Half Hollow Hills - 12/31/2015 Edition

HALF HOLLOW HILLS Copyright © 2015 Long Islander News

NEWSPAPER

Online at LongIslanderNews.com

VOL. 17, ISSUE 47

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2015

2 SECTIONS, 32 PAGES

SOUTH HUNTINGTON

jtantongco@longislandergroup.com

“Having a glass in honor of Jordan, the most amazing girl. Jord, if I grow up to be half the person you were, I will be eternally grateful. You have absolutely no idea how much we love you.” #CheersToJordan --Casey Hunter, Newbury, New Hampshire.

“As my heart aches for friends today, as I stand in awe of their strength, I send them love, hugs, and comfort for the days ahead. And in celebration of the life of an amazing young woman, I raise a glass.” #CheersToJordan --Debbie Rogow Pringle, Coral Springs, Florida. “‘Never selfish, always loving and

kind, these are memories you leave behind.’ Celebrating a most beautiful life today.” #JordanSchuman #CheersToJordan --Jodi Vale, music director of Long Island’s 98.3 FM. These are just some of the posts on social media in honor of South Huntington-native Jordan Schuman, a 22year-old journalist who died in a car crash Dec. 23 in North Carolina on the way to see a friend.

Schuman’s mother, Peri Schacknow, created the #CheersToJordan hashtag to commemorate the life of the young reporter.

“When you lose a child… there’s no denying the tragedy,” said Schacknow. ”But at the same time, in order to live with the loss, the best way to honor Jordan is to celebrate how she lived, not what we lost.”

SPOTLIGHT

Bob Nelson Bringing Comedy ‘Punch’ A9

Long Islander News Photo/Janee Law

By Jano Tantongco

Schacknow is a radio anchor at CNBC in New Jersey. Her husband and Schuman’s stepfather, Peter Schacknow, also works as a senior producer for CNBC. They live in South Huntington.

“She grew up with media people in the household. She saw what an interesting career it could be,” she said. “Her skills and personality wound up being a great fit.”

Schacknow said Schuman, who graduated from Walt Whitman High School in 2011, initially wanted to become an elementary school teacher, but a passion for journalism emerged.

Schuman graduated from the University of Miami in 2014, with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and a double minor in psychology and teaching and learning.

Photo Credit: Justin Schuman

Huntington Native Dies In North Carolina

(Continued on page A16)

South Huntington-native and 22-yearold reporter Jordan Schuman died in a three-car accident in North Carolina on the night of Dec. 23.

By Janee Law

Gridiron Girl Taylor Moreno is LI’s only female varsity football player. She plays three other sports and carries a 4.0 GPA. Her most important position: role model.

jlaw@longislandergroup.com

Taylor Moreno, Huntington High School’s 17-year-old football kicker, could be picked out of the group by her light brown hair, neatly fixed in a French braid hanging out of her helmet onto the back of her No. 2 jersey.

“To see her in the lineup on the sidelines and you see all these big guys and the back of their helmets and then you see my daughter with the braid down the back of her helmet,” said Taylor’s mother, Theresa Moreno, 46. “It was a really cool image.”

Taylor, a 5-foot-7, 143-pound senior, of Huntington, is the first female kicker in the high school football team’s history. She was (Continued on page A22)

2 015 P E O P L E OF THE YEAR INSIDE THIS ISSUE

A2 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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2015 YEAR IN REVIEW

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

One of the worst winters, in terms of total snowfall, pounded Long Island earlier this year.

According to data assembled by Brookhaven National Laboratory, Long Island received a total of 62.2 inches from October 2014-April 2015.

Perhaps the biggest contributing storm was that of Winter Storm Juno, which dumped 11-20 inches across various areas of the Town of Huntington in late January 2015.

Snow continued to pound Huntington through February and March, and combined with record-low temperatures, which caused headaches for those on the roadways.

On March 5, a Town of Huntington snowplow tipped over in Cold Spring Harbor due to icy road conditions. No one was hurt, but the incident was one of several on the roadways that were caused by icy roads.

The Town of Huntington tried to remedy the icy roads, but it had to do so during a regional road salt short-

Long Islander News photos/archives

Snow, Ice Piles Up, Causes Trouble Around Town

Heavy snowfall and record-low temperatures caused headaches for residents early this year. age that put highway departments across Long Island on thin ice.

