_________________ FREEPORT _________________
CommUNitY UPDate infections as of July 8
6,148
infections as of July 1 6,138
$1.00
HERALD
Fireworks rain date was a blast
local educator is new Giblyn head
Senator rewards Freeport business
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Vol. 86 No. 29
JUlY 15 - 21, 2021
Curran signs order defining anti-Semitism itism effectively, it is important to be clear about what it is and how it may manifest itself,” CurNassau County Executive ran said. “With anti-Semitism on Laura Curran signed an execu- the rise, Nassau County stands tive order June 23 officially rec- with our Jewish brothers and ognizing the nonsisters and will conlegally binding tinue fighting to IHRA Working Defiensure hatred never nition of Anti-Semifinds a home in our tism. communities.” IHRA is an acroLois Howes, a nym for the InternaF r e e p o r t t r av e l tional Holocaust agent who is presiRemembrance Allident of the Long ance. Island Council of Defining antithe Arts at Freeport Semitism is an and of the Friends important guidance of Freeport, said she tool for monitoring thought Curran’s and raising awareaction would posiness about the con- maRilYN GaleS tively impact Freetexts in which Jewport’s Jewish comPresident, ish people are munity. Howes is a harassed. Curran’s B’Nai Israel member of Congree x e c u t ive o r d e r gation B’Nai Israel directs all county in Freeport. departments and officials to be “I think it’s good because it guided by the IHRA Working shows where Curran is coming Definition of Anti-Semitism from,” Howes said. “Being antiwhen “complying with, imple- anybody just because of a relimenting and enforcing laws or gion or race is wrong, and she’s regulations that prohibit acts of showing that it’s wrong.” anti-Semitic discrimination or Marilyn Gales, president of harassment,” according to a Congregation B’Nai Israel, news release from Curran’s agreed with the executive order office. because she has seen a rise in “In order to combat anti-SemContinued on page 13
By ReiNe BethaNY rbethany@liherald.com
a
Courtesy County Executive Laura Curran
DR. DiaNa CaRUSo, far right, the widow of Ernest J. Kight Jr., pulled the cover from the new street sign commemorating her late husband’s life’s work as a Freeport educator.
Brookside Ave. renamed in memory of Ernest J. Kight Jr. By ReiNe BethaNY rbethany@liherald.com
A portion of the county road Brookside Avenue, between Sunrise Highway and Mer rick Road, was renamed July 8 for beloved Freeport educator, coach and school board member Ernest J. Kight, Jr. Kight was a Freeport native who graduated from Freeport High School in 1971, taught social studies there starting in 1975 and subse-
quently served as principal of J.W. Dodd Junior High School. He returned to Freeport High School as assistant principal in 1991, stepped into the role of interim principal there in 2008 and then became principal in 2009. After retiring in 2015, he ran successfully for the Freeport Board of Education, serving as the board’s president from 2019 until he died unexpectedly on Feb. 27 this year at age 68. In addition to his work as an educator, Kight coached
the successful Lady Red Devils, Freeport High’s girls’ basketball team. The team memorialized their coach after a March 10 tribute ceremony by walking en masse along South Brookside Avenue to the high school. Five of them carried a large red sign with white lettering that read, “Ernest J. Kight, Jr., a Man of Integrity, Honor, and Respect. The Lady Devils Salute You! Yo u r L e g a cy Wi l l L ive Continued on page 4
ntiSemitism is part of the religious ethos. It crosses the borders, and it’s lasted so long.