_________________ FREEPORT _________________
HERALD Soccer club keeps winning
Karp finishes police academy
Banjo Rascals on the Mile July 14
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Vol. 87 No. 28
JUlY 7 - 13, 2022
$1.00
Fireworks in Freeport to be rescheduled were rained out, and the rain dates were dicey as well. In 2019, crowds had already gathered for Everybody loves to gather for the makeup show on July 11 Freeport’s fireworks — includ- when a freshet burst from the ing rain and its devious buddy, sky. Turnpike Joe and the Trafwind, which have shown up fic Jam, playing on the Esplarepeatedly to kick the planned nade, grabbed their musical display to its setup and raced rain date. to finish their In 2017, wind concert in the blew the lights comfort of Brewout on the June SA. Families 29 show, and on dined at their the rain date, f avo r i t e f o o d July 6, the Pyroestablishments tecnico tr uck along Woodcleft bringing the fireAv e n u e , a n d wo rk s b ro ke then darted to down on its way their cars to peer to Woodcleft Aveat the display nue. The event through closed was not reschedwindows, or skituled Nadya Nataly/Herald file photo t e r e d u n d e r T h i s y e a r, the SlIght haze of fireworks neath the Woodonce again, the through a rain-soaked cleft Scenic Pier Chamber of G azebo with atmosphere added to the fun Commerce umbrellas. in 2019. arranged a fireLast year, the works display to rain date of July be viewed from locations on the 9 drew hesitant onlookers, made Nautical Mile, and once again, cautious by the unresolved impudent showers and inconsid- threat of the coronavirus as erate winds forced the postpone- much as by a thundershower ment of the July 5 show to a date earlier in the evening. But they that had not been announced at kept their social distance, doffed press time. their masks, and shouted with In 2019 and 2021, both shows Continued on page 4
By ReINe BethaNY rbethany@liherald.com
Mohamed Farghaly/Herald
FReepoRt School BoaRd members joined local parents and organization leaders on July 1 to oppose the replacement of the athletic field on Cleveland Avenue with an Amazon warehouse.
Cleveland Ave. battle isn’t over
Field important to Freeport’s northeastern sector By ReINe BethaNY rbethany@liherald.com
Opposition to replacing the athletic field on Cleveland Avenue with an Amazon distribution warehouse was loudly expressed during a rally at the field on July 1. The concerns raised by the speakers at the rally centered on the lessened accessibility to a large green space for residents of northern Freeport, the 24-hour truck traffic that will occupy the eastern end of the village and the high turnover rate of Amazon warehouse workers. Additionally, there are concerns that the village government has repeatedly acted without transparency to the community. On top of it all, there is unsettled litigation between the Freeport Public Schools system and the village about who has the rights to the field. The legal proceedings by the Village of Freeport government to remove the field’s
parkland status are almost complete. The bill needed to make it happen passed in the state legislature, and is now on the desk of Gov. Kathy Hochul — which the protestors are urging her not to sign. On the village’s side, Mayor Robert Kennedy, the trustees, and village counsel Howard Colton have assured the protesters that their access to the Cleveland field will not change until the village’s renovations of Cow Meadow Park are complete. But the promises of better facilities at Cow Meadow Park are not reassuring to the residents living above Merrick Road. “The major problem about losing Cleveland Field is the Cow Meadow location,” said Lavette Hooks, whose three children graduated from Freeport High School. “In the summer there are no school buses to get kids to athletic practices. Some parents can bring their kids, but some kids walk to practice.” Football season starts around the middle or Continued on page 16