The Francis X. Pendl Nassau County Firefighters Museum and Education Center announced the receipt of a grant of $1.3 million from Nassau County. The funds will be applied to initial construction costs of a 4,500-square-foot museum in a former aircraft hanger on the grounds of Museum Row in Uniondale. The space will include educational and historic displays of vintage and current firefighting apparatus and equipment, as well as a state-of -the-art fire safety education center, designed to teach Nassau residents of all ages how to prevent fires and fire-related injuries and deaths. The funding was approved by two committees and the floor of the entire county legislature without opposition during their sessions on July 25. FULL STORY

At Assemblyman Tom Alfano's third annual Women of Distinction Awards ceremony, former superintendent of the Elmont School District Dr. Maria Palandra was presented with the first Sandra Day O'Connor Award for trailblazing leadership. FULL STORY