Huntington Superintendent of Highways Peter Gunther said in March that he pulled the state’s arm to get more road salt after supplies at two of the town’s facilities dwindled down almost completely.

A month earlier on Feb. 5, Governor Andrew Cuomo had declared a state of emergency in New York,

which allowed him to release 3,500 tons of salt to affected municipalities. However, road salt was only available from Staten Island-based Atlantic Salt, the state-chosen contractor. This caused headaches for municipalities trying to get road salt and prompted Gunther to call for a centralized road salt distribution center to be created on Long Island, which would be equipped with

150,000 to 200,000 tons of salt.

Huntington ended up spending more than $5.4 million on snow and ice removal and supplies in 2015, of which $1.8 million was originally budgeted, town spokesman A.J. Carter said.

Prior to the start of winter 20152016, the town reviewed its plans to deal with snow and ice in the winter ahead.

Huntington spent $2.42 million on upgrades and additions to its highway department over the last two years. Included in the tally were a renovated operations center, 10 new plow-equipped dump trucks, 10 refurbished trucks and four plowequipped pickup trucks.

Also added were a total of 200 GPS systems to be installed in the vehicles of private snow-plowing contractors. This will help highway department workers in tracking the locations of private contractors so that they can deploy them where needed.

Said Supervisor Frank Petrone, “We’re hoping there won’t be snow this year, but if there is, we can rest easy knowing that the Highway Department is prepared,”

A&P Files For Bankruptcy, Flanagan Replaces Skelos Sells, Closes Stores As Senate Majority Leader When the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., the parent company of Waldbaum’s and Pathmark, announced it was filing for bankruptcy in July, that left the future of dozens of supermarkets, which supported hundreds of jobs across communities around Long Island, in question.

Stop & Shop and Best Market snapped up numerous locations, with Stop & Shop taking over the Waldbaum’s on Wall Street in Huntington. The Greenlawn Waldbaum’s has been purchased, but plans for what will replace that supermarket are still unclear, though local officials and residents would like another grocery store to serve the surrounding community, especially the Paumanack Village senior housing complex.

While that’s being hammered out, the Town of Huntington has set up a twice-weekly HART shuttle service for Paumanack residents to the Larkfield IGA in East Northport, which Larkfield IGA owner Charlie Re-

By Andrew Wroblewski

of experience in Albany.

Flanagan, who lives in the Town of Huntington and Republican state Sen. represents a district largeJohn Flanagan (R-East ly comprising the Town of Northport), chair of the Smithtown, served in the state Senate’s Education Assembly for 16 years beCommittee, replaced forfore rising to the Senate mer majority leader in 2002. In the Assembly, Dean Skelos (Rhe succeeded his father, Rockville Centre), who John Flanagan Sr., who resigned the May 11 served from 1973 until his Sen. John amid a federal corruption Flanagan death in 1986. and influence-peddling At home, the father of scandal. Flanagan has since three is married to Lisa Perez served as majority leader and Flanagan, who is active with temporary president of the New Northport High School’s StuYork Senate. dents for 60,000 philanthropic orAssemblyman Chad Lupinacci ganization, which focuses a great (R-Huntington Station) said deal of its charitable efforts in Flanagan’s selection was a win Nicaragua. for Long Island.

Dean Skelos and his son Adam “He knows all the major issues were convicted on all charges the state has to tackle. He was the Dec. 11 and face up to 130 years perfect choice,” Lupinacci said, in prison. Sentencing is set for citing Flanagan’s quarter-century March 3. awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

The Waldbaum’s in Greenlawn was among those closed this year following the A&P bankruptcy. It is unclear what the new owner has in store for the location. ichert said earlier this week he would subsidize. The fare $3 each way, and officials believe that was deterring some Paumanack residents from participating.

In Dix Hills, A&P intends to sell back the lease for a shuttered Pathmark to LG Other Associates LLC, the original landlord of the property.

And in Melville, a Waldbaum’s has also closed as a result of the A&P bankruptcy.

-CORRY

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A3

2015 YEAR IN REVIEW Top Cop Brady Retires, New Inspector Hatton Takes Over awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

After 36 years of service with the Suffolk County Police Department, Edward Brady retired as commanding officer of the Second Precinct on July 17.

