🌱Man Arrested For Hempstead Shooting + Shell Art For Charity

Welcome to a 'masks optional' edition of the Daily, Merrick! Here's everything you need to know to get this Friday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Plenty of sun. High: 49 Low: 46.

Here are the top five stories today in Merrick:

1. The family of the victim of a fatal shooting in Hempstead had a bit of closure on February 9. Police arrested Deshawn Martin, 20, in Freeport on Wednesday for the January murder of Santos Valeriano Argueta. He was arraigned on Thursday. (Daily Voice)
2. A West Hempstead teen is using his artistic abilities to give back to the community. Andrew Wells creates beautiful art pieces using shells he finds at Democratic Point, Rivera Beach and Point Lookout. He donates the proceeds from his creations to non-profits such as Camp Anchor, Grateful Greyhouses, All About the Kids and Nobody Starves on LI. Visit News 12 Westchester to see Wells' shell art.
3. Police are seeking a suspect in a robbery at a local bank. The incident took place at Roslyn Savings Bank on Merrick Avenue on Wednesday afternoon when a man handed a note demanding money to a teller. Chatterton School, adjacent to the bank's property, was placed on lockdown because of the robbery. (Merrick Patch)
4. Looking for some authentic roti nearby? NYC West Indian restaurant Roti Paradise recently opened a location in Hempstead. Head to 419 Clinton St. for scratch-made foods from Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica and other Caribbean cuisines. (Newsday)
5. Get ready for the weekend with the weather forecast from Merrick Patch. Expect generally mild weather until Sunday, when temperatures are expected to drop into the 20s.

From our sponsor:

Tackling a big to-do list around the house to start the new year? Our partners at Thumbtack, the home services app, have made hiring trusted local pros for pretty much any job extremely easy and intuitive. In minutes, you can find a painter, plumber, roofer or someone to help with small jobs such as trash hauling or appliance repair. And Thumbtack's rating system can give you confidence that you're hiring a quality pro you can count on. Click here to get started.

Today in Merrick:

• Romare Bearden: Overlapping Meanings Session 2 - Register to attend a Harlem Renaissance presentation at Hofstra University. Free. (3:00 PM)
• Time for Trivia [At the Library] - Freeport Memorial Library invites students in grades 5-12 to test their knowledge in person! (6:00 PM)
• Jupiter String Quartet: “American Prism” (with Livestream!) - Hear the sounds of America’s wonderfully diverse and unique musical traditions at Adelphi University. In-person or livestream options available. Tickets start at $15. (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Did you know Patch has an evening roundup for LI? Click over to see (and maybe even sign-up for) the latest evening news from around Merrick. Highlights from a recent edition include a deer disrupting a classroom at Stony Brook University. (Patch)
• Today is National Inventors' Day! Click over to the Long Island Press to read about "19 Inventions That Long Island Gave The World." Highlights include Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream from Merrick and the electric self-balancing scooter from an inventor in Rockville Centre.

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Miller Home Technologies — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Loving the Merrick Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business listed in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at ash.the.copyartist@gmail.com.

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

— Ash DeMello