Our beloved dog Kirby died last week. She was a yellow lab mix adopted from the North Shore Animal League 16 years ago. A long life— but not nearly long enough for us. My three sons named her after the baseball player, Kirby Puckett. Never mind that she was a female. To say we’re devastated is an understatement. The house feels empty; someone is missing. Why is the loss of a pet so painful? I guess it’s because she was a member of the family who gave no-strings-attached, unconditional love and loyalty without expecting anything in return. more

The two former primary opponents appeared together at a monthly meeting for local clergy at the Long Island Marriot in Uniondale, where Abrahams announced his endorsement. more

Nearly two years after Hurricane Sandy, the Jones Beach State Park staff — with the help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency — has not only repaired, but revived the world-famous attraction. more

After Danny Ehrick’s home flooded in Hurricane Sandy, the 11-year resident of Freeport immediately cleaned his tools. Ehrick said he knew he would need them to gut the first floor of his canal-front home on Florence Avenue. more

Part two of an occasional series about the challenges that people face making ends meet in Nassau County. By 8 a.m. on July 3, many, if not most, of the 3- to 5-year-olds in Jazmin Torres and … more

A mix of guitars, stylish fedoras, multicolored hairstyles and practicing hopefuls, who were letting out a few notes before it really counted, waited in close quarters outside of Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, in Uniondale, on July 23, hours before it was time to show off their high notes, vibrato and guitar strums to the producers of “American Idol.” more

Neil Sedaka once told us through song that “breaking up is hard to do.” While I surprised even myself by quoting Neil Sedaka, his song is perhaps most appropriate for this situation. more

The Valley Stream Board of Trustees will continue discussion on a moratorium on certain businesses at its monthly work session in August. more

The Nassau County Legislature’s seven-member, bipartisan rules committee unanimously passed a plan on July 18 to implement a long-term contract for the control of the county’s wastewater system. Promising to save taxpayers roughly $240 million over the next 20 years ... more

There are some events that are a staple of the village’s summer camp program at Barrett Park, and one of them is the annual field day competition. The event is known as Color Wars, where children split into two teams and wear either red or blue. more