Half Hollow Hills Newspaper - April 26, 2012

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VOLUME FIFTEEN, ISSUE 6

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THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012

DIX HILLS

DIX HILLS

By Danny Schrafel

dschrafel@longislandernews.com

By Mike Koehler mkoehler@longislandernews.com

The one-time millionaire, now convicted murderer from Dix Hills is back on the stand for another alleged slaying.

Christian Tarantino was in U.S. District Court on Monday for opening statements in connection with the murder of Vincent Gargiulo, brother-in-law of rocker Dee Snider.

Tarantino, 43, was convicted last May for the murders of two men in 1994.

Tarantino, along with Louis Dorval and others, committed an armed robbery of an armored van in Syosset. Dorval fatally shot guard Julius Bumgardt.

According to testimony in last year’s trial, Tarantino heard that Dorval was telling others about the robbery and murder. Tarantino had Dorval killed to keep him from disclosing information. His body was dumped it into the Atlantic.

Tarantino was also charged with Gargiulo’s murder last year, but the jury deadlocked and Judge Joanna Seybert declared a mistrial. Prosecutors alleged Gargiulo was killed in 2003 because he blackmailed the defendant with taped evidence of Tarantino confessing to the prior murders for $500,000.

Robert Nardoza, spokesman for U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch, said the current trial is expected to last about six weeks. Tarantino has not been sentenced for the prior convictions but is in custody.

Tarantino is expected to be hit with mandatory life in prison sentences, and faces an additional life sentence if convicted in the Gargiulo case.

Nearly seven months after a devastating fire at a “nightmare” Dix Hills home, neighbors are demanding that the Town of Huntington force swift action toward leveling or repairing the blighted house.

The town held a public hearing April 16 to consider authorizing actions to repair blight conditions at 6 Majestic Drive, which, according to town records, is owned by John Baron of Melville. If such action is approved, the town would be able to bill the homeowners $2,500 for being added to the blighted property registry, and fix the property at the homeowner’s expense.

A man who answered the phone at Baron’s Bagatelle Road home said the town’s records are incorrect and that he (Continued on page A11)

Neighbors are urging town officials to compel the owner of 6 Majestic Drive in Dix Hills, a home which was badly burned in a fire in late October, to address blight.

HALF HOLLOW HILLS

No Contest In School Board Race

By Stephanie DeLuca sdeluca@longislandernews.com

There will be no competition for the Half Hollow Hills Board of Education this year.

Trustees James Ptucha and Frank Grimaldi are running unopposed in the upcoming school board election on May 15.

Ptucha, who is currently vice president, has been on the board since 2006.

He is also the Facilities Committee chairperson, Community Awareness Committee chairperson and past chairperson for the Budget and Legislation Committee.

Ptucha has also played an active role in the community. He held various positions for the PTA, is a member of the

James Ptucha

Frank Grimaldi

Knights of Columbus and vice president of the Four Towns Civic Association, and has coached over 20 seasons at the Dix Hills Soccer Club.

A leading community activist against overdevelopment and crime, he has fought the New York State Department of Transportation on their Pilgrim State Intermodal plans.

The board member received a Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement in Electrical Engineering and is a small business owner. He has been married for over 20 years and has two children attending school in the Half Hollow Hills district.

The candidate vowed to monitor tax dollars to stem property tax growth, upgrade security systems and access control throughout the district, fight to impost impact fees on large developers building in the district and support athletic and arts programs on all levels.

Grimaldi, a current trustee, has been on the board for the past three years, holding positions as chair of the Budget Committee and Audit Committee. He is the co-founder and member of the (Continued on page A10)

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Half Hollow Hills photo/Danny Schrafel

Third Life Neighbors: Fix It Or Knock It Down Sentence Torched home subject of scrutiny as town considers taking action Looming

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A2 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012

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TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

Film Heralds An Unsung Hero ‘Disobedience’ chronicles Portuguese Consul General who saved Holocaust refugees Half Hollow Hills photo/Danny Schrafel

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandernews.com

After the lights came on at the Cinema Arts Centre Thursday, Greenlawn’s Olivia Mattis, from the Sousa Mendes Foundation, asked a simple question.

“All people who are here because of Sousa Mendes, please stand up,” she said.

Within moments, dozens of people in the audience were on their feet. Aristides de Sousa Mendes’ grandson, LouisPhilippe Mendes, was on hand to witness how his grandfather saved thousands from the Holocaust, allowing families to blossom by defying government orders during World War II. Among those saved are Mattis’ father, grandparents and her entire extended family.

“The honor for me today is double,” Louis-Philippe said. “First, meeting the refugees and some of their descendents… on the other hand, I have the honor of representing my family, my grandparents and their 15 children. Those people are my heroes.”

Minutes before, filmmaker Joel Santoni presented “Disobedience,” when the biopic of Sousa Mendes made its American debut as part of Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) on April 18.

The screening was sponsored by the Sousa Mendes Foundation, which continues to spread word of his act of defiance in an ongoing campaign against hatred and genocide.

Santoni’s drama retells the story of

Louis-Philippe Mendes, third from left, meets Leon Moed, to his right, and his family. Leon was one of 30,000 Holocaust refugees who escaped thanks to a visa issued by LouisPhilippe’s grandfather, Aristides de Sousa Mendes.

Sousa Mendes, the Portuguese Consul General who was stationed in Bordeaux, France during World War II. At the time, Portuguese diplomats were given strict orders by the government to deny visas to any Holocaust refugees seeking to escape

Occupied Europe through Portugal.

But in what Holocaust scholar Yehuda Bauer described as “perhaps the largest rescue action by a single individual during the Holocaust,” Sousa Mendes defied the government and issued 30,000 visas

in two months during 1940.

“Sousa Mendes opened an escape route that didn’t exist before,” Mattis said.

“Even all those people who came later and didn’t get visas after 1940, they benefited from the escape route that was forced open.”

Sousa Mendes was punished harshly.

He was stripped of his diplomatic position and his 15 children were essentially blacklisted in Portugal. Before he died in 1954, Sousa Mendes asked his children to clear his and his family’s name.

Their work has produced slow, but steady recognition. In 1966, Israel declared Sousa Mendes “righteous among the nations,” and in 1986, the U.S. Congress issued a proclamation recognizing his role in saving thousands of lives. The following year, after being blacklisted by Salazar decades before, Portugeuse President Mario Soares apologized to Sousa Mendes’ family, honored him with the Portuguese Order of Freedom and posthumously promoted him to Ambassador. His face has been on postage stamps in several countries.

“My grandparents took their decisions and never regretted it,” LouisPhilippe said. “Their children then received that decision and had the mission to make sure that one day the truth would be known: that the refugees were saved after an act of defiance of the order of Salazar, who was a dictator in the footsteps of Mussolini and Hitler. I’m very proud.”

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012 • A3

HUNTINGTON STATION

Long-Awaited Market Builds Following With a focus on fresh produce and meat, Food Plaza gains community’s backing dschrafel@longislandernews.com

A little more than a year after the Huntington Station Food Plaza on New York Avenue opened, the years of planning by owner Javier Tineo and his family is paying off.

During a visit last week, the store was packed with a diverse group of shoppers, stopping by to pick up a few odds and ends on the way home or stocking their carts to the brim for a week’s worth of groceries.

The property is a key one in Huntington Station, said Joan Cergol, special assistant to Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone.

Not only was the Station clamoring for a new supermarket, the Food Plaza is located at the doorstep of the hamlet. Coming from Melville, it’s one of the first landmarks as one drives through the downtown area.

“When he presented to the Huntington Station BID [Business Improvement District], he was very interested in wanting to develop a supermarket that the community would support and would fit into the redevelopment of Huntington Station,” Cergol said.

So far, so good, if you ask Tineo.

“They like the prices. They love that the store is clean and that we have the majority of what they’re looking for,” the owner said of his clients.

Tineo, whose family also owns two supermarkets in Brooklyn and a third in Queens, focuses on perishables at his 20,000 square-foot Huntington Station store, his family’s largest. Produce is his

top seller, Tineo said, followed by meats and the Boar’s Head delicatessen. He’s putting the finishing touches on a fullservice bakery.

But he’s sticking to his original mission by focusing on perishables.

“This store has the biggest produce department that I’ve had and it’s doing phenomenally,” Tineo said. “Everybody loves it, they love the quality and the love the prices and we know that we have everything in there.”

Several customers at the store last week verified Tineo’s observations. Lifelong Huntington Station resident Paul Johnson said he’s shopped at the Food Plaza “ever since it opened up.”

“They have a very good fish market and a very good meat display. And the price is right – that’s the main thing,” Johnson said. “This is in an area where we need it.

Huntington Station is very much in need of a store that gives us comparative prices.”

Eduardo Sayrs, of Bay Shore, an engineer who works in the area, likes the fresh produce and stops. And Frank Cammarata, of Melville, said he makes it a point to shop at the Food Plaza for the fruit and vegetables.

“It’s very good here,” he said. “I’m down the other way. There’s other supermarkets up there, but I go to this one.”

Based on data compiled from his preferred customers card program, Tineo said he’s getting customers from across Suffolk County. While there are plenty of local shoppers from Melville and Huntington Station, some come from as far as Northport, Wyandanch and Copiague.

Half Hollow Hills photo/Danny Schrafel

By Danny Schrafel

With a focus on fresh produce, meats and fish, Javier Tineo’s Huntington Station Food Plaza is building a following in the historic hamlet – and beyond.

Some recent developments have also helped business. The Food Plaza has run promotions with coupon-buying website Living Huntington, which has attracted new, first-time customers to his shop. He’s also absorbed a number of regulars from the recently shuttered Waldbaum’s on Jericho Turnpike.

And a new general manager from Huntington has been on the job for the last month and is doing a “phenomenal” job in helping Tineo run his first market on Long Island.

“I’m loving it. It’s just getting used to the

transition,” Tineo said.

Cergol said the Food Plaza’s success has created a major bright spot in Huntington Station, and credited Tineo for being a good neighbor, listening to the community and building a market that serves their needs.

“The parking lot is always full, the lines are not too long, but he’s got business,” Cergol said. “I see residents walking – It’s very accessible for the neighborhood.

There are lots of people walking back into their neighborhoods carrying grocery bags.”

HALF HOLLOW HILLS

Hills School Budget Increase Lowest Ever With $221M plan, trustees approve lowest budget-to-budget increase in 15 years

By Stephanie DeLuca sdeluca@longislandernews.com

After seven public meetings, the Half Hollow Hills School District adopted a $221,918,299 budget for the 2012-2013 school year on April 19.

The district decided not to pierce the New York State mandated 2 percent taxlevy cap; which, after other factors were considered, was calculated to be 2.33 percent for Half Hollow Hills. The budget needed a simple majority vote to pass.

The $221,918,299 proposed budget is a 2.75-percent increase from last year’s budget, which makes this the district’s lowest budget-to-budget increase in 15 years.

Out of the total budget, 80 percent is for salary and benefits, and 20 percent is for equipment and supplies.

Although the district received approximately $900,000 from state aid, to maintain all of the staff and programs from this year, it would have cost taxpayers an additional $15 million.

“We knew that wasn’t going to fly so we ended up making $9 million in reductions from that number,” said Anne Marie Marrone Caliendo, assistant superintendent for finance and facilities.

Marrone Caliendo said 24 programs must be maintained by the district including Universal Pre-K, advanced placement courses, full-day kindergarten and 131 athletic teams.

The budget calls for 35 teachers to be excessed for the 2012-2013 school year, 14 of which will be eliminated at the elementary level due to declining enrollment. Christine Geed, spokesperson for the district, said eliminating the remaining 21 teachers will not affect class size.

Twenty-six other staff members will be excessed as well, including a dean position at Hills East, psychologist at Candlewood, 10 paraprofessionals, a custodial position, four clerical positions and a transportation position.

Joshua Shinbrot, a student and president of the student government at High School East, spoke at the end of the April 19 meeting to defend guidance counselor Dennis Murphy, who will be ex-

MELVILLE

PD: Speed Caused Motorcycle Accident No criminal charges are expected in connection to a collision that hospitalized a motorcyclist.

Jordan Rutcofsky was riding a 2011 April motorcycle in Melville on Thursday afternoon, Suffolk County police said. At the same time, Charles Pleckaitis was driving a 2010 Toyota sedan in the area.

Rutcofsky, police said, was seen by

witnesses speeding westbound on Ruland Road. Pleckaitis was making a left turn onto Maxess Road when the two collided. Det./Lt. Thomas O’Heir said the bike hit the car and sent Rutcofsky, 29, of Deer Park, airborne.

The Melville Fire Department rushed Rutcofsky to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow in critical condition. O’Heir said the

injuries were serious, but not lifethreatening. A hospital spokeswoman said on Friday that he was in ICU in critical but stable condition.

Pleckaitis, 73, of Huntington, was not injured.

Any additional witnesses are asked to call the Second Squad at 854-8252.

-KOEHLER

cessed in the upcoming school year due to the New York State mandated law of seniority.

Currently there are 27 guidance counselors throughout the middle and high school levels in the district. Only one of those positions will be eliminated, at the middle school level.

Superintendent Kelly Fallon said a guidance counselor at the middle school level will be moved to Hills East to take over Murphy’s position. She said it’s unfortunate for the district to lose Murphy, but hopes the guidance counselor can be rehired in the future.

The school board voted in favor of a hard-salary freeze for administrators in January for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years, which will result in about $1,260,000 in savings. They also agreed that no administrator positions will be eliminated over the course of two years.

