_________________ BALDWIN ________________
HERALD
Find Your Next Hom e This July!
Fireworks aren’t the on ly thing lighting up thi s summer — the marke t is too!
Natalie Toler
David Kreutz is sworn in
Paddlin’ around with pickleball
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VOL. 32 NO. 29
JULy 17 - 23, 2025
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Local organizes an inclusive karaoke night Down syndrome — whoever it may be is welcome.” “The first time I went, I Carly Portillo, of Baldwin, is didn’t know anyone, but my determined to help organize an mom said these kids were inclusive karaoke night — and amazing — and they were,” all her hard work appears to be Portillo recalled. “There were only four of us who showed up, paying dividends. Portillo, 20, a rising senior at but they had the biggest smiles SUNY Geneseo, is spearhead- on their faces. We all did karaing the event, which will take oke together, and it was just so place in the Surf Room at the joyful.” Since then, PorLong Beach Hotel tillo has stayed in on July 24. Joining touch with the Por tillo in her g r o u p, m a n y o f efforts is a group of whom have hosted autistic young small, private karaadults in their 20s, oke events over the including Alex Meryears at different cado of Long venues. When MerBeach, who helped cado and her son secure the venue reached out this with support from summer, Por tillo his mother, Athena CARLy PORTILLO knew she wanted to Carlo Mercado. help them create a “My son and his friends are into karaoke,” Athena said. space that was open, welcom“Sometimes they can’t find ing and accessible to others on places to do it, so they either the autism spectrum. “I think it’s absolutely woncome to my house or go to other venues. Now that they’ve found derful,” Athena said of Portithe Long Beach Hotel, which llo’s involvement. “Unfortuwas willing to rent them a nately, these kids don’t always room, they can hold different feel like they belong anyplace. events. This one seems to be For them to do this and make one of the bigger ones because everyone feel involved — I they’ve invited so many friends think that’s a wonderful thing. from their community — peo- It makes their community largple with special needs, autism,
By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ
hgaldamez@liherald.com
I
Brian Norman/Herald
Gov. Kathy Hochul visited the Hicksville school district on June 24 to talk about her plan to implement a distraction-free schools policy.
Here’s what Baldwin schools think of Gov. Hochul’s cellphone ban By HERNESTO GALDAMEZ & BRIAN NORMAN of the Baldwin Herald
Solidifying plans to implement New York’s new school cellphone ban, Gov. Kathy Hochul met with school leaders from Nassau and Rockland counties and New York City last month. The new distraction-free policy, part of the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget, goes into effect on Aug. 1. The law restricts the use of inter net-enabled devices — including smartphones, smartwatches, and tablets — on all public school grounds for the entirety of the school day. Hochul said she believed the policy would help children become more engaged and, ultimately, higher-functioning adults.
“I believe that as a result of this cellphone ban, we will have young people who are finally liberated from the addictive qualities of social media and the cellphone they never seem able to put down,” she said at the Hicksville School District office on June 24. “Across the country, 74 percent of teachers have said it is impossible to teach and connect with our young people anymore because they’re competing with TikTok dance videos, and that kids aren’t learning the way they used to.” Baldwin Superintendent Shari Camhi said the district has already been preparing for the change. “In adherence to the New York State law, we must prohibit the use of inter netContinued on paGe 7
want this to be a space where they feel seen, heard and celebrated.
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