The week so far . . .

The gloves came off in town races.
A family signed up in force for daughter.
We could almost taste the pickle festival.
A rock violinist is headed for high school.
And Tiki Barber drew a crowd downtown.

Ever find one of those little green things?

Minor mystery solved -- sort of.

Eva Browne, the head of the Asharoken Conservation Board, who led a beach cleaning effort this month along the north shore of the town of Huntington, mentioned that many of the volunteers, as in past years, reported finding small, green objects a little less than two inches long.

For example, a new volunteer this year – William Berg, a dentist who heard Browne speak at the Northport Rotary – cleaned Makamah Beach and found 10 of the brushes. It was the first time that beach was cleaned under the program, part of a statewide effort, because no one had previously volunteered in that area.

Others found larger numbers along Sound beaches in Asharoken. One family reported finding 80 of them, for example, and close to 250 were reported overall, according to Browne. She had shown them to someone from the American Littoral Society, who identified them as something used to clean pipes at a power plant.

Diana Parisi of KeySpan said this week that about 14,000 of the little pipe cleaners are forced through condenser pipes at the utility’s Northport power plant every night for 110 nights during the warm months from May to September. They clean algae out of the pipes, helping the plant to run more efficiently.

“Our goal is that we don’t want these to escape into the environment.” Parisi said, adding that the utility does everything it can to collect – and reuse – the cleaners. She also said that 14,000 trips a night for 110 nights gives the brushes more than 1.5 million chances to escape.

And she also raised the Connecticut question.

"I’m not trying to say that they’re not ours, because I did say that we do use those green brushes,” Parisi said, “but there are other power plants along the Long Island Sound. That could potentially be from them too.”

Meanwhile, Browne had a final tally from the cleanup, which occurred over a few weekends: 251 volunteers of all ages collected and recorded 2,343 pounds of garbage.

To read past stories about the cleanup, click here and here.

What the neighbors are up to

Compiled by Lynn Petry
lynn.petry@newsday.com

The Huntington Town Zoning Board of Appeals meets Thursday at 6 p.m. to consider the following applications:

East Northport

Linda Silvestri seeks a rear-yard variance to remove existing roofed-over patio and build a rear addition to enlarge kitchen, dining room and bathroom and attached deck, southwest corner of Selden and Cedar Hill drives.

Greenlawn

John Condon Realty Inc. seeks a rear-yard variance to legalize garage addition and legalize gazebo and deck, southwest corner of Kipling Drive and Frost Lane.

Michael T. Matassa seeks a use variance in order to convert a house to an accessory apartment legal for non-resident and conditional accessory apartment upon the approval of Suffolk County Health Department.

Huntington

James Galtieri seeks front- and rear-yard variances to legalize a one-story addition in the rear and build a front roofed-over porch to existing single-family house, east side of Anondale Drive, northeast of West Pulaski Road.

Thomas Abbate seeks a special-use permit and parking variance to expand existing restaurant with an 896-square-foot party room, west side of Wall Street, south of Southdown Road.

Michael E. and Deborah Ferranti seek a front-yard variance and relief of merger to legalize front-yard setback for existing letter in lieu of house, demolish masonry building and build a new single-family house. New lot to be conforming in all respects, east side of Virginia Avenue, south of Canyon Street.

Huntington Station

David and Stacey Elar seek a front-yard variance to legalize a front porch conversion, finish basement, replace building permit No. 983425 to build deck with awning and legalize shed, south side of East 25th Street, west of Homecrest Avenue.

Northport

Jack and JoEllen McCarthy seek a side-yard variance to build wood entry deck with open carport below, family room and basement rear patio with second-story roofed deck above, to legalize detached oversized garage with storage above shed, in-ground pool, removal of decks, converted garage and basement, east side of Rinaldo Road, north of Woodycrest Drive.

Police: Copper pipes stolen in Greenlawn

By Joy Vestal

Commack

A passenger side window was broken on a car today in a parking lot on Commack Road. A purse with credit cards and checkbook and a iPod were stolen.

Greenlawn

A contractor building a house on Kirkland Drive told police today that copper piping was stolen from the site.

Huntington

Security personnel at the K-Mart store on New York Avenue told police they caught a man shoplifting yesterday. The man had stolen hot dogs and tuna fish but gave them back and left the store without any charges being filed.

Huntington Station

A man was arrested yesterday on Columbia Street and charged with violating an order of protection.

A resident on Lenox Road told police yesterday that vandals have damaged his fence numerous times over the summer.

South Huntington

Two women and a man who had small children with them were seen shoplifting yesterday at the Sunglass Hut at the Walt Whitman Mall.

What's up in Huntington schools

Huntington schools remained active places this week. Here’s a just a taste of the announcements they put out:

The Highsteppers (above) danced away with more awards.
Students got ready for Homecoming tomorrow.
Huntington boys soccer: Goooooaaaalll.
The Blue Devils got three new coaches.
High school students soaked up the local history.

For more about the schools, visit hufsd.edu.

Town gets $50,000 LIPA grant

By Deborah S. Morris
deborah.morris@newsday.com

The town of Huntington received a $50,000 grant from the Long Island Power Authority for research of Long Island Sound.

The grant is being provided in conjunction with the $100 million Northport-to-Norwalk cable project sponsored by LIPA and Connecticut Light and Power. The project will replace the electric transmission cable system that links Northport with Norwalk, Connecticut.

Huntington Town Supervisor Frank Petrone said the funds will be used to continue the town’s efforts in complying with the Environmental Protection Agency. In 2002, an EPA directive required operators of small, separate municipal storm sewer systems to develop practices to control polluted storm water runoff. This involves sampling runoff from major outfall pipes to determine which are the most significant contributors of coli form.

“Since high coli form counts can result in closures of public beaches and restrictions on shell fishing, it can have very negative social and economic impacts in an area like Huntington,” Petrone said. “This study will complement our ongoing efforts to improve water quality in Huntington Harbor while providing valuable information.”

Work on the cable project began earlier this month when seven fluid-insulated lines were taken out of service. The removal of those cables is scheduled to begin next month. Those cables will be replaced with three state-of-the-art solid core cables that can transmit 300 megawatts of electricity between Long Island and Connecticut.

Installation and testing of the new cables is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. The new cables will help strengthen the reliability of the electric grid on both sides of the sound, according to LIPA.

A debate challenge in town board races

By Deborah S. Morris
deborah.morris@newsday.com

The Republican and Conservative party candidates for the Huntington Town Board have issued a debate challenge to their Democratic opponents.

Deborah Poulos and Bill Dowler said they want to have a debate in every hamlet and village in the town in an effort to ensure that voters are well informed and have a clear understanding about where the candidates for Town Board stand.

“Debates are healthy and provide voters with critical information about where public officials stand on the issues that matter most to them,” said Poulos, a first time candidate.

“If our current board members truly support open and honest government, there is no better way of demonstrating this then by participating in these debates. I anxiously await Ms. Berland and Ms. Jackson’s response and I’m sure they will agree to it,” Poulos said.

Bill Dowler, running for the second time, said, “I look forward to an open process and putting forth my positions and platform.”

Poulos is calling on Berland and Jackson to pledge their commitment to attend debates in the following hamlets and villages: East Northport/Fort Salonga, Greenlawn/Centerport, Melville/West Hills/Deer Park, Dix Hills, Huntington, Huntington Station, Halesite, the Village of Northport, the Village of Ashroken, the Village of Huntington Bay and the Village of Lloyd Harbor.

Councilwoman Susan Berland said there are currently six scheduled debates. “I have no problem debating them any place, any time or at any venue,” Berland said. “But I'd like to know which part of the town is not being represented by these debates. Whatever part of the town they think isn’t being represented I would be more than happy to join them there.”