The printed district calendar will also be eliminated as well as advertising in newspapers, the combined middle school musical, student supplies at the elementary level and a few BOCES programs.

All reductions to the adopted budget are available on the district’s website.

The board will host budget hearings throughout the district through May 11.

The next meeting is at West Hollow Middle School on May 7 at 8 p.m. The budget and board of election vote will take place on May 15 at High School East.

A4 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012

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POLICE REPORT Compiled by Mike Koehler

Farewell, Mr. Clark

Screen Can’t Stop Thief

The Bandstand goes dark… Some very sad Add it to the itinerary… Now you know me betnews last week – Dick Clark, the master of the ter than anybody by now – I love getting mail! Ilene American Bandstand, purveyor of all things New S. Franzmann, from the Year’s, bloopers and fun and beautiful hamlet of Melville, games, died at age 82. Back in IN THE KNOW writes on March 26: “Thank his heyday, the hottest new WITH AUNT ROSIE you for your fun and informdance around was the Twist ative column. I would just and the Pyramid was “only” worth $10,000, but like to point out that our Dick’s youthful enthusiasm always shined through, mild winter created a new landmark. I live in even as he battled back valiantly from the debilitatMelville and all season long I observed Mount ing stroke he sustained in the early 2000s. I would Melville in Whitman Park. This is a reference to the love to chronicle some of our hometown experimountain of sand which sits undisturbed, even toences – anybody who went to an American Bandday!”

As always, thank you so much for the letter, stand taping, braved the Winner’s Circle for the big and I’ll be sure to add it to my to-do list in my next money or rang in the New Year with Mr. Clark, stop in your neck of the woods. drop me a line and tell us about it.

Perseverance personified… While we’re on the topic of overcoming great odds – the next time you even feel a teeny bit sorry for yourself, think of 7year-old Annie Clark and you’ll be inspired. She’s a young girl from Pennsylvania who won the first Nicholas Maxim Award – a prize from educational publisher Zaner-Bloser – recognizing disabled youngsters who have exceptional penmanship.

Good stuff indeed, but it gets even more remarkable when you hear what Annie’s disability is – she was born without hands. The award is named after a fifth-grader from Maine who entered their penmanship contest, too, even though he was born without hands or lower arms. He so impressed the judges that they created the new category for this year’s contest. I don’t know about you, but I sure feel more determined than I did before I read this.

Tupperware month? I was going to the store the other day to buy a few odds and ends. As I was walking back to my car, two really nice young ladies standing by a minivan with a trunk full of Tupperware pulled me over to talk. I usually don’t stop but something about one of the women’s soothing voice caught my attention. She went on to say that April is National Tupperware Month. I didn’t know they had such a thing! To celebrate, they gave me a free Tupperware item from their stash. I don’t know what I’m going to do with it but I’m sure I could find some use for it.

Send a photo of your pre-school age child or your favorite pet along with a brief anecdotal background and we’ll consider it for “Baby Faces” or “Pet Faces.” For babies, include baby’s full name, date of birth, hometown and names of parents and grandparents. For pets, please include the pet’s name, age, hometown and breed, if applicable. Send to info@longislandernews.com or mail it to: Baby of the Week or Pet of the Week, c/o Long-Islander, 149 Main St., Huntington, NY 11743. Please include a daytime phone number for verification purposes.

Kudos… to the guy riding his moped in Northport last week. While I can’t say it produces less pollutants, at least it uses less gasoline than either cars or motorcycles and can’t go way too fast. Obviously, mopeds do leave the rider exposed, but that’s just another reason to drive at a controlled, reasonable speed. The Northport rider was also wearing a reflective yellow jacket; a smart decision for safety, but wasn’t it a bit too hot?

Scary stuff… It’s not quite there yet, but I may have the premise for a new, over-the-top horror movie. I was stuck behind a school bus at the railroad tracks on Park Avenue – the kind that come to a complete stop – when I noticed a laborer standing on the side of the road carrying a weed whacker.

Now logic says he was probably watching all of us drive by so he could cross the street, but I’ll admit it was startling to see this man suddenly appear next to my car while I’m not able to drive. If he happened to be carrying a chainsaw or an axe, I may have even rear-ended the school bus and pushed it over the tracks!

(Aunt Rosie wants to hear from you! If you have comments, ideas, or tips about what’s happening in your neck of the woods, write to me today and let me know the latest. To contact me, drop a line to Aunt Rosie, c/o The Long-Islander, 149 Main Street, Huntington NY 11743. Or try the e-mail at aunt.rosieli@gmail.com)

QUOTE OF THE WEEK NEAL SCHIMMEL

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ADDRESS CITY

STATE

ZIP

Just Borrowing A Few Dollars A Huntington woman called Suffolk County police on a grand larceny on April 19. She told police she lost her debit card and it was later used to remove cash from an ATM.

Cash Box Missing Suffolk police were dispatched to a national corporation in Melville on April 18 about a theft. The complainant said an unknown person stole a cash box some time since April 9.

Time To Fight Back?

Suffolk police responded to a Huntington Station watch repair store on April 18 in connection to harassment. The complainant said the subject entered the business with a watch she had fixed. She became irate, allegedly striking the employee with the watch in her fist.

But The Deli Doesn’t Sell Knuckle Sandwiches Suffolk police responded to a Huntington Station deli about a reported attack. The complainant said an unknown white female started yelling at her in the parking lot. When she yelled back, the suspect punched her in the face, causing slight swollenness.

That’s Inappropriate For Kids Suffolk police responded to a Huntington Bay beach on April 16 after getting complaints about graffiti. The responding officer found an obscene picture and language on the playground.

Party Over Here

“No house would be better than the way it is now.”

Northport Village police received a tip about a suspicious situation at the Ocean Avenue Elementary School on April 15. Police responded to investigate a report of a traveling video game arcade soliciting business. The officer spoke with a subject, who said he rented the business’ services for his son’s 12th birthday party and that it was not open to the public. Police advised the subject he was on school property without authorization and he agreed to cease the activities.

Neighbors: Fix It Or Knock It Down, PAGE A1

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A Dix Hills resident called Suffolk County police about an attempted burglary on April 19. The suspect tried kicking in the back door, causing damage to the door. Nothing was taken from the home.

Suffolk police were dispatched to the Huntington LIRR station about a robbery on April 15. The complainant said two suspects brandishing a knife took an iPad.

Please add $10 per subscription, per year for addresses off Long Island. Sorry, no refunds.

NAME

But This Door Can

Knives Make For Convincing Arguments

HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER

A South Huntington resident called Suffolk County police on April 20 about a break-in. The complainant said someone ripped open a screen and opened a bedroom window. Assorted jewelry was stolen.

expires

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TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

Sign Rules Tightened Legislation aimed at feather’ banners adopted Half Hollow Hills photo/Danny Schrafel

Councilman Mark Cuthbertson announces legislation that would regulate the use of “feather signs” in Huntington, shown at various locations in pictures.

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandernews.com

Birds of a feather flock together. So, too, have feather banners – large fabric signs promoting businesses up and down main roadways in Huntington.

That soon may change after the town updated temporary sign code to limit the number and placement of those banners.

Legislation adopted by a 4-1 vote on April 16 updates the definition of signs and banners to include inflatable devices and feather signs pinned on or from the ground, any structure, staff, pole, line, framing or vehicle for advertising purposes. Councilman Gene Cook voted against adopting the change.

The proliferation of feather banners, Cuthbertson said, started about a year or two ago, and their use has since grown in popularity.

“If you haven’t seen this type of sign around town, I think you’ve really kept your eyes on the road. They’re hard to not see because they’re everywhere,” Cuthbertson said.

In the Northport-Fort Salonga area, the thicket of feather banners is particularly dense, said Antonio Geraci, president of the Fort Salonga Association. Some of Geraci’s pictures of Jericho Turnpike in Northport were on display during the press conference.

“The Fort Salonga community is in full support of anything that can be done to

bring these banners and flags under control. They seem to be sprouting up all over the Town of Huntington,” he said.

Temporary sign permits will now only allow five signs with a total square footage of 64, with a one-sign maximum of 32 square feet. Previously, the maximum five-sign total had been 90 feet.

The update also aims to close a loophole, Cuthbertson said, by regulating feather banners as temporary signs.

“They felt that if other signs were regulated, these somehow didn’t fall within the classification of signs that needed to be regulated,” Councilwoman Susan Berland added.

Supporters said this new law will help correct a situation many residents consider a form of blight.

“We’ve gotten many complaints over the years in terms of banners and things that are just put up simultaneously and left up,” Supervisor Frank Petrone said.

“As you can see by the sign in the examples of what’s been taking place in the town, this is not the way we want our town to be,” Councilman Mark Mayoka said.

Refining the law closes a loophole in the code that allowed feather signs to be used freely, Cuthbertson said.

“It is our hope that these type of signs – their location and the number of them – will be seriously diminished and we will return to a common-sense regulatory scheme,” Cuthbertson said.

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012 • A5

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TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

Berland Pulls Bamboo Proposal Half Hollow Hills photo/Danny Schrafel

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandernews.com

Huntington Councilwoman Susan Berland pulled her proposed legislation to regulate the maintenance of bamboo on Huntington properties during the April 16 town board meeting after it became apparent she did not have the votes to pass it.

The move allows Berland to put the proposal back on the agenda at the May 8 town board meeting. If the vote was called and it was defeated, a new public hearing would have to have been scheduled and held, which would have delayed the possibility of adoption by at least a month.

“I pulled the resolution for the simple reason that I don’t want it to be defeated and have to start all over from square one,” she said.

At the meeting, three members of the town board said they would vote against the proposal, which would direct property owners to prevent bamboo on their property from spreading to neighboring parcels either by removing it or installing concrete barriers. If bamboo spreads, a homeowner would be subject to a $300$3,000 fine for every day the violation exists; for the third and subsequent offenses, it would be $500-$5,000 a pop.

Councilman Gene Cook said he had several issues with the proposed law that made him unable to support it.

“I’m a little concerned with town officials going on private property without permission, and I was a little concerned with the amount of money [in the fines],”

Councilwoman Susan Berland, left, pulls her legislation regulating bamboo after hearing that Councilmen Gene Cook, right, Mark Mayoka and Mark Cuthbertson would all vote against it. he said.

Councilman Mark Cuthbertson’s opposition to the proposal was known since the proposal was suggested. After opposing a public hearing on the topic, Cuthbertson said he “learned a lot” from the dozens of residents who testified. But he maintained that the issue of bamboo is largely civil.

“I appreciate the sentiment of where it [support for the law] is coming from, but I don’t believe this is a place where government should regulate,” he said.

Councilman Mark Mayoka agreed

with Cuthbertson’s argument, adding that an intermediary measure would be more appropriate.

“We should go forward and establish some sort of review committee to help the residents with this problem and address it on a case-by-case basis,” he said.

But Cook and Mayoka’s concerns, Berland claimed, were news to her. She alleged they failed to tell her about their objections prior to the vote.

“I have had zero conversation with either Councilman Cook or Councilman Mayoka about their position on this,” she

said. “If they had a problem with it beforehand, I would have thought, as one of their colleagues, they would have come and spoken to me and offered some suggestions.”

Berland said she plans to offer the bamboo regulations at the next town board meeting, which is scheduled for May 8 at 2 p.m. She said she has sent memos to Cook and Mayoka seeking additional feedback.

“I will continue to follow up with them and hope they will respond as they say they would,” she said.

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DIX HILLS

Scouts Bring ‘Cheer’

Four Girl Scouts from Dix Hills are spreading joy to children at the Ronald McDonald House by establishing the Cheer Foundation.

When four girls from Half Hollow Hills Girl Scout Troop #362 set out on developing a community service program to earn their Silver Award – the highest award a Girl Scout can earn – they knew they wanted a project that helped children less fortunate than themselves.

After weeks of researching organizations to determine where to focus their efforts, Raquel Golinowski, Sarah Kaplan, Lauren Kreinces and Alexandra Parker discovered the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island – a homeaway-from-home for the families of seriously ill children undergoing critical

medical treatment in area hospitals.

The Scouts call themselves the “Cheer Foundation,” an acronym for Creating Happiness Everywhere and Establishing Relationships.

“We chose the Ronald McDonald house because we wanted the opportunity to help children and their families through a hard time and hopefully put a smile on their faces,” Parker said.

Since November, through monthly visits the Cheer Foundation developed a snack and seasonal craft program for the children in residence, whether they are children undergoing treatment or (Continued on page A10)

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012 • A7

A8 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012

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Opinion

Sen

d letters to The Editor, : Half Hollow 149 Main S Hills Newspaper, treet, Huntington , New York 11743 or e-m info@long ail us at islanderne ws.com

‘Not the types set up by the printer return their impression, the meaning, the main concern.’

Action Needed On Blighted Home Neighbors of a blighted home in Dix Hills In the absence of any action by the owner, are urging town officials to take action to cor- the town board is considering taking over rect blighted conditions at a home in their the clean up. Following the hearing, and decommunity. Residents spoke at an April 16 pending on the findings of an engineer, the hearing before the town board to ask that the town may authorize the anything from a home at 6 Majestic Drive be added to a cleanup to demolition of the house. The blighted property registry and action taken homeowner would be billed for the cost of to clean up the property. the cleanup.

