🌱 Local Grandma Outsmarts Phone Scammer + New Homes In Mineola

Hey, Mineola! Let's get this day started. Here's everything you need to know about what's happening around town today.

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First, today's weather:

Cloudy with a little snow. High: 34 Low: 22.

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Here are the top 3 stories today in Mineola:

1. Duane Costa, a Uniondale man who shot at four Nassau County police officers while attempting to flee a traffic stop in 2018, has been sentenced to 25 years to life by a local judge. On Thursday, prosecutors said that Costa had two illegal guns and shot at the officers seven times as he was being pursued. In a bench trial, Costa had been convicted of attempted murder and criminal use and possession of a firearm. (CBS New York)
2. A Nassau County grandmother outsmarted a phone scammer who was posing as her grandson to get money. The 73-year-old woman, identified as Jean, said she played along when Joshua Estrella Gomez, 28, of Mineola, claimed he was Jean's grandson and needed $8,000 in bail money. When Estrella Gomez arrived at Jean's home to collect the money, she had the Nassau County Police waiting to arrest him as he left. The fraudster has been charged with attempted third-degree grand larceny of the third degree and will appear at First District Court on Feb. 3, according to the Nassau County authorities. (WSLS 10)
3. Looking for a new house in Mineola? Three local properties have just hit the market, and one of them could be your dream home. There's a 4-beds, 1.5-bath home on Macatee Place for $599,000, a 3-bed, 3-bath home on Wellington Road for $695,000, and a 2-bed, 1.5-bath apartment on Clinton Avenue for $399,000. Click for listing details. (Mineola Patch)

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This weekend in Mineola:

• Zoom Zumba With Kristen Fonte, Hosted By The Mineola Public Library (Jan. 29, 10:00 AM)

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From my notebook:

• Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW reminds the community that every home in the U.S. is eligible to order one free kit of 4 at-home COVID-19 tests. Order yours here. (Facebook)
• Island Harvest Food Bank in Melville is currently seeking a Graphic Designer to join their team. Visit https://bit.ly/3HasS1T to apply. (Facebook)
• Know somebody struggling with addiction? The Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence's Family Intervention Program offers hope and recovery. Call for more details: 516-747-2606. (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! Your usual curator Joanne will be back in your inbox tomorrow with another update.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.