The first candidates debate is scheduled for Oct. 3 at the Huntington Public Library on Main Street at noon.

Commack native flying high in Air Force

By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com

Only six-and-a-half years ago, 1st Lt. Brian R. Regulinski was strolling the halls of Commack High School, preparing for his first semester at Pennsylvania State University.

But today, things are a lot different for the outgoing 24-year-old Commack native. After earning his bachelor’s degree in 2005, Regulinski decided to join the U.S. Air Force, where he’s already risen to the position of an executive officer in one of the largest units responsible for training pilots and aircrews for wartime: Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.

More notably, he directs the Joint Air Ground Operations Group’s $1 million budget.

“Next year, it’ll become $4 million,” joked Regulinski, noting that Nellis trains combat air and ground forces using more than 1,200 F-15, F-16, F-22 and A-10 aircraft. “It can be challenging at times, but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy. I’m enjoying it.”

According to Regulinski, the base’s training exercises are entitled “Green Flag,” with Green Flag West in Nellis and Green Flag East at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. At Green Flag West, the mission is to provide air support to ground forces deployed to the National Training Center at California-based Fort Irwin, while Barksdale base provides the same support for the Joint Readiness Training Center at Louisiana-based Fort Polk.

Both bases prepare aircrew for the types of missions they’ll support during war.

“My biggest responsibility is keeping my boss out of trouble and making sure his schedule runs smoothly everyday,” said Regulinski, whose commander frequently travels to Barksdale and Fort Irwin. “I also get to meet a lot of dignitaries who come to visit. Looking back, I’ve met so many interesting people I can’t even pick one who stands out.”

In addition to his budgetary responsibilities, Regulinski also supervises the group’s personnel and computer program and a quarterly awards program, among other things. His ultimate goal is to become a squadron commander, which could take another 10 years.

“My mom isn’t happy about me being here, and she always jokes that she’s going to write a letter to President Bush if I get deployed,” said Regulinski. “But the military is very career broadening if you’re not sure what you want in life. I’m happy I enlisted.”

In his spare time, he said he enjoys riding his motorcycle or hiking Mt. Charleston, which is northwest of Las Vegas. He also talks twice a week with his family in Commack.

“Of course, I miss Long Island, but Nellis is a beautiful base and a great place,” said Regulinski, whose wife lives at Nellis. “I’m looking forward to what the future brings.”

Click here for a gallery stories about Long Islanders and spouses in the military.

Northport family in walk for daughter

When the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation fundraising walk kicks off Sunday at SUNY College at Old Westbury, the Giovinco family of Northport – who are new to the cause – will be out in force.

In July, Stephanie Giovinco, 11, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, requiring that she have insulin injections every day. Her mother, Yvonne, and her father Frank, a lieutenant in the East Northport Fire Department, will be leading Team Giovinco in the three mile walk with 17 registered walkers so far – a number expected to grow by Sunday. Organizers expect a total of 5,000 walkers at the Old Westbury event.

As of this morning, the family has raised close to $700 in connection with the Sunday event. Frank Giovinco says his daughter has raised $5,000.

In addition to the Old Westbury walk, the foundation has a 12-kilometer walk starting at New York City’s Battery Park, also at 10 a.m. A total of a half-million people are expected to participate in 200 walks across the country this year with a goal of raising $90 million to help fund research for a cure for type 1 diabetes and its complications.

To see how the Giovinco family fundraising is going and to get information about donating, go to their page at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International. Donations can also be made by mail to Stephanie Giovinco, 2 Amy Court, Northport, N.Y. 11768

New principals in Northport district

By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com

The Northport-East Northport School District has named two new principals: Jeffrey Haubrich at the Pulaski Road School and Michael Genovese as interim principal at Norwood Avenue School. Genovese’s contract is for one year.

“I hope to stay longer than that,’’ said Genovese, left, who was assistant principal at Northport High School. “Residents can expect consistency from me. I like to run a tight ship.’’

Genovese hopes to continue the school’s ongoing balanced literacy initiative and the district’s anti-bullying project, a focal point for Marylou McDermott since she took over the superintendent’s post last year.

“My goal is to maximize the good things we already have,’’ Genovese said.



Haubrich, left, previously was an assistant principal in the Half Hollow Hills School District.

Cops: Burglar shot at in Lloyd Harbor

By Joy Vestal

Cold Spring Harbor

A burglary was reported yesterday at a house on Woodbury Road. The police report said entry was made through a basement window. The homeowner said jewelry was stolen.

Fort Salonga

A laptop computer, iPod and jewelry were taken during a burglary yesterday at a house on Russell Court.

Greenlawn

A rear window was found broken yesterday on a car on Brooklyn Avenue.

A man was arrested yesterday on Little Plains Road and charged with leaving the scene of a accident and failing to show his license and insurance papers.

Huntington Station

A West 21st Street resident said items were stolen from his yard yesterday.

A man was arrested yesterday on Pulaski and Depot Roads and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and false personation. The police report said the man gave the wrong name, address and date of birth to a police officer when he was stopped.

Lloyd Harbor

A resident on Soundcrest Drive reported a burglary yesterday. Police said the resident heard a noise, came downstairs to investigate and found a strange man in the house. The intruder shot at the occupant and the bullet grazed his left arm. The resident then ran into the master bedroom and got his father’s gun and shot at the burglar. The police report did not indicate if the intruder was shot. The resident himself did not require any medical attention.

Melville

The navigation unit was stolen yesterday form a car on Pinelawn Road.

Suspicious truck at East Northport school

Marylou McDermott, the superintendent of schools in the Northport-East Northport district, issued an alert to parents yesterday after an incident involving a suspicious truck at the Pulaski Road Elementary School.

The alert, posted on the school's Web site, began:

At around 1:00 p.m. this afternoon, several fourth grade girls at Pulaski Road School were approached by someone in a teal blue pickup truck with Virginia plates. This person tried to engage the girls in conversation, and then drove away. The Principal at Pulaski immediately notified the Second Precinct and filed a report. Because it was within minutes of dismissal time, there was not enough time to send this letter home today. A letter will be sent home tomorrow. All principals and security were promptly informed about the situation.

McDermott went on to point out that the school has a safety education program in which students are given “specific suggestions for responding to incidents like this," including not talking to strangers.

To see the full alert, go to the district site.

The school is located at 623 Ninth Avenue in East Northport.

Greenlawn set for pickle festival

By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com

If you like pickles, then why not try some pickle-flavored popcorn? Or a garlic dill? Or how about some half-sour pickles sold the old-fashioned way right out of the barrel?

And that’s just the beginning. The pickle-serving styles are endless at the 2007 Pickle Festival hosted by the Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association this weekend. The finger-licking event, which is in its 28th year, is ready to welcome some 2,000 residents to the John Gardiner Farm at the corner of Park Avenue and Little Plains Road, Greenlawn, for a variety of jams, jellies and pickled products.

“It’s amazing how many people love pickles,” said Deanne Rathke, executive director of the Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association. “This is our way of paying tribute to Greenlawn’s early pickle industry, which had a big impact on building up the village.”

For the second straight year, the festival takes place at the historic Gardiner Farm, which is fitting since Alexander Gardiner is considered to be Greenlawn’s “Pickle Pioneer,” Rathke said. In the late 1800s, Gardiner proposed that local farmers try growing pickles, while building processing plants and establishing a freight depot along the railroad tracks.

The local pickle industry boomed until a white pickle blight struck in the 1920s, Rathke said. Some 80 years later, the farm was donated to the historical association when Gardiner’s grandson passed away in 2003. The festival was moved to the farm in 2006.

“The original farmhouse was built in the 1750s,” said Rathke, noting that little has changed since the 1860s, except for the addition of a bay window and central heat in 1910. “The house remains without bathroom facilities and with running water only in the kitchen.”

