🌱 Blood Gang Members Admit To LI Murders + Missing Teen Girl

Rise and shine, Merrick! Here's everything you need to know to get this Friday started off right.

First, today's weather:

Mild with clouds and sun. High: 58 Low: 43.

Here are the top four stories today in Merrick:

1. Two Brooklyn Bloods gang members admitted to two murders in Baldwin Harbor and Hempstead along with other violence in Nassau, Queens and Brooklyn from 2010 through 2016 in federal court Wednesday: Dylan Cruz, 30, and Richard Michel, 41, members of the Red Lane Gorillas set of the Bloods street gang. (Patch)
2. A teenage girl is missing from Glen Cove. Dayna Nicole Barrera-Caceres was last seen leaving for school on Wednesday morning, but she never returned. Police are asking anyone with information to call. (News 12)
3. Hey! Joy is an independent toy store business that opened its second store at Roosevelt Field mall last month. The store aims for an interactive experience for shoppers. (Patch)
4. The New York Red Bulls soccer team has acquired both of the Nealis brothers from Massapequa. Dylan Nealis is the younger brother of Sean Nealis and the Red Bulls got him from Nashville SC for $125,000. (Patch)

Today's Merrick Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community — and to get access to this amazing technology — click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in Merrick!

Today in Merrick:

• Christmas Craft & Gift Show at the Broadway Commons Mall, Hicksville, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

From my notebook:

• Merrick Library will be closed on Friday, Dec. 24; Saturday, Dec. 25; and Sunday, Dec. 26. (Facebook)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, South Merrick - West: "Found a lost puppy in South Merrick in the Stanley Drive, Cynthia Lane area. His name is Oreo." (Nextdoor)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, Merrick: "Cat sitter. Book your holiday plans now." (Nextdoor)

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Events:

• Big Apple Circus is NOW OPEN in New York City! (December 17)
• Amahl & the Night Visitors — Family Opera at Sands Point Preserve (December 18)
• Brighten The First Day Of Winter With 15 Percent Off FTD’s Sunniest Blooms (December 21)
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That's it for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Jackie