The house has a checkered histoWhile we think government EDITORIAL ry. Since 1997, it’s been raided and should tread cautiously where branded a crack house, and after the rights of property owners are an owner was charged in a multi-million concerned, there are safety issues as well as dollar real estate scam, it sat vacant for some the rights of neighboring homeowners. This time after the arrest. Most recently, it was is a blight that needs to be dealt with, and severely damaged by fire. the property’s owner apparently has no inStill vacant and reportedly with a new terest in tending to it. owner, the house sits untouched. A new The situation is an extreme example of owner reportedly bought the property with why the town has recently set up an online the intention of fixing up the house and portal where residents can alert town offi“flipping” it, but nothing’s happened. In fact, cials to quality of life issues, and track whatthe alleged owner of the house told this ever actions are being taken. “Huntington newspaper’s reporter he has no stake in the At Your Service” can be accessed through property. Whether it’s a mix-up, a legal tech- the town’s website at nicality or an outright mistake, something www.huntingtonny.gov. Browse the site and needs to be done with the house at 6 Majes- bookmark it, because someday you may tic Drive. need government action in your backyard.

Letters to the editor are welcomed by Long Islander Newspapers. We reserve the right to edit in the interest of space and clarity. All letters must be handsigned and they must include an address and daytime telephone number for verification. Personal attacks and letters considered in poor taste will not be printed. We cannot publish every letter we receive due to space limitations.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Making Car Care Easy DEAR EDITOR: April is National Car Care Month and chances are if you own a car, it needs some work.

Results of community car care events held throughout the country in 2011 show that many consumers are neglecting their cars, with more than eight out of 10 vehicles failing at least one component of the vehicle inspection process.

To help motorists “be car care aware,” the non-profit Car Care Council has introduced a new online service schedule, free to all motorists throughout the country. The personalized schedule and e-mail reminder service, powered by DriverSide.com, can be customized by motorists at the council’s newly-introduced website, www.carcare.org.

Whether you do it yourself or take your car to a professional service technician, following a preventative maintenance schedule will help keep your

vehicle safe, dependable and on the road longer. And our new system will give you the reminders that you need to stay on top of this maintenance.

To help consumers become more comfortable with the auto service and repair process, the Car Care Council also recently introduced a new video entitled “Auto Service and Repair: What to Expect” that provides a wealth of information on such topics as finding the right auto repair facility, what to expect at the shop and what questions to ask. The video also covers the real truth about consumer rights and the manufacturer’s warranty. For more helpful information, check out the council’s free digital Car Care Guide.

RICH WHITE

Executive Director Car Care Council

Save Carpenter’s Row DEAR EDITOR: Many of us chose to live in

HALF HOLLOW HILLS N E W S P A P E R

Serving the communities of: Dix Hills, Melville and the Half Hollow Hills Central School District.

Founded in 1996 by James Koutsis Copyright © 2012 by Long Islander Newspapers, publishers of The Long-Islander, The Record, Northport Journal and Half Hollow Hills Newspaper. Each issue of the The Half Hollow Hills Newspaper and all contents thereof are copyrighted by Long Islander, LLC. None of the contents or articles may be reproduced in any forum or medium without the advance express written permission of the publisher. Infringement hereof is a violation of the Copyright laws.

the village of Huntington because we liked the look of the neighborhoods, its character, the distinctive architecture of older homes and the treelined streets. This area of the south village was originally proposed as a historic district in the 1980s and 1990s. Previously known as Nassau Avenue, Nassau Road was officially laid out in 1769 and remains a gateway to the village.

Now a part of this very neighborhood is being threatened by a proposed subdivision and a future that could potentially transform the stable neighborhood of mostly owner occupied homes to rental units. Our community consists of young couples starting out, retirees, families with young children or teenagers, multi-generational and diverse. All of us take pride in our homes, our life’s major investment.

It has already happened at 274 A&B Nassau Road where two years ago a two family home was built. This site has

had a series of tenants living there and at one time over 30 residents simultaneously inhabited a section of the rental with occupants also living in the other half of the house.

Now it is likely to happen again as the same developer is seeking a variance to subdivide next door at 276 Nassau Road, a narrow property with a long narrow driveway. The house proposed to be built in the back will be landlocked and forever dependent upon an agreement to use the existing narrow driveway in front.

It was during hours spent sitting on Erma Berdan’s porch at 276 Nassau Road sipping tea and greeting passersby that my family was regaled with the stories of the people who populated the area. Both Erma’s house and ours were built by a brother Charles Berdan and brother-in-law Frank Valentine on land acquired in 1914. This area of homes became known informally as “Carpenter’s Row,” houses built and lived in by the very carpenters including Sammis who worked on the great estates in places like Lloyd Neck. The styles vary from Colonial to Bungalow.

It is the concern of the residents of Carpenter’s Row and the surrounding homes that the original house at 276 will

Michael Schenkler Publisher Luann Dallojacono Editor Mike Koehler Danny Schrafel Stephanie DeLuca Reporters

Ian Blanco Dan Conroy Production/ Art Department

become unsellable with a subdivision and house placed in the back without much land separating the two houses.

What family with children will want to share a narrow driveway that serves both houses? This is especially relevant because of another long asphalted driveway of approximately 240 feet which is adjacent and used for the house at 274 A&B owned by the same developer. There are already safety concerns.

What family will want to buy homes that have parking areas for both the front and back houses? Let’s say that each house has at least two cars and that already we have observed five to six cars parked on the property of 274 A&B, now we are talking about 10 or more cars coming and going during the day.

These long driveways are virtually unnamed streets!

If the subdivision variance is granted, this will set a precedent for the breaking up of more of these narrow lots, including my own, thereby increasing density and transforming a neighborhood.

Future home buyers will look elsewhere and the tipping point will be irreversible.

VERNA AMAKAWA

Huntington

Peter Sloggatt Associate Publisher/Managing Editor

Linda Gilbert Office / Legals

Susan Mandel Advertising Director Michele Caro Larry Stahl Account Executives

149 Main Street, Huntington, New York 11743 631.427.7000

H unting Down H istory

THE THE

BACK BACK IN IN TIME TIME

THE THE FOODIES FOODIES DO DO

Shear Fun

Inside Northport’s Pumpernickel’s Scoop

AT AT SHEEP SHEEP FESTIVAL FESTIVAL 39 YEARS OF DINING

LI CONFIDENTIAL

LI 2

• APRIL 26, 2012 • LONG ISLANDER LIFE

It’s All About Perspective

As a 174-year-old newspaper, we take history very seriously. And as a 174-year-old newspaper founded in Huntington, we take a particular interest when it comes to the history of this town.

Every year we celebrate our legacy with an entire issue dedicated to days gone by.

From commemorating Huntington staples celebrating milestone anniversaries or delving into a historic event or cultural phenomenon, our aim is to give you a glimpse into what life was like years ago.

“Years ago,” of course, is a matter of perspective. Our “Huntington Down History” issue goes as far back as the days of the town’s founding, when the names Conklin and Sammis ruled the day; and touches upon things as recent as the beloved hamburger joint, Hamburger Choo Choo. After all, it only needs to be in the past to be considered history.

So whether it’s deep into history you’re looking to go, or just to enjoy a bit of nostalgia from your youth, you’ll find it in this issue.

Cover: The Hamburger Choo Choo, shown in an undated photo, is a neighborhood institution that has become an icon of Huntington’s Baby Boom years.

Above: Robert Kissam, executive director of the Huntington Historical Society, describes the days of the Huntington Trolley to a crowd at Huntington Social as part of the society’s “Lunch and Learn” series.

Michael Schenkler Publisher The official newspaper of the Town of Huntington; Half Hollow Hills School District; Harborfields Public Library District; South Huntington Water District; Cold Spring Harbor School District; Greenlawn Water District; South Huntington School District; Village of Lloyd Harbor; Village of Huntington Bay; and the Centerport, Cold Spring Harbor, Dix Hills, East Northport, Greenlawn, Halesite, Huntington, Huntington Manor and Melville Fire Districts.

Luann Dallojacono Editor Mike Koehler Danny Schrafel Stephanie DeLuca Reporters

Peter Sloggatt Associate Publisher/Managing Editor Ian Blanco Dan Conroy Production/ Art Department

Linda Gilbert Office / Legals Susan Mandel Advertising Director Larry Stahl Michele Caro Account Executives

Copyright © 2012 by Long Islander Newspapers, publishers of The Long-Islander, The Record, Northport Journal and Half Hollow Hills Newspaper. Each issue of the The Long-Islander and all contents thereof are copyrighted by Long Islander, LLC. None of the contents or articles may be reproduced in any forum or medium without the advance express written permission of the publisher. Infringement hereof is a violation of the Copyright laws.

newspapers

149 Main Street, Huntington, New York 11743 631.427.7000

LONG ISLANDER LIFE • APRIL 26, 2012 •

LI 3

A Burger Palace, And The Soul Of Town

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandernews.com

Mention Hamburger Choo Choo, the venerable burger hotspot that delivered its top-shelf hamburgers, cheeseburgers and French fries by Lionel train for a quartercentury, and Huntington residents of a certain age will recall fond memories of days gone by.

“It’s the Huntington equivalent of an urban folk tale,” George Wallace, whose father, Ted, owned Hamburger Choo Choo in the mid-60s, said.

An urban folk tale, Wallace says, because some of the younger set in town swear they have fond memories, too – even though a devastating fire shuttered it in 1982.

“People say, ‘Oh, I went to the Hamburger Choo Choo’ and they’re 30 years old. To this day, people talk about going,” Wallace noted. “You wonder if they were actually there.”

What an outsider might perceive as just a luncheonette with a cool gimmick is much more. Places like Hamburger Choo Choo have become a part of the soul of mid-20th century Huntington – a snapshot of a place and time in a community that is richer than a simple experience one might have at the counter.

Today, the Hamburger Choo Choo is subject of a Facebook fan page, “Friends of the Hamburger Choo Choo,” which has nearly 750 followers. The page is dedicated to “all of those who loved the burgers, fries, shakes and ambience (including the trains) – an original landmark located at Main and New Streets in Huntington, L.I.” Indeed, the trains drew many people in initially, but the devoted staff and great burgers kept customers coming back.

A newspaper ad circa 1959 explains Hamburger Choo Choo’s unique delivery method for burgers and roast beef.

“It was just the fascination with the way they served the hamburgers,” said Lorraine Romano-Cortina, whose uncle Frank was a cook at Hamburger Choo Choo. “You sat at the counter and the cook would put your order on the train. It would stop right in front of you, and as a kid, you loved it. It just turned out to be such a landmark. Everybody just has memories of eating there.”

The memories were born in the mid1950s, Richard Holst said, after his father,

Irving, and uncle, Mannie, were seeking to launch a new cash business to complement their work in manufacturing supplies for supermarkets. The concept of delivering burgers by model train, Holst said, was the product of some old-fashioned kitchen table brainstorming.

“I remember [my father] talked about it at the kitchen table a number of times,” he said. “I built a couple of train sets, and we were just talking about it… I was talking about how Lionel had this big, very capa-

ble train [the twin-motor Lionel OGauge] now, and one part of the discussion led to something else. That led to something else and it just happened.”

In her Ford Country Squire wagon, his mother would go to the Hills warehouse in Farmingdale to pick up the special cut of meat, which was then brought to Huntington and freshly ground for the patties.

The exact blend, Holst said, is still a closely guarded family secret.

“Nobody’s been able to beat the taste, the texture or the flavor anywhere,” he said.

Over time, the Choo Choo became a neighborhood hub, attracting businesspeople during the day and parents with children after school. Holst and Wallace credit the success to keeping it simple.

Their focus on quality, caring for customers and continuity in staffing allowed some of the men – manager Joe Thomas on the griddle, and Walter working the hand-craft soda foundation – to become neighborhood fixtures. It didn’t hurt, Wallace added, that there was a bus stop in front of the shop where children would congregate before heading out to Centerport, Northport and Greenlawn.

“The Hamburger Choo Choo had the most expensive hamburgers in town – 55 cents for a hamburger, 65 cents for a cheeseburger. But it had a couple of things going for it,” Wallace said. “Obviously, the train that would deliver the food – everybody wanted to come there, bring their kids there for that. But these hamburgers were quarter-pound hamburgers. We ground the meat ourselves.

Not only were the people getting an entertainment value, it was a very fine product.”

For many, Hamburger Choo Choo is a (Continued on page LI 13)

Horse-Car Trolley’s Travels Through Village sdeluca@longislandernews.com

At a time where there was no electricity, trolleys were established in order for residents to travel from Huntington village to Halesite. Eventually, the line extended through Melville, Farmingdale and Amityville.

The operation was controlled by the Huntington Railroad Company, also know as the Huntington Trolley, which was in business from 1887 to 1919.

The initial construction of the Long Island Railroad began in Brooklyn in 1838, using Long Island as a land bridge to find the quickest rail route from New York to Boston. At this point there were no trains running through Connecticut, and the only way to get there was by traveling across the Long Island Sound. Ultimately, a railroad was completed to Connecticut in 1852.

Closer to home, the Huntington Railroad Company decided in 1890 to operate the street service railroad from Depot Road, where the Huntington train station is today, to the east side of the harbor.

“The reason or the need for the trolley is because when the railroad was extended in Huntington in 1868, they put the station 2 miles south of the village…and people would have to take what people called South Street station because New York Avenue didn't even go to the har-

bor,” Robert Kissam, Huntington Historical Society’s executive coordinator, said.

“They could not connect the harbor to the railroad station except by stages and the stages started here in Main Street.”