During the festival, part of the three-acre farm will be transformed into a corn maze, with hayrides also available for those wishing to tour the grounds. Farm-fresh pumpkins and other produce will also be offered, along with homemade cakes, cookies, and pies. Glen Cove-based Allen Pickleworks, Inc. will be supplying the thousands of pickles.

“Up until five years ago, we would actually can and jar all the pickles ourselves,” said Rathke of the historical association. “Not anymore. It’s a time-consuming process.”

The Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association’s 2007 Pickle Festival is slated for 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday at the John Gardiner Farm, 900 Park Avenue, Greenlawn. Donations are $2 for adults and free for children under 12. Everyone donating receives a Heinz pickle pin. For more information, call the historical association at 631-754-1180.

Greenlawn farmhouse with a past

Association Trustee Joanne McNamara, Executive Deanne Rathke, Town Councilwoman Glenda Jackson and Association President Russ Vollmer after ribbon cutting.

A Greenlawn farmhouse built in the 1750s and made famous by a double murder in 1842 has been restored and will soon be open to the public.

Officials held a ribbon cutting Sunday at The John Gardiner Farm House at the corner of Park Avenue and Little Plains Road. The house was given to the Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association by John Gardiner, the last owner of the farm. The association has been restoring the house, which had fallen into disrepair.

The house will be open to the public first as part the “Museum Challenge” weekend on Oct. 20-21, when the town’s historic organizations are opening eight historic sites. Participants who visiting the eight sites over that weekend, all of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will receive a one year family membership in each of the organizations. For a previous story on the challenge, click here.

Association officials have not yet established a schedule for the house but expect it to be open to the public periodically after the Museum Challenge weekend.

The house became famous in the 19th Century when the couple living there, Alexander and Rebecca Smith, was found murdered in the front parlor. A recent immigrant from Germany who was working as a farmhand was convicted of the crime and hanged. The house is also well-known for what seem to be perpetually blooming geraniums in the window, according to the association.

For photos and more information about the house, visit www.gcha.info.

Suffolk DA funds Asharoken PD computers

Asharoken Police Officer Alex Rubino uses one of the new mobile computers installed in two of the department's patrol cars.

Asharoken police have been given two mobile computers to use in their patrol cars, providing them greater access to criminal and motor vehicle information and better communications with county and neighboring police departments.

The computers were paid for and installed with more than $20,000 in asset forfeiture funds turned over by Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas J. Spota. According to the Asharoken police, the DA’s office has, over the years, provided essential equipment to Asharoken police, including radios and defibrillators.

The computers are also expected to provide a vital link in the growing homeland security network that seeks to connect all law enforcement agencies, according to the police.


Photo by Steve Silverman / Asharoken Police Department

Cops: Laptops taken in Dix Hills

By Joy Vestal

Dix Hills

A 2005 Ram 1500 truck was broken into today on Chongo Place and an American Express card and laptop computer were stolen.

A car was broken into today on Corsa Street and a laptop computer and other items were stolen.

Huntington

A woman was arrested yesterday on Davis Street and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

A man was arrested today on Front Drive and charged with a burglary that police reported was committed in a house in Lindenhurst.

Melville

A woman reported yesterday that the body and wheels on her Toyota was spray painted with obscene graffiti while it was parked on Route 110.

South Huntington

A Miata in a parking lot on Walt Whitman Road was sprayed with paint by vandals yesterday. The police said the owner was able to wash off the graffiti in the lot.

Panel to study underage drinking

A countywide task force to study underage drinking has been formed, according to Leg. Steve Stern (D-Huntington), and it has scheduled three public hearings in coming months, including one in Dix Hills.

The 10-person task form has representatives from the Suffolk County Police Department, the County Probation and Health Services departments, the County’s STOP-DWI Program, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Students Against Drunk Driving.

Stern’s legislation, adopted June 26, has created a working task force that will study issues facing adolescents such as exposure to alcohol, peer pressure, the risk of carrying out or being a victim of physical or sexual assault or even death from injuries as a result of underage drinking.

“Several municipalities in New York State have undertaken aggressive campaigns to curb underage drinking and Suffolk County needs to do the same,” Stern said in a statement issued from the Legislature’s office of presiding supervisor. “Suffolk County must develop an effective strategy to combat underage drinking which, at a minimum, should include law enforcement and educational components. Too many families and too many communities continue to experience the pain of loss and injuries to loved ones as a consequence of underage drinking.”

The task force will hold its first public hearing on Thursday, Oct. 4 at the Suffolk County Legislature, William H. Rogers Building in Hauppauge from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. A second hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 14 at the Half Hollow Hills High School East Lecture Hall, 50 Vanderbilt Pkwy., Dix Hills from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with a final hearing to be scheduled in December.

The task force will expire in January and submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the county Legislature and the county executive.

The members besides Stern, who will serve as chairman, are:

Maria Perez-Lent, coordinator, Suffolk County STOP DWI

Officer Andrea Neubauer, Suffolk County Probation Dept.

Fran Greenspan, Nassau-Suffolk School Boards

Deena Cohen, President LI Chapter MADD

Olivia Fishetti and Emily Hemendinger, SADD

Jacquelyn Best, Suffolk County Health Services

Capt. Thomas Palmieri, Suffolk County Police Dept.

Mary Silberstein, director, Pederson-Krag Center (medical expert)

Kym Laube, director, Human Understanding Growth Seminars "HUGS" (alcohol abuse prevention)

Huntington OKs $1.6M for bridge repair

The Huntington Town Board last night approved entering into a contract with RB Conway and Sons of Bay Shore for the reconstruction of the Mill Dam Causeway for $1.6 million.

The causeway, which crosses Mill Pond between the Little Neck peninsula and Huntington Beach, was closed to vehicle traffic late last month when it was deemed unsafe by the town's highway superintendent. It is expected to be closed for several months.

The board also held several hearings on proposed local laws, including one to ban private helicopters from landing in the town, and one to allow the town to designate a home as possibly containing an illegal apartment if the building has two entrances or two doorbells. That measure, if adopted, would let the town qualify for a Suffolk County program that provides funds to combat illegal housing.

Votes on both measures are pending.

Jo-Ann Raia, the town clerk, delivered copies of the town's proposed operating and capital budgets. Public hearings on the two documents are scheduled for Oct. 16.

East Northport street renamed for Marine

The Huntington Town Board last night voted to rename Madsen Lane to "Cpl Christopher G. Scherer Way/Masden Lane," in honor of an East Northport man who enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at age 17 and was killed July 21 in Iraq, three months into his deployment there.

Scherer, a corporal who turned 21 in June, died from wounds suffered while conducting combat operations in Anbar province, according to the Defense Department. A Northport High School graduate, he was assigned to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion.

The street is east of Lexington Court, north of 10th Avenue and south of the Long Island Rail Road tracks.

East Northport seaman finishes basic

Defense Department announcement

Navy Seaman Apprentice James P. Darcy, Jr, son of Mary Ann and James P. Darcy of East Northport, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill., the Defense Department announced yesterday.

Darcy is a 2004 graduate of St. Pius High School of Melville.

During the eight-week program, Darcy completed a variety of training which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.

The capstone event of boot camp is "Battle Stations". This exercise gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the fleet. "Battle Stations" is designed to galvanize the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical application of basic Navy skills and the core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. Its distinctly ''Navy'' flavor was designed to take into account what it means to be a Sailor.

Click here for a gallery stories about Long Islanders and spouses in the military.

Cops: Car torched in S. Huntington

By Joy Vestal

Cold Spring Harbor
The glass panes in a wooden door were broken yesterday at the Goddess Gourmet shop on Main Street.

Commack
Two cars on Commack Road were reported damaged yesterday and the catalytic converters were stolen from them.

Dix Hills
A 1995 Honda Civic was reported damaged yesterday on Old Brook Road.

