"If Arafat's legacy dies with him, then we all have a good chance for peace in the Middle East," US Rep. Gary Ackerman told the Great Neck Record just after he returned from his very recent trip to the Middle East. According to Rep. Ackerman, who was on tour at the time of Yasir Arafat's death, the PLO leader's death was met with no remorse among leaders in the region and one and all expressed new hope for peace. FULL STORY

The Great Neck Park District will be holding a second public meeting for the Parkwood Pool Aquatic Study at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 2, at the cafeteria of the North Middle School. Councilman/Hunsaker & Associates, the firm retained by the district to facilitate the process for studying aquatic options for the future of the district, will be presenting preliminary findings. FULL STORY

The world's top figure skaters will once again lend their support to the 9/11 Families Give Back Fund by performing in the Stars, Stripes and Skates Icetravaganza on Dec. 3 at Cantiague Park Ice Arena. FULL STORY

US Merchant Marine Academy junior tailback Jason Hardwick broke the 250-yard rushing mark for the third consecutive game Saturday afternoon, Nov. 13 at Capt. Tomb Field in Brooks Stadium, as the Mariners (3-7, 3-4 Liberty) closed out their season in grand fashion, winning their sixth Secretaries' Cup in the last seven years with a 16-7 victory over arch-rival Coast Guard, in front of a season-high 3,783 fans. FULL STORY