_____________ ROCKVILLE CENTRE ____________
local softball teams win big
Fundraising for Mercy Hospital
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Vol. 36 No. 28
JUlY 10 - 16, 2025
1282172
HERALD $1.00
Coalition has hope to aid mental health mack recalled. “There are very few of these funded grants in the United States ...we were Issues with federal grants awarded it after we put in all and fears of losing funding this work, this research, and we altogether are now the major got the grant, and we’re doing concern for the Rockville Cen- some really great things, and tre Coalition for Youth. But we’re doing what we’re supthanks to dedicated staff and posed to do.” Recently, however, McCorcommunity supporters, the mack has had difficoalition’s project culty accessing the coordinator, Ruthpromised funds. anne McCor mack, Until this spring, says, there is hope when the problems for the future of the surfaced, she would organization. routinely submit a The coalition request for g rant focuses on submoney online stance use and menthrough a payment tal health among RUTHANNE management syst h e c o m m u n i t y ’s tem, and the money yo u n g p e o p l e. I t McCoRMACK wo u l d b e w i r e d uses an evidence- Project coordinator, from SAMHSA to based prevention Rockville Centre the coalition within curriculum consist- Coalition for Youth 24 hours. ing of a variety of With the creation e d u c at i o n a l p ro grams for students from kin- of the Department of Governdergarten through college. The ment Efficiency, however, the organization also dedicates a process became more compligreat deal of time to working in cated. McCormack now had to describe what the money would underprivileged communities. Last year the Coalition be used for, even though it was received a $375,000 grant from already authorized. “They all the federal Substance Abuse knew what we were doing,” she and Mental Health Services said of the previous system. Administration. “It was quite a T h e y h a d e v e r y t h i n g complex application,” McCorContinued on page 11
By JANE BAGATTA
Herald Intern
Courtesy Village of Rockville Centre
Village officials take oath again Sworn-in trustee Emilio Grillo, left, deputy mayor Kathy Baxley, sworn-in village justice Mindy Roman, Mayor Francis X. Murray, sworn-in trustee Katie Conlon and trustee Gregory Shaughnessy organized village proceedings at the July 7 meeting.
RVC school board sets course for the summer and future By KElSIE RADZISKI kradziski@liherald.com
With leadership officially in place and fresh programs on the horizon, the Rockville Centre Board of Education kicked off preparations for the summer and the 2025–2026 school year at its annual reorganization meeting. The July 1 meeting included the swearing in of board members, the appointing of officials and the welcoming of a student representative for the first time, all in preparation for next school year “We are looking forward to a productive year,” board president Kelly Barry said.
Barry was unanimously elected president of the Board of Education once again, and Donna Downing, who won re-election in May for her second term on the board, was elected vice president, and both women were sworn in shortly after. Superintendent Matthew Gaven, district clerk Marylou Celiberti, board secretary Janet Gruner, trustees Tara Hackett and Erika Messier, treasurer Kerri Rinaldi and deputy treasurer Jacqueline Rehak were all also sworn in. Gaven also introduced Callie Mann, the district’s first student board member. Mann, a student-athlete, and field hockey team member Continued on page 12
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t’s all about keeping people healthy and happy.