For five years, Brady was the top cop at the Second Precinct, which covers the Town of Huntington. From 1979-1987 he was an officer in the Second Precinct before he worked his way up the chain of command at the Fourth Precinct.

He then moved to the Sixth Precinct and then First Precinct before returning to Huntington in 2008.

Taking his place was a 28-year veteran of the department, Inspector Christopher Hatton.

Prior to his role of commanding officer at the Second, Hatton, of Miller Place, has worked in Suffolk’s Third, Fourth and Sixth precincts, the Internal Affairs Bureau and Marine Bureau.

He grew up in Brentwood, but went to St. Anthony’s High School, which at the time was located in Smithtown. He then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oneonta in 1985 and began working for the New York City Police Department in 1986. In 1987, he moved to Suffolk’s police department. He’s also a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

In an August interview, Hatton said the focuses of the Second Precinct include remedying the town’s gang problem. The precinct has also been working to chip away at Suffolk’s drug problem, which has creeped into the Town of Huntington.

Edward Brady

Hatton said the precinct has been “debriefing,” or interrogating, anyone who gets arrested, and sharing that information across the department’s computer network.

Community Revolts Against Common Core

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Thousands of Town of Huntington students in grades 3-8 too part in the so-called “opt-out” movement against the Common Core Standards and did not participate in state-mandated examinations in English language arts and math earlier this year as Common Core, a national curriculum adopted by 44 states in 2010 – including New York – was created to establish consistent educational standards across the country and ensure students are ready for work and college when they graduate high school.

In Half Hollow Hills alone, 42 per-

cent of eligible students refused to take the ELA test and 43.6 percent refused to take the math test. These percentages were among the highest rates of refusal found across Town of Huntington’s eight school districts.

Northport-East Northport, with 55.2 percent and 63.6 percent, had the highest percentage among the town’s districts.

The Half Hollow Hills Teachers’Association was one of the groups that supported the “I Refuse” movement to oppose Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s sincedismantled proposal to link 50 percent of teachers’evaluations to the scores of standardized tests taken by students.

That movement was assembled by

Christopher Hatton

NYS Allies for Public Education and also got support from 118 New York teachers associations, including those in Commack, Elwood, Harborfields, Huntington and Northport.

The state Board of Regents voted to put a moratorium on the use of scores on state-mandated examinations in teacher and principal evaluations until the end of the 2018-2019 school year.

The action was one of 21 recommendations made by the New York Common Core Task Force, which was assembled by Cuomo in September to review the status and use of the Common Core standards in New York.

The task force also recommended reducing the number days and the

Photo by Jonathan Fickies

By Andrew Wroblewski

Earlier this year, teachers and parents, including members of the Half Hollow Hills Teachers’ Association, gathered to protest education reforms that were proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. duration of standardized tests; implementing a process to gather student feedback on new tests; and creating “ongoing” professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators.

Incumbents Win In Local Elections Rest Stop Gets Surprise Bulldozing Huntington voters went to the polls in November and re-elected every incumbent on the ballot.

For Town Council, Republican Eugene Cook was the top vote-getter, followed by Democrat Susan Berland. Together, they filled the two open slots.

During the summer, the Huntington Democrats fended off a primary challenge against Berland and Keith Barrett, the the town’s deputy director of general services, the Huntington Station Business Improvement District president and an auto repair shop owner.

Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia, a Republican, ran unopposed, as did Marian Rose Tinari in the election for Third District Court judge. Raia this year also became Huntington’s longest-serving town clerk.

Receiver of Taxes Ester Bivona beat out Republican Monique Pardes by a 40-point margin.

Susan Berland and Eugene Cook Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone was easily re-elected to a second term over Republican James O’Connor, and all three Suffolk legislators representing the Town of Huntington, including Steve Stern in the 16th district, Lou D’Amaro in the 17th district and William “Doc” Spencer were given new terms.

The re-elected town officials will be sworn in at on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Walt Whitman High School, 301 West Hills Road, Huntington Station.

The public is invited to attend.

--CORRY

Awakening the furor of local residents and elected officials long opposed to expanding the eastbound Long Island Expressway rest area in Dix Hills, right, the state Department of Transportation bulldozed a large wooded area behind the rest stop in August as part of a littleknown plan for the location that would include a 9,000-square-foot building with dining and restrooms and 200 parking spaces.

