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HERALD $1.00
rhoads-Schuster Q&A
School board honored
Freeport reminds its citizens: Vote!
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Vol. 86 No. 44
october 28 - NoVeMber 3, 2021
Happy kids crowd Freeport Fall Festival by reiNe bethANy Rbethany@liherald.com
Maureen Lennon/Herald
A locAl FArMerS market offered an enticing display of their products at the Freeport Fall Festival.
Even though the skies had been cloudy all day, families filled the big parking lot and plaza outside Operation SPLASH on the Nautical Mile, deter mined to enjoy their annual Fall Festival and let Covid-19 drop into the past for the afternoon of Oct. 24. Inflated dragons rubbed elbows with a blue lion, a fairy clothed in shout-it-aloud pink, and an enor mous doughnut sporting bright frosting and rainbow sprinkles.
Tents covering tables with treats and literature from organizations like Fidelis Care and far mers markets spanned one side of the parking lot. The U.S. Army livened the air with rap and hip-hop. Cars belonging to individuals and businesses sat with their trunks open, decorated for the occasion, with their owners smiling while dropping Hershey’s kisses, Skittles and Jolly Ranchers into brown p ap e r s a ck s, H a l l owe e n themed ba gs and plastic pumpkins. Deborah Newton, co-leader Continued on page 7
Distressing questions arise in Freeport death case by reiNe bethANy rbethany@liherald.com
For the family of Stephen Schier, the sudden, brutal event that led to his death on May 23 has been made doubly painful because there was virtually no news coverage afterward, and because they want the person responsible held to account. Schier, 71, had gone to the Health Mart at 29 Atlantic Ave. to pick up shaving cream in the late morning of May 22. He was preparing for a Schier family gathering that afternoon — their first since before the pandemic. Several hours later, Freeport police called Larry Schier, Ste-
phen’s brother, with the news that Stephen had been struck by a car and rushed to a nearby hospital. Police had found Larry’s number in Stephen’s phone. “The minute we got to the hospital, before I even got to see my brother,” Larry Schier said, “there were two police officers who told me, ‘This was an accident. It was not criminal. It’s a civil case.” Too stunned to answer, Larry was led to the hospital bed where Stephen lay, unresponsive. Though sickened by Stephen’s injuries, Larry had the presence of mind to take photos. “My brother was in a coma,” Larry said. “He died the follow-
i
t’s like he was a mosquito. His life does not matter. lArry Schier Victim’s brother
ing day [May 23]. I have photos that -— the attorney we hired said he has never seen anything so horrible.” At that point, Larry knew few details about the accident. Doctors did tell him that Stephen had been run over twice. To ensure that the cause of death
was properly attributed, Larry ordered an autopsy. “It’s against Judaism,” Larry said, “but I didn’t want it said that he died of a heart attack or something. No organic failure was determined, so he died because of what this driver did.” Re fl e x ive ly, wh i l e t h e y arranged for Stephen’s interment and a memorial service,
Larry and his other family members watched for mention of the accident in the news. But there was nothing. And no one from the press called to ask. The Freeport police would not comment because, though they took the initial accident report, the incident was under active investigation by the Nassau Continued on page 21