After a heated and at times divided election, Smithtown voters elected three new school board members. At the center of the debate was the district's response to COVID-19, the reopening of schools and race relations. Newsday's Chelsea Irizarry has more. 


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Each semifinalist will receive $2,000 and their school will receive a matching amount. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

'I'm ecstatic'

Mamdani made universal child care a cornerstone of his campaign. NewsdayTV's Macy England talks with experts on how his plan could impact Long Island.

'I think it's an awesome idea'

Smithtown High School West sophomore Nicholas Cardi, is working with NASA on a project called Radio JOVE.

An out of this world experience

NewsdayTV's Jasmine Anderson is joined by education experts to discuss the rising concerns of marijuana vaping in Long Island schools.

'Young people are turning to vaping ... to cope'

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The Southampton school board has approved a feasibility study that will investigate the educational and cost impact of a merger with the neighboring district.

LI school district exploring possible merger with neighboring district

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The funding was being used toward a new Nassau Community College program that helps struggling students remain in school.

LI college to lose $1.8M in funding after Ed Department claims program is racially discriminatory

The investigation was announced one day after the U.S. Supreme Court heard two cases related to transgender girls playing on school athletic teams.

U.S. Education Dept. investigating allegations LI district let a 'male student' try out for girls team

The tax cap applies to 675 school districts, including the 124 on Long Island, where school taxation makes up roughly two-thirds of homeowners' property tax bills.

School property tax hikes on LI will be capped at 2% for 2026-27

Those affected by the change "are obviously, and rightfully so, really worried about this," one advocate said.

Student loan borrowers could face tax bills in 2026 for forgiven debt. Here's what to know.

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday will lay out her legislative agenda for the year and is expected to focus largely on affordability.

Hochul to pitch education agenda in State of the State speech

Jeffery Vernot, 36, was charged with third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

Police: High School basketball player punched by man during game

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President Trump vowed new immigration policies following the deadly ambush on two National Guard soldiers in Washington. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

'I don't agree with it. I think it's appalling'

Educators and addiction experts across Long Island say that with the legalization of marijuana, vaping among adolescents has become a concerning trend.

Some schools installing detection systems

The robotics club at Floyd built a T-shirt bot, a machine that shoots shirts into the crowds at sporting events.

'You just watch the crowd go wild'

Jayden Flores, a Mepham High School freshman, was killed on his e-bike crash on his way to school. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

'I don't know what we're going to do'

Farmingdale Superintendent Paul Defendini reunited with a service dog, Daler, who he raised as a puppy since the 2023 Farmingdale bus crash.

Daler helped comfort students after 2023 Farmingdale bus crash

NewsdayTV's Jasmine Anderson and Newsday education reporter Dandan Zou talk to Long Island school administrators about how the school cellphone ban is going so far.

'Kids are outside. They're playing. They're laughing together.'

How Long Island schools are trying to reassure parents amid immigration crackdown. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

'We will make sure that you are ok here'

The offers came after Newsday reported Hempstead town issued more than 80,000 tickets in four school districts that had never agreed to participate in the program. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

Bus ticket vendor offered to pay districts

Roosevelt schools superintendent Shawn Wrightman spoke to Newsday about the ICE detention of high school senior Alvaro Castro Velasquez, who was detained by agents weeks from graduation.

'I'm still feeling hopeful'

The Brentwood superintendent sent a message to parents saying ICE agents were never on the school property itself. NewsdayTV's Macy Egeland reports.

'A school should be a sanctuary, a place of learning, not a place of politics'

Parents are even more worried about their kids not having their phones easily accessible. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

'We're becoming like, numb to it'

Connetquot residents on Thursday night weighed in on the possible settlement between the school district and the state regarding the "Thunderbirds" mascot.

'Heritage doesn't only mean what your ethnicity is'

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The soft-serve ice cream dipped in melted butter and sprinkled with salt has gone viral.

Ice cream dipped in melted butter? Stew Leonard's has it

Five years after a Newsday investigation into police hiring, neither county has diversified ranks to reflect the communities they serve. Newsday's Virginia Huie and Jim Baumbach reports.

Despite 30% increase in Hispanic officers, LI police forces still overwhelmingly white

NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano gets a sneak peek of "The Diplomat" Tour, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at all the places at Planting Fields Arboretum where the Netflix thriller's season 3 finale was shot.

'The Diplomat' films on LI

NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger takes a look at some of the reasons behind the decline in family-owned hardware stores on Long Island.

Declining number of family owned hardware stores

Newsday's food team tasted and ranked sheet cakes from eight supermarkets on Long Island.

The great grocery store sheet cake taste test 

NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa learns what it takes to troubleshoot a pinball machine in this week's edition of LI Works.

LI Works: A wizard at fixing pinball machines

Newsday's third annual Cheer Fest was held at Hofstra University on Sunday. Participants spoke about the thrill of competing and watching teams from other divisions. Newsday's Jared Valluzzi has more.

Energy, pride and school spirit: Newsday's 3rd annual Cheer Fest

Doug DeFeo, a volunteer with the New York Marine Rescue Center in Riverhead, says it's important to him to give back to the environment as well as the individual lives of people.

Volunteers of Long Island: New York Marine Rescue Center

NewsdayTV's Doug Geed takes us to the South Fork, where, after generations of farming the land, the Ludlow family pivoted to making cheese from the milk of their cows.

Out East: Mecox Bay Dairy in Bridgehampton

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.

Health insurers must cover scalp cooling treatments

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Newsday is highlighting the passionate, engaging and innovative educators of Long Island with its Teacher Spotlight feature.

Teacher Spotlight

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The polls have closed in Long Island's more than 120 school districts after residents weighed in on board candidates, budgets, and propositions. See the results in your district.  Read more here.

School board, budget vote results

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