The following are profiles of candidates running for seats on the Nassau County and district court. more

While it might be easy to overlook the office of county clerk, the office plays an important role in keeping Nassau County’s court cases and real estate humming. They hum now, at least, and that’s in large part the work of County Clerk Maureen O’Connell, who has earned the Herald’s endorsement. more

The Halloween spirit abounds as we near that spooky date. There’s much to see and do in the area, before the candy-fest arrives next Saturday. Whether you want to step back in time to celebrate Halloween the way Long Islanders did over 120 years ago, stop by Cradle of Aviation museum for some “haunting” after hours, visit the grounds of Nassau County Museum of Art all dressed up in its Halloween finery, or find some scary thrills at one of the haunted houses in the area, there’s something for Halloween lovers of all ages. Here’s a round-up of where to go this weekend: more

In what is becoming an increasingly bitter, partisan battle, Nassau County Legislator Ed Mangano, a Republican, is challenging incumbent Democrat Thomas Suozzi for the county executive’s seat. The race appears to boil down to three key issues: property taxes, a recently imposed 2.5 percent energy tax and the county’s troubled property-tax assessment system. Mangano is challenging Suozzi’s handling of all three issues, while Suozzi fires back that the county has consistently balanced its budget while improving its bond rating, which reduces the interest the county must pay when it bonds money for any number of projects. more

While Nassau County residents are paying some of the highest taxes in the nation, Comptroller Howard Weitzman has done his part to ease the burden somewhat. During the past eight years Weitzman has shown that he is a competent financial watchdog, and has looked for savings in places no one before him ever tried. more

It’s the time of year to savor being outdoors in the crisp autumn air, as the leaves begin to change color. The weekends are chock full of festivals that celebrate the best of the season. You don’t have to go far this weekend to find something to enjoy, besides the pumpkin picking. more

Just eight weeks after installing — and then uninstalling — a state-of-the-art red-light camera in East Rockaway, Nassau County has been given the green light to reinstall the system, which is designed to catch red-light runners, at the intersection of Atlantic and Ocean avenues. more

Too often, we hear the horror stories of DWI. A drunken driver rips apart a family, maiming or killing a father, a mother, a brother or sister. Since the outbreak of World War I in 1914, more Americans have died in drunken driving crashes than in both World Wars and the Vietnam War combined — 594,161 U.S. soldiers compared with 1.6 million DWI victims and counting, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving. more

The nation’s crafts artists – including some of the best from our area – display their talents at the annual Craft As Art Festival at Nassau County Museum of Art this weekend. It’s more than an “arts and crafts” show, the artisans participating in this showcase demonstrates that, in their hands, crafts can be considered an art form. more

In June, the Nassau County Legislature approved a bill that would close the sewer plants in the villages of Lawrence and Cedarhurst and transfer their waste to the county’s facility in Bay Park. On Oct. 1, the Town of Hempstead board unanimously voted to sue the county as well as Lawrence and Cedarhurst in an attempt to stop the consolidation until state environmental agencies determine how the extra sewage processed by the Bay Park facility will affect Reynolds Channel, where the plant pumps treated effluent. more