East Northport
A New York City parking permit was stolen yesterday from a car on Meadowrue Lane.

A pellet gunshot broke the rear windshield on a unmarked law enforcement car on Cornflower Avenue today.

Fort Salonga
A burglary was discovered yesterday at the Bottle Bargains liquor store on Fort Salonga Road. The police report said electronic items and paperwork were stolen.

Greenlawn
A window was found broken yesterday on a car on Darrow Lane.

Huntington Station
Two cars at the Daytop Village Foundation on New York Avenue were damaged by vandals yesterday

The driver-side window was broken on a 2002 Jeep on Colorado Place today and a wallet with money and credit cards was stolen along with a cell phone.

The owner of a 1995 Honda Civic told police the car was set on fire today on Nordel Lane and Stepar Place.

Melville
A employee in the office of Nussbaum, Yates, Burg and Klein on Broadhollow Road said her wallet with credit cards, checks and cash was stolen from her cubicle yesterday.

A laptop computer was stolen yesterday from a table in the restaurant of the Marriott Hotel on Walt Whitman Road.

South Huntington
The doors and passenger seats were stripped from a car and the stereo was stolen yesterday on Dix Hills Road.

Police reported that a car was set on fire today on Iceland Drive.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra violinist ready to rock Huntington students

By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com

Ten years ago, Juilliard-trained violinist Mark Wood says that high school teachers never would’ve allowed him near their students.

“I was too radical for most teachers,” admitted Wood, a Port Washington resident and founding member of the symphonic-rock group Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 1996. “But there’s a new breed of teachers today. We’re facing a resurgence in music education.”

Next week, the resurgence hits Huntington Public Schools, when Wood performs with 150 of the district’s middle and high school students as part “Electrify Your Strings,” a program that transforms students into a full-fledged rock orchestra. As part of the effort, Wood will accompany students to perform music by Led Zeppelin, Cream and The Beatles.



He’ll also rehearse with the teens in a workshop for acoustic and electric strings that will teach them techniques for improvisation, composition and personal expression.

“A lot of kids play in garage bands and know these tunes, so it’s exciting for them,” said Lisa Leonardi, orchestra director at Huntington High School, who met Wood at an American String Teachers Association event earlier this year and was eager to book him. “I must say, the kids have been practicing hard. They’re more excited than I’ve ever seen.”

So far this year, Wood’s school program has visited sold-out audiences in Dix Hills, Levittown and Patchogue, with a concert at Deer Park High School slated for next month.

The most interesting part of the 10-song classic rock concert, according to Leonardi, are the improvisational opportunities, which is something most students haven’t done before.

“Improvising requires a good concept of harmony and chord structure,” she said.

Wood agreed, but noted that – from a technical aspect – rock music might be simpler for students to play than traditional classic compositions.

“It’s more about expression,” he said. “Some rock musicians might not even know the actual chord progressions they’re playing, but they’re really connecting with people. Through this program, I want to continue a classical repertoire, but mix American elements. When you think about it, American music has impacted the world greatly in recent decades, and the fact that it hasn’t been integrated into classical music is something I want to change.”

During his career, Wood has studied under Leonard Bernstein, while working with musicians such as Celine Dion, Lenny Kravitz, Billy Joel and Everclear. He’s also the owner and operator of Wood Violins, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electric violins.

The “Electrify Your Strings” concert is slated for 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 5 at Huntington High School. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for children, and can be obtained by calling the high school’s music office at 631-673-2053.

Tracing roots at Huntington lecture

By Lynn Petry
lynn.petry@newsday.com

Want to find out more about your family tree?

As part of their fall lineup of events, the Huntington Historical Society presents a free genealogy lecture at 7 tomorrow night at the Huntington Library, 338 Main St. with guest speaker Dorothy Dougherty, Public Programs Specialist at the National Archives and Records Administration, Northeast Region, New York City.

"Family History Research Within the Custom House Records of the National Archives-New York," features an in-depth discussion that helps you trace your family's background. Ms. Dougherty highlights actual paper records including ship logs, rather than computer or website information, to help you get started on your journey.

According to Arthur Sniffin, program coordinator at the society, "It's critical that people go back to the original primary sources, like birth, marriage and death records or ship logs to make sure that the historic information they are gathering is accurate."

The genealogy workshops sponsored by the society, have been providing technical help to families searching for their ancestry since the mid 1970s. Their next workshop, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Oct. 31, features Stephen P. Morse speaking on "One Step Web Pages: A Potpourri of Genealogical Search Tools," at the South Huntington Public Library on Pidgeon Hill Road.

Also, the Society's Resource Center and Archives, at 209 Main St. in Huntington, contains family histories and more than 250,000 photographs focused on the Town of Huntington. Hours are 1-4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays and by appointment. There is a $4 entry fee to the center; for information call 631-427-7045, ext. 401. A monthly genealogy workshop newsletter is also available for $10, for folks who become members of the Society.

Huntington board considers helicopter ban

The Huntington Town Board meets tonight to consider banning many helicopters from landing in the town.

The board will hold a hearing on the “motorized aircraft” ordinance, which was described by an official as preemptive, since private helicopters are not now landing in the town and no one has applied for permission to do so.

The board is also scheduled to:

Amend its regulations on accessory apartments in order to qualify for a Suffolk County program that provides funds to combat illegal housing. The measure would add having two doors or two doorbells to the list of indicators of accessory apartments.

Authorize the supervisor to execute a contract with RB Conway & Sons for reconstruction of the Mill Dam Causeway in Centerport.

Schedule public hearings for Oct. 16 on the town’s operating and capital budgets.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at town hall. For a full preliminary agenda, click here.

Tiki Barber scores big in Huntington

“Great!”

That’s what 9-year-old Dwzia Etete of Huntington and his mother, Zeze, above, answered simultaneously last night when asked what it was like to meet former New York Giant running back Tiki Barber.

They were among the more than 200 people who came to a book store in Huntington to meet Barber and get him to sign his new book, “Tiki: My Life and the Game Beyond.” When asked to elaborate, Dwzia said “Great, awesome, amazing.”

Barber began at 7 p.m. signing books and greeting fans, many of them youngsters wearing football jerseys with his number, 21. By 8:30 the line still stretched through the store, The Book Revue, and down New York Avenue to Main Street.

Brianna Cuiffo, 10, and Alec Forys, 11, with Barber, center

Brandon Kalten and Joey Guastafeste, both 12 and from Cold Spring Harbor, after the signing

Police: $6,000 theft in Huntington Station

By Joy Vestal

Commack

An attendant at the Alex Petroleum station on Commack Road said a man drove off Friday without paying for his gas. The attendant gave police the license plate number of the car.

A resident on Cottonwood Drive said two tires were slashed on his car Saturday.

Dix Hills

Savings bonds, jewelry and personal papers were taken during a burglary yesterday at a house on Livingston Place. The police said entry was made through a sliding glass door in the back of the house.

Elwood

A Thadford Street resident said a car drove across her front lawn Saturday and damaged it.

Greenlawn

On yesterday two men were seen trying to break into a coin operated vacuum outside a laundromat on Broadway. The police said they broke the padlock but were unable to get the change out of the machine.

Huntington

A dumpster was reported stolen Friday behind a building on Route 110.

The doors were reported stolen off a Jeep yesterday that the owner said she had not used in a year but kept in her backyard on Wendover Drive. She said the doors that were stolen only fit the CJF Jeep model.

Vandals broke a side-view mirror on a car on Sheridan Street yesterday.

Huntington Station

The steering column was found damaged yesterday on a car parked on New York Avenue.

A garage was broken into today on West 19th Street and two bicycles, a table saw and power planer were stolen. The homeowner placed a value of over $6,000 on these items that were taken.

