My Hometown

Bill Horan and Riya Panel learn about the Walt Whitman Birthplace in Huntington Station. The Whitman family roots on this part of Long Island date back to the early 17th century. Walt was born in 1819. There is so much more to this poetic story, so they speak with Caitlyn Shea, the Executive Director at the Walt Whitman Birthplace.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel learn about The Massapequa Kiwanis. Founded in September of 1949, their objective is to respond to the needs of the community. The club's primary emphasis is on the youth, with the willingness to support all facets of their community. They speak with Leonard (Bud) Antonelli, the President, and Jim Taratunio, the Vice President.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel learn about a Long Island-based business called Paper Doll Vintage Boutique. They opened its doors in 2012 in Sayville, but after a devastating fire forced its closure in 2024, they re-opened in a new location in Sayville. They have a variety of styles, sizes, and price points, to work with everyone's style and budget. They talk with Dominique Maciejka - the owner of Paper Doll Vintage Boutique.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Kristen Stucchio-Suarez, the Project Director at RRDA, the official tourism and promotions agency for Nassau County, about some of the fun things happening in the county this fall and winter season.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel learn about The North Shore Village Theater in Glen Cove, NY, where they bring education, entertainment, and enrichment for all ages through the performing arts as the only all-inclusive theatre company to the residents of the North Shore of Long Island - and beyond. They speak with Christopher Moll, the Founder and Artistic Director.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel learn about the Nassau BOCES Long Island High School for the Arts - where emerging artists get the opportunity to explore and refine their talents in a one-of-a-kind, master apprentice, arts-centered community in Syosset. They speak with Lindsay Rogan, the Principal at the Long Island High School for the Arts.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Morgan Taylor, Team President for the Long Island Nets (G-League Affiliate of the Brooklyn Nets), and VP of Business Operations for the New York Liberty (WNBA Team). They learn how she rose to these positions, what it takes to run professional sports teams, and why internships are so important for career growth.

Bill Horan talks with Adrienne Esposito, the Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment, with their office located in Farmingdale. Together, they learn about the little things everyone on Long Island can do to improve the environment.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk once again with Leora Lanz, a Huntington resident, who is a full-time professor at Boston University. She is the former Global Director of Marketing and Communications for HVS, a hospitality consulting firm then located in Mineola, and the former Director of Public Relations and Advertising for the ITT Sheraton Hotels of New York, among other jobs. She is the author of a new book called, Developing Your Marketing Mindset. (Part 1 can be found earlier in our feed.)

Bill Horan learns about a music program for young girls that was created through something called The Flowerkids Foundation. The project was developed as part of a Girl Scouts Gold Award project, and it focuses on building confidence, creativity, and performance skills through music. He speaks with 18-year-old Rebecca Comba, who created the project, along with her sister Allison Comba, the founder and owner of The Flowerkids Foundation, and Angelina Abbatiello, who was part of the project!

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel learn about Ayuda For The Arts, an alliance dedicated to helping students with a financial need, pursue their education in art related fields. They offer undergraduate scholarships and mentorship to advance their studies in their chosen field of the arts. They speak with Jim Taratunio, the President and co-founder.

Bill Horan learns about the Nassau County SPCA, which offers resources for pet owners, assisting in the care and placement of homeless pets, enforcing animal protection laws, preventing animal cruelty, and serving victims of animal cruelty. He speaks with Kathy Payne, the Disaster Response Assistant Coordinator, and Beverly Poppell, the Disaster Response Outreach Coordinator, at the Nassau County SPCA.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel discuss food insecurity - which many don’t even realize is a problem on Long Island. They speak with Robert LaBarbara, the VP for Procurement & Supply Chain Oversight, at Long Island Cares, the Harry Chapin Regional Food Bank, a non-profit that benefits people dealing with food insecurity.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Angelik Bell, a registered nurse and case manager at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Hospital, part of Northwell Health. Besides being a terrific nurse, she has spent the weekend before Thanksgiving making sure families in her community have what they need for the holiday - and she’s been doing it for the past 18 years through her non-profit, Harvest For The World.