In order for the trolley to be effective, a store that sat in the middle of the intersection of New York Avenue and the north side of Main Street needed to be demolished. Kissam said there were rumors that the owner of the store had rented it to a couple of gentleman. One night, four men came in, tied them up in the back room, emptied the store and set the store on fire. The victims were able to escape.

This was said to be the “convenient fire of 1870.”

The company wanted to operate the trolley by either horsepower or another way other than steam. Kissam said they didn’t want steam engines running up and down New York Avenue.

“The village felt a trolley would be profitable and convenient for the citizens to now go from the harbor,” the executive coordinator said. “It was a horse-drawn trolley. There was no electricity in town in 1890. They laid the tracks and the horses pulled the trolley up to the stations.”

The Huntington Railroad Company created a 3-mile horse-car line between Halesite through Huntington village to the Huntington Railroad Station.

An interesting fact about the trolley, Kissam said, is that on the trip back down

Photo/Huntington Historical Society

By Stephanie DeLuca

Trolley crossing Main Street looking toward the northwest corner of the New York Avenue & Main Street intersection. the hill, the station would disconnect the horses – where the Big H shopping center is today – and let gravity pull it down to Main Street. Then they would re-hook the horses at the bottom of the hill so the animals could pull it the rest of the way to the harbor.

“Suffice to say, that those that had wigs on had to hold on tightly,” Kissam said.

In 1894 they built an electric power plant in Halesite, which today is near the

Halesite Fire Department. The Huntington Railroad Company sold it to the Long Island Railroad Company in 1898, when they electrified the whole trolley system and built tracks.

From 1898 to about 1919 they ran the electric trolley from Halesite up to the depot. In 1909 they extended the line to go all the way to Amityville. The trolleys lasted until 1919 until the bus service replaced it in 1927.

LI 4

• APRIL 26, 2012 • LONG ISLANDER LIFE

Who’s Who In Huntington The Conklin and Sammis families have been here since the beginning

The family tree inside the Conklin House only shares the two dozen members with ties to Huntington. Thousands of Conklins are listed in the Huntington Historical Society’s records.

By Mike Koehler mkoehler@longislandernews.com

The old proverb “It isn’t what you know, but who you know” may ring especially true here in Huntington.

The Town of Huntington became its own entity in 1666 and officially a town in 1788. Along the way, members of several well-known families ended up in central Long Island. The Scudders, Brushes, Woods, Sammises and Conklins all called Huntington home.

John Conklin was born in England in 1598. More than three centuries later and a whole ocean away, the Huntington Historical Society confirmed, he has thousands of descendants. In fact, Executive Coordinator Toby Kissam said many Huntington residents are actually part of the Conklin family tree – even members of the other major families.

“If they don’t know their ancestors, they may not know they descended from John or [his son] Timothy,” Kissam said, noting that Grumman Aeronautical Engineering founder LeRoy Grumman was an 11th generation Conklin.

John left England for Massachusetts by 1640. After that, John and Thomas Scudder moved to Southold. And by 1660, the historical society’s records show John died in and Timothy lived in Huntington.

The Conklin family name was commonly heard around town as the years marched on. David, John’s great-greatgrandson, was born on Timothy’s Dix Hills farm in 1743 and became the first to raise a family in the Conklin House on New York Avenue. In June 1774, both he and father Thomas joined other town residents in signing the Articles of Association – Huntington’s own version of the Declaration of Independence.

But when British forces decisively defeated the Continental Army in the Battle of Long Island in 1776, David and other patriots were forced to flee to Connecticut. That left wife Sybil alone to raise the

Douglass Conklin helped create the Bank of Huntington and the trolley between Halesite and Huntington Station. family, tend to the farm and deal with the soldiers now stationed in Huntington.

According to Huntington Historical Society records, British soldiers once ransacked the house and demanded her gold wedding band. She refused, putting it in her mouth instead. When one of the soldiers was about to hit her, an officer ordered the soldier to “leave the plucky little lady alone.”

David returned shortly after to tend to the farm, but was taken prisoner in the summer of 1777 and held prisoner in New York City until the spring of 1778.

While British troops occupied Huntington for the next five years, he was forced to help build Fort Franklin on Lloyd Neck and Fort Golgotha in Huntington village, give up supplies to the British and feed the soldiers, while patriots raided Long Island to steal cattle and destroyed crops.

David died in December 1786, less than four years after the British left Huntington, and his nephew Abel Conklin assumed (Continued on page LI 13)

LONG ISLANDER LIFE • APRIL 26, 2012 •

LI 5

Life&Style Authors Capture Oheka Castle’s History

By Jamie Weissman info@longislandernews.com

Oheka Castle’s fairytale has been written.

Huntington residents Joan Cergol and Ellen Schaffer are taking readers back in time with their new book, “Oheka Castle.”

The co-authors recently announced that their latest work has been added to the Arcadia Publishing book series.

When Oheka Castle in Huntington was completed in 1919 by Otto Hermann Kahn, a New York City banker and patron of the arts, it became the largest private home ever built in New York and the second largest in America.

“Oheka Castle,” a follow-up to the duo’s original book, “Oheka Castle: Monument to Survival,” offers a 128-page complete history of the mansion from construction to present day. The book includes a new chapter covering the mansion’s introduction into the film and television industries.

“In sharing Oheka’s story, we also tell a tale of victory for all of those who believe historic structures should and can be saved for future generations. By documenting the successful large-scale experience in historic preservation, we hope to educate and inspire others to attain their own hopes and dreams of saving that big old house down the road,” Schaffer said.

As time passed, Oheka fell into ruins. It was eventually restored by Gary Melius, a

The history of Oheka Castle in Huntington is the subject of a new book by Huntington residents Joan Cergol and Ellen Schaffer.

Long Island developer. Determined to communicate his restoration plans, Melius introduced and enlisted the help of Cergol and Schaffer. The duo helped create the not-for-profit organization “Friends of Oheka.” Today, the organization has over 500 members.

“There wasn’t always such interest in

the history of our Gold Coast. Gary hired me to help communicate a little about this building and its plans,” Cergol said.

“We started to bring people up to the building to experience it. We decided to form this organization because when people came to see the building they wanted to help and they didn’t know what

they could do.”

Though Friends of Oheka initially sought to raise awareness about the mansion, it has managed to do much more.

“We brought together so many people who had worked there, met there, got married there,” Cergol said. “I spoke to the daughter of the head butler for Mr. Kahn.

She grew up on the estate and she played with one of the Kahn grandchildren. We really just said, ‘How can we not take all of this and weave it together?’Nobody had ever done that before and had all of these people.”

After years of hard work, Cergol and Schaffer accomplished their goal in 2008 with their first book, “Oheka Castle: Monument to Survival,” when Arcadia Publishing contacted Oheka looking for an author to write about the mansion.

“It was really cool because of all that effort and all of that work. There is a heightened interest in this really amazing house that really is the crown jewel of all of the Gold Coast mansions,” Cergol said.

“Oheka Castle” is set to debut on June 13 at the Friends of Oheka Garden Party, an annual event held to support the Friends of Oheka Otto Kahn Awards Program. The program awards scholarships to high school seniors looking to continue education and training in the arts.

More information on the garden party is available at www.oheka.com under “Upcoming Events.” The book will be available nationwide after the party for $21.99.

Sheep To Shawl Transports Families To Past

Sheep-shearing demonstrations will be given at the Huntington Historical Society’s Sheep to Shawl festival on May 6.

Taking things full circle, the Sheep to Shawl Festival will also include textile demonstrations.

The past and present will collide next weekend when the Huntington Historical Society presents its Sheep to Shawl Festival.

On Sunday, May 6, the grounds of the Daniel Kissam House Museum will be transformed into a celebration of seasonal

so include a story-teller, old-fashioned craft-making and games, llamas and angoras, as well as music and tours of the museum. On display at the museum will be the newly installed exhibit, “Ladies at Leisure: One Hundred Years Ago.”

delights. True to its name, the highlight of the Sheep to Shawl festival will be sheepshearing and textile demonstrations, including weaving, spinning, rug-hooking, felting, quilting and lace-making.

The free family-friendly festival will al-

The festival, which is the same day as the Tulip Festival in Heckscher Park, is from noon to 4 p.m. The Kissam House Museum is located at 434 Park Ave., Huntington. For more information, call 631-427-7045 ext. 403.

LI 6

• APRIL 26, 2012 • LONG ISLANDER LIFE

A Home For The Ages House was owned by Walt’s cousin LIfe photos/Danny Schrafel

A Cold Spring Harbor home with ties to Walt Whitman is undergoing restoration.

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandernews.com

A Huntington home improvement contractor who specializes in restoring historic houses is putting the finishing touches on a Cold Spring Harbor address – an address with ties to Walt Whitman’s cousin that date back more than 160 years.

Michael Brogan, owner of the Huntington–based Helpful Hand Co, which specializes in fine interior and exterior painting and home enhancement services, has been hard at work at 215 Main St. in Cold Spring Harbor since Halloween. The home was deeded to Whitman’s first cousin, James Van Velsor, around 1850. The painstaking work, in which he carefully sourced the original paint colors to ensure historic accuracy, is nearly complete. The home still contains the original plaster and yellow pine oak floors, and has been repainted in its original colors.

“It’s like stepping into a time capsule,” Brogan said. “That’s why I get so excited working on a project like this… I’m glad I had a chance to keep some more of history alive.”

One original interior color, a rich green, was unearthed in the northeast corner of the living room. The only lead he had was a chip of plaster about the size of a quarter discovered after scraping down the walls.

“It was actually on the back of the chip.

We were able to match this and put it into the window boxes,” he said. “Scraping the walls, this was the only piece that survived that I was able to shoot on the color-photo speculator and match the color. I’m just thrilled that we were able to use it.”

Homeowner Roger Purdon, formerly an attorney and architectural salvager for 15 years, has been working as an inventory manager at the Home Depot in Huntington. His previous experiences have prepared him well for the restoration of his current address.

“It seems like I was slated to land here to deal with this,” he said.

Purdon has lived at 215 Main St. for more than 11 years, and the house has been in his family since 1970. He first learned about the history of his home from his father, a history buff who patronized local historical societies and researched extensively at local bookstores. He passed stories of the home and Whitman down to his son in the oral tradition. By inspecting the grantee deed, Purdon was able to confirm that Whitman’s first cousin James Van

Owner Roger Purdon holds a quarter-sized plaster chip, which Brogan sourced to recreate one of the original colors used to paint the house.

Velsor owned the home.

Around 1850, Purdon said, the neighboring Pedrick and Rogers families deeded the parcel at 215 Main St. to Van Velsor, who became known as the “butcher of Cold Spring Harbor.” His home is a Kaylor-style construction, one of several in the area, notable by a peak in the center of the home to allow for a walkable attic.

“He would hang legs of lamb off this little porch on Saturdays, or so said Ann Pedrick in a book she wrote in 1854, called ‘Doings on Main Street,’” Purdon said.

“It’s somewhere in this house, it may otherwise exist in the annals of print somewhere.”

In addition to describing the source of Saturday night dinner, Pedrick also noted the raucous activity on Main Street, then a hub for the whaling industry, which earned the stretch the name of “Bedlam Street” thanks to the mischief the sailors would get up to.

Whitman was a visitor to the home, according to Purdon’s father, but it a bit of an unconventional way. At one point, Whitman had reportedly lost the right to set foot (Continued on page LI 13)

LONG ISLANDER LIFE • APRIL 26, 2012 •

LI 9

The

Foodie SECTION

Old-World German Charm Abounds Foodie photos/Danny Schrafel

Beef Goulash boasts buttery noodles and tender beef in a savory gravy.

By Danny & Betty foodie@longislandernews.com

Northport’s Pumpernickel’s restaurant has been a mainstay on Main Street for nearly 40 years, and after a recent visit, there’s little wonder why Artie Glad’s neighborhood institution is still going strong.

It’s a delightful place chock-full of OldWorld charm, from the waitresses in long, patterned dresses to the ever-present German music dominated by accordions and accented with a bit of yodeling for good measure.

And due to a paucity of restaurants that focus primarily on German cuisine, when you find a good one like Pumpernickel’s, it makes you cherish it even more.

There’s a lot to choose from, including German specialties like Sauerbraten ($13.50/$18.95), Wiener Schnitzel ($13.95/$21.95), Knockwurst, Bratwurst and Weisswurt; fresh fish specials, chicken and shrimp dishes, several steak choices and some scallops to boot. There’s something here for everyone, including lovers of traditional fare, like Ochsenmaul Salad, frog’s legs, clams casino and escargot, that might be a bit hard to find elsewhere.

We stuck with classics, settling on Hungarian Beef Goulash ($12.95 lunch; $23.95 for Beef Stroganoff at dinner), a big winner with juicy beef medallions in a peppery, dark gravy which complements the big, buttery noodles very well. The Bavarian House Platter ($13.50, lunch only), combines a tender, thick and smoky pork chop, authentic bratwurst and mashed potatoes and sauerkraut for a satisfying combination. That’s one of several platters available to diners (like us) who want to have a little of everything.

Lunch at Pumpernickel’s is a great value – ours came with a choice of soup/salad, a selection of dessert and tea and coffee. Rich rice pudding, topped with whipped cream

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Fans of traditional German favorites will love the smoky, tender pork chop and bratwurst in the Bavarian House Platter. and punctuated by bright cinnamon, is one great choice. There is also a selection of sorbets and ice cream.

The hardest part of the meal might be breaking off the conversation, putting down that cup of coffee you’ve been nursing a while and getting back out to the world.

