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Politics & Government

You Decide: Top News Story of 2011

All this week, New Hyde Park Patch asks its readers to decide the most important stories of 2011. Take our easy poll to help name the winners.

As 2011 comes to a close, New Hyde Park Patch is recapping the top stories from the past year.

There has been an abundance of news from the local schools, police department, Village and Town of North Hempstead to name a few areas. 

Help decide the biggest story in New Hyde Park in 2011. Take our simple poll attached at the bottom. 

Find out what's happening in New Hyde Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

: Members of the Village of New Hyde Park are working to create a museum. This museum, when it opens, will showcase the history of the area within the walls of Village hall. "This is a project I look forward to leaving behind," said at a Village board meeting in June of the museum.

: Residents within the Western Nassau County Water Authority were told to boil their water this July after some samples tested positive for E Coli. The boil water order was lifted after a few days.

Find out what's happening in New Hyde Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

: Hail the size in some cases of softballs came down on New Hyde Park and in a few neighboring areas at the beginning of August. Lots of houses, cars and other buildings suffered damage as a result. There was a long wait to get cars inspected and repaired at local shops.

: After debates, events and even video interviews on Patch, Lee Tu (R-Albertson) and Jon Kaiman (D-Great Neck) faced off on Election Day with Kaiman walking away the victor in the Town of North Hempstead Supervisor race. Receiver of Taxes Charles Berman was also re-elected; he was running against New Hyde Park's own Jane Centrella. 

: The New Hyde Park girls basketball team went to the playoffs but lost in a game that went into overtime to district rival Sewanhaka with a score of 58-55. Coach Hugh Flaherty noted that the team had a chance at making it to the final four.

: Rescue teams from many of the surrounding towns including Floral Park, Mineola, Manhasset-Lakeville and Carle Place responded to this fire at 701 6th Avenue in February. The homeowner and his aide got out of the house without sustaining injuries. Six firefighters were injured, two of whom were seriously hurt. In May, a fundraiser was held to raise money for one of the injured firefighters, . 

: Problem Oriented Policing member Nick Mosesso, who became a fixture in New Hyde Park, was no longer assigned to the area. After rumors about the potentially closing, the number of POP officers was cut from four to one.

: Grants that were pulled after then State Senator Craig Johnson lost his seat to State Senator Jack Martins were returned to many of the groups who were promised, and in some cases spent, that money. About $4.7 million of the $8.5 million in grants that were given out were restored. 

:  The worked to improve the theater on the second floor of Village hall and held a grand re-opening ceremony at the end of January. Since that time, plays and other performances have been enjoyed by locals in the re-done theater. 

:  After many residents and library users asked for a traffic light so they could cross Lakeville Road more safely, their requests were answered in March. noted that the light had been necessary since the library was put in that location, which was about three years. This light is timed with the other traffic fixture near the .

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