🌱 Shirley-Mastic Daily: Icy Roads + More Rush-Hour Trains

Good day, neighbors! It's me again, your host of the Shirley-Mastic Daily.

First, today's weather:

Periods of rain. High: 48 Low: 39.

Here are the top three stories today in Shirley-Mastic:

1. Icy roads caused multiple crashes and the closure of the Long Island Expressway westbound at Exit 56. The lanes closed around 7 a.m. (Daily Voice)
2. The LIRR will restore several morning rush-hour trains that were eliminated as part of COVID-19 service reductions. Beginning Jan. 3, one more westbound Ronkonkoma train will be added. (Subscription: Newsday)
3. Due to omicron-related staffing shortages United Airlines and Delta canceled numerous Christmas Eve and Day flights including some at JFK and LaGuardia airports. United canceled 168 flights on Friday and Delta 100. (News 12)

Today in Shirley-Mastic:

• Long Island churches will mostly follow mask mandates for Christmas Day masses. (Subscription: Newsday)

From my notebook:

• The second Patchogue Plunge will happen on Super Bowl Sunday, February 13th, 2022, with breakfast at Toast Coffeehouse in Patchogue. All proceeds go to the Gabby Petito Foundation.
• Alexandra Clougher, a senior at William Floyd High School, was selected as one of only five New York State nominees in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) category for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. (Patch)
• Nextdoor Neighbor, South Shirley: "A runaway horse with saddle still on spotted on William Floyd Parkway near Rocky Point." (Nextdoor)

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

— Jackie