Pumpernickel’s is a comfortable, homey spot that can make anybody from 18 to 80 feel right at home – and has been since 1973.

Pumpernickel’s 640 Main St., Northport 631-757-7959 http://pumpernickelsofnorthport.com Atmosphere – Old-World comforts Cuisine – Classic German-American Price – Moderate Hours –Mon-Thurs: 11:30 a.m.-3

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LI 8

•

APRIL 26, 2012 • LONG ISLANDER LIFE

Side Dish DINE HUNTINGTON.COM Photo/Kristin Marie Productions

By DineHuntington.com Foodie@longislandernews.com

FARMAGEDDON AND FOOD FREEDOM: Cinema Arts Centre’s “Let’s Eat: Food on Film” series continues May 1 with the documentary “Farmageddon,” about the unseen war on American family farmers and the escalating fight for food rights. Filmmaker Kristin Canty exposes policies that favor agribusiness and factory farms over small farms selling fresh foods. The screening, which includes a reception and discussion with guest speaker Andrea Mastellone of the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund, begins at 7:30 p.m. Call 631-423-7611 or visit www.CinemaArtsCentre.org. $9 members/$13 public.

PRIX-FIXE AT PRIME: Although our favorite

waterfront restaurant isn’t participating in Long Island Restaurant Week, it is offering a three-course special until April 29 (Saturday until 7 p.m.). Prime – An American Kitchen & Bar (117 New York Ave., Huntington 631-385-1515 www.restaurantprime.com) is serving up a $50 three-course prix-fixe dinner, which includes paired wines ($40 without wine). Appetizers include: wild mushroom soup and spicy tuna and hamachi tartar wrapped in avocado and topped with eel sauce. Entrées offered are: a roasted organic chicken with wild mushrooms; sautéed garlic shrimp with piquillo peppers, calamari and black rice; and grilled

A Place To Call Your Own...

Berkely Kitchen in “Farmageddon.”

American Kobe hanger steak with skillet potatoes and bordelaise. Desserts include; coconut panna cotta with pineapple, mango and vanilla bean; and flourless chocolate torte with raspberry port ice cream.

ASIAN THE BOHLSEN WAY: Now is a good time to make your way to Babylon and savor the Asian cuisine of Prime’s sister restaurant, Monsoon, the Bohlsen family’s newest addition. A Long Island Restaurant Week participant, Monsoon (48 Deer Park Ave., Babylon Village 631-587-4400, monsoonny.com) is offering a $24.95 three-course meal through April 29 (Saturday before 7 p.m.). Appetizers include edamame dumplings and black pepper spare ribs; entrees include pad thai and garlic prawns; and desserts include fried Oreos. Due to the family-style service, if any guest at a table orders from the Restaurant Week menu, the restaurant requires that the whole table does as well.

µένη Ηµ µέρα της Μητέρας Χαρούµ ( Ha p p y Mot her ’ s Day )

The Chateau hosts only one event per day

Discount Packages Available For

Call now as dates are booking fast!

@

@

Sweet 16’s, Anniversary Parties & Birthday Celebrations The Chateau at

Coindre Hall ,

www.lessings.com

Huntington, New York 101 Brown’s Road 631-751-0339

AUTHENTIC GREEK CUISINE • WHOLE GRILLED FISH • MEDITERRANEAN SPECIALTIES 273 Main Street, Huntington Village 631-385-3474 Open Tuesday - Sunday for lunch & dinner

LONG ISLANDER LIFE • APRIL 26, 2012 •

THURSDAY Flag Box Tour The Greenlawn American Legion, Post #1244 will be bringing its mobile “Old Glory” flag collection box to the following locations: Commack Middle School, Vanderbilt Parkway through April 27; Rolling Hills School, 25 McCulloch Drive, April 30-May 4; Hubbs Administration Bldg., May 7-11.

Calendar O M M U N I T Y

Women Inspiring Women Thursdays – April 26, May 3 – join the Women’s Center of Huntington and explore values, relationships, dreams and hopes, 7-9 p.m. $10 members/$15 non-members, per session. 631-549-0485

The Story Of Ryan And Farrah

A Harborfields Musical

Academy Award-nominated actor Ryan O'Neal, whose romance with Farrah Fawcett captivated fans and media for more than three decades, will sign his memoir “Both of Us: My Life with Farrah” on May 1, 7 p.m. at Book Revue, 313 New York Ave., Huntington. 631-271-1442.

The world lost Farrah after a battle with cancer in 2009, but in his intimate memoir, Ryan brings their relationship to vivid life.

Harborfields High School students will perform the musical, “You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” on April 26, 7 p.m., April 27, 8 p.m., April 28, 8 p.m., and April 29, 2 p.m. in the auditorium at Harborfields High School, 98 Taylor Ave., Greenlawn. $10 students/seniors, $15 adults. 631-754-5360.

Blood Drive Portledge School will host a blood drive in conjunction with Long Island Blood Services on April 26, 1:30-6:30 p.m. at 355 Duck Pond Road, Locust Valley. All donors must be over 16 years old (with parental consent) and under 76 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good health. Contact Karen Mucciaccio at kmucciaccio@portledge.org or 516-750-3131.

Bethenny Frankel To Sign Book Beloved by countless fans for being devilishly dishy, outrageously funny, and always giving it to us straight, three-time New York Times bestselling author Bethenny Frankel makes her fiction debut with the story of Faith Brightstone, an aspiring actress who moves to LA determined to have it all. Frankel signs her book “Skinnydipping” on May 3, 7 p.m. at Book Revue, 313 New York Ave., Huntington. 631271-1442.

Join The Chai Center for a weekly dose of thought-provoking practical applications for today’s living based on the weekly Torah portion on Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. 501 Vanderbilt Pkwy, Dix Hills. $7 suggested donation. RSVP required. 631-351-8672. mail@thechaicenter.com.

FRIDAY ‘Northport Follies’ The Northport Chorale presents its spring concert “Northport Follies” April 27, 8 p.m. at Northport High School, Laurel Hill Road, Northport. $10 adults/$8 seniors and students.

A Visit From Jersey Vinny Guadagnino from MTV’s “Jersey Shore” comes to town April 27 to sign his book, “Control the Crazy: My Plan to Stop Stressing, Avoid Drama and Maintain Inner Cool” at Book Revue, 313 New York Ave., Huntington. 631-271-1442.

Evening At Auction The Presbyterian Women of Old First Presbyterian Church, 125 Main St., Huntington, will present “An Evening At Auction” on April 27. Preview and refreshments at 7 p.m.; auction begins at 8 p.m. Admission is $10; proceeds to benefit local, national and international mission projects. A variety of items will be auctioned including antiques, restaurant gift certificates, jewelry, paintings, Hess trucks and furniture. 631-427-2101.

Family Shabbat Bring your family to The Chai Center for an evening of fine wine, delicious food and a great Shabbat ambience on May 4, 7 p.m.

Reservations necessary; call for pricing. All welcome regardless of affiliation or background. 631-351-8672 or mail@thechaicenter.com. 501 Vanderbilt Pkwy, Dix Hills.

SATURDAY 50 Years Of Song The Huntington Choral Society celebrates 50 years of bringing quality choral music to the Long Island with a special Golden Anniversary performance of the Brahms Requiem. It will be performed with full professional orchestra and soloists on April 28, 8 p.m., in the Huntington High School auditorium. Free reception after the event in the lobby. www.huntingtonchoral-

creating images utilizing the bicycle. He returns to this subject with a mixed-media tour.

• Make soothing bath salts for a Mother's Day gift on Wednesday, May 2, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Commack Public Library 18 Hauppauge Road, Commack. 631-499-0888. commack.suffolk.lib.ny.us.

• Learn how to download eBooks and audiobooks from Live-brary.com, the digital branch of the Library where patrons can “borrow” eBooks and audiobooks for free, on Saturday, April 28, noon-2 p.m.

• Friends of the Library’s Yard Sale & Bike Consignment is Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Deer Park Public Library 44 Lake Ave., Deer Park. 631-586-3000. www.deerparklibrary.com.

• Through April 30, bring in one canned or nonperishable food item with each of your overdue items and your fines will be waived.

Elwood Public Library 3027 Jericho Turnpike, Elwood. 631-499-3722. www.elwoodlibrary.org.

• A surprising and intimate portrait of Margaret Thatcher, the first and only female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, “The Iron Lady” stars Meryl Streep and shows Friday, April 27, 1 p.m.

Half Hollow Hills Community Library

society.org. 631-421-SING (7464).

TUESDAY

Squeaky Clean Comedy Get a laugh with the family as Comedy to Go, Inc. (Michael Cho, Rich Walker, Just Plain Keith and Marcus) present A Night of Squeaky Clean Comedy on April 28, 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 270 Main St., Northport. $15 for show and refreshments.

631-262-0804. www.comedytogoinc.com.

Melville Blood Drive Torah Living

LI 9

The Melville Fire Department will host a blood drive on April 28, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at its headquarters, 531 Sweet Hollow Road. 631-4232635.

Live Music Live local bands take over Finley's of Greene Street, 43 Greene St., Huntington, every Saturday night at 11 p.m. Join in the fun and food!

Huntington Men’s Chorus The group gives its 63rd annual Spring Concert May 5, 8 p.m. at Huntington High School, corner of Oakwood and McKay Road, Huntington. $12 at the door. Advance sales at the Huntington Arts Council, $12 general/$10 seniors, students. Five young singers who received scholarships will perform.

SUNDAY Tiptoe Through The Tulips The 12th annual Huntington Tulip Festival is May 6, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Heckscher Park in Huntington (Route 25A and Prime Avenue).

This free, family-oriented floral celebration includes activity booths for children, live entertainment, art exhibits and a children's parade.

631-351-3099.

Striking For Dolan Center Support Huntington Hospital’s Dolan Family Health Center by going bowling! The Betty’s Dream campaign will host its first “Bowling Bash” on Sunday, May 20 at AMF Commack Vet Lanes from 2-4 p.m. $25 for bowlers, includes bowling, shoes and pizza. $15 for nonbowlers. Event to include teacup raffle; prize donations and sponsorships gratefully accepted. Visit www.facebook.com/bettysdream2011 to learn more, and “like” the page for updates.

Entry form available at http://joinus.hunthosp.org/netcommunity/bettysbowling; call Dolli Bross at 631-470-5204 or email Danny Schrafel at daniel.schrafel@gmail.com for more information. Advance registration required.

MONDAY

The Story Of Ryan And Farrah Academy Award-nominated actor Ryan O'Neal, whose romance with Farrah Fawcett captivated fans and media for more than three decades, will sign his memoir “Both of Us: My Life with Farrah” on May 1, 7 p.m. at Book Revue, 313 New York Ave., Huntington. 631-271-1442. The world lost Farrah after a battle with cancer in 2009, but in his intimate memoir, Ryan brings their relationship to vivid life.

Free Help For Vets Long Island Cares dedicates every Tuesday afternoon from 12-4 p.m. to “Military Appreciation Tuesdays,” specifically assisting veterans, military personnel and their families at the Hauppauge and Freeport emergency pantries. Appointments can be made by contacting jrosati@licares.org.

WEDNESDAY Angel Ball The Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence’s Angel Ball is at Oheka Castle on May 9, 6:30-11 p.m., including dinner and dancing. $500. Contact Rosanne Slattery, director of development, rcslattery@licadd.org or 516-747-2606 ext. 103.

Dix Hills: 55 Vanderbilt Parkway. 631-4214530; Melville: 510 Sweet Hollow Road. 631421-4535. hhhlibrary.org.

• “Kaleidoscopes,” artworks by S. Leser and Gaby Heit is on display in Dix Hills May 2-31.

Meet the artists on Saturday, May 19, 2-4 p.m.

• Michael Shapey, a certified public account, will answer your accounting questions about using Quickbooks on Tuesday, May 1, 7 p.m. in Dix Hills.

Harborfields Public Library 31 Broadway, Greenlawn. 631-757-4200. harborfieldslibrary.org.

• Gustafer Yellowgold, a musical multi-media performance featuring live music, animated illustrations and storytelling, is Friday, April 27, 7 p.m. Free tickets available at the Circulation Desk.

• Township Theatre Group presents “Ups, Downs and Detours” on Sunday, April 29, 2 p.m.

Huntington Public Library Main Branch: 338 Main St., Huntington. 631427-5165. Station Branch: 1335 New York Ave., Huntington Station. 631-421-5053. www.thehuntingtonlibrary.org.

• Artist Lisa Ahronee Golub’s “A Visit to the Bronx Zoo” is on display at the Station branch through April 27. Raised in Rome, Italy and Geneva, Switzerland, Golub came to the United States to attend Wellesley College, and later settled in Huntington.

• Do you have something old, unusual, perhaps bizarre that may be valuable? Find out Sunday, April 29, 2 p.m. at the Trash or Treasure Antiques Roadshow.

Tips For Business Owners Serious about growing your business? LeTip members are respected professionals who understand how to give and get tips to increase everyone's bottom line. Join them every Wednesday, 7-8:30 a.m. at their weekly morning networking meeting. For more information, contact Dave Muller, 631-831-1921.

RSVP a must.

Power Breakfast Join business professionals at BNI Executive Referral Exchange’s breakfast networking meeting every Wednesday, 7-8:30 a.m. at the Dix Hills Diner, 1800 Jericho Turnpike, Dix Hills. 631-462-7446.

