🌱 Gang Murderer Sentenced To Prison + Masks In Schools Confusion

Hello, neighbors! It's me again, your host of the Five Towns Daily.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and cold. High: 31 Low: 29.

Here are the top three stories today in Five Towns:

1. MS-13 gang member Raul Ponce was sentenced to 32 years to life in prison for the gang killings of four Nassau County men. Relatives of two of the victims, Bryan Steven Cho Lemus, 18, of Uniondale and Osmin Campos-Sandoval, 19, of Hempstead, testified in court about their grief. (Subscription: Newsday)
2. Masks are back in Long Island schools as of Wednesday. A New York Appellate Judge granted a stay in the state's lawsuit over the COVID-19 face mask mandate, which means schools must enforce the policy again. (ABC 7 News)
3. Pop star Dua Lipa will perform at UBS Arena on Feb. 21. Tickets go on sale on Jan. 28 at 10 a.m. The singer added the concert date to her "Future Nostalgia" tour. (Patch)

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Today in Five Towns:

• Postponed: Woodmere Middle School Grade 6 Science Fair, Hewlett Woodmere School District.
• Hewlett High School Regents/Midterm Exams, George W Hewlett High School.
• Board of Education Budget Session, Hewlett Woodmere School District, 7 p.m.

From my notebook:

• Nassau County Police Department officers from the 2nd Precinct stopped by Gurudwara Shaheedan in Hicksville to discuss safety. (Facebook)
• Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools shares a link to download a 2022-23 Pre-K Registration packet (Facebook)
• Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools will hold COVID-19 testing in the basement of the Woodmere Education Center today from 1 to 5 p.m. (Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Thursday off right. I'll see you around!

— Jackie