Family, friends and strangers on Thursday packed into St. Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Church in Melville for the funeral Mass of Thomas Valva, 8. Newsday reporter Cecilia Dowd has more from the scene.


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Mourners attend funeral of Thomas Valva, 8, in Melville

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Hundreds attended the funeral for Edeedson Cine Jr., 23, in Dix Hills on Friday.

Final farewell for CVS worker

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.

'Show a little love and compassion'

Hundreds of people attended the candlelight vigil in Lindenhurst Monday evening for Edeedson Cine Jr., who was fatally stabbed while working at CVS on Christmas.

Victim's father speaks at vigil

Dozens gathered in cold and rainy weather in Central Islip to protest alleged ICE detention conditions at the federal courthouse. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

'We have to say it's not okay'

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"We have Broadway-quality sounds now," the Oakdale theater's president and CEO said.

CM Performing Arts Center debuts $100G in 'Broadway-quality' upgrades

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"The album is amazing. I listened to it the moment it came out, and I love every song," one fan said of the Jericho singer's album, "locket."

'It was crazy to see her in real life': Hundreds descend on Looney Tunes for Madison Beer signing

Specific dates were not disclosed for the deer cull, which remains opposed by some.

Annual deer cull set for Fire Island, William Floyd Estate

Bruno Valenzuela slapped a child with cerebral palsy at the boy's Port Jefferson Station home, prosecutors said.

LI health aide who was 'like family' charged with hitting disabled 5-year-old in his care

Over the last two years, Stony Brook Children's Hospital has had to hospitalize at least five children who had not received the Vitamin K dose.

More parents refusing vitamin K shots for newborns, putting babies at risk, LI doctors say

The Manorville facility brings together clinicians from several specialties under one roof.

Northwell Health opens new, $5M women's health center on LI

Islip Town launched the new online permit system Thursday.

Islip residents can buy parking passes online for MacArthur Airport

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Laney McGowan died after a long and courageous battle with Dravet syndrome, a severe form of genetic epilepsy. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

'We always prayed and we wished they would have a cure'

Drones and helicopters flew over the sites of the fires in Suffolk Monday as investigators determined the cause of the fires. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

Burn ban remains in effect

Scenes from Westhampton on Saturday evening as firefighters battled the brush fire.

Watch: Firefighters battle Westhampton fire

The first naturalization ceremony since the government shutdown was held in Central Islip, where 86 people from 37 countries became U.S. citizens. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

'I finally accomplished that goal'

Christine Lehmann and her son Nicholas Lehmann died in a house fire Sunday in St. James, and another occupant was hospitalized, officials said.

Mother and son killed in house fire ID'd

Officials say drivers should feel safe while ongoing repairs are made to the bridge. NewsdayTV's Jamie Stuart reports.

'We can no longer defer maintenance'

Local families took part in a National Adoption Month ceremony at the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead on Friday. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.

'Such a powerful message'

Family members sifted through the ashes Thursday after a fire destroyed barns and killed a number of animals at Wells Farm in Northville, in Riverhead Town. NewsdayTV's Doug Geed reports.

'So much loss'

Firefighters from at least 10 departments were needed to bring the blaze under control. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

'The fire caused the roof to collapse'

Native to South America, capybaras are the world's largest rodent species and can grow to more than 100 pounds.

Game farm welcomes capybara pups

Immigrant advocates say a man was pinned under the tire of a car during his arrest by ICE agents. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

'Fear and chaos' on the East End

The driver was killed and a passenger injured when a garbage truck overturned off Sunrise Highway Thursday.

Driver killed after truck overturns off Sunrise Highway

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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 high school sports editor Gregg Sarra talks about a bench-clearing, parent-involved incident at a Half Hollow Hills West basketball game.

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