An errant driver lost control of his car and smashed into four cars parked on Seagirt Boulevard at Beach 32 Street on January 3. Police say that the unidentified driver jumped out of the car and fled west on the boulevard after the crash. A short time later, police say, an unidentified woman jumped out of a livery cab and told police that the car that caused the accident was hers, but that she had no idea who was driving it at the time of the accident. Photo by Susan Locke More...

The average high temperature for the first week of February is 39 degrees. That, however, won't stop a group of daring swimmers who plan to take a plunge into the frigid winter Atlantic Ocean water. But why do they do it? No, not because they are crazy, but rather, to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis. The ninth annual event, to be held on February 7 at 1:00 p.m. More...

Lt. Patrick Dowdell, a graduate of St. Francis de Sales School, visited his alma mater while on Christmas leave. He is currently a soldier stationed in Iraq. Pictured is Dowdell with first grade students. More...

The Rockaway Artists Alliance rings in the New Year with Heritage: Where We Came From, a new exhibition dedicated to the past and to the future. The exhibition will run from Saturday, January 17 to Sunday, February 15 at sTudio 6 in Fort Tilden. The opening reception will be held on Sunday, January 18 from 1-3 p.m. More...

There were many Rockaway residents at the Orthodox Jewish Hanukkah Wonderland party at the former Baker's Hardware in Woodmere when an elderly man lost control of his car and crashed into the crowd, injuring a number of people, including seven children. Luckily, nobody died in the accident. More...

Maura Hennessey, of Breezy Point, will attend the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. The 13-year-old received her invitation from Mary Eisenhower, the granddaughter of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, because of her past participation and success as an Ambassador in the People to People World Leader-ship Program. More...

The 24th Annual St. Francis de Sales Christmas Tournament concluded with another rousing day of championship games on Saturday, December 27. The day began with the Subnovice Division final, which set the tone for the day. John Moran scored nine points for St. Francis Blue and Joe O'Connor scored two key baskets down the stretch as the Blue defeated St. Adalbert, 14-12. More...

Experts at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University have called the New York State Legislature "the most dysfunctional in the nation." That is an understatement. More...

Dear Editor, Now that Lew Simon is running for city council, I was wondering if you were going to let him continue to write his column. I don't think that would be fair, unless you let all the candidates for the seat have a column in your paper. More...

Esther Gordon, a lifelong Rockaway resident, died December 30, 2008. She was 60. Gordon, a dedicated Key Food employee of more than 20 years, was born in Brooklyn in 1948. She is survived by her loving husband, Herbert; daughter, Lydia; sons, Tommy and Herbert Jr. More...