________ Franklin square/elmont _______
HERALD $1.00
Exercising helps Alzeheimer’s
Two vie for district fire commissioner
Students stand up to bullying
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VOL. 23 NO. 50
DECEMBER 9 - 15, 2021
Elmont resident appointed to Nassau BOCES future endeavors.” Lockett has served in various educational leadership Elmont resident Abigail roles in Nassau and Suffolk Smith-Lockett was named late counties as well as New York last month as the new coordina- City. She was the dean of tor of in-district programs at restorative justice and a techthe Joseph M. Barry Career & nology teacher at the New York Technical Education Center, a City Department of Educacareer and technition’s Academy cal field school run for Scholarship & by Nassau BOCES. Entre preneurLockett will ship. She has also manage the technibeen the college cal education, or and career coorCTE, programs at dinator at Bronxthe five in-district wood Preparatoprograms offered ry Academy, the by Nassau BOCES, manager of busii n t h e B a l dw i n , ness operations Hicksville, Roosfo r M a n h a s s e t evelt, Uniondale Public Schools, ABIGAIL SMITHa n d We s t b u r y teacher integraLOCKETT school districts. tion specialist for “I have always Program coordinator, Easter n Suffolk had a passion for BOCES and the Nassau BOCES ensuring that stubusiness admindents receive the istrator for pupil best possible trainpersonnel servicing and instruction to prepare e s f o r H e m p s t e a d P u b l i c them for college and careers,” Schools. Lockett said in a statement “Dr. Lockett brings a wealth released by Nassau BOCES. “It of experience to the position,” gives me great pleasure to be in Nassau BOCES said in the a role where I can assist stu- statement. dents in their efforts to obtain For 55 years, Nassau BOCES the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in their CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
By ROBERT TRAVERSO rtraverso@liherald.com
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Melissa Koenig/Herald
JOY CAMERON, 70, received a Covid vaccine when the Town of Hempstead “Vaxmobile” stopped at the Elmont Senior Center in April.
Residents open to boosters amid Omicron concerns By ROBERT TRAVERSO rtraverso@liherald.com
Amid the emergence of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus late last month and a rise in cases across Nassau County, residents of Franklin Square and Elmont are continuing to receive booster shots against the virus. As of Monday, residents of the two communities have accounted for 8,631 Covid-19
cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Nassau County averaged 706 cases per day last week, up from 210 on Nov. 8, according to data from The New York Times. “It’s the next step you take,” said Claudine Hall, president of the Jamaica Square Improvement League, which serves the Elmont community, referring to booster shots amid the rise in cases. Hall, 55, has underlying
conditions that make her more susceptible to the coronavirus. She said she had received a booster shot, along with her mother, who is 90, but Hall fretted that many community members prematurely think the pandemic has receded and is no longer a pressing concern. “I would get another booster tomorrow if I had to,” she said. “Nobody has said to me that they’re not getting their CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
look forward to building relationships with all participating districts.