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Vol. 33 No. 32
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OBITUARY
Jimmy Lores leaves a legacy of kindness Considered an East Rockaway legend, Lores was known throughout the community as of the Lynbrook/East Rockaway Herald “Jimmy the bus driver.” He Ja m e s Jo s e p h “ J i m my ” drove a school bus for the IndeLores was practically nowhere pendent Coach Corp. for 11 on the internet. The only item years, and for the East Rockafound after he died was a Face- way school district for 19 years, book post from June as well as for the dis2021, when the Town trict summer camp of Hempstead recog— Summer Better nized him as a Covid Opportunities and Hero. Outcomes for StuThat’s what Lores dent Success Tomorw a s a l l ab o u t — row — run by his doing good deeds brother. without any fanfare. He was also He died on July k n ow n a s C o a c h 30, at age 70. Jimmy, because he Born on Jan. 22, served as a volun1956, Lores grew up teer junior varsity in East Rockaway softball coach for 30 JimmY loRES years at the high the oldest son of Lorayne and Manuel school, helping Lores. He lived in the village coach Scott Gerken, and was his entire life. Uncle Jim to a host of nieces, “If there is an any one per- ne phews, g randnieces and son who lived his life like Jesus, grandnephews. it was my brother,” Joe Lores, At Christmastime, he would who has coached basketball, pull up with his van and, as his soccer and now softball at East brother described it, “You’d Rockaway High School, said, think Santa’s sled just came reading his prepared eulogy to across the roof.” a Herald reporter. “Jimmy put Lores’s kindness extended to everyone, and I do mean every- relatives of friends who had one, first.” ConTinuEd on PAgE 5
By JEFFREY BESSEN & KAYlA DECHTER
Courtesy Marla D’Urso
Audience members filled Strongbox Theater on the opening weekend of the second annual Short Play Festival. The new 90-seat venue opened in July after a six-year renovation of a former East Rockaway bank.
Strongbox Theater raises the curtain in E.R. after six years of planning By KAYlA DECHTER kdechter@liherald.com
What were once two long-vacant Main Street buildings have become one of East Rockaway’s newest cultural destinations. After nearly six years of planning, construction and setbacks, Strongbox Theater opened last month at 40 Main St., where owners Tony Leone and his business partner, Marla D’Urso, transformed a former bank and neighboring office building into a 90-seat performing arts venue. The theater celebrated its ribbon-cutting on July 14 and opened its inaugural season last weekend with the second annual Short Play Festival. The first festival was held last year at Bethany Congregational Church in
East Rockaway while the theater was still under construction. This year’s event features eight original one-act plays, most of them making their world premieres, performed over three weekends. The second weekend of the festival will feature performances this Friday night, Saturday afternoon and evening and Sunday afternoon. As a special promotion, tickets for this and next Saturday’s 2 p.m. performance are available for $25. For Leone, 54, producer and founder of Strongbox Theater, opening the venue fulfilled a dream years in the making. “It’s always been an obsession of mine to be a producer and have my own venue,” he said. After considering locations in Malverne, ConTinuEd on PAgE 8