Parents and kids' behavior,  Ukraine, Nassau University Medical Center, feral cats, illegal pot sales

Give parents info about kids’ behavior

Kudos to Kostas A. Katsavdakis for his essay, “Identify students on path to violence” [Opinion, March 11].

To take it one step further, involve parents, who are the primary socializing agents for kids. They are generally most sensitive to changes in their behavior, thoughts and emotions.

To expand upon the writer’s idea, why not hold seminars for parents of incoming students immediately prior to the start of the school year, perhaps on a weeknight from 7-9 p.m.?

Experts would have the opportunity to sensitize them to developing signs of danger to themselves or others. Parents who could not, or choose not to attend, could be contacted individually. Confidentiality could be maintained to prevent the child from identifying the parent as a betrayer.

Parents could then decide whether to share their experience with their kids. The addition of the parents would round out the team’s understanding of the child, thereby completing the circle of caring.

— Stan Feinberg, Wantagh

U.S. needs to keep promise to Ukraine

As a widow of a Ukrainian American, I recently joined a rally with clergy, Ukrainian Americans and other community members, urging our congressman to keep America’s promise to Ukraine [“Putin: Ready to use nukes,” Nation & World, March 14].

Before the Soviet Union collapsed, the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal was housed in Ukraine. Russia wanted it back, and terrorists did, too. The United States and Europe were worried.

So, the United States, United Kingdom and Russia signed a 1994 memorandum promising Ukraine that if it dismantled its nuclear arsenal, we would protect them from any invasion. Ukraine kept its part of the deal. If it hadn’t, Russia likely would not have invaded Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked for only military aid, not boots on the ground. Isn’t that the least we could do?

Ukrainians are on the frontline in a fight to save democracy, not only their own, but democracies around the globe, too.

Every day that the House delays, Ukrainians die. The House needs to keep America’s promise and give aid to Ukraine.

If House Speaker Mike Johnson won’t bring it to the floor, then our local congressman should sign a discharge petition to force a vote.

— Claudia Borecky, Merrick

The writer is president of the Bellmore Merrick Democratic Club.

NUMC should follow health care paragons

Your editorial about the need to reorganize the Nassau University Medical Center board is spot on [“Time to remake NUMC’s board,” Editorial, March 13]. Like many things at that troubled center, the board as currently configured serves only to perpetuate the status quo and dysfunction. Political cronies are put in place to appease the union, hire endless connected consultants and muddle their way through.

Conversely, other health care entities seek to appoint accomplished, diverse business individuals who are willing to make the tough decisions to advance their organizations. Why can’t NUMC do likewise? The time is long overdue for massive real changes if NUMC is to survive.

— Mike Tartaglia, Franklin Square

Neutering feral cats is a priority over feeding

As a longtime trap-neuter-return advocate, I hope that the Village of Babylon will consider a TNR program as a viable solution to stabilizing the feral cat population [“Feline lovers oppose feral cat feeding ban,” Our Towns, Feb. 29].

First and foremost is educating the public about TNR programs. Feeding feral cats out of kindness is not resolving the male cats’ impregnating many neighborhood females. Dozens of kittens will be born and over many years lead to an uncontrolled feral cat population.

Several friends and I have trapped and neutered many cats in our lifetime. The cats stayed on our property with shelters I bought and enhanced — a long, rectangular Styrofoam box covered with waterproof plastic — and I also made my own. I provided food, and they lived out their lives in a humane way. My two outdoor-only cats have thrived.

The Town of Oyster Bay has a TNR program. People who view feral cats as a nuisance hopefully will see the Village of Babylon as taking positive steps in resolving a longstanding problem if they adopt a TNR program rather than ban the feeding of feral cats which does not result in decreasing the feral cat population.

— Carol Krupinski, Plainview

Pot dealers have made an about-face

I’m incredulous that in the pre-pot legalization days, dealers complained of being overly prosecuted and now that they are licensed, the complaint is a lack of enforcement [“Seeking to sue illegal pot shops,” News, March 10].

— Howie Weinick, Woodmere