_________________ FREEPORT _________________
CommuNIty uPDatE Infections as of may 7
6,031
Infections as of may 3 6,007
$1.00
HERALD Police arrest duo in robbery attempt
18/21 itc FG Demi Condensed
Page 3
Page 4
Page xx
Vol. 86 No. 20
1131868
Freeport schools march for peace
may 13 - 19, 2021
NYCLU sues Freeport police Claims department has illegally withheld disciplinary records By RoNNy REyEs rreyes@liherald.com
Courtesy Village of Freeport
Coming together in prayer Congregants from all over Freeport gathered at Village Hall to celebrate their faith and send messages of hope on National Prayer Day, May 6. Story, Page 5.
The New York Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the Freeport Police Department May 6 for allegedly denying the NYCLU’s requests for the full slate of records related to police misconduct in the department. According to the lawsuit, filed in Nassau County Supreme Court, the NYCLU submitted a Freedom of Information request last year seeking public records from the Police Department after the repeal in June of Section 50-a of the state’s Civil Rights Law, a statute that had previously shielded police departments’ dis-
ciplinary records from scrutiny by the public. The NYCLU sought to review records of police misconduct complaints that resulted in either an officer’s discipline or no disciplinary action being taken. The NYCLU said the FPD denied requests for records in cases where there was no disciplinary action taken against an officer. “Freeport PD’s argument that it can shield unsubstantiated misconduct complaints from public scrutiny has been rejected by multiple courts that have considered it, because courts recogContinued on page 7
Retrofest51 concert to benefit local no-kill shelter By RoNNy REyEs rreyes@liherald.com
Bobbi and the Strays, an animal rescue shelter that operates in Freeport and Glendale, has one mission — to protect and take care of cats and dogs on Long Island and in New York City. But that mission became more difficult when the coronavirus pandemic shut down the no-kill nonprofit’s fundraisers and shrank its volunteer force. Elyse Jordan, who runs the Free por t shelter on Rider Place, estimated that it lost $100,000 in donations last year. As Bobbi and the Strays
focuses on recovering this year, one of its volunteers, Allan Spielman, of Woodmere, is helping raise money with a retro benefit concert. Spielman said that his band, Retro69, would play alongside 10 other groups on May 23 outside the Philips Shopping Center, in Lynbrook, as part of a charity concert to raise funds for the shelter. “This will be the 51st Retrofest we do, and it’s for a great cause,” Spielman said. Retrofest is an ongoing concer t series that recreates famous festivals of the late 1960s and early ’70s. This year’s Retrofest 51 will emulate the
W
e’re so thankful to all the bands who are coming out to play. ElysE JoRDaN Shelter manager
Bath Blues and Progressive Music Festival and feature the music of Santana, Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane, the Moody Blues and others. Spielman explained that the idea for turning Retrofest 51 into a benefit concert came through a partnership with the
Ground Central Coffee Company, across the street from the P h i l i p s S h o p p i n g C e n t e r. Retro69 has played five concerts at the coffee shop, so together they decided to hold a larger concert to benefit a local charity, choosing Bobbi and the Strays because of Spielman’s connection to them. “Alan is wonderful for put-
ting this together,” Jordan said. “We’re so thankful to all the bands who are coming out to play. Jordan said the fundraiser would allow their volunteers to better serve the more than 100 cats and dogs at the shelter. She explained that the shelter takes in animals that have a harder Continued on page 11