Melville

The owner of a 2008 Chevrolet said someone splashed gray paint all over the car yesterday in a parking lot on Walt Whitman Road.

Town to honor man after accident

The town council will honor a Huntington man tomorrow night for stopping a driver who struck a 5-year-old boy and then fled earlier this month.

Dan Frazier, 23, will be given a proclamation by Councilwoman Glenda Jackson at 7 p.m., just before the council meets.

Police gave the following account of the incident that put Frazier in the spotlight:

On Thursday, Sept. 13, at about 6:40 p.m., Irma Ramirez, 37, of 371 Hancock St., Brentwood, was driving a 2000 Ford van north on Washington Avenue in Brentwood. Near the intersection of White Street, her vehicle struck Freddy Argueta, 5, of Brentwood, who was crossing the street with his mother. The vehicle then left the scene. Frazier witnessed the incident and chased and confronted Ramirez a short distance away. Ramirez struck Frazier’s vehicle and left again, and Frazier was finally able to corner Ramirez at Arlington Road and Standish road in Brentwood, where he held her for police. Argueta was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital and admitted for his injuries.

Ramirez said after the accident that she fled because Frazier confronted her. “I did not see the boy before he hit the windshield,” Ramirez told Newsday. “I am so sorry this happened.”

Ramirez was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident with injury, leaving the scene of an incident and endangering the welfare of a child. She was released on bail and is scheduled to appear at First District Court at a later date.

“He’s a perpetual Good Samaritan,” explained Susannah Mrazek, a council legislative aide. “A few years back he had pulled two dogs off of a woman who was being attacked, and basically hit one of the dogs with a baseball bat in order to get it off. So he seems to run into these cases, which a lot of people would run away from, and he’s right there.

Group prepares to run Northport farm

By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com

With a joint purchase by Suffolk County and the Town of Huntington being finalized, the 117-year-old Lewis Oliver Dairy in Northport will soon be facing some minor changes. Namely, the nonprofit group Friends of the Farm will assume full-time caretaker duties.

“We’re becoming more of a managing entity,” said Pam Veitch of Northport, president of Friends of the Farm, which formed in 1996 after learning that the owner, John Cobb, Jr., could no longer afford to care for the animals. “We’re extremely excited, but nervous at the same time. It’s a big project. We’re looking for all the help we can get.”

Located on Burt Avenue, the farm includes a barn, farmhouse and an array of animals including three sheep, three goats, two cows, six rabbits, one pig, two peacocks and a horde of ducks and geese. Earlier this year, the county temporarily stalled the purchase when a survey determined the property was 1,476-square-feet less than originally reported. Eventually, Councilman Stuart Besen was able to convince Cobb to lower his selling price.

Early last month, the Suffolk County Legislature agreed to split the $1.6 million cost with the town. As part of the deal, the 24-member Friends of the Farm will serve as the animals’ caretaker, which can require $1,000 a month for feed such as hay, grain and corn.

“I think we all have different reasons for being involved in Friends of the Farm,” said Veitch, noting the farm has shrunk from 50 acres to under two since the early 1900s. “For me, it’s mostly about the historical preservation of what Northport used to be. We’re one of the village’s oldest farms now. Decades ago, there were cows everywhere.”

To raise funds, Veitch holds a number of fundraisers such as an annual barn dance, which attracts up to 200 people each spring. The group also hosts holiday hayride events and Christmas caroling, which is offered to the community for free, according to Veitch.

For support, the Red Cross provides helping hands as part of community service.

“Pam is preserving something very special to many people in this community,” Besen said recently. “The Lewis Oliver farm has been in this town for more than 100 years, and I am personally amazed by the work of Pam and her group.”

Councilwoman Glenda Jackson agreed, calling the group’s task “enormous.”

“I’m trying to get Cornell Cooperative Extension to help when we are caretakers,” said Veitch. “Friends is a very passionate group, but we don’t have as much farm experience as other people. We’re always welcoming new members. The more faces, the better.”

Friends of the Farm meets at Lewis Oliver Farm the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. Meetings are open to everyone. For more information on Friends of the Farm, visit their website at friendsofthefarmnorthport.org.

Volunteers clean Northport-area beaches

Members of Cub Scout Pack 52 at the cleanup.

We asked Eva Browne, the head of the Asharoken Conservation Board, to let us know how yesterday's beach cleanup went. The event is part of a state effort to clean up the shoreline this month and document the kinds of trash found in the sand. Here is her report:

The International Coastal Cleanup in the Northport area was a huge success. We topped last years number of volunteers and we are still counting. Not all the forms have been returned yet. The 186 volunteers included Northport, East Northport, Centerport and Kings Park residents.
The following groups worked together Harborfields HS Honor Society,Centerport Garden Club,Northport Rotary Club,Eatonsneck Homemakers,Cub Scout Pack 42,Brownie Troop 1706,Weeblo Scouts and Cub Scout Pack 52.
A fabulous luncheon was donated by Auntie A's,Copenhagen Bakery,Crossroads Cafe,Maroni Cuisine,Nocello,Northport Harbor Deli,Pumpernickels Restaurant,Robkes Country Inn and the Ritz Cafe of Northport.I'll have the total weight of the garbage collected locally in a few days.
Thank you to all for a successful event.

Brownie Troop 1706 with bags of trash they picked up yesterday.

The week so far . . .

We met a new adult ed chief.
We were invited to clean the beach.
We heard the rebate checks are coming.
We riffed on John Coltrane’s house.
We learned about a free flight for some veterans.
And we saw a new source of dinner on the horizon.

Police beat: Wheels stolen in Greenlawn

By Joy Vestal

Commack

A man stole two cell phones today from behind a counter at the CVS store on Commack Road.

Greenlawn

The wheels and rims were stolen from a car in the owner’s driveway on North Lane yesterday.

Huntington

A burglary was discovered today at Tip Top Cleaners on Gerard Street. The police report said a glass door was broken to gain entry and money was taken.

Huntington Station

A resident on West 10th Street told police that someone broke into her apartment yesterday.

Security personnel at the Macy’s in the Walt Whitman Mall called police yesterday to report that a mother and daughter that were caught shoplifting in the store were causing a disturbance.

A man who broken into Artie’s Deli on East 17th Street was arrested and charged with burglary today. The owner of the deli said money and electronic equipment were stolen.

Police reported yesterday that a woman was assaulted and robbed of her pocketbook with money and jewelry in it by another woman on Longley Place. The assailant was arrested today.

Melville

A driver-side car window was broken yesterday on a car at the Huntington Hills Hospice on the South Service Road and a electronic system was stolen.

A man was stopped and arrested today and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle on Sweet Hollow Road.

Dream Dinners coming to East Northport

Meals being made at an already-open Dream Dinners franchise.

By Deborah S. Morris
deborah.morris@newsday.com

The question, “What’s for dinner?” may never be the same again for East Northport residents thanks to an innovative meal assembly store opening soon.

The Dream Dinners franchise is coming to the Blue Ribbon Plaza at 3028 Jericho Turnpike thanks to residents Mindy Rogers and Betsy Hall. The store offers a new way to answer the age old question and helps to eliminate the stress of daily menu planning, grocery shopping, prep-work and clean-up by moving the process out of home kitchens into specially equipped retail outlets.

“We’re already getting a great response from the local community and are very excited to be bringing this valuable service to East Northport,” Rogers said.
Dream Dinners works by letting customers preview a monthly menu online, select a menu and then attend a meal assembly session at a local Dream Dinners retail location.

At that session consumers rotate among refrigerated recipe stations, scooping cut and prepped uncooked ingredients into the provided baking pans or zip-top freezer bags. The uncooked dinners are taken home and placed in the freezer to be enjoyed in the weeks ahead. The whole process takes two hours and averages $260 for 12, 6-serving dinners, or around $3.60 per serving.

