With state aid flat, school heads propose small tax-levy increase

Residents will cast their votes on the 2019-20 Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District budget on May 21. The $163 million spending plan calls for a 2.17 percent tax-levy increase — smaller than last year’s 2.65 percent hike.

Obituary

Merokean leaves behind 101 years of rich history

Walter Schacherl’s 101-year life is an encyclopedia of international history and personal strife. As a young man, he escaped Nazi rule in Austria, served in the British Army during World War II and was a star athlete, after witnessing the birth of Israel in the late 1940s — and his legacy does not end there. In the 1950s, he and his wife, Ryfka, moved to the United States, where they raised a family. Schacherl died on March 24, surrounded by his family.

Locals hold ‘funeral’ for much-loved deli

The mood in Ward’s Delicatessen was somber on Feb. 23. Despite efforts to overcome financial troubles, owner Craig Jeffrey — with a team he describes as family — had to close the doors on the Merrick staple.

JFK grad to study Kyrgyzstan in flux

For his Hofstra University study abroad program, Gurkamal Dadra could have chosen one of the many typically sought-after destinations — bustling cities such as Paris, Madrid or Rome. Instead, he will spend a semester in the Central Asian country Kyrgyzstan.

Bellmore-Merrick students speak on racial equity

Elaine Gross, president of ERASE Racism, wants to end racial injustice and inequity on Long Island. To tackle the problem in schools, the activist group enlisted a panel of nine concerned students — including two from the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.