Zumba For A Cause Join instructor Annette Weiss for a great Zumba workout, and help children with autism and special needs at the same time. Classes are held Wednesdays at 10 a.m. at the Chai Center, 501 Vanderbilt Pkwy, Dix Hills. $5 a class, $25 for six. RSVP to 631-351-8672. Proceeds goes to the Chai Center Friendship Circle program.

AT THE LIBRARIES

Northport-East Northport Public Library Northport: 151 Laurel Ave. 631-261-6930. East Northport: 185 Larkfield Road. 631-261-2313. www.nenpl.org.

• The acclaimed Canta Libre Chamber Ensemble will perform Friday, April 27, 7:30 p.m. in Northport as part of the “Do-Ing Music” series.

• Meet recruiters from companies and agencies from a variety of industries at a job fair sponsored by the Suffolk County One-Stop Employment Center on Friday, May 4, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in Northport. Bring your resume and dress to impress. 631-265-3994, ext. 135.

South Huntington Public Library 145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station.

631-549-4411. www.shpl.info.

• Support the library and see a great show!

Join Friends of the South Huntington Library on Wednesday, June 6, for dinner and a performance at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport. Tickets on sale now for $75. Buffet supper at 6 p.m.; cash bar available. To buy tickets, visit the library’s website.

THEATER and FILM

Aging And Saging Deal with changes in your life with a splash of empathy and humor at the Aging and Saging support group. Meets Mondays, except holidays, from 10 a.m.-noon at the Women’s Center, 125 Main St., Huntington. 631-549-0485. $10 members, $15 non-members, per session.

Cold Spring Harbor Library 95 Harbor Road, Cold Spring Harbor. 631-6926820. cshlibrary.org.

• On display in April, “Bike Works.” Before it was considered important to act on changing the environment, Robert Mielenhausen was

Cinema Arts Centre 423 Park Ave., Huntington. www.cinemaartscentre.org. 631-423-7611.

(Continued on page LI 10)

LI 10

•

APRIL 26, 2012 • LONG ISLANDER LIFE

(Continued from page LI 11) • The maverick filmmaker from New Hyde Park, Jim Haggerty filmed in East Meadow and Levittown, running the gamut of stalkers, slashers, monsters and zombies. “When Death Calls” is like a two-hour horror film festival. Screening and discussion with Haggerty and scream queens Suzi Lorraine and Tina Krause on Saturday, April 28, 11 p.m. $6 members/$10 public.

• Join Helio Takai of Brookhaven National Laboratory, and the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, for a journey into the possibility of time travel; followed by a screening of “12 Monkeys,” a tale of an ordinary man from 2035 who is recruited to travel back in time to prevent a deadly plague, on Wednesday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m., part of the Science On Screen series. $9 members/$13 public.

Dix Hills Performing Arts Center Five Towns College, 305 N. Service Road, Dix Hills. Box Office: 631-656-2148. www.dhpac.org.

• The Five Towns College Theater Department’s brings the timeless children’s classic “The Wizard of Oz,” to life on Saturday, April 28 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., and on Sunday, April 29 at noon and 3 p.m. $10.

50 Years Of Song The Huntington Choral Society celebrates 50 years of bringing quality choral music to the Long Island with a special Golden Anniversary performance of the Brahms Requiem. It will be performed with full professional orchestra and soloists on April 28, 8 p.m., in the Huntington High School auditorium. Free reception after the event in the lobby. www.huntingtonchoralsociety.org. 631-421SING (7464).

350 Main St., Northport. www.johnwengemantheater.com. 631-261-2900.

• You’ve got to be a star on “42nd Street,” showing through June 17.

631-367-3418. www.cshwhalingmuseum.org.

• “Right Whales: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow,” is on display until Labor Day 2012. Thought to be on the brink of extinction, right whales are among the rarest animals on earth.

• Make a wash by the sea with watercolor paintings on Sunday, April 19, 3:30-5 p.m.

Adults and teens. RSVP.

The Minstrel Players of Northport

fotofoto Gallery

John W. Engeman Theater At Northport

At Houghton Hall - Trinity Episcopal Church, 130 Main St., Northport Village. 631-732-2926. www.minstrelplayers.org.

• The 2012 season kicks off with Larry Shue's outrageous comedy, “The Nerd,” on Saturdays, April 28, and May 5 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 6, 3 p.m. $15 adults/$12 seniors and children under 12.

AUDITIONS LIU Post Chamber Musicians Auditions for the 31st Summer Season of the LIU Post Chamber Music Festival continue with audition dates on May 6, 7, 20 and 21 and June 3, 4 and 11, or by special appointment.

The LIU Post Chamber Music Festival offers gifted music students (ages 10-18), college/conservatory students and young professionals the opportunity to study and perform in a rich musical environment. To schedule an audition, call 516-299-2103 or visit www.liu.edu/post/chambermusic.

14 W. Carver St., Huntington. Gallery hours: Friday 5-8 p.m., Saturday 12-8 p.m., Sunday 12-4 p.m. 631-549-0448. www.fotofotogallery.com.

• Dis-Integration by Lois Youmans and Femme

by Lauren Weissler now on display.

Heckscher Museum Of Art 2 Prime Ave., Huntington. Museum hours: Wednesday - Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., first Fridays from 4-8:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission $68/adults, $4-6/seniors, and $4-5/children; members and children under 10 free. 631-351-3250.

• The Heckscher Museum of Art and Cinema Arts Centre are pleased to present the Long Island Biennial, a juried exhibition featuring work by artists and filmmakers who live in Nassau or Suffolk County. Show at Heckscher opens April 28, featuring 52 artists, 13 of whom call the Town of Huntington home. Film presentation at Cinema Arts Centre in July.

Holocaust Memorial And Tolerance Center

MUSEUMS & EXHIBITS Art League of Long Island 107 East Deer Park Road, Dix Hills. Gallery hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends. 631-462-5400. www.ArtLeagueLI.net.

• Featuring the work of three renowned, innovative printmakers from the metropolitan area, “Bebout, Johnson, Welden: Mixed Media Prints” will be on view through April 29.

Welwyn Preserve. 100 Crescent Beach Road, Glen Cove. Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Sat.-Sun.: noon-4 p.m. 516-571-8040 ext. 100. www.holocaust-nassau.org.

• On display through June 30 is the work of Auschwitz survivor Ludovit Feld. A Holocaust Memorial Day Commemoration will be held Sunday, April 15, 1-4 p.m. with special guest Silvia Fishbaum, Feld’s former student and lifetime friend.

Huntington Arts Council

299 Main St., Huntington. Gallery hours: Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. 631-549-5106. www.bjspokegallery.com.

• Elizabeth Ehrlichman shows watercolors and prints in “Fruitful”; Barbara Grey shows watercolors and collage work in “Ancient Visions”; and gallery artists show a variety of styles and themes in “My Choice I.” Through April 29.

Main Street Petite Gallery: 213 Main St., Huntington. Gallery hours: Monday - Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Art in the Art-trium: 25 Melville Park Road, Melville. Gallery Hours: Monday Friday 7 a.m.-7 p.m. 631-271-8423. www.huntingtonarts.org.

• “Nature’s Bounty” at the Art-trium Gallery runs through April 30.

• “Windows to the Soul” at the Main Gallery represents 34 personal views, on display through May 7.

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery

Huntington Historical Society

b.j. spoke gallery

1660 Route 25A, Cold Spring Harbor. Open seven days a week, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and Sundays until 6 p.m.: $6 adults; $4 children 3-12 and seniors over 65; members and children under 3 are free. 516-692-6768. www.cshfha.org • Features New York State's largest collection of freshwater fish, reptiles and amphibians housed in two aquarium buildings and eight outdoor ponds.

• Pollywog Adventures, for kids ages 3-5, offers participants an opportunity to learn about the watery natural world that surrounds us. Every first and third Thursday through June, 11 a.m.-noon.

Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor. Museum hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $4 adults, $3 seniors, $3 students 5 -18, family $12; military and children under 5 are free.

Main office/library: 209 Main St., Huntington.

Museums: Conklin Barn, 2 High St.; Kissam House/Museum Shop, 434 Park Ave.; Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Building, 228 Main St. 631427-7045, ext. 401. www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

• Learn about the Town of Huntington’s role in the Civil War in an exhibit at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Building.

• The society is sponsoring a trip to the Italian lakes and Greek islands, featuring a sevennight eastern Mediterranean cruise Oct. 3-14.

• Maria Liriano will describe the genealogy holdings of the Milstein Division at the New York Public Library on Thursday, April 26, 7 p.m. at the South Huntington Public Library, 145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington. Free.

LaMantia Gallery 127 Main St., Northport Village. 631-754-8414. www.lamantiagallery.com.

• The gallery welcomes back Edward Gordon and introduces Daniel Del Orfano.

Ridotto, Concerts with a Touch of Theatre

9 East Contemporary Art

At Old First Church, Route 25A in Huntington.

631-385-0373. www.Ridotto.org.

9 East Carver St., Huntington. Gallery hours: Wed.-Sat., 3-8 p.m. or by appointment. 631662-9459.

• “Earth, Fire and Light,” the works of Hugh McElroy and Richard Vaux, is on display until April 28. This show of recent works represents the pit-fired clay sculptures by McElroy and the nature inspired archetypal lightscapes created using powdered carbon

by Vaux.

VOLUNTEERING Helping Furry Friends Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center is looking for volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of animals. Free training provided. Visit www.littleshelter.com or call 631-368-8770 ext. 204.

Northport Historical Society Museum

Walt Whitman Birthplace

215 Main St., Northport. Museum hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 1-4:30 p.m. 631-757-9859. www.northporthistorical.org.

• “50 years of Preserving and Celebrating Northport's History” honors the society's founders and their concerns and activities.

If you are interested in literature or history, the Walt Whitman Birthplace has fascinating and rewarding part-time volunteer positions available. Free training provided. 631-427-5420 ext.114.

Ripe Art Gallery

Looking to earn some community service hours while changing a life? As part of the Friends@Home program, a project of The Ariella's Friendship Circle at the Chai Center in Dix Hills, visit a child with special needs in an environment they are most comfortable: their own homes. Together, bake cookies, play games, create arts and crafts, read books and more. Contact Nati or Sara at 631-351-8672 or fcchaicenter@gmail.com

67 Broadway, Greenlawn. 631-807-5296.

Gallery hours: Tuesday - Thursday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday 2-9 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. www.ripeartgal.com.

• The paintings of STANKO, on display through April 26, are bold and eye-catching, and depict familiar images such as sunflowers, beach scenes and even grilled cheese sandwiches with bright fields of color outlined in black. STANKO’s unmistakable "New American" style.

Suffolk Y JCC 74 Hauppauge Road, Commack. 631-4629800, ext. 140. Tuesday 1-4 p.m. Admission: $5 per person, $18 per family. Special group programs available. www.suffolkyjcc.org.

• The Alan & Helene Rosenberg Jewish Discovery Museum provides hands-on exhibits and programs for children 3-13 years old and their families, classes and camps.

Now on exhibit: The Alef Bet of Being a Mensch. “Zye a mensch” is a Yiddish saying that means “be a decent, responsible, caring person,” infusing both the best blessing and the best that an educator can wish for his students.

Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport. Museum hours: Tuesday-Friday, 12-4 p.m., Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, 12-5 p.m.; closed Mondays except for holiday weeks. Grounds admission: $7 adults, $6 seniors, students, and $3 children under 12. Museum tour, add $5 per person. 631-854-5555. www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

Walt Whitman Birthplace 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station. Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 1-4 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Admission: $5 adults, $4 seniors/students, and children under 5 are free. 631-427-5240. www.waltwhitman.org.

MUSIC & DANCE The Paramount 370 New York Ave., Huntington. 631-673-7300. www.paramountny.com. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

• Long Island military veterans and their families are welcome to enjoy a free comedy showcase on Saturday, April 28, 3 p.m. Pick up free tickets at the box office or email vets@paramountny.com.

Friends At Home

Helping Runaway Kids Share your ideas and opinions on how Huntington Sanctuary, a program of the Huntington Youth Bureau, can help youth ages 12-21 who run away or who are at risk of running away. The group’s advisory board meets one Thursday a month at 6 p.m. Call 631-2712183.

Eyes For The Blind Suffolk County’s Helen Keller Services is looking for volunteers to visit blind who are homebound to socialize and aid in reading mail, possibly provide transportation. 631-424-0022.

Help American Red Cross The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disaster and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. The Suffolk County Chapter is looking for volunteers to assist in emergency shelters, at fires and natural disasters, with veterans, at community events or at the office. Free trainings provided.

631-924-6700 ext 212.

Seeking Volunteer Advocates The Family Service League’s Ombudservice Program of Suffolk County is seeking volunteers to train as advocates for nursing home, adult home and assisted living facility residents to help insure they receive quality care and their rights are protected. 631-427-3700 ext.

240.

Send us your listings Submissions must be in by 5 p.m.

10 days prior to publication date.

Send to Community Calendar at 149 Main Street, Huntington, NY 11743, or e-mail to info@longislandernews.com

LONG ISLANDER LIFE • APRIL 26, 2012 •

LI 11

Young Historians Explore LI’s Past Students can experience history hands-on with new youth society

By Jasmine Weber info@longislandernews.com

Young history buffs now have an outlet for exploring their passion.

The Young Historian’s Society is open to history lovers in middle school and high school. The program is run under the Town of Huntington Historic Partnership.

They have only had one meeting so far, during March, and met at the Huntington Historical Society.

