Long Beach Also serving Point Lookout & East Atlantic Beach
Father Barr takes over third parish
annual fireworks show postponed
Schools clerk says goodbye
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Vol. 31 No. 27
JUlY 2 - 8, 2020
A decision in L.B. murder Lynbrook man sentenced to 22 years to life in prison culating killer who ambushed Theresa Kiel and savagely beat the beloved teacher with a barA Lynbrook man was sen- bell outside her Long Beach tenced Tuesday to 22 years to life home in December 2016,” Disin prison for a 2016 attack on his trict Attorney Madeline Singas girlfriend’s mother in Long said. “Remarkably, Theresa surBeach that led to the vived the attack, but woman’s death in endured nearly two 2018. years in a vegetative Ralph Keppler, 30, state before dying pleaded guilty on from her injuries. Dec. 30, 2019, before Ralph Ke ppler Supreme Court Jusdeserves every day tice Christopher of his 22 years to life Quinn to charges of in prison, and we second-degree murhope that today’s der, second-degree sentence helps Theconspiracy and resa’s family and fourth-degree crimifriends in the nal possession of a mourning process.” weapon. According to SinAccording to gas, Theresa Kiel authorities, Keppler and Keppler were beat Theresa Kiel, thoMaS liotti involved in a busithe mother of his Theresa Kiel’s ness dispute at the girlfriend, Francestime of the attack. attorney ca Kiel, with a metal The victim was in barbell outside her the apartment comNew York Avenue apartment in plex’s entrance corridor when Long Beach on Dec. 4, 2016, at she was attacked by Keppler and about 10:30 p.m. Theresa was a struck several times on the head teacher and principal in the Mal- and face with the barbell. verne School District for 30 Kiel suffered severe brain years. Her daughter previously damage, a shattered skull and a pleaded guilty to murder for her depressed right eye, and lost role in orchestrating the attack. “Ralph Keppler is a cold, calContinued on page 3
By Mike SMolliNS msmollins@liherald.com
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Courtesy Long Beach Public Schools
Class of 2020 graduates The Salsone triplets, from left, Isabella, Timothy and Adriana, at the district graduation on June 26. Each student had an appointment during which he or she walked across the stage, received a diploma and posed for pictures. Story, more photos, Page 16.
Attorney files discrimination suit In complaint, accuses L.B. of ‘gross’ pay inequity By JaMeS BerNSteiN jbernstein@liherald.com
A Long Beach city attorney filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the city last week, charging it with gross discrimination in pay. According to the complaint, the action may be followed by a federal lawsuit. Megan Conger, who has been an attorney for Long Beach
since April 2019, took the action after the City Council unanimously rejected a proposal to pay her $75,000 to settle a pay discrimination complaint last month. She told city officials earlier this year that she believed her pay was unequal to men in the city’s law office. The proposal the council voted down called for Conger to leave her position. She remains on the job. In papers filed last week with
the EEOC, Conger’s attorney, Jack Tuckner, said the city had engaged in “unlawful employment practices” and that Conger, who lives in Long Beach, was “subject to discrimination . . . in the form of an overt gender pay disparity.” John McNally, executive assistant to Interim City Manager Donna Gayden, said only, “We don’t comment on personnel Continued on page 3
o way you can recompense her family, and there’s no amount of time . . . not enough for the family.