This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

🌱 Doctor From Westbury Gets 23 Years + Uniondale Fatal Shooting

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Mineola.

Joanne Gallo's profile picture
Joanne Gallo, Neighbor
|
(Patch.com)

Happy Friday, neighbors! These are the most important things happening around Mineola today.

First, today's weather:

Times of clouds and sun. High: 58, low: 42.

Rent this space!

Are you a local business owner or marketer in Mineola? We'd love to start showcasing trusted businesses who can solve problems for our amazing local readers. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top stories in Mineola today:

  1. A former Merrick doctor, who lives in Westbury, was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison for causing two overdose deaths that resulted from illegally overprescribing addictive painkillers to patients. Michael Belfiore, 58, was convicted in 2018 for issuing a large number of prescriptions for oxycodone to people who were abusing the drug — approximately 5,000 oxycodone prescriptions for more than 600,000 pills in three years, which was an extremely high amount for a sole practitioner. (Long Island Press)
  2. A woman and a man were found dead in Uniondale in what police say appears to be a "murder-suicide." Responding to a 911 call regarding gunshots fired, First Precinct officers found a 28-year-old female dead in the street in front of a home. Police believe a 31-year-old man shot the woman and then drove to Greenfield Cemetery in Uniondale and shot himself. (News12 The Bronx)
  3. A Nassau County crash involving an alleged drunk driver killed a 15-year-old girl, Liel Namdar, and left a 38-year-old woman in critical condition, according to Nassau County police. Arlin Javier Aguilera, 34, of West Hempstead was driving a blue 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck in Woodmere and collided with a white 2018 Audi Q5 SUV. Aguilera was charged with vehicular manslaughter, vehicular assault and driving while intoxicated. (abc7NY)

Today's Mineola Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community — and to get access to this amazing technology — click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in Mineola!

Today in Mineola:

  • HS End of MP2 Interim Period — Mineola Public Schools (All Day)
  • Early Closing Alert — Mineola Memorial Library will be closing at 3 p.m. for the Village of Mineola's holiday party. The library will re-open on Saturday at 10 a.m. (3 p.m.)
  • MS Ugly Sweater Dance — Mineola Public Schools (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • St. Aidan School - Williston Park: "Artists of the Week! Way to go Audrey and Juliet! #staidanschoolwillistonpk #artistoftheweek #EnrollEducateEvangelize #DRVC #togetherinlearningtogetherinChrist" (Facebook)
  • Family & Children's Association - Garden City: "The FCA family is growing! We are currently hiring for multiple paid positions (full and part-time) as well as unpaid volunteer and internship opportunities. If you are interested in any of these positions (or in checking out the many other open opportunities) head to fcali.org/careers" (Facebook)
  • Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence - Westbury: "LICADD's Student Assistance Program Team continues to blanket Long Island communities with life-saving prevention education! Call to inquire about a presentation or partnership for your school or community today: 516-747-2606." (Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

  • Big Apple Circus is now open in New York City! (December 17)
  • Holiday Gifts with Bonuses & Discounts! (December 18)
  • Amahl & the Night Visitors — Family Opera at Sands Point Preserve (December 18)
  • Brighten The First Day Of Winter With 15 Percent Off FTD's Sunniest Blooms (December 21)
  • Multi-Sport Vacation Day Camp (Ages 3-10) (December 23)
  • Add your event

Announcements:

Job listings:

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

You're all caught up for today! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with a new update.

— Joanne Gallo

About me: Joanne Gallo is a lifelong resident of Long Island and a writer/editor for 30+ years. After earning a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Writing from NYU, Joanne edited and produced engaging, quality content for a diverse array of consumer publications, from the Johns Hopkins White Papers to Soap Opera Weekly. Raised in the nearby town of Roslyn, Joanne is happy to call Mineola her home for the past 7 years. She loves the arts, dining, gardening and all the natural beauty that Long Island has to offer.

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Mineola