TWF 305 - Early Voting Continues To Be Busy In Freeport! Times and Places!

 Greetings, friends!

This is the scene from the Freeport Recreation Center, this morning:

What you can't see is the line snaking around the Rec's parking lot, back towards Merrick Road, and down along the street for a good while.  If that sounds unusual, well, it's been that way for the past two days.  Newsday reports similar circumstances elsewhere on the Island, so it isn't just Freeport's location that's been busy.  Generally speaking the wait times have been about one and a half to two hours long, though your mileage may vary depending on where you go and what time you go.

Click here for a complete list of locations and times for Early Voting.  When you go to vote, consider bringing a folding chair, a drink, a snack, and something to read.  Don't forget your mask, or to socially distance!

TWF 304 - Testing Availability Expanded In Freeport, Hempstead. (CoViD Update #7)

Greetings, friendly Freeporters!

Progress on the CoVID disaster has reportedly been pretty steadily improving, with NYS Senator Anna Kaplan citing ever-shrinking hospitalization numbers, specifically due to actions New Yorkers have taken regarding Social Distancing.  Please make no mistake - it is only due to our collective (relatively...) early action on reacting to the virus that has kept the number of deaths relatively stable, and preserved (most of) our health-care system.

But make no mistake - those who I've spoken to in the medical field have compared the fallout of the CoVID disaster to a "War-zone," and I have no reason to doubt them.  As every blinking Highway sign says, "Stay home, save lives."  After all, the less people who are admitted to the hospital, the less that doctors, nurses, and care-staff are exposed to the disease.

This is also a short update to signal-boost Nassau Executive Laura Curran's information about testing being expanded to Hempstead and Freeport residents, citizen-or-non.  See the below flyer for more information, and if you have CoVID symptoms don't hesitate to schedule an appointment to be tested.

Best wishes, and stay safe.  Only go out when necessary, and stay socially distant!

TWF 303: Uncertain Times, Steady Minds (CoVID Update #6)

Greetings, friends,

I hope you're all doing well.


Local Updates:
Not many.


At this point, you are no doubt aware of CoVID-19, AKA Coronavirus' presence, changing day-to-day.  Schools are closed, and the Village is operating on a limited basis & workload.  Check your daily Governor's and Presidential briefings.

Then again, depending on when you are reading this, you may or may not have been deemed an "Essential" worker, and your job status may be on a day-to-day basis.

So, there isn't really that much by way of hyperlocal 'news' that isn't being documented more regularly.  This message is just to say you aren't alone in feeling anxious or disoriented.  These are complicated times.  The important coda is that we will get through this, together.

We will get through this together.

TWF 302: County Executive Orders Schools Closed & More (CoVID Update #5)

Greetings, friends,

Opening note - these may be the strangest times since the end of 2012, huh?

Moving on.

Nassau Executive Curran Orders Nassau County Schools Closed

This is an expansion of Freeport's pre-existing announcement, recorded here, both beyond the 3/16-17 closure, and beyond the local scale.  This is a two-week closure, though staff is permitted to use the facilities for distance learning purposes and others, and it doesn't apply to certain schools for people with special needs.  As always, please check in with your district.

Notice that "Social Distancing" is called for; this is basically just staying in with friends and family; or, at least, not going out to crowded places.

Last, as we've been saying here:

First of all, please make sure you are washing your hands, covering your coughs, and generally obeying good personal hygiene in order to minimize both your risk and the risk of those around you.  If you feel sick (fever, chills, body ache, difficulty breathing), DO NOT go to work, and DO NOT just go to the doctor - call your healthcare provider and ask for instructions on what their procedure is.

