Week in Review: LIRR Busts; Plaza Fire

Great Neck Plaza Fire Damages Four Apartments Saturday: A fire above a vacant store in Great Neck Plaza damaged several apartments Saturday. After being alerted to the fire at about 12:15 p.m., Vigilant Fire Company crews discovered the blaze in the rear of a second floor apartment at 36 Middle Neck Rd.

Cops: Great Neck Man Attempts Kidnapping: A Great Neck man has been charged with attempted kidnapping on Thursday at 5:35 p.m. after an incident in Manorhaven, Nassau County Police said.

LIRR Workers Accused of Stealing Copper [VIDEO]: An organized ring of 15 Long Island Rail Road employees and two others were indicted Friday after conspiring to steal more than $250,000 worth of copper wire belonging to the LIRR, according to Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice.

Great Neck Advocate Sheila Penn Dies: Tireless Great Neck advocate and community volunteer Sheila Penn died Jan. 18 at the age of 86. After surving the bombing of London as a British school girl during Word War II, Penn emigrated to the United States and landed a job at the United Nations in 1953.

Report: Less State Aid For Great Neck Schools: Great Neck schools could see a decrease in state aid funding in 2013-14, according to a preliminary district aid estimate report issued this week by the New York Department of Education.

: Former science teacher and longtime Great Neck resident Lewis E. Love died Wednesday at the age of 84. Born April 6, 1928, Love was a teacher for 57 years in New York — including more than 30 years of service in the Great Neck school district.

: The Great Neck Plaza Board of Trustees approved last week a final budget and salary schedule which shows a decrease in spending from $5.254 million last year to $5.214 for 2013-14. 

Mineola Restaurant Owner to Run Against Mangano: Only one candidate has thus far filed to challenge Nassau Executive Ed Mangano in the 2013 election. And he happens to own a restaurant in Mineola.