Good Morning & Happy Friday, Nassau!

Your insider guide to the weekend is here — elevate your plans with spring events, new dining hotspots, and big local wins you don’t want to miss.

Here’s what’s in today’s scoop:

• 🚨 $10 Million Grant for Hempstead’s Downtown Revamp

• 🎉 Earth Day & Spring Festivals Around Nassau

• 🛑 Leaf Blower Ban & Wind Turbine Drama

• 🥗 East Meadow Gets a Just Salad

• 👀 Multiple Events this week & more

Hempstead Gets $10M for Downtown Revitalization

🏙️ News Roundup

Leaf Blower Ban Proposed

^{Source: Newsday}

North Hempstead’s Leaf Blower Crackdown: Quieter summers mean better backyard BBQs and peaceful weekends. Leaf blowers are banned for commercial landscapers from mid-June to mid-September, but folks say enforcement hasn’t stuck.

Now the town’s changing course. Code officers will circle back weekly at the same day and time — since most landscapers follow a regular schedule.

Parking officers will also be on alert, handing out flyers (not tickets — yet). But first-time violations can hit $500, and it only climbs from there.

Locals have been vocal about the noise and health risks, and the town’s finally giving enforcement some teeth. Even landscapers are on board — “If you're not doing anything wrong, you've got nothing to hide,” said one.

Other LI towns are cracking down too. Bottom line: quieter summers might actually be on the way.
📌Read the full story here

Lynbrook Public Library nominated for the state and national Registers of Historic Places

^{Source: News 12 LI}

Next time you swing by the Lynbrook Public Library to borrow a book or steal their Wi-Fi, just know — you’re standing on some pretty historic ground.

The library, which has been part of the village for nearly 100 years, was just nominated for both the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places. Not bad, Lynbrook.

Turns out, the building’s stunning design and detailed exterior finally caught some well-deserved attention. Bonus fact: it was founded by a women’s group — so the nomination landing during Women’s History Month feels extra fitting.

Big cheers to Lynbrook for keeping history alive while still giving us a place to read, learn, and gather.

Read the full story here

🥘 Food & Restaurant Openings

🥗 Just Salad Opens in East Meadow
Your go-to for a quick, healthy lunch is opening on Hempstead Turnpike this spring.
 Read More

🌮 Mexican Restaurants Coming to Long Beach
A bold new option for your next night out — Five Ocean Restaurant is closing, and Tulum Tacos + a Mexican chophouse are taking over the boardwalk.
 Read More

🍕 How to Make Uncle Giuseppe’s Pizza Rustica
Bring this Long Island classic home — here’s the rustic recipe.
 Pizza Rustica Recipe

🧭 Community Spotlight

🏕️ Girls Take On Adventure in Rebranded Boy Scouts
With the Scouts rebranding and allowing co-ed leadership, LI girls are diving in headfirst — from ziplining to survival skills.
 Read Full Article

🎓 New School Superintendent in Jericho
Robert Kravitz joins Jericho Schools under a $315K contract — and parents are hoping for big curriculum upgrades.
 New Jericho Superintendent Appointed

👟 Events

• April 12: Spring Dog Festival 🐕 - Old Westbury

• April 13: Bunny Trail 5k 🐰- Bethpage

• April 19: Earth Day 5k 🌎- East Meadow

• April 18–19: Dinosaur Egg Hunt 🥚🦖- Rockville Centre

• April 26–27: Arbor Festival 🌿- Oyster Bay

• April 26: Salsa Fest 💃- Westbury

• April 27: Yo-Yo Ma Live 🎻- Brookville

🌤️ Weather Forecast-Cloudy with a Chance of Mood Swings

Buckle up, folks—it’s a rollercoaster of clouds, rain, and emotional confusion. Friday kicks off with classic overcast vibes (aka nature’s gray sweatpants). Saturday brings a dramatic plot twist with rain and snow—because Mother Nature clearly can’t decide. We get a brief sunny cameo on Monday before rain returns for a midweek encore. The weekend wraps up with showers and finally, a sprinkle of sunshine on Sunday—just enough to tease us into thinking spring might actually show up.

In short: dress in layers, carry an umbrella, and maybe pack a snow shovel just in case.

🟠 Nassau Nugget

The first ever American ping pong tournament was held in Nassau County in the early 1900s! Garden City, one of its towns, was home to the Nassau Table Tennis Club, which played a key role in popularizing the sport in the U.S.

Bonus Nug: Nassau County was actually part of Queens County until 1899, when it broke off to form its own county because residents wanted to remain more suburban and avoid being absorbed into NYC. Classic Long Island mindset 😄