"The Federal Reserve’s independence is essential to its mission and should not be undermined by political pressure," Garbarino, (R-Bayport), who holds a seat on the House Financial Services Committee, said in a statement, in a rare public break with the administration.

Northwell Health and nurses at its Plainview Hospital have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, averting a potential strike that was scheduled to begin Monday, the health system and the nurses' union confirmed Friday.

Long Island Cares says its food drives and donation events during the holidays brought in thousands of pounds of food. But it is doing everything they can to prepare for a decrease.