🌱 Long Island's COVID Spike + Top Cause Of Fatal LI Car Crashes

Get on up, Merrick! Let's get you started this Tuesday with everything you need to know going on around town today.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny. High: 45 Low: 38.

Here are the top three stories today in Merrick:

1. Numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations are increasing on Long Island and now Nassau and Suffolk's seven-day positivity rate is the highest in New York State at 9.32 percent. Nassau and Suffolk reported 3,973 new cases on Sunday, with a total of 24 confirmed omicron cases on Long Island. (News 12)
2. Data shows that unsafe speed is the number one cause of deadly crashes on Long Island. There have been 41 people killed in Nassau and Suffolk crashes so far in 2021, according to the AAA. (Patch)
3. Nassau District Attorney-Elect Anne Donnelly explained her priorities when she takes over the office in January. She said bail reform "went too far" and the opioid crisis is still an ongoing issue. (Subscription: Newsday)

Today's Merrick Daily is brought to you in part by our friends at Ring, the home security company. Ring does a lot more than doorbells: check out their full suite of smart home products at Ring.com. And thank you Ring for helping to make local news happen in Merrick!

Today in Merrick:

• Holiday Concert Districtwide Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and Grades 5 & 6 Orchestra, North Merrick UFSD, 7 p.m.

From my notebook:

• "Once Upon a Snowflake" will open on Dec. 28 at The Showplace at The Bellmore Movies.
• Several Nassau County restaurants will be open on Christmas, like Eric’s Italian Bistro, at 70 E. Old Country Road in Mineola. (Subscription: Newsday)
• Massapequa native and soccer player Hope Breslin was selected by Angel City FC in the 2022 draft of the National Women's Soccer League on Saturday. (Patch)

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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Jackie