🌱Nassau Readies For Opioid Settlement + Repairs Coming To LIE

Friends, neighbors and Merrickians, lend me your ears. Or eyes actually. I’m Merlin Douglass, your friendly guest curator, and here’s where we are today.

First, the weather:

Not a sun break but a break from sun. Cloudy today but dry. High: 56 Low: 43

Here are the top five stories in Merrick today:

1. A Massapequa man attacked a garbage truck on Atlantic Avenue in Massapequa Park Tuesday. First, he threw bricks and shattered the windshield and then he sprayed the sanitation workers inside with a chemical spray. (Patch)
2. Nassau County was the hardest hit county on Long Island in the Monday storm with customers in Oyster Bay, Hempstead and North Hempstead losing power. Hundreds were without power across the island as the storm took down utility poles and downed trees. Crews worked around the clock into Tuesday to repair 73 active outages. (Daily Voice)
3. New York Attorney General Letitia James and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman held a press conference along with other Long Island officials to announce that Long Island is beginning to receive the $46.9 million from opioid lawsuit settlements owed by big pharma. Nassau County will receive $20.4 million from settlements this year. The county will use the settlement money to fight drug and opioid addiction by establishing treatment centers, special overdose treatments and counseling. (Long Island Press)
4. Nassau and Suffolk counties are going to get LIE and other roads repaired of potholes — finally. At least that’s what Governor Kathy Hochul said. As many as 240,000 vehicles pass through Nassau and Suffolk county portions of the Long Island Expressway each day, despite deteriorating conditions. (CBS)
5. A man thought to be involved in a series of drug overdoses in Nassau County has been arrested. The investigation of two fatal overdoses and one non-fatal overdose of three Nassau county residents has led investigators to arrest Donnell Lewis, 39, on Tuesday for the possession and sale of narcotics. He was arraigned in the First District Court in Hempstead the same day he was arrested. (Daily Voice)

Today in Merrick:

• Dinosaurs still roam the earth, at least at Planet Play, 418 Bedford Avenue in Bellmore. Kids, preschool and younger as well as young elementary students, can make a variety of dinosaur themed crafts. The event costs $40 and only one adult per family may attend. (1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M.)
• Pauline Kline tells a story of survival at the Freeport Memorial Library, 144 W. Merrick Road in Freeport. In a program called Holocaust Remembrance, Kline will share the story of her mother's survival at Auschwitz through photos, video clips and other content. The event is free. (2:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M.)
• Beginning exercisers are invited to participate in the Double Dutch and Dumbells class in Baldwin, 2159 Grand Avenue. The cost is $15. The class involves dance, weights and jump ropes. (6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M.)

From my notebook:

• AARP invites seniors to join them for the next fight against fraud webinar, Romance Scams. The free series of workshops for anyone over 50 years old, will examine the most prevalent schemes to defraud seniors as identified by AARP and postal inspectors. Herald Community Newspapers is hosting the event and signing up will allow them to contact you about future events, services and products. (Herald Community Newspapers)
• The Town of Hempstead will be holding a jobs fair in Freeport on April 28 at the Freeport Recreation Center, 130 E Merrick Road from 10:30 A.M to 3:00 P.M. with a special section for veterans from 10:00 A.M. to 10:30 A.M. Dozens of area employers will be there including hotels, utility companies, universities and law enforcement. Attendees must register in advance at www.hempsteadworks.com/jobfairregistration. (Hempstead)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Earth Day Celebration! (April 23)
• Curbside Food Drive (April 23)
• Orthodox Easter Midnight Vigil (April 23)
• Orthodox Easter Morning Service & Egg Hunt (April 24)
• Labyrinth Walk for Earth Day (April 24)
• National Hug A Plumber Day (April 25)
• For The Love Of Dine-LI: Small Business Market Fundraiser (April 30)
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• Behind The Scoreboard – Uglies Who Did Good (Details)
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• BOAT SLIP FOR RENT SEAFORD NY 20”- under (Details)
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Good to see you everyone. Hope your Thursday is spectacular. Tomorrow your regular curator, Ash DeMello, will return with the update that starts your day off right.

—Merlin Douglass