🌱2021 Freeport Murder Suspects Indicted + Westbury Robbery

Good day, people of Merrick! It's me again, Ash DeMello, your host of the Merrick Daily.

First, today's weather:

Some sun; breezy and colder. High: 21 Low: 12.

Here are the top five stories in Merrick today:

1. The Nassau County District Attorney's office reports that four people have been indicted for a September 2021 Freeport murder and robbery. The victim, James Diamond, had just cashed a $55,000 settlement check. The defendants allegedly lured Diamond to Freeport, robbed him at gunpoint, and then shot him. Read the rest of the tragic story at the Press Release Desk.
2. Two suspects are at large after robbing a Westbury liquor store and assaulting an employee on Thursday, January 13. The employee reportedly confronted the suspects when he noticed them pocketing merchandise. One of the suspects assaulted the employee with a wine bottle before both suspects fled the store on foot. (Northern Highlands Daily Voice)
3. One person was killed in a single-vehicle wreck Northern State Parkway crash in North Hempstead on Thursday, January 13. The individual, who hasn't been identified yet by police, left the roadway and hit two trees and a light pole before coming to a stop. An investigation is underway. (Daily Voice)
4. There's a new district attorney in the county. On Wednesday, Prosecutor Anne Donnelly was sworn in as Nassau's DA. Donnelly is the third woman in county history to hold that office. (Press Release Desk)
5. Fewer and fewer people are looking for jobs in the Merrick area as unemployment numbers continue to be very low. New data from November 2021 shows a 0.5 percent decrease in unemployment over the previous month and a 2.5 percent decrease over November 2020. (Merrick Patch)

Today in Merrick:

• Frigid Fish Fun: Kids (and their grownups) are invited to the Environmental Education and Resiliency Center at Hempstead Lake State Park to discover what fish are up to in the winter. Ages 5+. Free, registration required. (10:30 AM - noon)
• STEM Stations: Hempstead Public Library welcomes kids ages 5 and up for paper bead making. Free while supplies last. (11:00 AM - 1:00 PM)
• Shilelagh Law @ Mulcahy's Pub & Concert Hall in Wantagh: Hear live music and support the LEO Fund with each ticket purchase. $20 general admission. (6:00 PM - 8:45 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Merrick Library announced their upcoming Winter Reading Challenge, which runs for a month starting on January 18. Get a prize for every seven days you read! Find out details on Facebook.
• Get inspired for weekend cookery with a story about lasagna from @News12LI. (Twitter)

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You're officially in the loop for today! See you tomorrow morning for your next update.

— Ash DeMello