By Mike White 🍀 March 3, 2025

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☕ Good morning, Long Island! Happy March.

🌷 Just three weeks until spring.

✍🏼 Feel free to respond to this email with feedback!

Weather: A chance of snow before 9 a.m., then rain. High near 40. Little or no snow accumulation expected. Source: NWS

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MEET OUR GLI SPONSORS

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1. Chick-fil-A opens Thursday in Sayville Plaza, to host ‘Moove-in’ celebration

🐄 Chick-fil-A Bohemia’s opening in marks another huge win for Sayville Plaza, which temporarily fell on hard times after the closures of Kmart, Sports Authority, Babies “R” Us, Modell’s, Bed Bath & Beyond and other retailers.

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2. Coffee Barn expanding to the North Shore with new Albertson spot

🚜 Coffee Barn, the drive-thru shop in Merrick known for its viral, dessert-inspired drink concoctions, is opening a second location next month in Albertson. "We saw how much all of our customers on the South Shore were loving our drinks, so we figured why not spread the fun?"

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3. Family IDs Army vet found dead — buried in snow — in Deer Park after blizzard

📰 The family of a six-year U.S. Army veteran found dead in the snow outside his Deer Park apartment during last week’s blizzard has publicly identified him as Mark Curtis, saying they learned of his death by recognizing his address in a news report.

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More headlines to highlight

🥑 A fast-growing national café brand has landed on Long Island. Toastique has opened its first LI location in Woodbury, serving gourmet toasts, smoothie bowls and other health-focused bites.

🔥 After a burst pipe forced it to close for a month, International Delight Cafe in Bellmore reopened Friday. Owners say the popular breakfast and lunch spot is back in business after extensive repairs.

🇮🇪 Farmingdale is gearing up to go green. The village’s annual St. Patrick’s Parade steps off March 15 at 2 p.m., bringing marching groups and Irish spirit down Main Street.

⚽ A Huntington man landed a golden ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Greg Packer was one of just eight fans surprised with the once-in-a-lifetime prize at a special Verizon event in New York City.

🌊 Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine is making the case to rebuild the Stump Pond dam in Smithtown. He argues restoring the Blydenburgh Park landmark will improve safety, protect wildlife and bring back a beloved recreational space.

🚔 A Farmingdale man now faces 11 charges in a fatal DWI crash. Prosecutors say the December collision in Melville killed Brentwood Army veteran Nelson Gonzalez, who died days later after being taken off life support.

Obituaries

🕊️ Rose Leigh-Manuell of West Sayville, who survived infancy in a shoebox-oven incubator and later worked until age 94, has died at 107.

🌾 A pillar of Long Island farming is being remembered. Dominic Bruno, a third-generation farmer who helped carry on the legacy of Manorville’s Lenny Bruno Farms, has died at 71.

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GREAT IDEAS

Take-home clambake concept Topsail Steamer looks to LI

🦐 A wildly popular take-home clambake concept could soon be heading to Long Island. Topsail Steamer — whose founder Danielle Mahon appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2024 — lets customers choose their seafood, seasoning and sides, then take the pot home to steam and serve in about 45 minutes with no prep or cleanup. Click here to read more.

Greater Babylon coverage is funded in part by The Argyle Theatre, where Broadway comes to Babylon. Click here for tickets to Newsies.