Local and state officials said they found out about the plans only after getting calls from constituents about the tree removals.

A backlash from officials, ranging from town, county and state representatives, as well as residents, led to a quick halt to the project and promises from the state Department of Transportation to keep local constituents engaged as it considers

where to place the rest stop, which many had expected was moving to Exit 67 of the LIE. On Monday, state DOT spokesman Gary Holmes said, “The Department remains committed to creating a safe resting place for all users of the Long Island Expressway. Productive conversations with state and local officials on how best to accomplish that continue.”

--CORRY

A4 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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Looking Forward To A New Year Here, Whitman (who, of course, founded The Holiday Hustle And Bustle... I was happy Long-Islander in 1838) comto see that Main Street was bustling over the pares time to a tree, with the holidays, with children picking out the toys present moment planted in the they’ve been eyeing for weeks. I witnessed soil of the past. Let’s look back sweethearts buying each other IN THE KNOW on the “tree” we have grown jeweled mementos they will WITH AUNT ROSIE this past year. Are we satisfied surely treasure for years to with its current fruits? If not, come. And, I was warmed to take care in planting your seeds, see families sharing meals together in line with since January is right around the the holiday spirit. These Huntingtonians were not corner. And, the “him” that Whitman refers to? I only treating their loved ones to gifts and good believe that he’s talking about the ideal self, the times, but they were also helping our local busione that we should all strive to be. So, in this spirnesses thrive. There’s nothing better than knowit, let us grow fruits on our tree that we shall savor ing that your hard-earned dollars are going into by the end of the approaching year! Cheers and the hands of fellow residents and their families.

Happy New Year!

They depend on our support to continue providing the wonderful goods and services that are End-Of-Year Car Troubles... My car gave unique to our town. So even now that the holiday me an end-of-the-year message: “Take care of rush is over, please don’t forget your downtown me.” As I attempted to start the old Buick tomerchants and restaurants. day, turning the key there for a few seconds, Reflections On The Past... With Christmas the engine wouldn’t turn over. I did it again.

Nothin. I gave up and knew something was now past, it’s time for us to reflect on the wrong.

I checked under the hood and everyebbing year. Diving into the past, I thought it thing seemed fine. I ended up taking the bus to would be worthwhile to pick up Walt Whitwork and asked my nephew if he would diagman’s “Leaves of Grass” once again. As a lifenose the problem while I was at work. He long resident, I’ve read the poetry in this mascalled later in the day and said the battery was terpiece many times over in my life. I’ll be dead and he got it replaced. He also pointed starting from the beginning of the piece and out the brake fluid was low too and topped it hope to share bits of the poems as they strike off. It’s working fine now, thank goodness. I’m me over time. just hoping for no more mechanical surprises.

For Him I Sing (First published in 1870) (Aunt Rosie wants to hear from you! If you “For him I sing, have comments, ideas, or tips about what’s hapI raise the Present on the Past, pening in your neck of the woods, write to me to(As some perennial tree, out of its roots, the day and let me know the latest. To contact me, present on the past: ) drop a line to Aunt Rosie, c/o The Long-Islander, With time and space I him dilate--and fuse 14 Wall Street, Huntington NY 11743. Or try the the immortal laws, To make himself, by them, the law unto himself. e-mail at auntrosie@longislandergroup.com)

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“When you lose a child… there’s no denying the tragedy. But at the same time, in order to live with the loss, the best way to honor Jordan is to celebrate how she lived, not what we lost.”

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A Thief Prowls on Christmas Eve On the night before Christmas at 7:30 p.m., someone smashed the driver’s side window of a 2010 Jeep Cherokee near Blackstone Steakhouse on Pinelawn Road in Melville. They stole a Keurig coffee machine, shoes, miscellaneous clothing and an Apple TV.

… Keep Your Valuables Out Of Your Car! In a similar case on Dec. 23 at 5 p.m., someone broke the window of a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee on Broad Hollow Road in Melville. They made off with an iPad, a briefcase and cash.

A Not So Sweet Scene On the morning of Christmas Eve, multiple jars of candy and chocolates were stolen from The Sweet Scene candy shop on Schwab Road in Melville at 10:30 a.m.

