Hurricane Sandy was our worst nightmare realized. This monster storm packed as much energy as two World War II era atomic bombs, causing massive destruction, the likes of which had not been seen since the Long Island Express of 1938, a now legendary Category III hurricane. Trapped on an island jutting into the Atlantic Ocean, we were front and center when Sandy attacked with a vengeance. Thousands of homes were inundated with seawater and sewage. Hundreds were left uninhabitable. Two and a half years later, we continue to rebuild our tattered shoreline. In this series we will look in the coming months at the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery’s ongoing effort to reconstruct worst-case homes, businesses and communities that Sandy ravaged on Oct. 29, 2012 — and the myriad issues that residents and officials face as they piece together our shredded infrastructure. At the same time, we will look at state and local officials’ efforts to reinforce Long Island in the hope that we might be able to withstand nature’s fury better when the next monster storm hits. —Scott Brinton, senior editor more

Late last month, Town of Hempstead Councilman Anthony Santino held a Town Hall meeting that gave residents the chance to speak to town officials in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. In addition to … more

Communities from all over have been reaching out to help Oceanside in the aftermath of the storm. Some have been far away, and others have been pretty close to home. The Plainview-Old Bethpage … more

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will open for homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained as a result of Hurricane Sandy. more

Thousands of Long Islanders had their homes and property destroyed during Hurricane Sandy and are now left to pick up the pieces. Fortunately for all, several nation organizations have been working around the clock in recent weeks to lend a helping hand. more

Last week, a different kind of donation came to Oceanside in the wake of Hurricane Sandy: pet supplies. The pet food company Halo dropped 13,000 meals worth of food for pets at Pet Supplies … more

Though its building was broken and battered by the fury of Hurricane Sandy, the spirit of the Barry and Florence Friedberg JCC — and especially the people who work and volunteer there — has … more

After Hurricane Sandy flooded homes in Oceanside, destroying floors, walls and furniture, residents began the heartbreaking and arduous task of throwing out most of their possessions. That … more

District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced that an Oceanside contractor who sent doctored Town of Hempstead fliers to residents to advertise his business was arrested on Tuesday. Mark Rauch, 63, … more

Nassau County is establishing a business recovery program to help with the reconstruction and recovery of businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy. more