“The assistant director of the Northport Historical Society spoke to them,” said Heather Johnson, director of the Northport Historical Society. She and the assistant director are the creators of the Young Historian’s Society. They have or-

ganized trips and talks for the young historians for the upcoming months.

Johnson said their first meeting was attended by roughly five students, and hopes to see increased membership at future meetings.

The next meeting of the Young Historian’s Society will be on April 26, when the students will get a tour of Huntington’s restored arsenal. The arsenal was built around 1740 and played a part in Long Island’s participation in the American Revolution. The students will be able to see much of the original furniture and equipment in the arsenal. They will be meeting at 4:30 p.m.

Then on May 24, the group will meet at the Easton’s Neck lighthouse. This lighthouse, built in 1799, is on the Na-

tional Register of Historic Landmarks.

The majority of the meetings will take place in the Huntington area and will fall on the third or fourth Thursday from October through May. Johnson hopes to have as many participants as possible.

“I don’t want to discourage anybody.

If there’s any student that’s interested in history, I’ll find a way,” she said.

The members need to arrange their own transportation to the venue, but a $5 fee each meeting includes refreshments.

To become a member, Johnson asks that any student who is interested calls in advance. The group is open for male and female students in grades 6-12. For more information contact the Northport Historical Society at 631-757-9859.

The Huntington arsenal will be the next stop for the Young Historian’s Society on April 26.

Famous families in town (Continued from page LI 4)

control of his property. Abel became a prominent member in the Town of Huntington in the next century. He served as the commissioner of highways in 1828, town supervisor in 1829, assessor in 1833, 1835, 1836 and 1839, justice of the peace in 1832, 1837, 1842 and 1845, and commissioner of common schools from 18361840. He died unexpectedly at the age of 47.

The Conklin name was also connected with the trolley system that linked Halesite to Huntington Station and one of Huntington’s first banks. Born in 1855, Douglass Conklin helped found the Bank of Huntington. Opening in 1888, it was one of two banks that existed in Huntington village in the early 20th century.

Of course, the Sammises also played a major role in sculpting the town into what it is today.

That family also made the trek from England through New England before reaching Long Island; John Sammis settled in Huntington in the mid-17th century.

And while the name has been famous

since then, 11th generation Sammis Vera Murphy identified her father, Byron, and brother, Quentin, as the two most wellknown. Byron, she said, was active with the Lions Club, Huntington Hospital, a rifle club and several other local groups.

“They were always going out to do fundraising. He was very big in getting out and getting money for the hospital,” Vera said.

Similarly, Quentin was known for his service to the community. Not only did he join the family’s real estate business after serving with the Navy, but Quentin was also a town councilman from 19631967 and 1988-1991, and town supervisor from July 1-Dec. 31 1967. He founded the Townwide Fund – a nonprofit created in 1961 to support local charities – and the Huntington Arts Council – a notfor-profit promoting arts and culture across Long Island, and was also active in organizations like Huntington Hospital, Kiwanis, YMCA, Visiting Nurse Service and Old First Presbyterian Church.

He died in 2007 at the age of 83, and town officials renamed West Neck Beach

Hamburger Choo Choo (Continued from page LI 3)

portal to a simpler time.

“When we moved in 1955, moved out from Queens, we were moving out to ‘the country,’” Romano-Cortina said.

“There was no Walt Whitman Mall – Huntington village was the place. It didn’t have as many boutiques, specialties, the bars and all of that – [Huntington village is] is where you went to shop.”

The restaurant changed hands a few times through the 60s and 70s, Wallace said, before disaster struck on March 20, 1982, when a fire destroyed the Hamburger Choo Choo. In the aftermath, the heartbreak of those who saw it happen and college students who returned home for the summer to see it themselves, displayed how the quirky little burger shop and its staff became family.

“He was there, I’m pretty sure, up until the fire,” Romano-Cortina said of her

uncle. “I remember people said, ‘It took a fire to get your uncle out of there.’ He loved that job. He was so dedicated.”

Today, members of the Hamburger Choo Choo group share fond memories of their beloved luncheonette through the Facebook group. Some mourn its loss – many when they first join the group, and also when March 20 rolls around each year.

Thirty years after the fire, Tomo Hibachi restaurant stands at that famous corner of Main and New Streets, but the legend, and the spirit of days gone by, lives on.

“It’s like anything in Huntington that became iconic,” Holst said. “Why did Village Pizza become iconic? It’s the same thing. It’s just good food, a simple atmosphere – not fancy and not complicated – and a great place to talk and good customer service.”

Vera Murphy is a 12th generation Sammis and sister to former Town Supervisor Quentin Sammis. in his honor in 2009.

Like the Conklin family, Vera said the Sammis bloodline has grown large and spread well beyond Huntington. Family members are on both coasts and everywhere in between, she said, while more than 300 Sammises are buried in Huntington Rural Cemetery.

Now in her 80s and the eldest member of the living family, Vera recalled the last family reunion taking place when her father was alive. More than 100 people reunited at Crab Meadow Beach. Talks of

more reunions regularly surface, she said, although it may not happen right away.

“That’s a big undertaking,” Vera said.

But even with the family so large and scattered across the country, she added that the name Sammis still means something in Huntington today.

“They all recognize the name. Anyone who’s been here for a while does,” Vera said, laughing at how she constantly gets asked if they know different Sammises.

“They don’t understand why I don’t know all the others.”

Saving historic home (Continued from page LI 6)

in Cold Spring Harbor after reports of skinny-dipping with local children. So he’d pull up to the rear of his cousin’s home and dismount his horse onto the back deck – accomplishing a visit to his cousin without “setting foot” on the soil of Cold Spring Harbor.

In addition to its historic roots, the home boasts many historic features, including original glass dating back more than 160 years; a pair of “butler’s pantries,” or indoor outhouses; porcelain-baked clay door hardware with a fine enamel finish; and vintage R&E Co. mortise locks – a company which would become the Corbin

Russwin company. The home is framed with clapboard walls, lined with bricks between the studs – the old-fashioned manner of rat-proofing a house, Purdon said.

He said his next project would be to upgrade the historic glass in the windows.

“The glass that’s inside the double-hung [windows] is original. The problem is, glass settles, and glass that old starts cracking,” he said. “My next project is to pull all the original glass out as carefully as possible and replace with the leaded windows which I build of one sort or another. In other words, catch the windows up to the point where the other construction has sort of lifted things.”

LI 12

•

APRIL 26, 2012 • LONG ISLANDER LIFE

So Long, Dick Clark We’re sure you’ve all heard the news the legendary broadcaster, host and media tycoon Dick Clark, a native of Mt. Vernon, N.Y., died of a massive heart attack on April 18 at age 82. Following the sad news, scores of entertainment figures Clark touched through “American Bandstand,” as well as his wide-spanning career as a producer, presenter and game show host, took to Twitter to share their grief.

One of those was former Lloyd Neck resident Deborah Gibson, who, as a rising young singer, was a guest in the show’s twilight years.

“Just heard about Dick Clark,” she wrote. “Oh man.... So sad :-(” She appeared in August 1987 to perform “Only In Your Dreams,” in the 37th episode of Bandstand’s 30th season.

Clark stepped down from the hosting duties the next year, and the show went off the air in 1989.

Clark suffered a stroke in 2004 that greatly impaired his speech. But he continued to appear on his “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” special to ring in the New Year, becoming a hero to many stroke Deborah Gibson, a guest on victims in the process. No funeral will the late Dick Clark’s “American Bandstand” in 1987, be held, his family said.

paid tribute to the icon.

Billy Joel Surprises Carnegie Audience He may be retired, but you can’t keep Billy Joel off stage for long.

Igudesmen & Joo, the classical comedy team, brought many surprises to their Carnegie Hall engagement on Tuesday night, billed as “IGUDESMAN & JOO: A Little Nightmare Music.” One of those included a special guest visit from the former Lloyd Neck resident.

Bursting With School Spirit Sarah Gordon is royalty with a flair for fashion. The Huntington High School senior was voted to the Royal Court by classmates for having the “most school spirit” and works as a fashion intern.

Gordon has boundless energy and enthusiasm and it shows. She will readily tell anyone willing to listen all about her “love” for Huntington High School.

“I had the most wonderful time here and will be so upset to leave, but I’m also very excited to go away to college,” she said.

The teenager has worked hard to maintain an academic average of 90 and has developed several close relationships with her teachers. Gordon will attend SUNY Oneonta in the fall and has already sent in her deposit.

Right now, she’s just enjoying these last few months in the place she has called home for many years.

As far as “favorite” classes go, well, Gordon’s had a few, including honors English and all three levels of fashion and design illustration.

“I like that these subjects allow you to use creativity, unlike math and science, where there is only one right answer,” she said.

Gordon is working closely with Huntington art teacher Amy Worth this year as a fashion intern.

She plans on majoring in fashion merchandising at Oneonta. The teenager said she will always remember the “amazing” experience she had as a high school sophomore when she traveled with fellow fashion students to Washington, DC to meet with First Lady Michelle Obama and famed designers and participate in the presentation of Mrs. Obama’s inaugural gown to the Smithsonian

Igudesman and Joo, a pair of classically trained modern virtuosos, mix classical and contemporary music with hilarious onstage antics, reminiscent of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, with a little inspiration from the great Victor Borge tossed in for good measure.

The duo played on Billy’s clasGuns N’Roses frontman Axl sical album, “Fantasies and DeluRose attracted a lot of attention sions” in the early 2000s. earlier this month when he refused to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Former band mate Slash refused to comment, but Twisted Sister singer and former Dix Hills resident Dee Snider shared his two cents. Snider said “it’s

LI

Confidential

Museum of American History.

The senior is a member of the Key club, Habitat for Humanity, art honor society, student government, the yearbook staff, Gay-Straight Alliance and A World of Difference.

Gordon has completed four summer classes in drawing, fashion figures, jewelry making and fashion merchandising at Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan.

“At Oneonta there is a three-and-one program for fashion merchandising,” Gordon said. “This means I can go to Oneonta for three years and then have the opportunity to transfer to F.I.T. I then hope to get an internship in the city working in any business part of fashion, such as a buyer for a clothing store.”

Snider Calls Out Axl Rose

‘Teenage Dirtbag’ Still In Popular Clique

Dee Snider

Confidentially, Long Island . . .

Goose With A ’Tude?

LIfe photo/Danny Schrafel

Northport’s Brendan B. Brown is no longer a teenager and certainly not a dirtbag, but his 2000 hit is back on the charts.

Wheatus’ “Teenage Dirtbag” catapulted the alternative rock band into superstardom early in the new millennium. In the years since, the global clamor over the band has largely ended, the band navigated legal disputes with Wheatus is on the charts overseas, a decade after “Teenage Dirtbag” came out.

But the Northport man is hap- has reached both the Irish and record labels and their lineup has completely change – only front- py being a cult favorite in the UK Singles Charts in 2011 and UK. In fact, “Teenage Dirtbag” 2012. man Brown remains.

totally screwed up” that Rose couldn’t put aside his issues with former band mates and the Hall of Fame to accept the recognition.

Snider later said that anyone who supports Rose N’Roses – his nickname for the band without the original lineup – “is a traitor. Period.”

Rats As Smart As Humans?

Though you may not want them crawling around your house, you’re going to have to admit that rats are pretty smart – maybe even as smart as you.

A series of tests have shown that rats they may be just as good as humans at juggling information in order to make the best decision.

Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory presented rats with a variety of sound and visual cues and analyzed how the rats used the information to recognize patterns to get a treat. After comparing the rats to humans who were given similar tests, scientists found that both groups made deci-

sions in line with the “statistically optimal” curve.

Researchers said the findings suggest the same evolutionary process may be at play here, and that the discovery could help scientists better understand how the brain works in order to treat autism.

The Canadian Geese have a history in Huntington. Taking up residence in Heckscher Park and the Village Green, their return is often a sign that spring has arrived. They are often the subject of photographers’ photos, whether they like it or not.

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School Notebook

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Compiled by Luann Dallojacono

Volunteers from the Long Island Volunteer Center collect dresses at St. Anthony’s High School over the weekend.

An Affair To Remember More than 260 prom dresses were collected at St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington over the weekend.

On April 22, the Villanova Alumni Association collected the dresses for the 18th annual Prom Boutique sponsored by the Long Island Volunteer Center.

All dresses and accessories will be distributed free of charge to girls of families

across Long Island who cannot easily absorb the expense of a new gown for their prom, awards ceremony or graduation event.

High school guidance counselors, atrisk youth agencies, group homes, and church outreaches make the program available to their constituents. Over 1,300 girls benefited in 2011 from 65 different schools and nonprofit youth organizations across Long Island.

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012 • A9

A10 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012

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Girl Scouts earn award (Continued from page A7)

Open House Saturday, A pril 28 1-3 p .m.

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the siblings of those who are ill. In January the Cheer Foundation created snowflakes to decorate the home’s kitchen and in February they made over 20 Valentine’s mailboxes that were stuffed with cards and notes with good wishes.

Over time, the group’s mission changed when they realized there was an abundance of baked goods available to the Ronald McDonald House residents, but no healthy options.

“During our February visit we cut strawberries into the shape of hearts.

They were devoured instantly which gave us the idea to bring fruits for each of our visits,” Kreinces said.

This simple idea resulted in the creation of a cookbook with fun, easy to

make, healthy snack recipes that was gifted to the organization. Through generous donations from Melville-based The Hain Celestial Group, Inc, as well as Greenfield and Glass Garden’s ShopRite stores, the Cheer Foundation is able to make healthy snacks from their cookbook with each visit.

