Earlier this month, US District Court Judge Denis Hurley issued a preliminary injunction on Nassau County's three-month-old smoking ban, halting its enforcement to allow for additional review of the ordinance. Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs, however, said the injunction does not overturn the law, which went into effect on March 1 of this year, and the ban is still in effect. State law will take effect July 24. FULL STORY

The Carle Place School District's 2003-2004 budget of $31,296,710 passed 792 to 461. A proposition to provide bus service to seventh through 12th graders who live on the west side of Glen Cove Road, however, was defeated by a vote of 663 to 500. FULL STORY

Residents of Westbury voted 752 to 589 against the school district's proposed spending plan of $65,360,217. Since they decided not to put the budget up for another vote, Westbury will operate on its contingency budget for 2003-2004. As a result, certain programs and extracurricular activities would have to be cut. FULL STORY

The Westbury High School Girls Varsity Volleyball Team recently received the New York State Team Scholar-Athlete Award for the winter 2002-2003 season. Members of the team, with a 90.2 combined grade point average, were presented with individual certificates of academic achievement at a recent school board meeting. FULL STORY

Simon Property Group malls in the Northeast are launching "Simon Supports Kids Helping Kids," a program designed to encourage families and children to help other kids in their local communities with a Pledge Walk for the USO on Flag Day, June 14. FULL STORY