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community engagement

Business
400+ REI Employees Laid Off, Outdoor Retailer Ends Adventure Travel Program 400+ REI Employees Laid Off, Outdoor Retailer Ends Adventure Travel Program
400+ REI Employees Laid Off, Outdoor Retailer Ends Adventure Travel Program More than 400 employees will lose their jobs as REI closes its Experiences program, ending the adventure travel and outdoor education programs that have been part of the retailer’s identity for 40 years. REI announced the shutdown of its Experiences division in a news release on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The decision will result in 438 layoffs for 180 full-time employees and 248 part-time guides as the company shifts focus to its core business. The retail chain cited ongoing financial challenges as the reason for ending the program. Experiences included adventure travel, day to…

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by Chris Spiker
Sports
Former MLB, Long Island Ducks Pitcher Brian Matusz Dies, Remembered As 'Cherished Teammate' Former MLB, Long Island Ducks Pitcher Brian Matusz Dies, Remembered As 'Cherished Teammate'
Former MLB, Long Island Ducks Pitcher Brian Matusz Dies, Remembered As 'Cherished Teammate' Brian Matusz, a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played eight seasons for the Baltimore Orioles, has died at the age of 37. The Orioles announced Matusz's death on Tuesday, Jan. 7. The cause of his death wasn't immediately known. The Cave Creek, Arizona, native was selected by the O's with the fourth overall pick in the 2008 draft. "A staple in our clubhouse from 2009-2016, Brian was beloved throughout Birdland, and his passion for baseball and our community was unmatched," the Orioles said in a Facebook post. "He dedicated his time to connecting with any fan he could, wa…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
'Where Is Mr. Dougherty?': Long Island HS Students Walk Out Over Absence Of Popular Principal 'Where Is Mr. Dougherty?': Long Island HS Students Walk Out Over Absence Of Popular Principal
'Where Is Mr. Dougherty?': Long Island HS Students Walk Out Over Absence Of Popular Principal Students at one Long Island high school spent the first day of school holding a walkout to protest the disappearance of their beloved principal. Those students were upset after being told this week that the principal of Elmont Memorial High School, Kevin Dougherty, or "Doc" would not be returning this year.  On Tuesday, Aug. 30, Superintendent James Grossane, of the Sewanhaka Central High School District wrote to students and family that Dougherty is "taking a sabbatical leave of absence for the 2022-2023 school year." Grossane went on to announce he would be appointing…

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by Kathy Reakes
Sports
Topgolf To Open First New York Location Topgolf To Open First New York Location
Topgolf To Open First New York Location New Yorkers are getting a new way to hit the links. Topgolf Entertainment announced it will be opening its first New York location on Long Island early next year, bringing a new form of golf to the area. According to the company, guests of the new three-level Topgolf venue in Suffolk County located in Holtsville "will soon experience a tech-driven place to play through point-scoring games in the venue's 102 bays, seasonal chef-driven menu items, top-shelf drinks, live music and year-round programming for all ages in a climate-controlled outdoor space.” The new business - which will be loca…

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by Zak Failla
Sports
Area Football Players Nominated For 'Heart Of A Giant' Award Area Football Players Nominated For 'Heart Of A Giant' Award
Area Football Players Nominated For 'Heart Of A Giant' Award A group of student-athletes in New York has been nominated for a prestigious award sponsored in part through the New York Giants. Football players in Freeport and Coram on Long Island, Port Chester in Westchester, Bardonia in Rockland and Newburgh and Wallkill in Orange County have been nominated for the “Heart of a Giant” award, and now need their communities to vote them into the finals. Each week, 10 football players in the tristate area are nominated for voting, and their communities have 25 days to note them in. Six finalists and four honorable mention finalists will ultimately be…

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by Zak Failla