Hewlett Family In FL Condo Collapse + Piping Plover Protection

Rise and shine, Five Towns! Let's get this Friday started off right.

Read about how you can help the family of Florida condo collapse victims who are from Hewlett. Read about a local graduate heading to West Point this fall. Find out how you can keep piping plover chicks safe at the beach this summer. And see how your hamlet's Covid vaccination rates compare to your neighbors.

First, today's weather: Light rain in the morning and overnight. High of 79 and low of 64 degrees.

Here are the top stories today in Five Towns:

1. Jeff Bessen updates us on a family originally from Hewlett who were victims of the tragic Florida condo collapse. Jonah Handler was rescued from the Surfside building but his mother perished in the collapse. Jonah's father, Neil Handler, who graduated from Hewlett High School in 1981, created a GoFundMe to help his son with medical costs. It has raised over $64,000 so far. (LI Herald)
2. Jemima Denham profiles a graduating senior from Valley Stream who's heading to West Point in the fall. Valley Stream North High School graduate Peter J. Mura will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point as one of 1,226 cadets in the West Point class of 2025. Mura competed in track, football, and wrestling in high school. (LI Herald)
3. Jerry Barmash talks to the Audubon New York about how to protect piping plovers this summer on Long Island beaches, especially the chicks that are hatching now. Beachgoers should give the birds 100 feet of space. Audubon helps to monitor the birds at Lido and Point Lookout. (Patch)

Today's Five Towns Daily is brought to you by our friends at Verizon. They're building the fastest 5G network in the country. To learn how 5G is going to change life for you and your community — and to get access to this amazing technology — click here. And thank you Verizon for sponsoring this community resource in Five Towns!

Today in Five Towns

• Free Estate Planning & Living Trust Workshop Live Q&A Friday (3 p.m.)

Five Towns Patch Notebook

• Joseph T. Velsini, 78, from Oceanside, N.Y., died on June 28. He taught physical education at Hewlett High for over three decades.
• Check out how your town's vaccination rates stacks up as of June 29. Inwood has the lowest percent of vaccinated adults in the Five Towns with only 42.5 percent, and Hewlett has the highest at 61.3 percent. (Newsday)
• Check out the art of Lawrence High School's Advanced Placement art students. Manuel Cortes Romero, Emely Flores, Kimberly Ramirez, and Jonathan Salnave submitted art portfolios for college credit in the categories of 2D Design and Drawing.

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday. I'll be in your inbox in the morning with a new update!

— Jackie

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Five Towns Daily? Email all inquiries to me at fivetowns@patch.com.