“These amazing young ladies bring sunshine to the House with every visit,” said Betty McClellan, volunteer/program coordinator at the Ronald McDonald House. “Their name, ‘Cheer Foundation,’ fits them perfectly. It is gratifying to have volunteers like Girl Scout Troop #362 who are committed to our cause.

On behalf of the children who benefit most from the comfort we provide, we thank the Cheer Foundation from the bottom of our hearts.”

School board election (Continued from page A1)

board of directors of the Half Hollow Hills Alumni Association and Half Hollow Hills Hall of Fame. He is also cofounder and commissioner for Hills Pride Football.

Grimaldi is also a member of the board of directors of the Dina McGowan Memorial Foundation, president of the Hills West Wrestling club, and member of the Hills girls lacrosse, Hills East and West Football Booster Clubs. He has also coached 35 season is many different sports throughout the district.

The candidate, a graduate of Hills High School East, has lived in the district for 33

years. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Managerial Accounting from Hofstra University. He has been married for 21 years and has three children attending schools in the district.

Grimaldi pledged to implement a plan to create new revenue streams for the district to ease taxpayer burden, strive for highest level of academic success, support special education and enrichment programs and fight potential down-zoning within the district.

The district’s budget vote and school board trustee elections will be held on May 15 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Hills East.

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www.LongIslanderNews.com

Majestic Drive house (Continued from page A1)

had no stake in 6 Majestic Drive before hanging up. However, town spokesman A.J. Carter said the town’s files are up to date and correct.

The home, which was severely damaged in an early-morning fire on Oct. 31, has been largely untouched since the blaze. Neighbors said it has been a blight on the neighborhood ever since.

At the time, fire officials described the fire, which torched much of the home and collapsed part of the second floor, as suspicious. A lieutenant at the Suffolk County Police Department Arson Squad said there have been no further developments since then, and the case is still open.

Neighbor Tim Stauder described the situation as “a nightmare of a house next to me,” and said the town should act quickly to correct the blight.

“Just don’t leave it like that,” Stauder said. “That, to me, is more of a nuisance because everybody sees the neighborhood and it’s very disturbing. I want to see the town take care of it.”

Carter said the town has been looking into blight conditions at 6 Majestic since late January/early February. According to town records, the home was built in the early 1980s. Permits to build a swimming pool were issued in 1998, and a permit to build an addition over the garage for two bedrooms and three baths was granted in March 2000. A series of permits were sought in 2007 to allow for an expanded swimming pool and kitchen and living room

expansions.

The fire is the latest in a series of incidents since the home was built, according to Neal Schimmel, who has lived across the street from it for nearly 18 years. In late October 1997, The Half Hollow Hills Newspaper reported on a drug raid at the address, which police and neighbors then described as “a crack house.” Six years later, in May 2003, the homeowner at the time was arrested, one of 12 accused by the Queens DA’s Office of involvement in a million-dollar real estate scam.

“The house was empty for a long time [after the arrest],” Schimmel said.

“These guys came… They supposedly bought the house on spec to fix it up.

It’s been a nightmare ever since.”

Schimmel said a meeting with Assistant Town Attorney Johanna StewartSuchow during the April 16 town board meeting went well. Now, like his other neighbors, he’s hoping for swift, corrective action.

“I hope they knock it down and start all over. Even if it was vacant, no house would be better than the way it is now,” he said. “This house has been a nightmare for years and years.”

Carter said the town would recommend an engineer to evaluate the home structurally before making a determination on how to fix the blight.

“If the structure is found to be unsafe or unsound, then it will be referred to an administrative hearing officer who will determine if demolition is appropriate,” he said.

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012 • A11

A12 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012

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ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S CRYPTOQUIP IF SOME SOME SHORT-BARRELED RIFLES ARE COMPLETELY IDENTICAL TO THE ORIGINAL ONE, MIGHT THEY BE CARBINE COPIES? Published April 19, 2012 ©2012 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012 • A13

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A14 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012

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TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

A Workout For Grandmothers And Elite Athletes Huntington Businesses

By Mike Koehler mkoehler@longislandernews.com

In describing his new gym, Bobby Meuser compared the business to gym class back in school.

Cow Harbor CrossFit includes climbing ropes, plyometric boxes, rowing machines, pull-up bars, gymnastics rings, medicine balls, squat racks and other less traditional gym equipment.

That, Meuser said, is by design. The Northport resident and his three friends opened the East Northport gym to promote healthy living and avoid the drab repetition found in many gyms.

“We combine it into one and make our own programming. It’s a constantly varied, high intensity and functional,” he added. “It keeps it fresh.”

CrossFit is an international company that teaches and offers strength and conditioning programs. Designed in 1995, the company focuses on general fitness and eschews specialization. While CrossFit owns the brand, every location is owned by a separate affiliate.

Meuser was playing competitive rugby in 2008, when he learned of CrossFit from a coworker. For the next three years, he completed the workouts CrossFit posts on their website.

But after pausing for a triathlon, he joined an affiliate in Garden City with childhood friends Thomas Paresi and Mike Paresi.

“We fell in love with it. Not just the workout element, but the community,” Meuser said, noting that participants cheer each other on and chat between workouts. “You become friends with each other.”

After marrying his wife in September and moving to Northport in October, Meuser noticed there was a market

Half Hollow Hills photo/Mike Koehler

Spotlight On

by his new home. A CrossFit affiliate was already in Huntington village, but there was nothing in the NorthportEast Northport area. When he asked locals, many were unfamiliar with the company.

Joined by fellow friend Chad Dunsmore, the foursome went about opening Cow Harbor CrossFit. Located on Richter Court, a driveway off of Railroad Avenue, the gym opened in a warehouse on April 20.

Some work in the office was unfinished, but the bathrooms and equipment were ready to go. When they opened the doors at 5:30 a.m. that morning, they were met by customers who had learned about the gym through word of mouth and the Internet.

“This is the end of the third week and we just hit 20 members, which is unbelievable for a lack of advertising,” he said.

Cow Harbor CrossFit is only open during hour-long classes, offered seven days a week and coached by at least one of the four owners. Patrons typically come 3-5 times a week.

Meuser described their 2,000 square-foot location as a “barebones gym” with rubber floors and concrete walls.

The necessary exercise and office equipment is present, but nothing else.

“It’s very simple, you come in, get the work done, talk to each other and go home,” he said.

Every class begins with 10-15 minutes of warm-ups and 15 minutes of strength work. Conditioning follows, which Meuser described as “fun.” Faced with a different program every day, gym customers are told to complete as many repetitions of the rowing, jumps, pull-ups, tosses and other exercises in that program as they can.

However, everybody performs the same exercises. That includes the elite athlete, police officer, lacrosse player and new mother.

“In one class you can have a power lifter [and a] grandmother,” Meuser said. “The great part is that everyone can do the same workout, we just scale it. The power lifter will do the same workout, but with more weight.”

Since CrossFit emphasizes giving maximum effort in every hour-long workout, the East Northport affiliate also offers a Foundations class. Held three times a week for three weeks, these beginners learn the CrossFit routines

Thomas Paresi finishes his strength work on Friday with two very heavy lifts. and intensity. The next Foundations class is slated to begin on April 30.

A monthly membership for anyone who signs up in April will run $150 and include unlimited classes. Unlimited classes from May on will cost $200 a month, while three classes a week will run $180. A 15-percent discount is available for law enforcement, firefighters, active military, veterans and students.

Their classes are capable of safely teaching 12-15 people, although Cow Harbor CrossFit isn’t at that point yet. For now, Meuser said they are focused on surviving day to day, establishing themselves as a good community gym. But if it works out, the new Northport resident is more than happy to stick around for a long time.

“We’re going to keep doing what we doing. Hopefully people will come back day after day. They like our programming,” he said.

Cow Harbor CrossFit

C L A S S I F I E D S 8 Richter Court, East Northport 631-486-0686 www.cowharborcrossfit.com

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012 • A15

HillSPORTS GIRLS LACROSSE

Lax Girls Fighting To Secure Playoff Berth sdeluca@longislandernews.com

The Half Hollow Hills girls lacrosse team is still fighting to secure a spot in the playoffs, but head coach Lori Graham has faith the girls will pull through.

The top 12 seeded teams will make their way to the playoffs. The girls were 55 for the season as of Monday and the No. 8 seed out of 23 teams in Suffolk County.

Hills has four games left before the regular season ends.

“We’re still fighting for a playoff spot,” the coach said, “but I think we’re in a pretty good position.”

Their latest loss was against Northport (19-12) on April 20. Paige Bonomi was the leading scorer of the game with 4 goals. Following behind was Cortney Fortunato and Dorrien Van Dyke with 3 goals each. Goalies Megan Kollmeier had 4 saves and Michaela Aymong had 3 saves.

Graham said they had a really good win against Lindenhurst (15-3) on April 18.

The team only gave up 1 goal in the second half.

The girls had two tough games over

spring break against Sachem East (11-9) and East Islip (13-10), both of whom were ranked lower than Half Hollow Hills.

“Losing to teams that were below you is unfortunate and that’s why we kind of moved to eighth seed, but the girls are staying positive,” Graham said.

The coach noted that they’re still a very young team with only three seniors, but as the season goes on, they continue to learn and grow.

Attacker Alexis Maffucci is leading the team in total points this season with 27 goals and 20 assists. Graham noted her to be the go-to girl who is making the teammates better and making sure everyone is in their spots on the field.

“She’s having a great season as a junior,” the coach said.

Gina Dolisi was credited as the leading defender and cause of turnovers. The team will use her to take out the competitions’ best guard, which Graham said she plans to do in their upcoming game against West Babylon on May 3.

Midfielder Sarah Matzelle has won about 75 percent of the draws, which gives the team an opportunity to possess the ball more often, Graham said.

Half Hollow Hills photo/Stephanie DeLuca

By Stephanie DeLuca

The girls were 5-5 for the season as of Monday and the No. 8 seed out of 23 teams in Suffolk County.

“If you possess the ball, not turn it over as much and the more we are able to do that, there’s more of a chance to score goals,” the coach said.

The girls are going head-to-head against No. 1 seed Ward Melville on Friday. Ward Melville, who recently sur-

passed No. 5 seed Northport and No. 2 seed Bay Shore, and was undefeated as of Monday. Graham hopes to the girls can steal a game from the No. 1 team.

“If we don’t turn the ball over too much and… stick to the game plan and execute well, we’ll do well,” she said.

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FREE copies will be at locations that you visit regularly libraries, supermarkets, drug stores, banks, fitness centers and other retail outlets throughout the community.

Pick up your FREE copy at these and other locations throughout the community COMMACK ROAD American Community Bank ANC Food The Everything Bagel Deli Beer Smoke

100 Commack Rd, Commack 134 Commack Rd, Commack 217 Commack Rd, Commack 223 Commack Rd, Commack

JERICHO TURNPIKE Commack Lucille Roberts New York Sports Club The Cutting Edge Hair Design Mozzarello’s Pizza Stop & Shop Bagel Boss Dix Hills Diner The Critic’s Choice Deli Stop & Shop Desi Bazar Brooklyn Pizza Ruby Salon Dunkin’ Donuts Roy’s Deli Golden Coach Diner Bagel USA

6534 Jericho Tpke, Commack 6136 Jericho Tpke, Commack 6065 Jericho Tpke, Commack 1957 E Jericho Tpke, East Northport 3126 Jericho Tpke, East Northport 1941 Jericho Tkpe, Commack 1800 E jericho Tpke, Dix Hills 1153A E Jericho Tpke, Huntington Station 1100 E Jericho Tpke, Huntington Station 905 E Jericho Tpke, Huntington Station 881 E Jericho Tpke, Huntington Station 822 East Jericho Tpke, Huntington Station 795 East Jericho Tpke, Huntington Station 669 East Jericho Tpke, Huntington Station 350 W Jericho Tpke, Huntington Station 573 W. Jericho Tpke, Huntington Station

DEER PARK AVENUE Dix Hills Fire Department Bethpage Fed’l Credit Union

580 Deer Park Ave, Dix Hills 1350-35 Deer Park Ave, North Babylon

Nelly’s Deli Grocery Gigi’s VIP Deer Park Nails Inc Tony’s Pizza Deer Hills Delicatessen Park Avenue Barbers

1737 Deer Park Ave, Deer Park 1747 Deer Park Ave, Deer Park 1749 Deer Park Ave, Deer Park 1829 Deer Park Ave, Deer Park 2122 Deer Park Ave, Deer Park 2150 Deer Park Ave, Deer Park

OLD COUNTRY ROAD/SWEET HOLLOW ROAD Dix Hills Hot Bagels 703 Old Country Road, Dix Hills Half Hollow Hills Library 510 Sweet Hollow Road, Melville ROUTE 110/BROADHOLLOW ROAD Deli Beer Cigar Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station Dunkin Donuts 281 Walt Whitman Rd, Huntington Station Berry Healthy Cafe 350 Walt Whitman Rd, Huntington Station Marios Pizza 1 Schwab Rd #17, Melville International Haircutters 439 Walt Whitman Rd, Melville Bethpage Fed’l Credit Union 722 Walt Whitman Road, Melville Roast 827 Walt Whitman Rd, Melville PIDGEON HILL RD South Huntington Library HAUPPAUGE RD Commack Public Library VANDERBILT PKY Half Hollow Hills Library

145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station 18 Happauge Rd, Commack 55 Vanderbilt Pky, Dix Hills

A16 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • APRIL 26, 2012

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