If you love beautiful animals, great people and smiling children, please make sure to come to this year's annual Blessing of the Animals, at All Saints Episcopal Church in Great Neck on Sunday, April 22. The service will begin at 10:30 a.m. There will be a children's petting zoo beginning at 9:30 a.m. Bring your kids, pets and cameras! FULL STORY

There is still time to make a reservation for the United Community Fund of Great Neck and North New Hyde Park annual dinner dance on Sunday, April 29, at the New Hyde Park Inn. Local community leaders Suzette Gross and Robert Wild are this year's honorees. The dinner dance, which is a major fund raiser for UCF, is being underwritten by the Lockheed Martin Corporation. FULL STORY

Monday, April 9 was this season's opening day at Shea Stadium for the Mets, and opening day for the Daruma Japanese restaurant booth at Shea. Run by Great Neck's Daruma Japanese restaurant owner Yoshi Hirashima, the booth is #139 on the field level (toward right field). Ready to serve some delicious Japanese treats are Daruma's friendly staff (l. to r.): Vivienne, Kamal, Hannah, and Helen. FULL STORY

The United States Merchant Marine Academy's baseball team had a tough week, losing three straight and dropping their season record to 6-12 and slipping below the .500 mark in the Knickerbocker Conference (5-6). The week began the same way it ended after the Mariners fell at home on Wednesday to Stevens Tech, 8-1. FULL STORY