Freeport
HERALD Leader
Man stabbed at The Commons
State cancels all assessment tests
NCPD reacts to virus pandemic
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Vol. 85 No. 13
MARCH 26 - APRIl 1, 2020
Businesses adapt to the outbreak positive for the virus in Freeport, according to the Nassau County Department of Health. St. Patrick’s Day is normally A number of businesses have a happy, celebratory occasion for been forced to close because they Ivan Sayles, owner of Rachel’s are deemed “non-essential” by Waterside Grill on the Nautical the government, but restaurants Mile. This year, however, he are, Cuomo said, “essential.” spent that morning And they are finding calling 20 employees ways to adapt and to lay them off. survive. The move came Sayles — who is after Gov. Andrew operating Rachel’s Cuomo called for all with his partner, restaurants to offer Rich Venticinque, takeout and driveand one dishwasher through only to com— said the threebat the spread of the man team is doing coronavirus. all the cooking and “It was hard makcleaning, and is even ing those calls,” said delivering the food. Sayles, who has been “Sometimes it’s in business for 24 just long days waityears. “I was near ing for people to call tears every time tellor show up,” Sayles ing them that I IVAN SAYlES said. didn’t really know Rachel’s is offerRachel’s when they would be ing a $45 family meal able to come back. that feeds up to six Some of them have been with me people. He said it is popular for 20 years, and they have fami- among older adults, who can lies that rely on them.” make it last for a few days, reducAs of the time of press, there ing their need to shop and potenwere nearly 5,000 confirmed tially be exposed to the coronavicases of the COVID-19 virus on rus. Sayles included a free roll of Long Island, and 10 people had toilet paper with every meal. died from it in Nassau County. Chuck Madu, owner of FreeThere were 34 people who tested Continued on page 5
By RoNNY REYES rreyes@liherald.com
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Ronny Reyes/Herald
YolANDA MuRRAY, fooD pantry manager for the Long Island Council of Churches, said the pantry needs cereal and soup to feed the needy.
‘People’s Food Drive’ is delayed Freeport pantry needs donations amid outbreak By RoNNY REYES rreyes@liherald.com
For nine years, Rob and Mary Hallam, members of the Community Presbyterian Church in Malverne, have held a food drive from their Lynbrook home for people in need. It usually takes place in February and March, and the collection is donated to the Long Island Council of Churches’ food pantry in Freeport, which serves more than 2,500 people a month
from across Nassau County. The Hallams had planned to join about 200 volunteers this Saturday for “moving day,” when the collection is sent by a Nassau Window & Door truck to the pantry. The coronavirus outbreak, however, forced them to delay those plans. “We’re kind of at a standstill at the moment,” Rob said. “The only thing we do know for sure is that there’s going to be a greater demand at the food pantry.”
Need is still here Yolanda Murray, 58, the Long Island Council of Churches food pantry manager, said federal funding for the pantry usually runs out by the end of March, so it needs donations to feed the hungry this spring. T he pantry nor mally serves 75 people a day, but that number has dropped in half because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for food Continued on page 3
e depend on our local customers, and we want to continue business for as long as we can.