WANTAGH
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HERALD
IS IT TIME FOR A HEARING CHECK-UP?
Warriors win title in overtime
Air show dazzles beachgoers
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Vol. 73 No. 23
JUNE 5 - 11, 2025
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Free speech is the highlight of league meeting damental freedoms central to American democracy. It guarantees the rights to freedom of What exactly does the First speech, religion, the press, Amendment protect — and peaceful assembly, and to petition the government. what doesn’t it cover? These protections form the That was the focus of a recent discussion led by attor- foundation of civic life in the ney Christine Quigley at the United States, though their Levittown Public Library, interpretation continues to where community members evolve through legal challenges gathered to help unpack one of and court rulings. t h e m o s t d e b at e d According to parts of the U.S. ConQuigley, the First stitution. Amendment prohibQuigley, a member i t s C o n g re s s a n d of the Nassau Counstate gover nments ty Bar Association, from making laws was the featured that infringe on speaker at a meeting speech and other hosted by the League protected rights — of Women Voters of but it does not apply East Nassau, where to private compashe aimed to clarify nies. T hat means common misconcepemployers can generPEggy StEIN tions about free ally set their own speech, freedom of Member, League of rules around speech the press, and other Women Voters in the workplace, F i r s t A m e nd m e n t unless a government rights. entity is involved. The league is a nonpartisan, “In order to have a constitugrassroots organization dedi- tional challenge to say ‘you’re cated to protecting and expand- infringing on my rights,’ you ing voting rights while empow- first have to determine what’s ering voters through education the governmental actor here,” and advocacy. During the May she said. 21 meeting of the East Nassau What happens when a public chapter — representing com- school tells its student body munities such as Wantagh, Sea- that it must participate in ford, Levittown, Bellmore, Mer- morning prayers? Quigley said rick and East Meadow — Quig- that while prayer itself isn’t ley focused her remarks on the inherently wrong, the problem scope and limitations of the arises when a gover nment First Amendment. institution sends a message — The First Amendment, rati- especially to young, impresfied in 1791 as part of the Bill sionable minds — that a particof Rights, protects several fun-
By CHARlES SHAW
cshaw@liherald.com
Eric Dunetz/Herald
Kings of the diamond Wantagh High School’s baseball team captured the Nassau County Class A title Sunday morning with a 6-1 victory over rival Seaford in Game 3 of the finals at Farmingdale State College. Story, additional photos, page 5.
Construction underway to revive East Bathhouse at Jones Beach By CHARlES SHAW cshaw@liherald.com
Construction is well underway on the historic East Bathhouse at Jones Beach State Park, with a reopening planned for summer 2026. Thanks to a $100 million investment by the state, the almost century-old building, which has been closed for almost two decades, will turn into a state-of-the-art swimming facility. State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said the updates will modernize the area for a safer swim location but will retain some of its original structure. “We want to maintain that historic integrity,
but we need to modernize it for the common day visitor,” he said. The revitalization converts the bathhouse’s Olympic-size pool into a small pool for children and beginning swimmers, as well as a playground complete with splash pads — ground nozzles that spray water upward. According to Simons, these upgrades will help new generations learn to swim with their families, without having to go into the ocean. “We’re going to have new concession spaces, we’re going to have some park offices, a lifeguard station here,” Simons said. “We’re going to have an experience where people sit out there with Continued on page 19
I
hope that we know that you certainly can petition your government.
Continued on page 4