A grand opening will be held Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. The East Northport Dream Dinners will be the first meal-assembly store to open in the local area.

Attendees at the East Northport grand opening will have an opportunity to win a chest freezer with a session sign up, as well as the opportunity to receive a free marinated steak dinner. In addition, for each customer who signs up for a session, a donation will be made to Have-a-Heart Children’s Cancer Society to assist families going through the difficult and costly process of treatment for their child.
For more information call 631-486-6214.

What's happening at Huntington schools

There’s a lot going on in the Huntington school district now that the students are settled in. Here’s just a sampling of announcements from the administration this week:

CSI Huntington (they’re not calling it that).

High school's Parent-Teacher-Student Association meets Tuesday.

A senior does biomedical research at Cold Spring Harbor labs.

Blue Devils marching band starts off on a high note.

Biology becomes “Living Environment.”

The rules for going to the dance.

Woodhull leads in elementary enrollment.

Photos from Meet the Teacher night at Southdown.

Arts-in-education program shapes up.

Pop quiz for adult ed chief in Huntington

By Tim Healy
tim.healy@newsday.com

Kenneth A. Card, the principal of the Woodhull Intermediate School, has been named director of the Huntington school district’s adult and continuing education program. He is a May 2006 graduate of Dowling College’s doctoral program in educational administration, leadership and technology and he has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in history from Stony Brook. Before coming to Huntington, he was an assistant principal at Oldfield Middle School in the Harborfields district. There are details below about signing up for classes, but first we asked him some quick questions:

Q. Do you have any changes planned yet in terms of programs?
A. Not really, because I got appointed late in August and I really have to scramble quickly to try to get it together for the fall, but in the spring I hope to add many more choices for the residents in Huntington, looking at programs from working on the Internet to maybe programs geared toward citizenship for some of the people who live in our community who might be pursuing citizenship. More things that are creative and fun for the community residents . . . We’re also looking at programs related to real estate – how to be a wise consumer of refinancing your home mortgage – because I think that’s really important, given the current climate we’re in.

Q. What’s the most popular course now?
A. At this moment, I would have to say the dancing. There’s a ballroom dancing course that’s offered and I think that’s been pretty consistent over the past couple of years. I also think that our sports programs … indoor soccer has been widely attended by many of the district residents … Hopefully we’ll be able to build on those.

Q. What’s your most unusual course?
A. Probably creating travel books . . . It’s pretty unusual, but pretty creative.

Q. You’re the principal at the intermediate school, and now you’re going to be dealing with adults. Do you have any sense yet of which kind of students are easier to deal with?
A. Well, I think they are a different population … I think adult ed/continuing ed people are doing it for their own enrichment and enjoyment. And kids are pretty much mandated – it’s something they have to do, but we hope that once they get here, they see that there are many other things that they can do, that really are rewarding in terms of being with their peers and learning together with their peers and working with teachers to build knowledge. So I think they are two different groups and I really don’t think you can compare them.

How to find out and sign up
The Huntington School District’s adult education program will hold fall semester registration from Monday to Wednesday in the Huntington High School lobby from 7-9 p.m. Regular course fees are $15 for resident senior citizens (whenever space is available, except for those classes marked special fee or limited), $50 for other district residents and $65 for those living outside the district. Fees can vary based on the specific course and the duration of the class. (One day seminars can run as little as $16 for residents.) Classes begin the week of Oct. 1.

Information on fall courses can be found on the district’s Web site. If you need more information, contact Card at 673-2010 or e-mail him at adulted@hufsd.edu. And they're accepting ideas for new courses or proposals to teach a class.

What the neighbors are up to

Compiled by Lynn Petry

The town’s Zoning Board of Appeals meets Thursday at 6 p.m. to consider the following applications:

Commack

Angela Cipriani seeks front-yard variance to legalize front wood porch and legalize conversion of rear open porch to an enclosed heated porch, west side of Larry Drive, south of Rosalie Place.

Richard Punturo seeks to legalize a 12-foot by 10-foot storage shed, 8-foot by 7-foot gazebo, both in front of the main house, and legalize decks attached to rear of house, northwest corner of Galleine Street and Burton Lane.

Dix Hills

Thomas Raneri seeks side-yard variance to build a second-story addition, new portico, two dormers and interior alteration and legalize conversion of detached two-car carport to attached two-car garage by an enclosed breezeway and legalize front porch, west side of Westminster Avenue, north of Ormonde Street.

All Island Permits seeks long-street side-yard variance to build a front roofed-over porch, southwest corner of Broadoak Lane and Woodsend Road.

East Northport

Vincent Mercuries / All Island Permits seeks front- and long-street side yard variances to build first- and second-story additions with proposed front portico and masonry steps with planter in long-street side-yard and to replace expired permit for addition and garage conversion, southeast corner of Cedar Road.

Raffaele Petruzzellis seeks a side-yard variance to legalize a cellar entrance, west side of Larkfield Road, south of Cedar Road.

Huntington Station

Huntington Indoor Tennis Inc. seeks to build an addition of 8,092-square-foot for additional tennis court requiring rear-yard relief, relaxation of buffers, interpretation from zoning board of appeals and parking relief, south side of Broadway across from Highview Avenue.

Melville

Anthony Branchinelli / Route 110 Associates, Llc, received parking relief (Zoning Board of Appeals 18947) to apply to Planning Board for site-plan approval to demolish existing 2800-square-foot restaurant and build 4,550-square-foot structure, as per Department of Transportation, applicant now requires relief for two additional parking spaces.

Huntington Marine completes training

Marine Corps Pfc. Victor Y. Kim, son of Choon Hwa and Woon Tae Kim of Huntington, recently completed the Electro-Optical Ordnance Repairer Course, the Defense Department announced today.

During the 20-week course at the U.S. Army Ordnance Center and School, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., students receive training on inspection and maintenance of electro-optical equipment used in tanks, howitzers, light armored vehicles, guided missile systems, lasers, night vision equipment and survey instruments. Students also receive instructions in electrical theory, electronics, digital and analog circuits, schematic analysis, precision soldering, and test diagnostic troubleshooting.

Kim is a 2005 graduate of Benjamin N. Cardozo High School of Bayside, and joined the Marine Corps in September 2006.

Police beat: Dix Hills robbery arrest

By Joy Vestal

Commack

A car was broken into yesterday in a parking lot on Motor Parkway and a briefcase was stolen.

Police reported that a woman was arrested and charged with grand larceny involving the use of a credit card at the Hamlet County Club.

Dix Hills

A man was arrested yesterday on Elliott Avenue and charged with robbery and displaying a firearm. The police report did not indicate what type of firearm was used.

East Northport

The driver-side window was broken yesterday on a car on Dickinson Avenue and the navigation system was stolen.

Elwood

A man was seen stealing video games from the Circuit City store on Jericho Turnpike yesterday. The store security people gave police a description of his car but they didn’t get the license plate number.

Huntington

A theft was reported yesterday at the Citgo gas station on East Jericho Turnpike. The owner said cars were broken into and parts were stolen.

A man was arrested yesterday at Routes 25 and 110 and charged with operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.

A burglary was discovered today at a deli on East 17th Street. The owner told police money was taken.

A man broke a window today in the back door of the Depot Laundry on Depot Road.

Pool safety measure passes unanimously

The Suffolk County Legislature today unanimously approved creation of an annual "Be Pool Smart" public education campaign to promote pool safety.

The vote follows the drowning death of a 3-year-old Mastic Beach boy in his family's backyard pool earlier this month and the drowning of a 4-year-old Commack girl who was found in her family's pool last month.

The measure, sponsored by Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Huntington), above, is designed to inform the public about pool safety steps, include proper fencing, pool alarms and door exit alarms, as well as safety covers when pools are not in use. The campaign will emphasize that none of these steps is a substitute for constant adult supervision.

