Week in Review

Buckle up, Merrick. We've got an action-packed Week in Review in store for you.  There's a lot going on, so let's get straight to the news:

On Sunday, we told you about the end of the season for the Calhoun football team, as the Colts lost to Garden City in the first round of the playoffs. Merrick Avenue Middle School students helped raise money to fight juvenile diabetes with a "Crazy Hat Day."

On Monday, the Calhoun boys cross country team won its second straight county title with a dominating performance at Bethpage State Park. North Merrick Library officials announced that a public bond referendum is being planned for the spring to fund proposed renovations to the library, a story that drew numerous comments on Patch. We profiled Calhoun senior Ben Dickstein, a star in both the academic and musical arenas.

Also on Monday, Adelphi president Dr. Robert Scott gave some advice on the college application process.  A fifth grade class at Sacred Heart School collected donations outside their school as part of a project to and cards to send to military troops who will be stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Christmas holiday.

On Tuesday, the Kennedy girls volleyball team punched its ticket to the county finals with a sweep of Garden City. Local veteran groups gathered at Eisenhower Park to mark this year's Veterans Day with a commemorative service. Evan Sachs, the Merrick man charged with stabbing an 8-year-old boy last month at a Dave & Buster's, was indicted by a grand jury for attempted murder.  The Bellmore-Merrick girls swim team placed third in the county championships. Your humble Merrick Patch editor took part in Chatterton School's annual Community Reading Celebration.

On Wednesday, the North Merrick School Board reflected on the recent School Board Appreciation Week.  The weekly Merrick Crime Report included a valet parked car being stolen at Brooks and Porter Steakhouse and $25,500 of jewelry being stolen from a home.  Merrick resident Neil Yeoman offered his opinion on the cell tower debate in a letter to the editor.

Also on Wednesday, two Merrick residents were honored with "Make a Difference" awards at a ceremony at Hempstead Town Hall. A woman lost control of her car on Camp Avenue, striking a tree and causing her Chevy Cobalt to overturn; the woman suffered minor injuries. 

On Thursday, the Kennedy girls volleyball team relinquished the lead in three straight games to lose in the county finals to Wantagh. Kennedy senior Carly Thea signed a letter of intent to play softball for the University of Pittsburgh next year after a stellar athletic career as a Cougar. A small fire at a Park Avenue East home was quickly extinguished.

Also on Thursday, the Merrick School Board discussed finances, school security and honored retirees at its monthly meeting. A Veterans Day ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park in Merrick drew a crowd of veterans, politicians and proud residents. Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray announced a new proposal that would restrict smoking in town parks and beaches to designated areas.

On Friday, the Kennedy boys volleyball team won its third straight county title with a sweep of Floral Park. We spoke the boys on the Colts cross country team as they prepared to head upstate for the state championship meet. A ceremony celebrating those who served in the Vietnam War was held at the Nassau County Veterans Memorial in East Meadow. We also had the rundown of open houses in town this weekend.

On Saturday, we told you about Rabbi Scott Hoffman, of Temple Israel of South Merrick, completing the New York City Marathon while raising money for a good cause. We also had our weekly listings of where you can find a job right here in Merrick.