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Vol. 87 No. 15
APRIl 7 - 13, 2022
Rare birds vs. happy dogs? Proximity of dog run to Cow Meadow Preserve worries visitors against a freshwater wetland that’s been shown to be used by a number of in-decline species … Oceanside resident Alena is a terrible idea,” Walters Walters and Huntington envi- declared in an email to the Herronmental engineer Daniel ald, adding that the fence around Karpen are worried about the the run would impede visitor new dog run under construction access to the pond. i n C ow M e a d ow “The pond conPark. tains an incredible The dog run has variety of wildlife,” been excavated so Karpen said in a that its southwestphone interview. ern corner extends “The impact will be to within 8 to 12 feet barking dogs who o f C ow M e a d ow are going to scare off Pond’s western lobe. the birds.” The pond is part of “That’s not the Cow Meadow Prebest area for a dog serve, a major fearun,” said Peter Marture of the park tin, a member of the RoBERT since Nassau County North Shore Land opened it in 1971. KENNEdY A l l i a n c e, w h i c h The preserve is a Freeport Mayor advocates for presersanctuary for nearly vation of Long 200 bird species, Island’s green spacsome quite rare, and es, including wetalso an important habitat for lands. “They have diamondback protected species of wetland tur- terrapins nesting in that area; tles. that’s a protected marine turtle Earlier this year, Nassau species. I would think locating County transferred ownership the run more to the north, which of Cow Meadow to the Village of is just fields and lawn, would be Freeport. The dog run, which is better.” expected to open later this Walters and Karpen have spring, is part of the village’s been in touch with the state plan to expand park resources. Department of Environmental “Building a dog run up Continued on page 11
By REINE BETHANY rbethany@liherald.com
Christina Daly/Herald
WoodWARd CHIldREN’s CENTER board and staff: René Kelbick, Dr. Marcia Caton, Manik Singh Jassal, Claudia Swansey, Kenneth Bellafiore, Exec. Dir. Greg Ingino, Principal Danielle Colucci, and Marilyn Monroe, daughter of the late Tuskeegee Airman and Woodward supporter Ed Monroe.
A FreeporT pioneer
Gertrude Berman educated special-needs kids By REINE BETHANY rbethany@liherald.com
Even with three children of her own at home, Gertrude Berman raised thousands more from lives of struggle and rejection to self-development and even steady employment. In the process, the school she founded made Freeport a place of national renown. And it was everyone from that school — the Woodward Children’s Center — who gathered on March 31 to dedicate a bronze plaque in her memory. With songs, loving speeches and even a Zoom-in from Berman’s children, the school, at 201 W. Merrick Road, celebrated the woman
who turned discouragement to hope for countless families. “Mrs. Berman took up the task of working with students with emotional and psychological challenges,” the school’s executive director, Gregory Ingino, said. “Mrs. Berman’s compassion and belief in the success of students was so strong that they began to believe it themselves.” Berman taught in Brooklyn and Queens until she and her husband, Joseph, moved to Freeport around 1950 with their young children. Berman created a summer program in both her backyard and basement in 1951 for six Continued on page 8
Higher Education Inside
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t’s a preserve, and it’s going to remain a preserve.