_________ Oceanside/island park ________
Remembering Peter Gilbert
A family full of civil service
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VoL. 60 No. 34
AUGUST 21 - 27, 2025
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HERALD $1.00
177 Merrick Road, Oceansi de 516-764-0513 • www.da nceinnovationsinc.com
Welcome to your newspaper Welcome to this week’s special edition of the Oceanside/ Island Park Herald — the issue that brings you our annual Community Guide and a closeup look at the people, places and traditions that make these two communities feel like home. Whether you grew up here or moved in recently, Oceanside and Island Park are places where neighbors know one another by name, volunteer groups roll up their sleeves when something needs fixing, and rituals — from gazebo readings to youth soccer— stitch residents together. Our towns are full of landmarks that shape daily life: the waterways around Shell Creek Park; the Marine Nature Study Area, with its incredible birdlife. Community anchors like the Oceanside Library, with the Iovino theater, and the Island Park Library, which fills village life with fun. This guide points you to the best of both towns: volunteer groups like Oceanside Community Service, longrunning traditions like the San Gennaro and St. Anthony’s Feast, youth sports like Oceanside United Soccer Club and Island Park Little League, along with the small everyday things
Glen Cove
OCEANSIDE / ISLAND PARK HERALD
Summer concert electrifies Masone Beach
Judge orders vaccination exemption By KEPHERD DANIEL kdaniel@liherald.com Glen Cove
A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction requiring the Oceanside School District to accept a medical exemption for a 16-year-old Oceanside High School student — identified in court as “Sarah Doe” — allowing her to attend school this fall without receiving the third dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine. The decision, handed down on Aug. 12 in federal court in Central Islip, comes after physicians who
treated the student concluded that the third hepatitis shot could pose a serious risk to her health. The injunction is effective through June 30, 2026. “This has been really traumatic and really hard on Sarah and her whole family, and we are all so happy that she will be spared further exclusion for this upcoming school year,” Sujata Gibson, the student’s attorney, said. “We think the judge made the right choice, and he made it for the right reasons, and this could help thousands of other children who are facing a similar unlawful application of Continued on page 14 AUGUST 14, 2025
Great Homes the Ultimate Local Home showcase
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Coverland’s lead guitarist, Con Notaridis, delivered a soaring solo during Saturday night’s concert at Masone Beach in Island Park. Story, more photos, Page 10.
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Tim Baker/Herald
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that matter. Inside you’ll find practical resources, signature events and ways to get involved. Whether you’re a longtime reader or picking up the paper for the first time, we invite you to explore Oceanside and Island Park’s stories and consider supporting local journalism by subscribing at LIHerald.com/ subscribe or calling (516) 569-4000, ext. 7. Your support helps ensure that the Herald continues to land on your doorstep each week. At the Herald, we’re dedicated to reporting on what matters to you — SEASONS from pressing local LIBRARIES issues to uplifting IMPACT neighborhood moments. In print or online, you can count on us for reliable, indepth coverage that reflects the spirit of Oceanside and Island Park. And if you have a tip, an idea for a story or a neighborhood event we should cover, give me a call at (516) 569-4000, ext. 283 — I’m always listening. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the latest edition of the Oceanside & Island Park Community Guide.
2025-2026
www.liherald.com
Featuring
SIGNATURE EVENTS FOR ALL
GET TO KNOW YOUR
CONNECT AND MAKE AN
EATING | PLAYING | SHOPPING
Kepherd Daniel Senior Reporter, Oceanside/Island Park Herald