LI school boss gets gym nasty
A Long Island schools su- perintendent threatened to become a COVID-19 superspreader at his local gym if it didn’t keep his membership frozen.
Bill Heidenreich, the $281,000-a-year chief of Valley Stream Central HS District, left voice messages at Orangetheory Fitness in Merrick warning that he would “cough over everyone” and “spread the disease” at the gym.
In mid-November, the fitness center sent him a message informing him that the pandemic-related freeze on his membership was due to expire on Nov. 26.
Heidenreich, 48, began texting the gym on Nov. 17, saying, “I’m a close contact and in quarantine.” (“Close contact” is a term for someone who has been exposed to a person with COVID-19.)
“I just don’t want to be a spreader,” he added. “I’m happy to cough over everyone. Call me.”
Minutes later, he wrote, “Unless I hear from you, I’m there. COVID . . . Positive.”
Heidenreich then left at least four voicemails, each warning he was dangerous and would infect people.
A gym employee replied: “So we’re going to freeze it for an extra 30 days, and when it comes to the 30 days, we’ll call you to re-evaluate.”
He demanded a 60-day extension and was given one.
In an e-mail to The Post, Heidenreich said: “Representatives from Orangetheory have been harassing me to rejoin their gym during the middle of a global pandemic. With the number of COVID-19 cases skyrocketing I do not feel comfortable participating in their group workout sessions.”
Heidenreich had no comment when asked about his threats or whether he was exposed to COVID-19.
Nick Galinas, Orangetheory’s Long Island developer, denied that the gym had harassed Heidenreich.
The gym called police to report the threats but its managers decided only to revoke Heidenreich’s membership and not press charges.
A spokeswoman for the Valley Stream school district, which Heidenreich has led since 2011, declined to comment.