Bill Horan meets 17-year-old Kendall Aufenanger, a junior at Great Neck North High School, who has been named a youth ambassador for the National Baseball Poetry Festival and was also recognized as a 2025 youth contest winner - an honor that reflects both her writing talent and her growing role in helping promote creative writing among young people. Founded in 2022, the National Baseball Poetry Festival takes place at Polar Park in Massachusetts with programs on readings, workshops, panels, performances, a ballpark tour, two ballgames, fireworks, and conversations that bring together poets, educators, baseball fans, and community members.

Bill Horan meets the creators of FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS - a weekly event that takes place in the spring, summe and fall in Levittown, NY - so bring some money and an empty stomach, because this community event is sure to fill up your heart - and your stomach! He talks with Wendy Lantigua, the CEO and Creator of Food Truck Fridays, along with Joe Fradella, the owner of The Lemon Life, a fresh lemonade vendor who can be found at the event.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel learn about PRONTO of Long Island: People Helping People, with a mission to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, welcome the strangers & provide healing and hope to everyone who walks through their doors. They speak with Merlisa Fairley, Chief Operations Officer, and Keith Scott, the President & CEO.

Today, we’re talking Long Island music royalty… without needing backstage passes! Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Norm Prusslin, the Co-Founder, and First Vice Chair on their Board of Directors, and a 2026 inductee to the Hall of Fame, at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook. Norm is also a professor at Stony Brook University and a past General Manager of their college radio station, WUSB.

Bill Horan and Riya Panel talk with Cosmo Leone, the author of YES, IT’S COSMO! He is an alum of WHPC and Nassau Community College, and his book is all about his career in the radio industry.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Hilary JM Topper, who is the former owner of HJMT Public Relations, and is now the author of "Unlocking the Triathlon: The Beginner’s Guide to Competing in a Triathlon", which tells her story of how, as a 53-year-old non-swimming mom and business owner, she trained for and completed her first triathlon.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Kristen Stucchio-Suarez, the Project Director at RRDA, the official tourism and promotions agency for Nassau County, about fun things to do around the county this spring and summer, including Long Island Restaurant Week, events at UBS Arena, The Gold Coast Book Festival and more.

Get your dancing shoes ready - Bill Horan talks with Nicole Loizides Albruzzese, the Executive Artistic Director of New York Dance Theatre and the affiliated Ohman School of Ballet. She is also the Executive Producer of the Gold Coast Dance Festival.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Laura A. O'Connell, the internship coordinator, and a professor in the Communications Area within the Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts Department at Nassau Community College. She is the author of a new book, "The Internship Companion: Guiding You Through Each Phase of Your Journey."

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Leora Lanz, a Huntington resident, who is a full-time professor at Boston University. She is the former Global Director of Marketing and Communications for HVS, a hospitality consulting firm then located in Mineola, and the former Director of Public Relations and Advertising for the ITT Sheraton Hotels of New York, among other jobs. She is the author of a new book called, Developing Your Marketing Mindset.

Bill Horan and Riya Panel meet East Meadow resident Spencer Cook, who wants to help people who are struggling with addiction. He struggled himself, and was even arrested back in 2014, when he was 27. In 2020, after six and a half years of incarceration and a year under house arrest, he dedicated his new lease on life to becoming sober, creating the SoberIn40 Program.

Bill Horan and Riya Pantel talk with Peter Hewitson, the owner of Uncle Bacala’s Italian Seafood and More, on Jericho Turnpike in Garden City Park, about what makes his restaurant stand the test of time, being open since 2004.

Bill Horan and Matt Leonard talk with Liz Suter, an environmental science professor at Molloy College, who she is at the forefront of a genomic revolution in marine research, using environmental DNA to decode the hidden life of oceans and reshape how scientists monitor ecosystems, from Long Island bays to global waters.

