Coworker Murder Trial + Police To Patrol Jewish Communities

Rise and shine Five Towns!

In today's Daily, learn the latest on how police plan to address the recent rise of antisemitic crimes and learn who is running for Nassau Legislator in a Five Towns district. Two notorious crimes with a local connection from recent years are back in the news: the teenager who dragged a NYPD officer with a car has been rearrested, and the man accused of killing a Valley Stream man is on trial. In happier news, high school and college students from the Five Towns are racking up academic and extracurricular awards.

First, today's weather forecast calls for rain the evening and overnight with a high of 75 degrees and a low of 67 degrees.

Today's top news from the Five Towns:

1. Jerry Barmash has the story on Republican challenger Dr. Bernadin Fleurima, who announced his candidacy for Nassau County legislator. Carrié Solages is the current third legislative district county legislator. (Patch)

3. Robert Brodsky has an update on New York State Police plans to increase patrols at Jewish facilities after antisemitic attacks like the one in Times Square on a Lawrence man. Additional police presence is planned at synagogues, schools and in Jewish communities on Long Island and in New York City and Westchester. (Newsday)

3. Matthew Chayes has the details on a New Jersey teenager who was rearrested in New York City: the teen, Justin Murrell, is infamous for dragging a NYPD officer from North Baldwin, Dalsh Veve, with a vehicle in 2017, causing severe brain damage in the officer. On Sunday, Murrell, now 19, was arrested for speeding in a car stolen from Honda of Valley Stream. He sped away from the NYPD before being apprehended. (Newsday)

4. Bridget Murphy details a major part of the trial of Glen Head's Lawrence Grammer, 74, who is charged with killing his co-worker, Bashir Ward, from Valley Stream, in 2018. A 911 call was played for the jury in which Grammer can be heard saying"I just killed a guy." Ward was 35. (Newsday)

Events Around the Five Towns:

• Discuss Hamnet with the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library Readers tomorrow at 2 PM on hwpl.org (online)

Five Towns Notebook:

• Two Hewlett-Woodmere students—Stephan Gershfeld, a sophomore and Benjamin Grushkovsky, a junior—got nods from Newsday as top Long Island tennis players. (Newsday)
• College students from Five Towns are winning awards: Alec Krueger from Hewlett was honored with Lehigh University's Allegiance Award this spring. Samantha Epstein, also from Hewlett, won the Minerva Prize at Union College's annual Prize Day celebration. The award is given to a female student whose "work best combines the scholarly study of women or gender with activities that enhance the life of women on campus." (Merit Pages)
• Hewlett-Woodmere student Alex Kesin placed fourth out of 1,800 finalists at Regeneron's International Science and Engineering Fair (Facebook)

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Featured events

HSS Yoga Classes – New Classes Starting June 1 (online)

T’ai Chi Chih Class (Meets Online Monday and Wednesday)

That's today's five minute must-know Five Towns recap. Check back tomorrow to keep updated and informed. If you know of something that should be included in the Five Towns Daily, drop us a note at fivetowns@patch.com!

-Jackie

About me: I am a lifelong Long Islander who has covered local news for over a decade. I'm a busy working mom who loves to share nearby news to inform, educate, inspire or just make your daily life a bit easier.