Feb. 7: Local Politics, Basketball Diaries, Sex Offender, and More Things to Know TODAY

Good morning Malverne and West Hempstead. Another week has begun and Patch has the scoop on the top local stories and community events that you need to know about today.

Here's what made the list for Feb. 7.

1. Malverne Cops Convict Sex Offender: On Wednesday night, Chief John Aresta shared some big news with those present at the Village Board meeting, as well as those watching at home. Aresta announced that his officers had successfully built a rock solid case against a convicted sex offender who had allegedly been living in Malverne, but had failed to register in the village. Patch sat down with some of the cops who worked on the case, and will have the full story later today.
2. Basketball Diaries: See how West Hempstead and Malverne High Schools' varsity boys and girls basketball teams fared in their match-ups this week. In the afternoon we will have recaps of the most recent games in our Mules and Rams notebooks as the teams prepare for a new week of play.
3. Local Government Recaps: Between the Super Bowl and other weekend plans, you may have missed these important articles on Patch, which will help you stay informed about what's happening in the various levels of your local government. On Friday, Patch gave a full recap of the Malverne Village Board meeting held earlier last week, in which many important local topics were discussed.for the article. On Saturday, we ran the , which sums up the top County government stories for the week. Then, on Sunday, we filled you in on cell phone towers, animal abuse and other highlights from the Town of Hempstead meetings and elected officials. Click for that article.
4. School News: In the West Hempstead School District, students will be inducted into the National Art Society around 3 p.m. today in the library. Then, tonight the PTSA will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. Malverne will hold a meeting of the PTA at 7p.m. in the school's library. Don't forget that both Boards of Education will meet tomorrow night, West Hempstead at 7:30 p.m. and Malverne at 8 p.m. Check Patch tomorrow morning for more details about what will be on the agenda.
5. Shared Opinions: This weekend, Patch published by newly elected New York Assemblyman Ed Ra, whose district includes West Hempstead. Ra discussed Black History Month and reflected upon how community leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. have inspired him. A young native of West Hempstead, Melissa Bykofsky, a regular contributor to Patch, also shared her views on the Courtesy Hotel and Hall's Pond, and her hopes for a sort of fresh start for these areas of the community come springtime. Read what she had to say . Patch wants to hear what's on your mind too! If you're interested in submitted an Op-Ed piece or a Letter to the Editor, e-mail Tara.Conry@Patch.com.

This Tuesday is sure to be a busy one for Malverne and West Hempstead, Tune in tomorrow to get your Daily Five list so you can stay on top of all the events and stories happening in your community.