Merrick's Most-Read Stories of 2016

It's safe to say that 2016 was quite a year. Celebrity deaths and an election like no other dominated the national headlines. But things were still busy in Merrick. Here's the stories that Patch readers like you were most interested in.

10. Police ID Man Found Stabbed to Death in Front of Bar: In April, a Freeport man was stabbed to death in front of a bar in Hempstead. At about 1:10 a.m., a trio of men stabbed a man after a verbal altercation in front of El Nuevo bar on 219 Fulton Avenue, police said.

9. Raw Heroin, Loaded Gun Found in Nassau Home, 5 Arrested: In August, many people were arrested when police raided a Merrick home that was serving as a hub for drug deals. Police received numerous complaints involving drug activity at 1402 Merrick Ave. Detectives conducted an extensive investigation which concluded with the execution of a search warrant, resulting in the recovery of 41 grams of raw heroin (which is equivalent to 2,000 bags), a loaded 9mm pistol, marijuana and five arrests.

8. Trying to Improve Long Island Cell Phone Coverage: In August, Sen. Charles Schumer tried to get cell phone companies to improve their coverage on Long Island. He identified more than 200 dead zones across the Island.

7. Man's Attempt to Rob Merrick Bank Thwarted by Teller: In March, a man's attempt to rob a Merrick bank was thwarted by a teller who ripped up his demand note and threw it in the garbage, according to Nassau County Police. After the teller tore up the note and threw it out, the man fled the bank with nothing.

6. LIRR Problems Cause Massive Delays: As if commuting wasn't already bad enough, a disabled train back in February created a nightmare commute for many Merrick residents.

5. Four Alleged Heroin Dealers Arrested: Four men, three from Merrick, were arrested in October on charges of selling heroin. During the arrests, police said they recovered thousands of dollars and more than 300 envelopes of heroin.

4. High School Security Guard Posts Video of 16-Year-Old Boy in Bathroom to Snapchat: In March, a security guard at Roosevelt High School was arrested for taking a video of a 16-year-old boy using the bathroom and then posting it to social media, according to Nassau Police.

3. Five Long Island Men Charged in Takedown of Genovese Crime Family: In May, 18 people, including five from Long Island, were indicted following a multi-year investigation of racketeering activities by members and associates of the Genovese crime family, federal authorities said.

2. The Best Places For Young Families on Long Island: In May, Merrick residents were eager to find out where the best places for young families were, and if Merrick made the list. (Don't worry, it did.)

1. Frozen Vegetable Recall: The most-read story of the year, by a wide margin, was the notice in April about a frozen vegetable recall due to contamination by listeria monocytogenes, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.