Saul Lerner, the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District athletic director, recently resigned his post as coordinator of the Nassau County Boys' Basketball Committee because, he said, the Section VIII Athletic Council rejected a proposal of his to fine-tune the seeding process that ultimately determines teams' playing schedules. In 2006, Lerner was the architect of an ability-grouping system that determined a team's conference by its record. Previously, teams were assigned to conferences without much regard to their records. Rather, officials used what they called the "snake," in which teams were seeded and then laid out on a grid that wound back and forth in serpentine fashion. more

The Cornwell Elementary School in West Hempstead hosted a Fall Festival on Oct. 20 for students and faculty to enjoy. more

Administrators at West Hempstead Middle School recently announced the Students of the Month for September. Students are presented with the award each month for their academic achievements. From left are Principal Joe Cirnigliaro, with honorees Alexander Umanzor, Jamie Rodriguez, Emily Weinstein, Christopher Quintana, Desmond Hughlett and Layla Vicari. more

I’d like to devote my 750 words this week to shamelessly promoting two books by a former colleague and good friend, Michael Otterman. They are “American Torture” (Melbourne University Publishing, 2007) and “Erasing Iraq: The Human Cost of Carnage,” to be published in 2010. more

From breaking news updates on 1010 WINS, to traffic reports on Z100, to sports recaps on WCBS 880, to political debates on national television, the alumni of Hofstra University’s radio station can be heard across the metropolitan area and around the country. more

Kevin McDermott gives the word "determination" a new definition. The Chaminade and Duke alumnus, just 22, suffered a life-changing accident in July, and has shown a tremendous strength of will in his efforts to prevail over his severe injury. Many of his friends are taking action to help. more

Thursday marks the official start of the Nassau County high school season, and it’s only the beginning of weekday action. more

With school back in session, many are concerned that another outbreak of the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, is just around the corner. An outbreak in the New York area in the spring spread fear about this new, unknown disease. Many parents kept their children home from school when cases were confirmed, leading to high absentee rates. Some schools closed entirely. more

The summer vacation officially came to a close last week as students in the Malverne and West Hempstead school districts started their first day of school. The local streets were filled with … more

Contest winner The Astoria Federal Bank in West Hempstead recently selected student Antigha Ekpe Jr. as a winner in its fourth annual essay contest. The students were asked to complete the … more