Bill Horan and Gabby Seudath talk with Mr. Lester Paldy, a professor emeritus from Stony Brook University, who was tapped by the CIA in 1988 to join the agency for a “trial run” as they faced a troubling new situation in Russia. That “temporary” assignment would last for 25 years. He extends an invitation to join him on his life- changing journey as the professor with his new book titled, “No Cloak, No Dagger.”

Bill Horan and Gabby Seudath talk with Mr. Anthony DeVito, a Long Islander who lost his father, Joseph DeVito on January 18th, 2023, at the hands of a drunk driver. But he turned that huge negative into a bigger positive by partnering with MADD, whose work includes advocating against drugged driving, supporting victims of both drunk and drugged driving, and preventing underage drinking.

Bill Horan and Gabby Seudath learn about a Long Island based, family-run, non-profit organization, driven by a shared commitment to honor a lost father’s legacy of compassion, service, and love. Bill: The organization is called HOWIE’S HEART, named after HOWIE CONKLIN, with a mission to inspire children, teens, and families to find joy in helping others through meaningful, carefully created volunteer opportunities that contribute to the greater good of our community and spread kindness. They speak with the co-creators of Howie’s Heart… Howie’s daughter Jen Camacho, and his son James Conklin.

Bill Horan and Gabby Seudath learn about a Long Island organization that is trying to make a positive difference in people’s lives through their homes. People with disabilities & financial hardships struggle every day with tasks that most people find second nature. They want to make lives easier by improving and/or eliminating hurdles in homes. It's called RESCUING FAMILIES, and they talk to the founders of the organization, Gina and Vinny Centauro.

Bill Horan and Gabby Seudath learn about a program that was created by students at JFK High School in Bellmore that connects teens with senior citizens across Long Island called Senior Teen Joy, Long Island's first Jewish intergenerational program. They speak with the co-founders, Zachary Hoberman and Benji Balshin, along with their Social Media Director, Brianna Balshin.

Bill Horan and Gabby Seudath meet Pete Benney and Mark Novak, the local entrepreneurs and creators of a ping-pong game called BATZ, online at www.playbatz.com.

Bill Horan and Gabby Seudath learn about The QuackerJack Foundation - the charitable arm of Long Island’s hometown baseball team, the Long Island Ducks! The QuackerJack Foundation is a non-profit that was formed in 2003 to better coordinate the team’s charitable endeavors, named after the club’s ever-popular mascot, QuackerJack. They speak with Michael Polak, the Vice President of Communications with the Long Island Ducks.

Bill Horan and Gabby Seudath talk to Professor John D. Lin, who also teaches at St. Johns University, and the City University of New York, and is the author of a new book titled - Eli and Me: My Inspiration and the Epitome of Excellence.

Bill Horan and Gabby Seudath learn about The Long Island Crisis Center, which provides 24/7, free, high quality, confidential and non-judgmental programs and services to support and empower Long Islanders at critical times in their lives. They speak with Katie Stoll, the Crisis Center Director, and Jackie Lucianil, their Program Development Administrator.

Bill Horan and Matt Leonard learned about a local group called NY Furs, which looks to bring people together at in-person furry events all over New York, each event giving an opportunity for people to let their fur fly toward their goal of strengthening the local community to keep furries connected to local happenings. They speak with Anthony Ryabchikov, the Founder of NY Furs, and their Head of their Events Team Manager, Vinny Lugo, also known by Vinegar.

Bill Horan and Gabby Seudath learn about a joint admissions program that eases the pathway to a bachelor's degree - between Nassau Community College, and Farmingdale State College. They speak with Maggie Fleming, the Director of Interinstitutional Partnerships at Farmingdale State College.

