors doing extraordinary things. We are not reporting on the community from afar — we are reporting within it, with care, empathy and purpose.

Readers deserve to know how stories come together — how sources are verified, why certain facts are included and how conclusions are drawn. We are committed to correcting mistakes quickly and publicly, because credibility is not earned by claiming perfection but by demonstrating honesty.

As Pew’s research highlights, Americans long for media that is clear, fair and accountable. The Herald’s commitment to those ideals has not wavered for more than six decades, and it will not waver now. Our mission — to inform, empower and connect our community with journalism rooted in truth and integrity — is our responsibility, our calling and our promise. As a locally owned family business, our commitment is to our communities, not to Wall Street.

In a world increasingly driven by algorithms and artificial noise, the Herald’s voice remains steady: local reporting by real journalists, telling real stories that matter. That is how we serve. That is how we strengthen our community. And that is how we continue.

A clearer view: understanding and treating cataracts

Have you noticed that your vision is becoming a little hazy, like you’re looking through a foggy window? If so, you might be experiencing the effects of cataracts.

contact lens prescription, or double vision in one eye.

What, exactly, is a cataract? Imagine the lens of your eye is like the lens of a camera. It’s a clear, natural part of your eye that focuses light onto the retina, which is at the back of your eye. The retina then sends signals to your brain, creating the images you see.

A cataract is simply the clouding of this natural lens. It’s a bit like a clear camera lens becoming frosted over. This clouding prevents light from passing through properly, leading to blurry, hazy or dim vision. Cataracts typically develop slowly and painlessly, so you might not even notice a change in your vision at first. As they progress, however, you may experience cloudy or blurry vision, the fading or yellowing of colors, an increased sensitivity to light, difficulty with night vision, halos around lights, frequent changes in your eyeglass or

The most common cause of cataracts is aging, but other factors can also contribute to their development, including family history, medical conditions, previous eye injury or surgery, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, or prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight.

When cataracts begin to interfere with your daily life, making it difficult to read, drive or watch TV, it’s time to consider cataract surgery. It’s one of the most common and routinely successful surgical procedures performed today.

Tdistance (i.e. driving, watching a Broadway show). You will likely still need glasses for reading, using a computer and other close-up tasks.

Toric lenses (astigmatism correction): Astigmatism occurs when the cornea is shaped more like a football than a baseball, causing blurry or distorted vision. Toric IOLs have a special design that corrects both your cataract and your astigmatism in a single procedure.

hey’re a normal part of aging, but they don’t have to define your vision.

The surgeon makes a tiny incision in the eye, and then uses a special tool to break up and remove the cloudy natural lens. Then a new, clear artificial lens — called an intraocular lens, or IOL — is implanted in its place. The new lens becomes a permanent part of your eye and requires no special care.

With modern cataract surgery, you have options for your new lens. Your doctor will help you choose the best one to fit your lifestyle and needs.

Monofocal IOL: This is the most common type of IOL. It provides clear vision at a single distance, usually for

LeTTers

ish-American War.

Closer to our time, the press remained curiously silent about the 1940s Levittown covenant restricting home ownership in that community to white people. And in 2002, when President George W. Bush justified our invasion of Iraq by insisting that the country’s weapons of mass destruction posed a threat to America, few newspapers questioned his claim.

I’m sure Mr. Buglione enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with his Herald colleagues 20 years ago. And while I’ve no reason to doubt his statement that Herald reporters were genuinely committed to presenting the news accurately, we’d be hard-pressed to find a time when the press — in general — has been entirely squeaky clean.

RICHARd J. COnWAY Massapequa

Koslow’s a better choice than Blakeman

To the Editor:

It can be an easy win for a candidate with name recognition who has enough money and government power to bombard us with fliers, signs and TV ads

each day. Bruce Blakeman, our current n assau County executive, has this power. We need to look beyond the hype. It’s time for a more centrist candidate. Blakeman and his team are entrenched in national politics, pleasing President Trump by doing such things as training a group of our county police officers to work in tandem with the president’s controversial ICE force, setting aside cells in our county jail for nonviolent ICE detainees, and creating a volunteer, private militia that Blakeman can use when and how he decides.

On the other hand, Seth Koslow is a centrist candidate for county executive with years of experience as a Queens district attorney, a private-practice lawyer and a current member of the nassau County Legislature. He has lived in n assau County his entire life, and is raising his family here. He is very concerned about our taxes in nassau, and has said that he would order a full, independent audit of county spending to see where our money is being spent.

Koslow has stated that he would share ideas with his Republican counterpart in Suffolk County, because he believes in the idea of people on both sides working together for the benefit of the county. He has said he would disband Blakeman’s private militia because he believes that our excellent

Extended depth of focus lenses: These lenses create a single, elongated focal point to provide a continuous range of vision. They offer excellent distance vision and a solid range of intermediate vision — great for computer work or seeing a car dashboard — with a lower chance of nighttime glare or halos than other multifocal designs. You may still need glasses for very fine print.

Light adjustable lenses: These are the only IOLs that can be customized after they have been implanted. The lenses are made of unique, photosensitive material. After a few weeks of healing, your surgeon uses a special light-delivery device to fine-tune the lenses’ power to your exact visual needs (distance, near or a blend), eliminating any small remaining prescription errors. Once

the optimal vision is achieved, the lens is “locked in” and the adjustments are permanent. This offers the highest level of precision and customization.

Femtosecond cataract surgery: precision with lasers: While traditional cataract surgery is very safe and effective, many surgeons now offer laser-assisted surgery. It uses a highly precise, computer-controlled laser to perform several key steps of the surgery that were traditionally done by hand with a blade. The laser creates the tiny incision, opens the lens capsule and even softens the cataract before it is removed. This allows for extraordinary accuracy and consistency, can lead to a more predictable outcome and a faster recovery, and is a safer procedure for certain patients.

Cataracts are a normal part of aging, but they don’t have to define your vision. With simple preventive measures and highly effective surgical options, you can look forward to a world that is once again clear, vibrant and full of light. If you have any concerns about your vision, don’t hesitate to speak with your eye doctor.

Dr. Carolyn Shih is an assistant professor at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, and works at South Shore Eye Care, a member of the Northwell Health Eye Institute.

county police force is more than capable of handling our citizens’ safety.

The bottom line is that Seth Koslow is a highly qualified local resident who would concentrate solely on the needs

of our county. This makes him and his team best suited to run our county.