East Meadow Man Arrested For Posing As Real Estate Agent

Jamel Smith, 38, utilized Craigslist to secure payments, police say

There is no place like home, but unfortunately for potential renters who worked with East Meadow “real estate agent” Jamel Smith, there were never any homes at all.

Third Squad Commanding Officer Ray Cote said that Smith, 38, posed as a real estate agent after losing his job at a real estate agency in West Hempstead in March and used Craiglist to attract renters and secure payments. Before he was fired, Smith had won a RE/MAX award for being the most successful agent in the office.

CP Mourns Loss Of Teen Killed In Motorcycle Crash

Stephen Fay, 19, remembered for sense of humor, passion for living

Carle Place High School grad Stephen Fay, 19, died early Tuesday morning, June 5, at 9:40 a.m., after crashing his motorcycle in East Garden City, police reported.

The Nassau County Police Department said Fay, who resided in Westbury, was operating a 2012 Kawasaki Ninja 250R motorcycle heading south on East Gate Boulevard when he struck a 2000 Ford E-450 box truck being operated by an unlicensed driver, Kevin Kizzie, 45, of Brooklyn.

Old Westbury Resident Named Valedictorian At NCC

Joshua Goodfarb, classified as ‘learning disabled’ at young age

It’s not every day that a college graduate with Asperger’s Syndrome is named valedictorian, but then again, Old Westbury’s Joshua Goodfarb isn’t your every day type of guy.

Goodfarb spoke about  his journey in front of more than 10,000 attendees at the Nassau Community College graduation ceremony on May 23, where he was given a standing ovation at the conclusion of his speech.

10-Year-Old Organizes Fundraiser That Raises $12K

Andrew Khafif helping child through St. Baldrick’s Foundation

It’s one thing to help a friend in need. It’s another to help someone you’ve never met.

The latter applies to Old Westbury 10-year-old Andrew Khafif, who formed “Team King Khafif” and fundraised more than $12,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, an organization that supports childhood cancer research.

“The money we raised will go toward research grants. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation funds more childhood cancer research than any other organization other than our U.S. government,” said a smiling and well-spoken Khafif, who got by with a little help from his friends.

DA Rice: Seven Charged In Food Stamp Fraud Cases

Westbury man facing up to one year in prison if convicted

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced on May 25 that seven people and three companies, including one man from Westbury, have been charged with stealing more than $875,000 in food stamp benefits by either trading cash for benefits or by accepting benefits for improper items, including one man from Westbury.

The arrests are the result of a two-year joint investigation by the DA’s Office, the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General (USDA) and the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assisted with the arrests.

Sweet On You: CP Rallying For Girl With Brain Tumor

Gracie Sweet, 2, diagnosed with inoperable tumor in 2010

Sara Tucker-Sweet, a Carle Place High School graduate, and her husband PJ, have two daughters, Cameron, 4, and Gracie, 2, and since 2003, the family has lived in Aldie, Va., about an hour drive west of Washington, D.C.

Blessed with two beautiful daughters – a pair so precious you could swear you’ve seen them as a stock photograph in a picture frame – a sour reality overcame the Sweet family when Gracie experienced seizure-like episodes on June 21, 2010, while visiting family near Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, where doctors soon revealed that Gracie had an inoperable brain tumor, classified as an optic pathway glioma.

MTA To Demolish, Rebuild Ellison Avenue Bridge

Hicksville’s LIRR station will also receive major ‘facelift’

Over the next five years, Long Island Rail Road commuters from Hicksville, Westbury and Mineola will notice some significant changes at their hometown stations.

The MTA Long Island Rail Road announced on Monday, May 21, that $211.5 million worth of capital improvements – dubbed the MTA Capital Plan – will result in major renovations at the Hicksville train station, a new bridge on Ellison Avenue in the Village of Westbury and drainage improvements in Mineola.

Budgets Pass In All Three Districts For Upcoming Year

Dickerson re-elected, Simpkins elected to board of education

Residents of Westbury, Carle Place and East Meadow school districts made it out to the polls on Tuesday, May 15, and the majority in all three communities voted in support of the respective school budgets.

By a 1263 to 789 margin, residents approved the Westbury School District budget for the 2012-13 school year. Compared to the 2011 vote, more than 700 additional residents participated in the voting process this year. The approval rate following Tuesday’s election was 62 percent, while the 2011 vote yielded a 47 percent approval rate.

Carle Place’s Leanne Iannucci Honored As Top Scholar-Athlete

Multi-sport athlete ranked at top of class at CPHS

The Eva Tucci Award is presented in MS. Tucci’s memory each year to the Top Nassau County Scholar-Athlete who best exemplifies the passion and efforts of sports that Eva Tucci possessed.

Leanne Iannucci is a 14-time varsity letter recipient and three-sport athlete (softball, field hockey and bowling) at Carle Place High School. She is known as a leader at Carle Place, having been a three-time softball captain, field hockey captain and bowling captain.

Budgets Pass In All Three Districts For Upcoming Year

By a 1263 to 789 margin, voters approved the Westbury School District budget for the 2012-13 school year. 
Dr. Pless Dickerson was re-elected 
and 
Mr. John E. Simpkins was elected

 to the board of education.  

Carle Place School District’s budget, with 713 votes in favor and 336 votes against, also passed. Joe LuCurto was elected to the board of education.

The East Meadow School District’s voters supported the upcoming school year budget with 2,033 votes in favor and 790 votes opposed. All three board of education incumbents were re-elected.