Bill Horan and Ashley Ramirez talk with Long Islander Chris DeFlorio, a former NYPD officer who is the author of a book titled, Called into Darkness: Two NYC First Responders Battle the Supernatural. Chris and his wife, Harmony, were both first responders during some of NYC’s darkest days. Today, they’re spiritual investigators answering calls from people experiencing terrifying paranormal disturbances, drawing on decades of experience in law enforcement and emergency response.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine meet The Traveling Professor—a man who turned his love of history, culture, and perfectly packed suitcases into unforgettable small group tours. His name is Steven Solosky, a retired professor in the math department here at Nassau Community College, and now the creator of TravelingProfessor.com, and SmallGroupTours.com.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, working to build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. They speak with Rande Bynum, the Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County - and a Lifetime Girl Scout Member!

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about The Rare Treats Baking Company, a home kitchen from Malverne, specializing in dairy-free and nut-free treats that are delicious for EVERYONE. They create baked goods for families navigating food allergies and restrictions, especially those living with Eosinophilic Esophagitis, or EoE. They speak with Stephanie Fitzpatrick, the founder and baker behind The Rare Treats Baking Company. She is joined by her oldest son, 11-year-old Logan - the inspiration for Rare Treats.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about the Amateur Observers Society of New York, where astronomy enthusiasts of all ages get to meet together to bring Long Island astronomy to the public and provide astronomy resources to members, with a goal to educate and inspire the public. They speak with Jason Cousins, the President of the Amateur Observers Society of New York.

Bill Horan and Matt Leonard talk with Kristen Stucchio-Suarez, Project Director at RRDA, the official tourism and promotions agency for Nassau County, about all of the big events coming to Nassau County this fall, including a watch party for the Ryder Cup, events at UBS Arena, and more.

An "angel shot" is a discreet way for bar customers to signal to staff that they need help in an unsafe situation. It's not a drink, but a code word or phrase that bartenders and servers are trained to recognize and respond to. And our guest today has taken that concept into the 21st century by creating an app that can do just that, digitally, called The Angel Shot App. Bill Horan and Stacy Raine talk with Stephen Brennan, the owner of the bar Whiskey’s in Freeport, who along with his partner Jimmy LaSalle, created the Angel Shot App.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about The Veterans Resource Facility at Nassau Community College, which is dedicated to fostering a sense of community and to developing a channel of communication among student veterans and with faculty, staff, administration and community. They welcome and support veterans and recognize the contributions they have made for our nation, and at the same time, they are proud of the level of diversity and academic excellence that veterans bring to the campus. They speak with Miguel A. Castillo, the Veterans Resource Coordinator, and Roosevelt Morring, the Student Veterans Club Advisor.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine talk with Rich “Big Daddy” Salgado, known to be one of the most trusted men among professional athletes and an agent to the stars. As the chief executive of Coastal Advisors, otherwise known as Big Daddy Insures, he is an insurance adviser to more than 500 of the most prominent names in the world of sports, business, media and the entertainment industry with clients including former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, Fox Sports analyst Reggie Bush, former NBA point guard Jeremy Lin, ESPN senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter, and actress Melissa Joan Hart. And he’s from right here on Long Island.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about the Casey Skudin 343 Fund - providing First Responders with access to holistic and alternative treatment modalities for the purpose of healing traumas, and related mental health challenges that arise with a career of public service on the front line, based in Long Beach, NY. They speak with Angela Skudin, their Founder and CEO.

Bill Horan and Matt Leonard meet students who were selected by NASA to compete at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Alabama. They are from Chaminade High School who are a part of their Science Research Club, and were lucky enough to be one of 75 teams selected to compete in the HERC - Human Exploration Rover Challenge! They talk with Charles Clague and Ryan Ava Riebli, Class of ’25, Antonio Savastano and Dylan Stampfel, Class of ’26, and Christopher Covelli, Class of ’28.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about a Long Island organization that has created a warm and inviting home to secure the lifelong spiritual, educational and fellowship needs of the community at large, dedicated to the greater Jewish community and the State of Israel. It's called Manetto Hill Jewish Center - a conservative, egalitarian synagogue located in Plainview that wants to help everyone engage in Jewish life and become part of a greater Jewish Community. They speak with Rabbi Neil Schuman, the Spiritual Leader at Manetto Hill Jewish Center.