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Community Corner

🌱 MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty + Donnelly Addresses Bail Reform

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

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Joanne Gallo, Neighbor
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(Patch.com)

Happy Thursday, neighbors! These are the most important things going on today in town.

First, today's weather:

A p.m. shower in places. High: 56, low: 42.

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Here are the top stories in Mineola today:

  1. A 23-year-old MS-13 gang member from Hempstead confessed to killing four individuals in Nassau County from 2016-2017. Raul Ponce, aka Shadow, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in the second degree (an A-I felony) and two counts of manslaughter in the second degree (a B violent felony) and is expected to receive 32 years to life in prison. The four victims were targeted because they were believed to be enemies of the MS-13 gang. Two were lured into the Massapequa Park Preserve and killed. (Press Release Desk)
  2. Nassau County's new district attorney, Republican Anne Donnelly, discussed her goals as she prepares to take office. Donnelly, a 32-year Nassau County prosecutor who raised three children and lives in Garden City with her husband, believes that bail reform went too far and seeks to bring back a balance that would lead to less crime and greater safety in our communities. (CBS New York)
  3. With the new omicron coronavirus variant on the national radar, a local doctor urges people to be diligent while health officials learn more about this strain. Dr. Alan Bulbin, director of infectious diseases at Catholic Health St. Francis Hospital & Heart Center in Roslyn, advises individuals to get their vaccines and boosters, avoid large superspreader events, and wear a mask in crowded indoor spaces. (Glen Cove Patch)

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Today in Mineola:

  • NYSSMA All-State Conference — Mineola Public Schools. (All Day)
  • JA Holiday Boutique — Mineola Public Schools. (All Day)
  • Create a Polar Bear Pond (with Penguin!) — Mineola Memorial Library. (4:30 p.m.)
  • Board of Education Workshop Meeting @ WI — Mineola Public Schools. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • Nassau County Police Department: "Commissioner Ryder was on Fox and Friends this morning discussing bail reform and Nassau County being named the Safest County in America for the second year in a row. Watch here:" (Facebook)
  • Chaminade High School - Mineola: "Strength in Unity leads us to do great things. Today we're calling on you to help us reach our #TorchFundTuesday goal. We challenge you to donate at any gift level and join your fellow supporters on our donor wall. A gift from you will help bring us one step closer to meeting our goal: https://bit.ly/3xECLkm" (Facebook)
  • Music & Memory: "Music & Memory® At Home Training offers a field-tested approach to providing personalized music in a professional at home setting. Attending staff will learn how to discover favorite music and create personalized playlists for those in their care using the Music & Memory at Home Kit. Each Music & Memory at Home Kit provides all of the equipment needed to bring personalized music to those in your care in a professional at home setting." (Facebook)
  • Island Harvest: "To everyone who contributed today to support the #IslandHarvest Food Bank... thank you! Grassroots generosity and community action are powerful forces for good, especially in turbulent times. https://bit.ly/31aAnpF" (Facebook)
  • Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence - Westbury: "Join us for LICADD EDU's Annual 'Om for the Holidays' on Tuesday, Dec. 14! CEUs available! Register here! http://eepurl.com/hNFRAz #LICADD #LICADDEDU #CEUs #omfortheholidays" (Facebook)


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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Thursday! I'll see you around. If you're into these newsletters, consider bringing some more friends and neighbors along for the ride. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— 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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Mineola Daily? You can contact me at Mineola@Patch.com.

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

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