🌱 Nassau County Misses Background Checks + Missing Teenager

Good morning, Merrick! It's Saturday, so let's get you started with everything you need to know going on in Merrick today.

An audit shows Nassau County fails to background check half of the candidates for certain positions. A teenager is missing from Hempstead. And two local students got top AP scores.

First, today's weather:

Downpours early this morning. High: 59 Low: 44.

Here are the top five stories in Merrick today:

1. Two nearby high school students earned a top score on their Advanced Placement Research exam. Seaford senior Chelsea Russo and Massapequa senior Sarah Popeck both scored a top score of 5. (News 12)
2. Nassau County skips conducting required background checks on candidates for management positions, a new county audit reveals.Nassau County Comptroller Jack Schnirman reviewed the hiring of a sample of 78 managers from 2004 through 2018 and found half did not undergo the background reviews.(Subscription: Newsday)
3. A 14-year-old Long Island girl has been reported missing from Hempstead. Heimy Rodezno-Flores was last seen leaving her home on Fulton Avenue on foot. (Daily Voice)
4. Fairfield Properties has acquired a Massapequa rental complex for $106 million. The Southpoint Apartment Homes complex has 214 units at 25 Weaver Dr. (Subscription: Long Island Business News)
5. Have you checked out Arepas Cafe in North Merrick? The Venezuela cuisine takeout restaurant on Jerusalem Avenue serves a variety of arepas with chicken, beef, pork, cheese, sweet plantains, beans, and seafood. (LongIsland.com)

Today in Merrick:

• Otto's Holiday Boutique, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Freeport

From my notebook:

• Kiwanis Club of Merrick is wrapping presents at Roosevelt Field Mall. (Facebook)
• The band Taking Back Sunday, with members from Wantagh and Nassau County, talked about playing Long Island again. (Subscription: Newsday)
• Merrick Library is opening registration this week for children's programs. (Facebook)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Festival of Games - a retro holiday shopping and gaming event (December 11)
• INN Holiday Curbside Drive (December 11)
• Holiday Tales at the Castle at Sands Point Preserve (December 12)
• Christmas Tree Lighting (December 12)
• Big Apple Circus is NOW OPEN in New York City! (December 12)
• 57th Annual Children's Christmas Toy Drive (December 13)
• FREE WEBINAR Italian Architecture Through the Ages: The Marvels of Imperial Rome (December 14)
• Add your event

Announcements:

• Behind The Scoreboard – Ed Sullivan’s Huge Lesson For The World (Details)
• Operation Holiday® Calling All Donors to “Adopt A Family” (Details)
• Add your announcement

Housing:

• 1194 Gianelli Ave, Merrick-OPEN HOUSE 4 SALE 12/18 &12/19 1-4pm (Details)
• Add your listing

Job listings:

• Lumber yard worker/ facility attendant/ Customer Service (Details)
• Add your job listing

Loving the Merrick Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business listed in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at Merrick@Patch.com

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

— Jackie