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Community Corner

🌱 Roosevelt Field Mall Melee + Doctor's Murder Charges Reduced

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)

Welcome back, Mineola! Here's everything you need to know to get this Tuesday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Periods of clouds and sun. High: 59, low: 51.

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Here are the top stories in Mineola today:

  1. Shoppers at the Roosevelt Field Mall in East Garden City on Sunday panicked and fled the building in response to a large fight that broke out at 3:49 p.m. Police said that the fight occurred in front of Victoria's Secret and caused many people to run from the mall through Macy's. A 21-year-old man was taken to a hospital after being punched in the face by a person who was fleeing. Police ask anyone with information to call 911 or Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. (Patch)
  2. A former Rockville Centre doctor, George Blatti, was previously charged with murder for the death of five patients due to prescription drugs and has now had his charges reduced to manslaughter. Acting State Supreme Court Justice Francis Ricigliano, who handed down the decision, asserted, "Reckless homicide cannot be elevated into depraved indifference murder merely because the actions of the defendant created a risk of death, however grave or substantial that risk may have been." (Patch)
  3. With Mother's Day around the corner, what is it that Mineola moms really want this year? Most adults in the U.S. (84 percent) said they plan to celebrate their mothers with a gift, spending $245 on average, according to a report by the National Retail Federation and Proper Insight & Analytics. A poll by YouGov from last year showed that the top five gifts moms want are flowers, chocolate, jewelry, a gift certificate for a spa or massage — and of course, a greeting card with a message from the heart. (Mineola Patch)

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Today in Mineola:

  • HA/ME Plant Sale — Mineola Public Schools. (All Day)
  • HA/ME Pre-K to Grade 2 Badge Books Sent Home — Mineola Public Schools. (All Day)
  • Math Makeups Grades 3-7 — Mineola Public Schools. (All Day)
  • MS/HA/ME Teacher Appreciation Day — Mineola Public Schools. (All Day)
  • Professional Development Meeting @ HA (a.m.) — Mineola Public Schools. (All Day)
  • HS Athletic Booster Club Meeting — Mineola Public Schools. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

  • Nassau County Police Department: "Commissioner Ryder, Legislator Rose Walker and members of the NCPD with the Men's First Place Full Marathon Winner Shlomo Schreiber and his family. Congratulations on your marathon time of 2:36.58!" (Facebook)
  • St. Aidan School - Williston Park: "It was a beautiful day on Friday for our 8th Grade Retreat at the Saragossa Retreat House at Chaminade High School. Thank you to Chaminade High School for hosting and transporting our students for this special day. Thank you to Miss Tess Austin, director of Catholic Identity for DRVC Department of Education, for leading our 8th Grade Retreat. As always, we are grateful to our pastor, Fr. Adrian, for bringing us together for Mass." (Facebook)
  • Local 338 RWDSU/UFCW: "On #InternationalWorkersDay, we celebrate and renew the labor movement's commitment to fighting for working people around the world. Happy #MayDay, Local 338 family! #1u" (Facebook)
  • Island Harvest: "#IslandHarvest is leading the fight to end hunger on Long Island. In addition to helping provide meals to people who are experiencing hunger, we work to raise awareness about the issue and advocate for policies to protect people in need. This May, please consider supporting Island Harvest Food Bank and the work we have ahead of us https://bit.ly/3xUc1i7" (Facebook)
  • Long Island Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependence: "Fiscal Policy Institute: The Staggering Cost of Long Island's Opioid Crisis. https://fiscalpolicy.org/wp-co... #LICADD #FiscalPolicyInstitute #LongIsland #opioidepidemic #awareness" (Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

  • Faith the Competitive Edge (May 4)
  • Spring Festival and Open House Grades EC-8 (May 7)
  • Bourbon At Belmont (May 7)
  • Hire A Pro To Tackle Mom's To-Do List (May 8)
  • Add your event

Announcements:

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Tuesday! I'll see you back in your inbox tomorrow with 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 was an on-staff editor for consumer publications, including Features Editor for Soap Opera Weekly, Senior Editor for Energy Times and Executive Editor for The Johns Hopkins White Papers. Raised in the nearby town of Roslyn, Joanne is happy to call Mineola her home for the past 7 years. She loves arts & entertainment, dining, gardening and all the natural beauty that Long Island has to offer.

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

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