The cornerstone of the campaign will be an annual poster contest for elementary school students in Suffolk County. The winning poster will be featured on the front cover of a pool safety pamphlet that will be printed each year by the Department of Health and Human Services and that will be distributed free to schools, public libraries, pool supply stores and other locations.

Services for driver in Greenlawn crash

An East Northport man who lost control of his car and hit a pole in Greenlawn last week has died of his injuries.

A wake for Kyle D. Herman, 20, begins today at Nolan & Taylor-Howe Funeral Home, 5 Laurel Avenue, Northport. His funeral will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Centerport United Methodist Church.

He was driving a 1994 Saturn east on Wells Road in Greenlawn around 12:15 a.m. on Sept. 14 when he lost control of the vehicle, police said at the time. The car then struck a utility pole on the south side of the roadway, in front of 99 Wells Rd. He was taken by police helicopter to the Stony Brook University Medical Center, where he died Monday.

Coltrane tour in Dix Hills hits right note with officials

Councilwoman Glenda Jackson with Robert Hughes, the town historian; Steve Fulgoni, president of Friends of the John Coltrane Home; Charla Bolton of the Historical Society; Irene Moore, head of the AAHDC; and local historian Rex Metcalfe.

By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com

A contingent of local officials and historians took a private tour earlier this month of late musician John Coltrane’s former home in Dix Hills, which is where the saxophonist composed his four-part jazz masterpiece, “A Love Supreme,” in 1964.

“It’s truly amazing to be in the same rooms where legendary music was made,” said Councilwoman Glenda Jackson, who noted the album was ranked 47 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. “It’s a great historic and educational resource.”

Sitting on 3.4-acre wooded area on Candlewood Path, the brick and wood ranch has four bedrooms, an expansive living room, a studio and a practice room above the garage. But it also has structural problems ranging from stripped walls to severe water damage, which is now in the hands of the Friends of the Coltrane Home, a non-profit organization founded specifically to fund preservation of the historic home.

The recent tour, Jackson said, was a chance for local officials to survey restorations made so far to the one-story house, which the town declared a local landmark in 2005 and purchased as part of an ongoing effort to document the town’s African American history.

“We’re continuing efforts to stabilize the home after being vacant for five years,” said Steve Fulgoni, president of Friends of the Coltrane Home. “We have partially restored electricity, water, and done extensive cleaning inside the home during the last few months. We’ve also been making the exterior of the home more presentable for the community.”

Jackson said she was “impressed” with what she saw on the September 5th tour.

“The original flooring is still there, which is simply amazing to me,” said Jackson. “They’ve done a lot of cleanup, but they’ve just scratched the surface. It’s a big project.”

Click this screen to hear Coltrane play:


Down the road, the Friends group hopes to restore the old home to its appearance when Coltrane lived there, while turning it into a permanent John Coltrane resource center. They also hope to secure a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, Fulgoni said.

So far, Friends of the Coltrane Home has collected about $50,000 in donations, about half of the group’s goal of $100,000 needed to stabilize the house by year’s end.

“I urge people to get involved and help in whatever way they can,” said Jackson. “This is not a project they can do alone.”

In addition to Jackson and Fulgoni, other officials in attendance included Town Historian Robert Hughes, African American Historic Designation Council Chair Irene Moore, local historian Rex Metcalfe and Charla Bolton, a preservation advocate with the Society for the Preservation of Long Island.

Walt Whitman singers back from Europe

Students Jane Pigliacelli, Lauren Varolian, Alanna Shalinski, Kayla Cook, Danielle Burby and Noelle DeLorenzo with Judy Leopold, the Whitman choir director.

By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com

Seven students from Walt Whitman High School were among 96 statewide to partake in the American Music Abroad Summer Tour in Europe, where they represented the U.S. as goodwill music ambassadors. The school had more students chosen than any in the state.

“We had scattered performances in some beautiful cathedrals and monasteries,” said senior Lauren Varolian, a soloist along with Michael Fawcett, who graduated in June. “I really didn’t think the people over there would enjoy us as much as they did. One time, we attracted a crowd of over 100 people when we only expected a handful to show up.”

Before departing on their 21-day trip, the students traveled to East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania for three days of rehearsing, culminating in a farewell concert for their families. In mid June, they traveled to Switzerland, where their journey began.

“We left our TVs and Internet behind and saw a new side of the world,” said Varolian, who noted that the highlight was having a snowball fight on an Austrian glacier in July. “It was amazing to see 1,000 years of artifacts that we simply don’t have in our country.”

Police beat: Pavement breaker taken in Melville

By Joy Vestal

Commack

A GPS unit was stolen yesterday from a car in the Hampton Inn parking lot on Commack Road. The police report said the driver-side window was broken to gain entry to the car.

A Scarlet Drive resident told police his golf clubs were stolen from his garage yesterday.

An air conditioning unit was reported stolen yesterday from the Ultra Cuts Hair Salon on Commack Road.

Graffiti with what police described as a possible gang mark was found spray-painted on a building on Motor Parkway yesterday.

Dix Hills

A Fig Drive resident reported yesterday that her jewelry was stolen from her bedroom.

Huntington

A man at a law office on Harrison Drive said his car was damaged by a pellet gunshot yesterday.

A man was arrested yesterday on Route 25 and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

A man was arrested on Park Avenue yesterday and charged with leaving the scene of a accident with property damage involved.

Huntington Station

A man was arrested yesterday on Oakwood Road and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Melville

A woman on Walt Whitman Road told police she was robbed yesterday.

Police reported yesterday that a man was arrested and charged with reckless driving on Old Country Road.

A pavement breaker was reported stolen today from a KeySpan equipment station on Spagnoli Road.

South Huntington breast cancer intern

By Michael R. Ebert
michael.ebert@newsday.com

Tehreem Rehman, a junior at Walt Whitman High School, recently completed a breast cancer laboratory research internship at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. During her four-week experience, Rehman helped to extract DNA samples from tissue and investigated common pollutants and their effects on the development of breast cancer.

“I learned how cancer-causing elements like dioxins are very prevalent in our air,” said Rehman, 16 who first heard of the summer internship through her science teacher. “I’ve always believed that the rising rates of cancer are somehow related to the environment, and getting the opportunity to aid in research focused on that issue was truly phenomenal.”

As part of the research program, Rehman worked everyday with two staff mentors and lived with one of the Fox Chase researchers and her family. She was sponsored by a grassroots scholarship launched by the Huntington Breast Cancer Action Coalition’s “Prevention Is The Cure” campaign.

Huntington Bay zoning meeting tomorrow

The Huntington Bay Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing tomorrow night at 7:30 to review five applications. Because a large crowd is expected, the meeting has been moved to the Halesite Fire House, 1 New York Ave., Huntington.

The five applications, as described by the village, are:

Morris Sendor; 17 Locust Lane: In order to construct an in-ground pool, patio and pool equipment the applicant requires a variance for Area of lot and Lot Area Coverage. The subject property is located within flood hazard zone: X, areas outside of five hundred (500) year floodplain.

Fran Geier; 23 Heckscher Dr. In order to construct additions and alterations the applicant requires a variance for Area of lot, Floor area ratio, Lot area coverage, Side yards, Rear yard, and Items permitted in setback areas. Site Plan Review by the Planning Board of the Village of Huntington Bay is also required. As the subject property is located adjacent to Huntington Harbor,a permit for construction or a letter of non jurisdiction issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is required. As the subject property is within 500ft. of a village boundary, referral to the Suffolk County Planning Commission is required.

