_______ Malverne/West HeMpstead ______
CoMMuNITY uPDATe Infections as of April 26
5,936
Infections as of April 19 5,916
$1.00
HERALD
Town recognizes Donate life Month
luxury items and more in Malverne
Interactive books at W.H. library
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Vol. 28 No. 18
APRIl 29 - MAY 5, 2021
OBITUARY
‘He helped everybody’ Family, friends remember victim killed in Stop & Shop shooting Stop & Shop where Wishropp, 49, worked as a manager, with a .380 caliber pistol, and shot and Family came first for Valley killed him, while wounding two Streamer Ray Wishropp. Friends others. and relatives said the father of Police said that Wilson, an seven was often with his chil- employee at the Stop & Shop, had dren, and almost met with Wishropp always had a smile an hour before the on his face. shooting to request a “He was a good transfer to another father, and he always supermarket locasaid hi to me,” neightion. Stephen Fitzbor Esther Guartafipatrick, commanderro said. “He was ing officer of the good with his kids, Nassau County and he was just that Police Department, kind of loving and reported that Wilson nice person.” had had a number of “One thing to disputes with fellow Ray Wishropp know about my cousworkers at the store. in is that he was an “Gabriel was a incredibly strong family man,” a troubled employee,” Fitzpatrick maternal cousin, Gordon Steven- said at a news conference on son, said of Wishropp. April 21, a day after the shooting On April 20, however, those and Wilson’s arrest. Wilson was seven children, including two charged with one count of secdaughters who attend Valley ond-degree murder and four Stream South High School, were counts of attempted murder. robbed of a future with their Neighbors expressed shock at father. At around 11:30 a.m., Wishropp’s death. Guartafierro, 31-year-old Gabriel DeWitt Wil- who for years lived across from son, of Hempstead, allegedly Wishropp’s home on Montague walked into the West Hempstead Continued on page 4
By PeTeR BelfIoRe pbelfiore@liherald.com
Nakeem Grant/Herald
DoWNINg SCHool STuDeNTS performed at of the celebration last Friday.
A space to ‘breathe fresh air’ Downing opens outdoor garden classroom By NAkeeM gRANT ngrant@liherald.com
A decade ago, former Maurice W. Downing Primary School Principal Margaret McDaid and former teacher Jim Cornwell created an outdoor garden at the school in Malverne. An area where students could be closer to nature, the garden was used mostly by the school’s Garden Club. Some parents, however, saw more potential for it. About four years ago, then
PTA Co-presidents Hayley Kelch and Camille Emeagwali proposed the idea of an outdoor classroom to Principal Ed Tallon, after seeing one during a field trip to Tanglewood Preserve in Rockville Centre. “Through the help of so many PTA volunteers, fundraising, planning and a lot hard work, this day became a reality,” Tallon said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the classroom last Friday. “This garden will leave a special leg-
acy from the PTA for years to come.” Former and current PTA members gathered with students, district officials, local elected officials and village leaders for the ceremony. The all-season outdoor classroom will facilitate numerous activities, such as science, exploration, story time, art and club events. Current PTA Co-president Nicole Henderson, who helped to complete the garden last year, thanked everyone Continued on page 3