_________________ FREEPORT _________________
HERALD Also serving Roosevelt
Daycare kids get supplies
‘lighthouse’ puts on play
Hospital lauded for performance
Page 3
Page 10
Page 20
Vol. 90 No. 36
september 4 - 10, 2025
$1.00
‘Deadpool’ writer reflects on hometown the dramatic writing department, and helped run a program named the Stan-hattan Freeport native Joseph Kelly, project for Marvel Comics, an award-winning comic book which aimed to find new talent, writer and show creator, known starting in 1995 to 1996, leading for redefining “Deadpool,” him to his first job. traced his creative Growing up in roots back to the North Freeport, community where h o w e ve r, h e l p e d he grew up. Kelly find his creKelly, 54 years old ativity, because it is award-winning a diverse communicomic book writer ty with a rich histoand show creator, is r y, h e s a i d . H e also known for coincluded his friends creating the Carin his work, which t o o n N e t wo rk ’s told of their dra“Ben 10” and “Genmatic friendships erator Rex,” penand action stories. ning the influential “I think on Long “Superman” story Island, it’s very easy “What’s So Funny to sort of feel like About Truth, Jusyou’re just part of tice & the American the suburban Way ? ” a n d i s a JosepH Kelly sprawl,” Kelly said. founding member Freeport native and “But F ree por t, I of Man of Action show creator don’t know, FreeEntertainment, preport is special. You viously Man of k n o w, i n t h a t Action Studios, is an American regard, it’s got proper history writer collective working on and connections to something various brands of media rang- bigger.” ing from television, films, He will return to his roots on comic books, and animation. Tuesday, participating in a speHe recently shared with the cial live event featuring a Q&A Herald that his creative jour- at Freeport Memorial Library, ney began when he was a stu- from 7 to 8:30 p.m., led by dent at New York University, in Continued on page 10
by mAsHIAt AZmI
Intern
J
Tim Baker/Herald
Fare hikes may soon impact LiRR commuters due to a proposal by the Metropolitan transportation authority to increase fares and tolls starting next January.
Freeport commuters push back on new MTA fare hikes by brIAN KACHArAbA & moHAmmAD rAFIQ of the Freeport Herald
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board faced strong opposition at its headquarters in Brooklyn Aug. 19-20, when commuters packed public hearings to challenge the agency’s plan to raise ticket and toll prices starting in January 2026. The proposal, released July 30, would mark the MTA’s first round of increases since 2023, when train, subway and bus fares as well as bridge and tunnel tolls climbed by up to 4.5 percent. Officials say the changes are necessary to maintain service levels and support a transit system still recovering from the financial strain of the pandemic. One of the more notable changes would
be on the Long Island Rail Road, where the MTA is proposing an average 4.4 percent fare hike on weekly and monthly tickets. All other Long Island tickets would increase up to 8 percent. Off-peak city tickets, meaning tickets for trips that begin and end in New York City, would increase by 25 cents, to $5.25, and peak-period trips would rise to $7.25. Monthly tickets would be capped at $500. In addition to the price hikes, the MTA plans to overhaul its ticketing system. All one-way mobile tickets would automatically activate upon purchase and expire within four hours. Paper tickets would follow the same rule. Currently, those tickets remain valid for up to 60 days, with 10-trip passes Continued on page 13
ust keep making things, even if five people see it ... share it with people, and then go make the next thing.