Year in Review: Top Stories of the Year

There was a big storm. We marked a solemn anniversary and watched as police mourned one of their own.

It was an interesting and historic year in Massapequa and Patch was there to bring all the events and happenings.

So we want to know what affected you the most. We're going to tell you what we feel are our top 10 stories of 2011.

We want you to tell us what you feel the top story was. Please take our poll below and weigh in with comments.

Nassau Officer Shot and Killed in Massapequa Park

It was one of the darker chapters in the history of the Nassau County Police Department. Officer Geoffrey Breitkopf was killed in the line of duty in a friendly fire incident in March, minutes after a suspect who charged police with a knife was shot and killed by cops.

Hurricane Irene

Irene packed a punch when it hit our shores in August. It left thousands without power for days and left many residents frustrated. Massapequa Park Mayor James Altadonna blasted LIPA, saying he was frustrated with their response in the first 24 hours.

School Board Election

Change was in the air at the, when voters went to the polls in May and elected Gary Bennett as a new member of the school board. Former board president Christine Lupetin Perrino was voted out of office, while Jane Ryan held onto her seat.

Parking Sensors

The announced a novel new experiment in October when they announced the installation of sensors that could tell if cars are illegally parked on Park Blvd. Altadonna said the village wasn't going to issue tickets but wanted to collect data on unsafe parking.

Massapequa Coast 9 and 10 year olds Win Mid-Atlantic

The area fielded a remarkable group of young baseball players in the summer of 2011. The Massapequa Coast Little League's 9 and 10 year-old team  went all the way to the eastern regional tournament and came awayas Mid-Atlantic champs before losing in the tournament final.

Snow

It seemed like a weekly occurrence in the early part of 2011. Massapequa suffered through a difficult winter with several snow events. The white stuff even came after Spring arrived, but despite a freak snow in October, the winter weather so far, has been relatively mild.

Officer Injured in Crash

A Nassau County Police officer who was called to North Massapequa because of suspicious activity followed a car onto the Southern State Parkway. The suspects drove erratically in an effort to get away, but instead caused her to lose control and crash near Route 110, police have said.

School Busing Problem 

A group of parents received a shock in September after Mssapequa Schools District conducted a transportation reassessment and it was determined that dozens of families were no longer eligible to ride school buses because they live too close to their schools. The district has been trying to find solutions  to the problem, which may have to be fixed by a public referendum.

Tenth Anniversary of 9/11 in TOBAY

It was hard to believe that 2011 marked a decade since the terror attacks that changed America. There were many remembrances throughout the area. One of the most moving was the Town of Oyster Bay's ceremony at TOBAY Beach.

Profile: Janice Talento

We've profiled a number of residents who've made Massapequa a better place to live. Janice Talento, the founder of Drug Free Long Island is a particularly compelling person. In just a couple of years she's built an organization that has become a leader in the area's war on drugs.