A Decoration-Damaging Grinch Someone damaged a popular Christmas decoration at a home in Melville. A laserlight projector was damaged on Earl Road at 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 22.

Cops: Man Robbed, Attacked With Cane Two Huntington men were arrested for allegedly hitting a man with a cane at around 3 a.m Dec. 19 at Fairview Street and New York Avenue in Huntington and stealing his necklace and money, Suffolk police said. The suspects were arrested two hours later. The two men, an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old, were also charged with resisting arrest after flailing their arms and attempting to push away police. The 18year-old was additionally charged with criminal possession of a weapon after police found a black gravity knife in his bag. Police also charged him with unlawful possession of marijuana.

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2015 YEAR IN REVIEW New Stadium On Schedule An estimated $1.2 million stadium will soon be added to St. Anthony’s High School after the plan was approved earlier this year.

The 1,000-capacity stadium on the southeast lawn of the South Huntington school’s property is planned to include a turf playing field, lowrise bleachers that face Wolf Hills Road and a dynamic scoreboard.

The project was partially funded by a donation from James Metzger, CEO and Chairman of Long Islandbased insurance broker The Whitmore Group.

“Saint Anthony’s High School’s new multi-purpose James C. Metzger Stadium is on schedule and will be ready for the opening of the spring athletic schedule for the Friars,” Don Corrao, director of development for the school, said Monday in an email.

Corrao added that over the last few months, the turf field, bleachers and a stone structure at the corner of the property were completed.

St. Anthony High School’s Principal Brother Gary Cregan, left; Director of Development Don Corrao, right; and James Metzger, a Melville native and chairman and CEO of insurance broker The Whitmore Group.

Still to come is work on the new scoreboard and “all of the planned landscaping to beautify the campus and neighborhood.”

The stadium is expected to be used by St. Anthony’s High School teams primarily for practices and day games.

-WROBLEWSKI

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A5

A6 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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

A New Year With this final issue of the year, we take mon Core curriculum and forced change. a look back at some of the major news sto- The state also felt the wrath of residents ries and events of the past year. when work crews unexpectedly began In many ways, it was a year like any oth- work on a rest stop on the LIE. Unwanted er, with tragedies and triumphs, and all of by the community, the plans were susthe incidents and accidents that keep our pended amid public pressure. Even Elecnewsroom humming. Even the weather tion Day had a spirit of rebellion. Indehad a way of making the news. While cur- pendence Party member Gene Cook, conrent temperatures have us wondering if sidered something of a renegade politician, winter will ever arrive, our was the top vote-getter in town look back reminds us that less EDITORIAL elections. than a year ago we were wonMany of the year’s top stories dering if it ever would end. The early continue to unfold. The sale of Waldmonths of 2015 brought relentless snow- baum’s stores, an apartment-building falls and bitter cold stretches that took a boom in Huntington village and the ongotoll on cars and roads, nearly exhausted the ing struggles with parking, and the transiregion’s supplies of road salt, and wore on tion to new leadership at the Second the collective psyche of those who had to Precinct will continue to make news in the battle the elements in their everyday lives. year ahead.

We survived.

We celebrate the New Year with hopes In some ways, the year can be seen as for continued progress. We wish all of our marked by a spirit of rebellion. Parents and readers happiness, health and prosperity in educators rallied against the state’s Com- 2016.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Good Sidewalk Work In Greenlawn To the Editor: We are all guilty of complaining over our high taxes. But this month, residents of the hamlet of Greenlawn saw how well our county and town taxes are put to use.

Within one week starting Dec 9, the Huntington Highway Department had commercial sidewalks installed on both sides of several blocks on Broadway, according to the town engineering department’s plans.

This improvement allows pedestrians and commuters

safe and convenient accessibility to town.

Massive tree trunks and years of asphalt pathways were removed, cement sidewalks and smooth curbs installed, signs were straightened, grass was planted curbside and neat patches to driveways carefully done.

Residents, merchants, commuters and visitors will all reap the benefits of this outstanding work by our town employees for years to come!

SUSAN MATTHEWS Secretary Greenlawn Civic Association

HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER

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

Copyright © 2015 by Long Islander News, publishers of The Long-Islander, The Record and Half Hollow Hills Newspaper. Each issue of the The Long-Islander and all contents thereof are copyrighted by Long Islander. 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.

