Week in Review

Before you dive into another week, catch up on the news that made headlines on Malverne-West Hempstead Patch over the past seven days.

The week was packed with important business and politics. The Nassau County Legislature met Monday in its respective committees to discuss important matters, including the between the County and the organization selected to manage . On Tuesday, the and the held elections to select new fire commissioners. That night the Malverne Board of Education conducted its for month, during which they awarded several students for their accomplishments during the first quarter, and they provided updates on the reorganization of the elementary schools, next year's budget and the district buses, which had been replaced two weeks after tthe original ones. The Valley Stream Central School District, which includes Valley Stream North - a high school that many Malverne residents attend - also held . The district honored its Advanced Placement scholars and announced that its superintendent would be leaving and they were seeking someone to fill his position.

The family of the 3-year-old girl that perished from the wounds she suffered in the car wreck on Ocean Avenue just outside Malverne this month, continued to mourn their loss, as did those who witnessed the accident, the emergency responders who came to her aid, her current and both her current and former neighbors in Oceanside and Bayside.

Residents in both and also gained some insight into how their local demographics have changed over the past decade when the U.S. Census Bureau released the latest findings of the American Community Survey. The state Department of Labor also announced the economic indicators for the past month, which showed that Nassau County and the Town of Hempstead, including Malverne and West Hempstead, saw an . Patch spoke with local business leaders to see how their experiences with merchants in Malverne and West Hempstead compared to the data.

Nassau County Executive Mangano also prepared residents for that could amount to $23 million next year, and volunteers who were recently banned from working at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter after speaking out about allegedly abuses came forth with a against the town.

There was good news too and many examples of residents continuing to help others during this difficult economy. The Pre-K students of Our Lady of Lourdes School to send to orphans during the holidays and the coaches, players and family members of the Malverne Wildcats and Panthers program came together to support the non-profit youth sports programs. Local cab companies kicked off their initiative to combat drunk driving.

In hometown sports, the had a successful start to their season, winning two straight games, including a nail-biter of a against Wheatley High School. The West Hempstead varsity boys Rams also took down both of their opponents this week, and the The Lady Mules also , but the young squad has much to learn as witnessed in their first game on Friday, which they loss to the Wheatley Wildcats.

With the holiday season in full gear, our columnists also provided tips for keeping your during this time of the year and some you can try to keep yourself from getting frazzled. Patch also announced that it will crown a winner in the Holiday Decorations Contest this upcoming week, so if you still haven't entered, upload a photo of your home . And in case you missed the beautifully decorated homes on the Candlelight Holiday House Tour in Malverne, take through the inside of these exceptional houses.

As we prepare for the upcoming week, let us know if there is a story that you think we should cover by adding a comment below or e-mailing Tara. Conry@Patch.com.