________ Franklin square/elmont _______
HERALD
CommUNItY UPDAtE Infections as of July 2
9,206
Infections as of June 28 9,197
$1.00
Drugs, firearms uncovered in F.S.
Senator receives ‘vile’ hate mail
Breakfast for front-line heroes
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Vol. 23 No. 28
JUlY 8 - 14, 2021
‘There are no guarantees’ Franklin Square, Elmont resident cautious about Covid-19 By RoBERt tRAVERSo rtraverso@liherald.com
Courtesy Elmont School District
A ‘Fundae’ to end the school year Sixth-graders moving up at Clara H. Carlson School in Elmont played cornhole, among other games, during the school’s Sixth Grade Fundae on June 18.
Franklin Square and Elmont residents remain concerned about the coronavirus pandemic, but are eager to return to day-today life without restrictions. Gov. Andrew Cuomo rescinded New York state’s pandemicrelated regulations on June 15, after the state reached the target of 70 percent of the population at least partially vaccinated, set by the governor. The state’s capacity, social distancing, health screening and disinfecting requirements were canceled, although some federal restrictions remain in effect at schools and health facilities as well as on
public transportation. “I definitely think it’s a move in the right direction,” said Becky Owens, of Elmont, noting the drop in the infection rate and the increase in the vaccination rate across Nassau County. “I think the timing is right.” Owens added that although she remained concerned about the risks posed by Covid-19, she and others were looking forward to returning to everyday life without restrictions this summer. “I think it’s good that we’re timing it with the season,” she said. “It’s summer and people want to get out. I think people will be more comfortable out now, and it’s great for the econoContinued on page 10
Franklin Square hosts Declaration reading at Rath Park By RoBERt tRAVERSo rtraverso@liherald.com
Rath Park’s gazebo in Franklin Square was enveloped by American flags and banners as residents gathered for a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on June 26. The event was organized by the Franklin Square Historical Society and State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages’s office. “It’s so important that you actually hear the words of the Declaration of Independence,” Solages said. “It’s one thing to learn it in school or hear it a long time ago, but every year we should be reminded that our
forefathers had the intention of saying that this is a free country.” Solages spoke about the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic. For people to recover from the events of the past 15 months, she said, Long Islanders need to unify on the same level as the founders who signed the Declaration. “On the ground, I saw a lot of pain,” Solages said. “I saw a lot of people suffering, but I also saw a lot of good. I saw people putting the community before themselves. It’s all about making sure that we unite as one.” Community members who
took part in the reading of the nearly 250-year-old document expressed reverence for its legacy and meaning. U.S. Army veteran and Franklin Square native Len Scarola said that the nation’s founding document represented American culture and heritage. The ceremonial reading, he added, was important to a community grieving for those who died during the coronavirus pandemic. “Things like this are important for the community, especially in times like this, after the year we’ve had,” Scarola said. “All the people that we’ve lost, all our loved ones, it brings recogni-
tion. Honoring everyone that we’ve lost and everyone that’s served, that’s what we’re all about.” Others said that people need to preserve the memory of the Declaration of Independence and the efforts of the founding generation. “This event keeps the traditions of our country visible, especially for the younger
children,” said Adrienne McKenna, the Franklin Square Civic Association’s correspondence secretary. “What they did for our country, going blindly into forming our new country,” McKenna said, “I think they did a really remarkable job, since we’re still here all these years later, with Continued on page 4