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Vol. 86 No. 15
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Village opts out on marketing of marijuana who voted against legalization. “We currently do not have the enforcement mechanisms necesrreyes@liherald.com, pbelfiore@liherald.com sary to prevent New Yorkers While New York state legal- from driving under the influence ized recreational use of marijua- of this drug.” na last week, the Village of FreeSpanning 128 pages, the Mariport, along with Atlantic Beach, juana Regulation and Taxation Island Park and Rockville Cen- Act addresses everything from tre, has opted out of enforcement and the law, and will procriminal justice hibit the sale of canreform to how taxes nabis in the village. will be levied against M ayo r Ro b e r t marijuana producKennedy said, “Freeers and retailers and port will oppose the how that revenue sale and distribution can be spent. of marijuana” over Among the major concerns that more provisions in the legpeople will drive islation is the crewhile under the ation of a new ageninfluence of the RoBeRt cy to regulate maridrug. juana sales. The “Both the Free- KeNNeDy Office of Cannabis p o r t Po l i c e a n d Mayor Management and its myself are not satisfive-person governfied with the inabiliing board will be the ty to test the extent of influence chief entity responsible for regumarijuana has on an individual lating the state’s nascent mariwhile operating a motor vehicle,” juana industry, setting the numKennedy said. ber of sale and use permits “While the bill does authorize allowed per region and recoma study for the development of a mending new re gulations, roadside test for marijuana simi- among many other responsibililar to a breathalyzer, no such test ties. currently exists,” noted State Local governments will be eliAssemblywoman Judy Griffin, a gible for 4 percent of cannabis Democrat from Rockville Centre Continued on page 4
By RoNNy Reyes and PeteR BelFIoRe
F
Courtesy Freeport Public Schools
Personal pizza time Students at J.W. Dodd Middle School baked their own pizzas, in school and at home, as part of Yvonne Brown’s Consumer Science class. Story Page 3.
The arts are making a comeback Freeport’s LIAC prepares for 2021 events By RoNNy Reyes rreyes@liherald.com
The Long Island Art Council in Freeport was organizing its fifth annual Poetry Writing Review, which showcases the poems of students throughout Nassau County, just as the pandemic hit last March. As schools shut down, so too did the contest, as well as LIACF’s regular fundraisers and annual Arty Party, which cele-
brates local artists. “It was quite the blow,” said Lois Howes, president of the LIACF board. “We couldn’t raise money or hold our classes at the Recreation Center. It was very tough.” Despite the challenges, the LIACF did hold its summer concert series on the Nautical Mile, and this year, with more than a third of the county now vaccinated against Covid-19, council leaders said they hoped to bring
the arts back to Freeport and the South Shore. The LIACF, a nonprofit whose mission is to support and promote the arts in Freeport and neighboring communities, was founded 47 years ago. Laurence Dresner, its executive director, said the past year was a time to be patient and learn new lessons as the organization moved to a digital platContinued on page 9
reeport will oppose the sale and distribution of marijuana.