________ Franklin square/elmont _______
HERALD Meet the F.S. Civic president
Jimmy Buffet concert is a blast
Honoring vets at patriotic picnic
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Vol. 26 No. 34
AUGUST 15 - 21, 2024
$1.00
Game night brings F.S. folks together ic of loneliness” and how it was affecting people’s health. Even before the lockdown, people A g a m e o f M o n o p o l y, e v e r y w h e r e h a d b e c o m e Yahtzee or Clue with friends detached from one another in and family is something of a their daily life since the advent forgotten pastime for many — of the social media age. “Technology was changing, but Jason Alvin, a Franklin Square native, felt inspired to and a lot of younger people were obviously connecting start a community online, while older game night at the and more mature Franklin Square people really didn’t Public Library in have that outlet,” 2022 to bring back Alvino said. some of the camaHe had been raderie that neighpresident of the bors were missing. Friends of the When the counFranklin Square try was in lockPublic Library, and down during the JASoN AlVINo thought there had pandemic in 2020, game night host to be a way the Alvino and his library could help. w i f e , H e a t h e r, played board games regularly He spoke to its director, Aviva Kane, who offered to let Alvino to pass the time. “I amassed this ridiculous use the facility’s multipurpose collection of board games,” he room for a monthly game night said. “Everything from really starting in 2022. “We made it similar to when basic stuff to these new board games that I wasn’t really you go to your friend’s house, aware of. You know, these crazy you have a little coffee cake, you strategy games and games that play a game and you socialize,” involve using an app to play it.” Alvino said of the comfortable At the time, many people’s atmosphere they created. Every third Wednesday of loneliness had been exacerbated by isolation. In 2022, Alvino the month since then, people read an article in The New have gathered at the library to York Times about the “epidemContinued on page 11
By NIColE WAGNER
nwagner@liherald.com
Alice Moreno/Herald
Tropical bingo bonanza, luau style Nora Costa, John Calderon and Scott Kimmins are hyper-focused on their game cards, making sure they mark down the numbers called, at the second annual luau bingo night hosted by Franklin Square-based nonprofit Rescuing Families. Story, additional photos, Page 3.
What New York voters need to know about the ERA By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
This November, voters in New York will have the opportunity to vote on an amendment to the state’s constitution, aimed at ensuring equal rights to all under law. The current equal protection clause in the state’s constitution already prohibits discrimination based on “race, color, creed or religion.” The amendment will allow New York voters to include additional classifications that people cannot be discriminated against, such as ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, sex, pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, sexual orientation, and
gender identity. The decision to include the amendment on this year’s ballot came in mid-June. New York’s Attorney General Letitia James said it was “a huge victory in our efforts to protect our basics rights and freedoms.” “The ERA was advanced to protect access to abortion care, enshrine this basic right in our constitution, and protect people from discrimination,” she said. “We will continue to do everything in our power to protect these rights and ensure everyone can live safely and freely in the great State of New York.” Advocacy groups at both the state and local Continued on page 4
I
think it’s something that is important.