My Hometown

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 theHERC - 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.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine meet a publicist and an author from Long Island, Carol Hoenig, who has been in the publishing industry for over 30 years, as a bookseller, former bookstore owner, consultant and an author. Her most recent published novel is titled BEFORE SHE WAS A FINLEY.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about the North Shore Historical Museum - which exists to preserve the history of the North Shore of Long Island through the stewardship of its collections and historic structure to engage the public, and to interpret the history of the North Shore, in particular the area once known as the “Gold Coast”, through exhibitions, lectures, and programs.  They speak with Christopher Judge, the Director of the North Shore Historical Museum, and Gaitley Stevenson-Matthews, one of the museums board members.

Are you ready to be "WOW"ed?  Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about “Winning On Wednesday” - a virtual business networking platform that meets by ZOOM every Wednesday. They prioritize building meaningful professional relationships to help businesses grow and expand networking opportunities. They talk with Juan Vides, the Founder of "Winning on Wednesday."

Bill Horan and Matthew Leonard talk with Cassandra Basile, the Director of PR and Marketing at Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Metro, which is anincredible organization that provides comfort, care, and housing to families with seriously ill children. They find out how they help families during some of their most challenging times, and learn about the impact it has on communities in the Long Island area.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine find out what it takes to own your own roofing company by speaking with Kevin Miller, owner of Chief Cornerstone Roofing, based on Long Island.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine shine a spotlight on elder care and the legal professionals who help families navigate the challenges of aging with dignity. From estate planning to long-term care options, we’ll hear from one local expert to better explain what it is that they do and how they might be able to help you!  They speak with Lisa R. Valente, a partner at Makofsky Valente Law Group, P.C., with offices locally in Garden City.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine meet Seaford native Jesse Kinch - who is not only a successful rock musician, but he beat the odds stacked against him by overcoming a brain tumor.  We listen to his music and find out all about his career.

We don’t usually think of Nassau County as a place for tourists since we LIVE here. But luckily, there are people that are paid to do so, for the people who DON’T live here to come and visit - or maybe, you can have a STAYCATION this spring. Bill Horan and Stacy Raine find out more from Kristen Stucchio-Suarez, Project Director at RRDA, the official tourism and promotions agency for Nassau County.

Bill Horan and Matthew Leonard talk with a playwright, screenwriter, and television writer and producer, whose credits include the stage plays Key Exchange, Mr. & Mrs., and Cruise Control, and the screenplays for Working Girl, True Colors, Mr. Baseball, Junior, Meet Joe Black, and Maid in Manhattan. For television, he has served as the showrunner, executive producer, and backseat driver of the CBS drama Blue Bloods since 2011 - and he is from Long Island   His name is Kevin Wade, and he is also the author of a new novel titled “JOHNNY CARELESS.”

Did you know that the Incorporated Village of Valley Stream on Long Island is the third largest village in the state, and is about to turn 100 years old this year? Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn more by talking to Village Mayor Edwin Fare and Village Historian Carol McKenna.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine get business empowerment from Michael Gliner, the board chairperson at the Inwood Civic Association, a community organization based in the Inwood neighborhood, focused on addressing local issues and improving the quality of life for residents by advocating for their needs to government officials and organizing community initiatives.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about Long Island organizations that are a part of the Epic Family of Human Service Agencies - who provide treatment, care, education and support to those with epilepsy, and to individuals with intellectual or emotional challenges.  They speak with Janet Romeo, their Director of Epilepsy Services, along with Irene Rodgers, their Chief of Development and Engagement Officer.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in Rockville Centre. Many know what Dr. King did in his lifetime, especially his “I Have a Dream” speech, but did you know there was a community center in our backyard named after him?  They learn more from Sharon Sheppard, Assistant Director, and Jaylen Benjamin, Activities Coordinator, at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learned that people in Freeport were upset when back in 2022, a very popular ice cream shop called Pip’s Ice Cream Parlor was forced to close to do storm damage from Superstorm Sandy and rising rent costs. But since 2024, it’s back, under a new name, thanks to an amazing local hero who helped financially and emotionally bring it back to life, now called Sam’s Scoops - located inside Sparkle on Stage Cultural Arts Center on Woodcleft Avenue in Freeport. They speak with Robyn Workman, the owner and proprietor of Sparkle on Stage Cultural Arts Center, and the biggest sponsor of Sam’s Scoops in Freeport.

Love is in the air! Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn all about Long Island company WeekendDating.com - who has been organizing Long Island Speed Dating and Speed Dating N-Y-C events since 2003, resulting in at least 85 marriages and 13 children. They sponsor events that include speed dating, trivia nights, cultural events and much more.  They speak with Jay Rosensweig, the owner of WeekendDating.com.

Bill Horan and Stacy Raine learn about the Long Island based company called BEDGEAR.  They speak with Eugene Alletto, their CEO and Quarterback.  BEDGEAR has created over 280 global Patents, Trademarks and Patents-pending, developing the world’s only performance bedding brand.