🌱North Parkway Crash Victim ID'd + Agencies Prep For Icy Temps

Hello, neighbors! It's me again, Ash DeMello, your host of the Merrick Daily.

First, today's weather:

Not as cold, becoming breezy. High: 35 Low: 29.

Here are the top stories today in Merrick:

1. Officials have identified the victim in a single-car accident on North Parkway on Thursday, January 13. Police say that 34-year-old fellow officer Brandon Washington died at the scene in North Hempstead after hitting two trees and a light pole. Washington served the Port Washington community for five years prior to his death. (News12)
2. A suspect was arrested after driving erratically in a vehicle stolen from Hempstead on January 12. Witnesses say Claudy Fleury was speeding while driving a gray Honda CRV with no tires on the driver’s side through Nassau County. Police say Fleury was taken into custody without incident. (Daily Voice)
3. Are you in the mood for "Elegant and Authentic" Chinese cuisine? Locals say Hicksville's newest Chinese restaurant delivers on authenticity and upscale ambiance. Check out O Mandarin next time you've got a hankering for Szechuan-style eats. (LongIsland.com)
4. Get ready for icy conditions and stormy weather all over Long Island, according to the weather professionals at News 12 New Jersey. Temperatures are due to drop sub-zero in the next few days, with chilling winds possibly topping out at 55 MPH. Click over to the article to see what local agencies are doing in preparation.
5. Learn more about the rowdy passengers over at JFK airport who attacked a Delta security officer after being denied boarding because of their behavior. One of the trio also punched a gate agent, although charges weren't made for that attack. (CNN)

Today in Merrick:

• Martin Luther King's Travels on Long Island - Learn more about the celebrated figure at an event hosted by the Freeport Memorial Library. (2:30 PM)
• Rock and Roll - Kids 10 years and up are invited to the Environmental Education and Resiliency Center at Hempstead Lake State Park to observe cool rocks and investigate how they are made. Free, registration required. (1:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
• Sunday Night Funnies - The Brokerage in Bellmore hosts some of the finest comics from LI, NYC and across the country! 16+. $14.00 general admission. (Doors open at 5:30 PM; show starts at 7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Find out about firefighters' efforts at a scary Mineola apartment fire via @News12LI. (Twitter)
• Click over for the latest podcast from your local librarians, The Top Shelf. This week, they interviewed Erin Bartels, author of "The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water."

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with another update.

— Ash DeMello