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Vol. 85 No. 14
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APRIl 2 - 8, 2020
Promoting mental health District offers free online classes By RoNNY REYES rreyes@liherald.com
Courtesy Jennifer Melendez
Supporting one another, at a distance Caroline G. Atkinson School teachers rode around Freeport in a caravan, visiting their students and honked in support, on March 26. Story, Page 12.
With schools scheduled to remain closed until April 15, the Freeport Union Free School District revamped its website to promote access to its online mental health services so students, staff and residents can take care of themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the district’s homepage, residents can find links to relaxation techniques in the form of breathing exercises, yoga and meditation classes. The resources are provided through a partnership of the district’s Youth Empowerment Seminar program and the Inter national
Association for Human Values, an education organization that works with schools to create mental wellness programs for students and staff. The online relaxation courses are held six times a day on the IAHV’s Facebook page, at facebook.com/pg/skyschoolsusa/ videos/. There are four sessions in English, at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. There are two additional sessions in Spanish at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. The courses, taught bu IAHV instructors, are 30 minutes each. There will also be 20 additional stress management and wellness sessions available on Zoom, a chatroom-based app. The sesContinued on page 14
First responders on the front lines of the outbreak By RoNNY REYES rreyes@liherald.com
As the COVID-19 virus pandemic continues into April, Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy and members of the village’s Coronavirus Task Force are working to ensure the village’s police and fire departments run safely and efficiently until the pandemic ends. As of press time, there were more than 7,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in Nassau County. According to the county Department of Health, there were 133 in Freeport. While three members of the police department and
one member of the fire department have tested positive for the virus, village officials said that none of the cases was serious and that those af fected are recovering and following proper quarantine protocols. “Our first responders are doing a great job on the front lines of all this,” Kennedy said. “They’re putting their health and their families’ health at risk to help others in need.” Freeport Police Chief Ray Horton, a task force member, said the current crisis reminds him of the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, when the police
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lease stay home. The finish line could keep getting pushed back if we don’t follow these guidelines. THoMAS JoHNSoN Chief, Freeport F.D.
department worked alongside other departments to get Freeport “up and running.” Although the police department has seen a drop
in calls, Horton said officers are out patrolling the village, especially where businesses and places of worship are still open. The police department is also assisting paramedics who are tending to and transporting the sick. To protect themselves, officers are wearing masks, goggles, gloves and other protective cl o t h i n g . H o r t o n s a i d department members are keeping track of equipment daily in case they start running low on supplies. While some officers have had to go into quarantine since the pandemic first began, Horton said that all h e a l t hy o f f i c e r s h ave
already been cleared to go back to work. “We’re doing our best to keep our officers’ health in mind,” Horton said. “With the support from the mayor and the task force ...as well as people staying in their home, we should be able to get through this.” Freeport Fire Department Chief Thomas Johnson agreed and urged residents to take social distancing seriously, which the fire department has had to embrace to protect the volunteer firefighters and members of the public. In keeping with federal Continued on page 3