Do not panic!  (That still includes buying up all of the damned toilet paper!  :/ )

TWF 301: Freeport Schools Closed To Students, 3/16 & 3/17 (CoVID-19 Update #4)

Greetings, friends,

Just a brisk update:

According to the latest Superintendent's message at the Freeport Schools website, schools will be closed 3/16/2020 and 3/17/2020 for students:

"We have decided, in an abundance of precaution, to close the schools for students only on Monday, March 16th and Tuesday March 17th to continue preparations for our contingency plans for communication and E-Learning platforms and other related matters to ensure the continuity of education for our students in the event of an extended closing. During these two days, staff will further solidify our E-Learning platforms. We will continue enhanced building sanitizing protocols including the weekends."



Last, as we've been saying here:

First of all, please make sure you are washing your hands, covering your coughs, and generally obeying good personal hygiene in order to minimize both your risk and the risk of those around you.  If you feel sick (fever, chills, body ache, difficulty breathing), DO NOT go to work, and DO NOT just go to the doctor - call your healthcare provider and ask for instructions on what their procedure is.

Do not panic!  (That still includes buying up all of the damned toilet paper!  :/ )

TWF 300: States Of Emergency Require Calm (CoVID-19 Update #3)

Greetings, friends,

Just a few updates.

First, the Federal Government is taking emergency action over the Coronavirus in order to make more testing available.  Why more testing wasn't available earlier is itself an unexplained question.  The U.S. has been pitifully behind the rest of the world in testing.


Second:  Nassau County Executive Laura Curran has declared a State Of Emergency in order to access more resources.  This includes many facility closures.


Third:  As Laura Curran said as part of the above announcement, IF you are healthy and IF you can, please donate some blood.  There's apparently a lack of donations going on.


Fourth:  As we always say, here:

First of all, please make sure you are washing your hands, covering your coughs, and generally obeying good personal hygiene in order to minimize both your risk and the risk of those around you.  If you feel sick (fever, chills, body ache, difficulty breathing), DO NOT go to work, and DO NOT just go to the doctor - call your healthcare provider and ask for instructions on what their procedure is.

Do not panic!  (That includes buying up all of the damned toilet paper!  :/ )

TWF 299: Coronavirus Shuts SUNY, CUNY, Nassau & More! Plus, Dr. Kuncham Speaks! (CoVID-19 Update 2)

Hello friends,

I hope you are all doing well!

Freeport-Specific Updates from Dr. Kuncham:  Nassau County Executive Laura Curran gave a press conference with medical and educational leaders - including Freeport's own Superintendent, Dr. Kishore Kuncham, who spoke about issues regarding the spread of dangerous rumors about the virus' impact.  Kuncham also talked reassuringly about the development that's gone on for Freeport's online learning plan, which involves over 6,000 Chromebooks being distributed to students!  He even addressed concerns about internet access for possible students.  (Starts 16:00 min into the video)

Broader Long-Island College & University Closures
A little past 2:00 PM, Governor Cuomo announced that all SUNY and CUNY schools will be transitioning to an online "distance learning" model.  According to Garden City's Patch, Nassau Community College is also closed; Long Island Press provides a more comprehensive listing of closures, including my Alma-Mater, Adelphi University, as well as Molloy College and others.


While there are still very few public school district closures in our area (see the above link to Long Island Press for more details!) - and such closures present infinitely different complications, including but not limited to how children would be supervised, and in some case get fed - the risk exists that certain schools may close in the future due to a confirmed case of exposure, or due to a broader outbreak that is uncontainable with lesser measures.

As always, check with your district's website and administration to confirm any changes you hear about online!

State Worker Aid:  Cuomo has announced that any quarantined/etc NYS workers will get up to two weeks of paid leave.  Private enterprise and other government offices might want to follow suit, especially for places like New Rochelle, where broader quarantines already exist.


To that end:  First of all, please make sure you are washing your hands, covering your coughs, and generally obeying good personal hygiene in order to minimize both your risk and the risk of those around you.  If you feel sick (fever, chills, body ache, difficulty breathing), DO NOT go to work, and DO NOT just go to the doctor - call your healthcare provider and ask for instructions on what their procedure is.

Do not panic!