Dan Lefkowitz; 1 Shore Dr. In order to legalize an enlarged reverse gable and a new reverse gable, both built without benefit of a building permit, the applicant requires a variance for Area of Lot, Width of Lot, Floor area ratio, Lot area coverage, Front yard, Side yards, Rear yard and Items permitted in setback areas, compliance of driveways. Site Plan Review by the Planning Board of the Village of Huntington Bay is required. As the subject property is waterfront property, a Permit or Letter of Non-Jurisdiction from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is required. As the subject property is within 500ft. of a village boundary, referral to the Suffolk County Planning Commission is required.

Wendy & Michael Busby; 183 Bay Ave. The property is located in the Incorporated Village of Huntington Bay Zoning District `C.' In order to construct a new dwelling to replace one destroyed by fire the applicant requires a variance for Area of lot, Width of lot, Floor area ratio, Lot area coverage and Items permitted in setback areas, compliance of driveways. The subject property is located within flood hazard zone X, areas outside of the five hundred (500) year floodplain.

6 Castle Harbor Partners, LLC; 1 Schwab Rd. Suite 8, Melville In order to replace an existing dwelling at 6 Castle Harbor Road the applicant requires a variance for Area of Lot, Floor area ratio, Lot area coverage, Side yards, Items permitted in setback areas, compliance of driveways. A Steep Slope Special Permit issued by the Planning Board is required. Site Plan Review by the Planning Board is required. The subject property is located within flood hazard zone X, areas outside of the five hundred (500) year floodplain. As the subject property is within 500ft. of a Village boundary, referral to the Suffolk County Planning Commission is required.

Exhibit at Walt Whitman Birthplace

The Walt Whitman Birthplace has opened a new exhibit entitled “Ancient Musical Instruments and Mystery of the Past; Romantic Expressionism in Oil Paintings,” by Edward Tabachnik which runs through Oct. 20th.

On hand to open the exhibit were, from left, Assemb. Andrew Raia (R-East Northport); Galina and Edward Tabachnik; Assemb. Jim Conte (R-Huntington Station); Tom Casey, Birthplace board president; Sherri Casey, trustee; and Cynthia Shor, the executive director.

The Birthplace is located across Route 110 from the Walt Whitman mall. At this time of year it is open Wednesday to Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 4. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for those over 65. Free for WWBA members and those 18 and under.

Police beat: Melville security booth hit

By Joy Vestal

Commack

A couple were caught shoplifting yesterday at the Macy store on Veterans Memorial HIghway.

A resident on Antrin Court said she found graffiti on her garage yesterday.

Shipping pallets were stolen yesterday from a company on Mall Drive.

East Northport

A gas station attendant on Elwood Road said a car with New Jersey license plates drove off without paying for gas yesterday. Police were given the license plate number of the car.

Huntington Station

A book of New York State inspection stickers was stolen yesterday from Honda Auto on East Jericho Turnpike.

A window and neon sign were broken yesterday on a building on East Jericho Turnpike.

Melville

A sliding glass door at a security booth at The Greens on Old East Neck Road was broken after it was hit with what was described as a shot yesterday.

West Hills

Numerous plants and shrubs were stolen yesterday from the West Hills Animal Hospital on West Jericho Turnpike.

Fall festival at Centerport beach house

Senior citizens in the Town of Huntington are invited to a Fall Festival tomorrow from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the senior citizen beach house in Centerport.

Among the activities planned are a picnic, dancing, bingo, tap dancers, a sidewalk sale of art by senior citizens, and a “charity workshop” involving handmade goods, according to Anne Carballeira, the program supervisor and Beach House manager. The organizers have also set up a raffle with 18 prizes, including a $75 gift certificate at a hair and nail salon, wine and flowers.

Apples have been donated by Richter’s Orchard, and the Town Council will give out free sundaes. A hot dog and iced tea can be purchased for $1, with a cup of coffee going for 25 cents. The event is being run by the town’s Human Services Department, Senior Citizen Division.

The Senior Citizens Beach House and Cottage are located at Centerport Beach Beach and are opened Sunday through Friday from June to September. The facility, which offers recreational, social and exercise programs that include dancing, fitness, games and arts and crafts, also serves lunches and early-bird dinners throughout the year.

Town sets more babysitting workshops

Remember the Huntington Town babysitting workshops we told you about last month? (If not, click here.)

More have been scheduled at the Dix Hills, Greenlawn, Melville and Centerport fire departments. You can call 351-3171 for starting dates, times and exact locations.

They are open to young teenagers and will run for four consecutive weeks, one hour session each week. Participants who complete the course will receive a certificate of completion and their name will be placed on a course completion roster.

A parent or guardian seeking the services of a babysitter can either call Project EXCEL or the participating Fire Department for the name of a local youth that completed the course. At that time, an interview can be set up to discuss family childcare information, emergency numbers, household rules, etc.

'Honor Flight' for local veterans

Veterans of World War II have a chance to travel free from Long Island to Washington, D.C., on Saturday, Oct. 13, to visit war memorials and other sights.

The flight, announced today by Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern (D-Huntington), who is chairman of the Veterans and Seniors Committee, goes from McArthur Airport in Islip to Baltimore-Washington Airport.

The flight is provided by Honor Flight, a non-profit organization founded by retired Air Force Captain Earl Morse to give aging veterans the chance to visit the new World War II memorial in our nation’s capital. Honor Flight provide free transportation and meals for veterans wishing to do so. Above is a group at the memorial earlier this month.

The organization hopes to continue the program to include Korean War and Vietnam War veterans in the future.

There are 57 seats available on the flight. They could be open to other veterans, but World War II veterans are given priority. The flight take off around 7:30 a.m. and return to Islip around 8 p.m. the same day.

“Our World War II Veterans made enormous sacrifices to protect our values and freedoms,” Stern said in a statement issued yesterday. “Now that they are finally able to visit a monument to their courage and valor, many are too frail to travel without assistance, both physical and financial. Honor Flight provides this assistance and truly provides 'One more flight with honor' to our brave veterans. I encourage all who are interested to sign up for this trip.”

Veterans are provided with a guardian who assists them and makes it easier for veterans to travel comfortably.

Veterans can obtain more information about the upcoming “Honor Flight” by visiting the organization’s website at www.honorflight.org or calling Honor Flight at 937-521-2400, according to Chris Cosich, the Long Island representative.

Huntington Bay expands tax exemption

By Tim Healy
tim.healy@newsday.com

The Huntington Bay Board of Trustees last night voted to expand property tax exemptions for senior citizens and arranged for later votes on measures to raise parking fines and toughen regulations against unauthorized construction.

The village board’s approval of the property tax change was unanimous. It allows seniors (age 65 and over) earning less than $27,000 a year to obtain a 50 percent reduction in their property’s assessed valuation. The existing village code offers exemptions to seniors earning less than $7,500. The measure, which also cuts the residency requirement for the exemption to one year, down from five, brings the village regulation closer to that of the Town of Huntington.

“I’m not sure there’s going to be a whole lot of people taking advantage of this thing,” Mayor Herbert Morrow said last night before the vote, “but even if it’s only one or two, it’s still the fair thing to do.”

In a last minute amendment to the measure, the board last night moved the deadline for filing for the extension back a month, to March 1. No members of the public commented on or questioned the measure at last night’s hearing.

The board discussed setting up a public hearing on a proposal to toughen regulations against unauthorized construction. The measure would triple the fees for permits to “legalize” construction that has already been completed, and it would prevent anyone from starting new work on a residence without finishing the paperwork necessary for existing construction. A grace period would be set up before the law took effect to allow residents the time to apply for necessary permits.

“To hit the residents with this without a bit of a buffer would not be well received,” Morrow said last night.

The board also discussed raising the fines for parking on village streets to $55 from the current $35. The board discussed studying the need to improve the quality and number of signs at entrances to the village notifying drivers that parking on village streets is prohibited unless a large event is scheduled and registered with village police.