Newsday spoke with Merrick's own Chase Vacnin, who is a cast member in the new Nickelodeon series "Drama Club," premiering this month. He also has a role in "The Many Saints of Newark," the "Sopranos" movie slated to come out later this year.


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Long Islander Chase Vacnin stars in Nickelodeon series

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Bob Weir, guitarist, singer and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has died at 78.

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Andrea Bocelli will headline the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony on February 6.

Andrea Bocelli will headline the Milan Cortina Winter Olympic opening ceremony

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Freeport's Rodney Rodriguez says of the gross-out competition: "You think you are brave and macho until you get there."

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New York became the first state to require health insurers to cover scalp cooling treatments, which help to reduce hair loss during chemotherapy. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

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NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano joins Newsday food writer Marie Elena Martinez at Hometown Bakeshop in Centerport to try customizable bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches.

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Port Washington's Rapid Response Network aims to prevent or stop federal officials from making arrests by warning immigrants of ICE sightings. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie has more.

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The deposed Venezuelan leader made his first court appearance on Monday in Manhattan as large crowds gathered outside the courthouse. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger reports.

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A South Setauket father, Vincent DiStasi, was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Thursday for beating his infant son to the point where he needed brain surgery. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

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The congressman said conditions appeared to be improving in the holding rooms that ICE uses for detainees. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

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A Three Kings Day event took place at the Knights of Columbus in Brentwood on Sunday. The celebration provided a warm, welcoming environment in a time of uncertainty, according to some attendees. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

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Authorities are looking for a thief who stole a statue of baby Jesus from a Nativity scene displayed outside the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge last week. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

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Composer Stephen Schwartz, who grew up in Roslyn Heights, says he will not perform at the Kennedy Center after President Donald Trump's name was added to the building.

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Newsday TV critic Verne Gay reviews new TV shows and series from Netflix, Max, Hulu and more. Plus, what Long Island actors are working on and Long Island filming locations.

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