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Community Corner

🌱 Post-Holiday COVID Warning + Police Prepare For New Year's

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)

Hey everyone! Happy New Year! I hope you enjoy this New Year's Eve edition of the Mineola Daily. Please know that, like most of you, I will be taking the day off to enjoy the festivities, so there will not be a newsletter in your inbox tomorrow. We hope you all understand the slight pause in the Mineola Daily. But don't worry — we will be back to our normal routine Monday morning!

First, today's weather:

Clouds giving way to some sun. High: 52, low: 47.

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Here are the top stories in Mineola today:

  1. Although Long Island seems to be in the midst of a COVID-19 uptick right now, on Wednesday New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul said we should be prepared for another surge after the holidays. A new state-run testing site has opened in Hempstead at Kennedy Memorial Park, 335 Greenwich St. That site is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hochul also implored parents of school-aged children to bring them for vaccinations this week so that they will be protected while in classrooms when school starts again on Monday. (Mineola Patch)
  2. In preparation for New Year's Eve, Nassau County Police presented a new effort to improve road safety on one of the most dangerous nights of the year. Commissioner Patrick Ryder is imploring drivers to get "TUF": take a Taxi, call an Uber or call a Friend if you have been drinking alcohol. Do not drive yourself. He noted that all Nassau County police officers will be patrolling the roads, especially at locations where a large number of accidents happen. (CBS New York)
  3. A Nassau County woman will be a contestant on the upcoming reality TV dating competition show, "For Richer or Poorer" on Fox, which is a reboot of the hugely successful "Joe Millionaire" from 2003. Doris Cano, a 33-year-old native of Mineola and graduate of Bethpage High School, will compete for the hearts of two men on the show that premieres Jan. 6 at 8 p.m. Cano is the CEO of staffing agency Diamond Divas Entertainment, and is a former NBA and NFL dancer. (Newsday)

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Today in Mineola:

  • New Year's Eve Observed: Village Offices are closed, Village of Mineola Public Meetings. (All Day)
  • New Year's Eve — Mineola Public Schools. (All Day)
  • New Year's Eve: Library is closed — Mineola Memorial Library. (All Day)

From my notebook:

  • Island Harvest: "For almost 30 years, generous friends have been there for Island Harvest as we work to provide food, programs and services to help families, children, veterans and seniors. You can help by making your tax-deductible year-end gift today. Every dollar contributed provides two meals! During this season of giving, please help us to help others. https://bit.ly/3HgFNil" (Facebook)
  • Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW: "Is your New Year's resolution to start buying more union-made products? You can start early by purchasing union-made food, drinks and games for your New Year's Eve festivities! #1u #UnionMade" (Facebook)
  • Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence: "LICADD offers a range of clinical services and has provided assessment, brief intervention and referral services to Long Island communities for 65 years! Please contact our offices at (516) 747-2606 or (631) 979-1700 or visit our website at LICADD.org for more information." (Facebook)
  • Nassau County Police Department: "K-9 Shammy would like to thank all the local kids who sent cards to him and his two- and four-legged colleagues at the #NassauCountyPD's K-9 unit as part Beyond the Badge NY's Cards for Cops!" (Facebook)


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That's it for today. See you all tomorrow for another 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.

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