Zadroga Act Shows ‘Heroic Acts Not Forgotten’ Editor’s note: The following adapted from a press release.

The permanent reauthorization of the Zadroga Act is a long-overdue victory for the more than 56,000 9/11 responders and survivors in New York State today.

When the Twin Towers fell, thousands of brave men and women rushed into danger and put the safety of others before their own. They rescued people from the rubble,

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The Half H Newspap ollow Hills er, 14 Wall S treet, Huntingto n, New Y ork 1174 3 or email u s at info@lon gislander group.co m

Facebook comments of the week On the story about Taylor Moreno, Huntington’s female football player “Taylor rocks!!!”

--Laura Ammirati On the story about the Huntington mailman “And does it with a smile! Great guy!”

-- Rob Dickson On the story about the town’s recent investment in its highway department “Always a good investment, especially after the last two winters.”

-- John Catalano On the story about Asharoken residents fighting public access to their beach “If they want to keep it private then let them privately pay for the repairs instead of us taxpayers.”

-- Angelo Liguori sacrificed countless hours away from their families, and helped us heal and rebuild in the days that followed, while never straying from the kind of selfless courage that will be remembered for generations to come. And today, Congress has finally shown that these heroic acts were not forgotten.

The passage of this bill is also proof that Washington can live up to its responsibility to the American people.

It shows that Congress can come together to do what is right, and bridge the grid-

lock and partisan divide to tackle our most pressing challenges. I applaud the members of New York’s congressional delegation – especially Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representatives Nadler, Maloney and King – for leading the fight to reauthorize the Zadroga Act. I urge all members of Congress to join them in continuing to move our nation forward.

ANDREW CUOMO Governor New York

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NEWS FROM OUR NEIGHBORS

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A7

Law Offices of Dennis M. Lemke

Battle Of The Bulge Monument Dedicated For 28 years, Dennis M. Lemke has been a trusted criminal defense attorney – and today, he could help you with his expertise.

Local officials and 11 veterans of the World War II Battle of the Bulge attended a monument dedication on Dec. 23 in Veterans Memorial Plaza in Eisenhower Park.

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano, Presiding Officer Norma L. Gonsalves, Legislator Don Mac Kenzie and Veterans Service Agency Director Ralph Esposito joined with World War II veterans in dedicating a new Battle of the Bulge Monument in Eisenhower Park’s Veteran’s Memorial Plaza.

“We honor the brave servicemen of the United States Armed Forces who served in the infamous Battle of the Bulge - the fiercest battle the American Army ever fought - that began in December 1944 and lasted six weeks. Nineteen thousand brave servicemen made the supreme sacrifice for our nation, and it is estimated 90,000 were either wounded or captured by the German Army,” said Mangano. “I thank the Long Island

Chapter of the Battle of the Bulge for their service to our nation and for raising the private donations for this new monument in Eisenhower Park.”

The monument was purchased by the Veterans of The Battle of the Bulge-Long Island Chapter. The battle was fought from Dec. 16, 1944 through Jan. 25, 1945.

Of Long Island’s 33 Battle of the Bulge members, 11 of the veterans attended the ceremony. They included William Mueller, commander of the Long Island Chapter; David Marshall, president of the Long Island Chapter; and members Ret. Col. Robert Scatz, Felix Iannacone, Charles Avella, William Burke, Ralph Carl, Conrad Cardiello, Joseph Kagan, Harold Hoffman, and Irving Greger.

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A8 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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Life&Style

This was William Lorenz’s first time at Gloria Dei’s Christmas dinner. He called it “a Christmas miracle.”

CHARITY

Dinner ‘A Christmas Miracle’ To Community

BY Julio Avila info@longislandergroup.com

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Huntington Station has hosted Christmas dinners for three decades, but last Friday was the first time 55year-old William Lorenz had ever been to one.

With a plate of yams, a turkey drumstick, string beans, stuffing and a slice of bread, “this dinner is a Christmas miracle for me,” Lorenz said. “I do the best that I can do, but I don’t eat normally.”

Lorenz has spent the last several

months living outdoors in the woods.

“I live in a tent in the woods,” Lorenz said. “That’s what my life has become.”

Lorenz said he previously lived in Department of Social Services housing, but that he would prefer to remain outdoors.

