NextG Networks filed a motion in New York State Eastern District Court on Oct. 21 to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Merrick Gables Association against NextG, the Town of Hempstead and cell phone provider Metro PCS. The Merrick Gables Association and a group of Nassau County residents filed suit in late August after months of frustration with cell phone antennas and 40-foot-tall poles that were installed near homes and schools, on town-owned public rights of way, by NextG Networks, a wireless frequency provider contracted with Metro PCS in Nassau County. more

At a New York State Women of Distinction ceremony on Oct. 15 at the Levittown Public Library, five of nine honorees hailed from Merrick. Ilene Dixel, account executive for the Merrick and Bellmore Heralds, Dr. Beverly Adler, Margaret Mueller and Ildi O'Gorman, all of Merrick, were honored by State Assemblymen David McDonough, Republican from North Merrick, and Joseph Saladino, Republican from Massapequa. more

Only 6 months old, Sophia Gaynor of Bellmore is bringing out the best in hundreds of local high school students. Around 300 people turned out at Mepham High School's track on Oct. 22 to take a part in a walk-a-thon to benefit the charitable organization, Sophia's Cure. The organization is named for a local newborn who was diagnosed with fatal spinal muscular atrophy, a group of diseases that affect the motor neurons of the spinal cord and brain stem. more

Calhoun High School students got a small taste of what it's like to drive drunk last Friday, the final day of National Teen Driver Safety Week. The students suited up with bicycle helmets and special glasses that obscure users’ vision, hopped aboard one of two pedal carts and attempted to negotiate an obstacle course of orange highway cones. The students, who were not drinking, smiled and laughed as they maneuvered slowly -- and quite awkwardly -- through the course. But the message was serious: Drinking makes you lose your sense of control, and that can lead to dire consequences if you drive. more

The Kiwanis Club of Merrick welcomed a new president and slate of officers for 2009-2010 at the club's 61st Annual Installation Dinner on Oct. 15 at the Hempstead Golf and Country Club. Tammy McLoughlin was tapped as Kiwanis's newest president, replacing Susan Gruen Helsinger, who was lauded after a successful year leading the community-service organization. McLoughlin is a fourth-generation Merokean, with strong ties to the community. "My family has lived here forever, and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else," she said. more

Merokeans opened their hearts and one special home to families in need on Oct. 6. Mary's Residence, a new home for unwed teenage mothers, is complete after volunteers spent months renovating the two-story house next to Curé of Ars Roman Catholic Church on Merrick Avenue. Owned and run by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Rockville Centre, Mary’s Residence is an extension of Regina Residence, a 40-year-old program offering housing and social services to young single mothers. more

For residents of Nassau County, dealing with the county clerk is something that needs to be done only sparingly — when registering a business, closing on a home or filing litigation. But thousands of people use the services of the office every day, and while it is politically low-profile, it is vital to the county’s operations. more

Leave it to the Chabad Center for Jewish Life to put a modern twist on a centuries-old celebration. Instead of observing the Jewish holiday of Sukkot by eating large meals and sleeping under a Sukkah, a structure resembling an awning, Chabad organized a fete under the train tracks at the Merrick Long Island Rail Road station on Oct 5. Festival-goers enjoyed an unusual holiday repast of onion rings, hot dogs and sushi provided by Supersol Caterers; music and dancing courtesy of the Minster Brothers Orchestra and The Dancing Rabbis; and the entertainment of Keith Leaf the "Fire Juggler." “We want to enable every person to participate in the holiday of Sukkot,” Chabad Rabbi Shimon Kramer said. “The main theme of Sukkot is unity and this was a very positive and joyous way to do it.” more

Due to the threat of inclement weather, the Bellmore Family Street Festival, sponsored by the Bellmore Chamber of Commerce, has been postponed, and has been rescheduled for the weekend of Oct. 24-25. more

From breaking news updates on 1010 WINS, to traffic reports on Z100, to sports recaps on WCBS 880, to political debates on national television, the alumni of Hofstra University’s radio station can be heard across the metropolitan area and around the country. more