Volunteer firefighters from the North Bellmore Fire Department quickly extinguished an Aug. 28 house fire on Siems Court in North Bellmore. The fire reportedly broke out at 3:17 p.m. First on the scene within four minutes, Chief Randy Meierdierks immediately called for additional units. No one was inside when firefighters arrived, according to a department spokesperson, but a male homeowner was outside. Firefighters had the blaze under control within 25 minutes. Thirty-five volunteers worked together to squelch the blaze, with the last of them leaving the block just after 5 p.m. more

Eight years ago to the day, hundreds of people had gathered at Lido Beach Park and watched the clear, sunny sky in the distance fill with black clouds of dark smoke from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. more

Pat Maher edged out Stephanie Ovadia in the primary election last week for the Democratic nomination in Nassau County’s 13th Legislative District. According to results released by the Board … more

An ad hoc group of students and high school parents converged on the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District Board of Education meeting Sept. 2 to call on district officials to reconsider their 2007 stance against synthetic-turf football fields at Calhoun, Kennedy and Mepham high schools. Roughly 250 parents and their children attended, with young people donning Merrick Police Activity League, Merrick-North Merrick Little League, Bellmore Braves and Calhoun football jerseys. In response to recent calls for artificial turf, Board of Education President Diane Seaman announced at the meeting that the district was forming a committee to explore ways to improve the high schools' football fields. She noted that the committee would look not only at synthetic turf, but also at ways to upgrade maintenance of the current grass fields. more

On Sept. 11, 2001, an estimated 3,000 men and women perished at the World Trade Center in the worst terrorist attack on American soil. Twenty-five of the victims were from the Bellmore-Merrick area. Eight years later, we fondly remember them and their contributions to the community. To this day, our heartfelt condolences go out to the families. At the Bellmore and Merrick Heralds, we're creating a wall of remembrance on our recently rebuilt Web site at www.liherald.com. If any local 9/11 families would like to add photographs to the wall, please e-mail them to Scott Brinton, senior editor, at sbrinton@liherald.com. more

In response to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's and Department of Health's May report on synthetic turf, Environment and Human Health Inc., a nonprofit group based in North Haven, Conn., issued a rebuttal listing its concerns with the state's findings. Environment and Human Health describes itself as "an organization dedicated to protecting human health from environmental harms through research, education and the promotion of sound public policy." The group comprises "doctors, public health professionals and policy experts committed to the reduction of environmental health risks to individuals." more

An elementary school teacher from Merrick already accused of one sex crime now faces charges in two counties. Daniel Rothbard, 28, was arrested Sept. 3 for allegedly forcing a 13-year-old girl from Suffolk County to engage in oral sex at his Meadowbrook Avenue home on July 7, authorities said. Police learned about the encounter after Rothbard was arrested July 21 in Suffolk County for allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in the parking lot of Westbrook Elementary School in West Islip, after meeting her on MySpace. Believing there may have been more victims, authorities began a probe into his online life. more

In response to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's and Department of Health's May report on synthetic turf, Environment and Human Health Inc., a nonprofit group based in North Haven, Conn., issued a rebuttal listing its concerns with the state's findings. Environment and Human Health describes itself as "an organization dedicated to protecting human health from environmental harms through research, education and the promotion of sound public policy." The group comprises "doctors, public health professionals and policy experts committed to the reduction of environmental health risks to individuals." more

Nearly 200 people filled the Merrick Library for the first of two public hearings on Sept. 1 to speak out against a proposed 12 percent rate hike for Aqua New York Water Service. A second hearing was held in the evening at Brookside School and was also well attended, according to reports. The rate hike proposal angered the many residents from Bellmore, Merrick, Wantagh, Seaford, Levittown and Massapequa who have no alternative water provider and reportedly pay more than neighboring communities in the Town of Hempstead that are part of municipal water districts. more

An Oceanside man who was hit by a car while riding a bike on the bike path that runs along the northbound side of the Wantagh Parkway in 2007 is suing New York state for $5 million, his lawyer said. more