Teachers switched places with one another on Oct. 23 in District 13. It was mystery teacher day, an event chosen by students during the budget vote in May. more

The construction of an elevator to serve the Valley Stream Central High School District offices at Memorial Junior High School is currently under way, and some teachers at the school say that noise from the work has disrupted their classrooms. more

Nassau and Suffolk County Republicans await voter results — and ultimately celebrated — in Westbury, NY more

It was a shocking night in Nassau County for several local Democrats, most notably County Executive Tom Suozzi, who, as the Herald reached deadline, was ahead by a razor-thin 237 vote margin. more

The newsroom at Richner Communications is a serious place -- except on Halloween, when the staff celebrates Halloween in fashion -- or in costume! Have a safe and fun Halloween. more

The following are profiles of candidates running for seats on the Nassau County and district court. more

Children who are legal residents of Valley Stream District 13 and will be 5 years of age on or before Dec. 1, 2010, are eligible to register for kindergarten for the 2010-11 school year. more

Kathleen Rice ascended to the district attorney’s post four years ago as a virtual unknown -- a former federal prosecutor and Brooklyn assistant district attorney who had never run for political office before. Back then, she appeared a tad unsure of herself, slightly nervous in her interviews with the Herald. And why not? She was opposing the legendary Denis Dillon, who had served as Nassau County district attorney for 31 years. Despite being a political neophyte, Rice ran a strong campaign, and was elected with 51 percent of the vote to Dillon’s 49 percent. Four years later, we’re happy that Rice was elected. She has proven herself to be a consummate professional who only improved an already well-run D.A.’s office. Cases are processed nearly twice as fast as they once were. Conviction rates are up. And Rice has garnered a national reputation for her aggressive stance against driving while intoxicated. Many now call her the toughest DWI prosecutor in the country. more

It’s hard to argue with a track record like that of Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi, a Democrat from Glen Cove. Over the past eight years, he took a fiscally mismanaged, virtually insolvent county and turned it around, consistently balancing a budget that seemingly could not be balanced. Suozzi saved money by cutting the county work force by 1,000 employees and instituting tried-and-true management practices that were previously nonexistent. At the same time, he has put in place a host of programs to improve residents’ quality of life, from smoking-cessation regimens to energy-efficiency incentives. more

The following are summaries of the Town of Hempstead races as previously reported in the Herald. more