Garden City's Most-Read Stories of 2016

It's safe to say that 2016 was quite a year. Celebrity deaths and an election like no other dominated the national headlines. But things were still busy in Garden City. Here's the stories that Patch readers like you were most interested in.

10. Road Closures Announced for Hofstra Presidential Debate: The first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton took place at Hofstra University. And it tied up traffic in the area all day. Knowing what routes to take (or avoid) was important for residents who needed to be in the area that day.

9. Teen Gunned Down on Street Corner: On Sept. 13, police found 15-year-old Josue Guzman, of Hempstead, shot dead in the street. Guzman was a 10th grader at Uniondale High School.

8. Girl Walking to School Struck, Killed by SUV: Gabrielle Christina Johnson, a 12-year-old girl who was walking to Elmont Memorial Junior-Senior High School in early February when she was struck and killed by an SUV.

7. Gay Athlete Making Mark at Adelphi University: In April, Alyssa DeSantis brought us the story of Kevin Rohle, an openly gay swimmer at Adelphi University. Rohle is a stellar student and an even better swimmer, but he still faces challenges with how he's perceived because of his sexuality. "When people find out I am gay they think they know everything about me," he said. "This is completely false. They actually know nothing."

6. Nassau Teen Shot in Head Dies: Earlier this month, 16-year-old Alexon Moya, of Uniondale, was shot in the head while standing with his friends on a street corner. Moya later died of his injuries.

5. Pair Charged With Murder in Death of Hofstra Grad Joey Comunale: In November, 26-year-old Hofstra graduate Joey Comunale was murdered and his body buried in the woods in New Jersey. A Manhattan party boy who was reportedly like a son to Jeffrey Rackover, Oprah and Donald Trump's go-to jeweler — even taking Rackover's last name — was charged with the murder of Comunale. His alleged accomplice was Lawrence Dilione, 28, a business owner whose New Jersey offices are located just minutes from the wooded area where Comunale was found buried in a shallow grave.

4. Franklin Square Bagel Shop Named Nation's Top Bagel Producer: In March, A&S Bagels in Franklin Square received the distinction of being the top bagel producer in the country. A&S Bagels, located at 761 Hempstead Turnpike, is open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The shop serves more than 20 varieties of bagels, an assortment of baked goods, signature sandwiches and a variety of cream cheese spreads, salads, coffees and much more. A&S is also a national distributor of its kettle-boiled, baked bagels, whether they are fresh, frozen, cooked or uncooked.

3. Nude Photos of Long Island Students Being Posted Online, Traded Like 'Baseball Cards':Earlier this year, it was uncovered that there was a website where students were trading nude pictures of each other like baseball cards. Principals across Long Island warned parents about the site, which boys were using to trade pictures of girls from school districts across the Island.

2. Long Island Girl Gets Surprise Acceptance to Her Dream College: In October, 17-year-old Daniella Giammona was speaking at the Answer the Call gala about her father, who died on 9/11. After her heartwarming speech, she was given a surprise acceptance to Quinnipiac University, her dream school. She was the first student accepted for the year.

1. Garden City Native Ed Blatz Jr. Dies at 21: In April, Garden City resident Ed Blatz Jr. died unexpectedly at his college, Georgetown University. Blatz was a defenseman on the lacrosse team, appearing in 25 games and starting in 19 during his career. He was enrolled in Georgetown's McDonough School of Business as a management major.