“DSS put me in a crack house, an active crack house for housing, so I ran to the woods and put a tent up,” said Lorenz, who admits to abusing alcohol and drugs in the past. ”I don’t want to go to a house where people are doing drugs.”

Now in its 30th year, a great

amount of preparation goes into making the dinner possible through volunteers, donations and parish support, said Deacon Richard Thyden, who has led the effort every year. Thyden said volunteers are up as early as 6 a.m. on Christmas Day to prepare dozens of turkeys and hams, 40 pounds each of string beans, yams and potatoes.

With all this food, “There are no shortages,” Thyden said. “They cook at home, which makes our lives easier.”

Volunteers also wrap toys for children who attended the dinner.

Thyden said volunteers include people outside the congregation and other religions, with the goal of tending to those who may have no one or no where to go.

“It’s not a homeless situation; it’s more of a lonely situation.” Thyden said. “We try to buck up their spirits on this day and share the holiday with them.”

The Christmas joy and spirit makes itself known. People shared a good time, with conversation and laughter going back and forth as children smiled and unwrapped gifts.

(Continued on page A9)

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A9

Bob Nelson Jabs Left, Right, With Comedy SPOTLIGHT

By Julio Avila info@longislandergroup.com

Whether he’s throwing punches as Jiffy Jeff the boxer or pretending to wrangle chickens as Wilby Stuckinson, Bob Nelson has always manage to deliver punchlines that keep audiences coming back.

Nelson, 57, was born and raised on Long Island and attended Nassau Community College and majored in theater in the late 1970s, but did not think he would be doing comedy as a career.

“You know best when you go to a community college,” Nelson said.

“You have to pave your own way.”

During his college days, Nelson said he could not hold steady jobs because of his he would need days and weeks available for auditions and to perform in plays. He worked as a stock boy, gas station attendant, security guard and was an artist creating telephone-book advertisements. He made friends and colleagues at his phone-advertisement job laugh be-

cause he would always be fooling around at work.

“We would have to call them [clients] up and tell them ‘there’s a problem with your telephone-book ad.

It doesn’t make sense,’” Nelson said.

“Instead of calling as a regular person, the guys in the office, and the girls in the office, would have me call down as a character.” He added that these calls took on the essence of a prank, “but [were] not really.” His “not really” pranks involved voice disguising and light mockery, leaving whoever was on the other end dumbfounded.

An attempt at humor would seal his future. He made a call in 1977, dialed the correct digits, but disregarded the area code.

“One day, we didn’t dial the area code, ” Nelson said. “We ended up calling that guy Richard M. Dixon by accident.”

Richard M. Dixon was the owner of the White House Inn in Massapequa, which was White House-themed. Nelson mentioned Dixon resembled the late former president, Richard M. Nixon.

“So when that guy answered the phone, he’s talking to me like he’s Richard Nixon,” Nelson said.

Nelson said Dixon told him to per-

form at his inn, to which Nelson obliged. His show was well received, and from “that day on I never stopped.”

Nelson’s comedy career snowballed in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, a time when comedy was lifting off, he said.

Since then, he has traveled to different cities and performed at venues such as Radio City Music Hall, Broadway, The Las Vegas Strip and The Grand Ole Opry. He was also on the “Tonight Show with Johnny Carson,” “Late Night with David Letterman” and comedy specials.

Nelson has performed with Rodney Dangerfield, Jim Labriola, Redd Foxx, Louis Anderson, Eddie Murphy -- with whom Nelson and Rob Bartlett were in a trio group called “The Identical Triplets” when Murphy lived in Roosevelt -- and Gilbert Gottfried, among other comedians. He performed comedy on HBO specials and made appearances in movies such as “Kindergarten Cop” with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Though he traveled to major venues, Nelson said his most favorites are the small clubs such as Uncle Vinnie's Comedy Club in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey.

“I love the small clubs. Theaters are

Long Island comedian Bob Nelson will bring his humor and characters, such as Jiffy Jeff the boxer, to the Paramount on Friday, Jan. 15. great too because the people are really focused on you,” Nelson said. “The variety is what I thrive on.”

Nelson said he looks forward to returning to Huntington and performing at the Paramount for his second time on Friday, Jan. 15.

“I just love doing my comedy,” Nelson said. “You get to work with different acts, it’s exciting. It’s not the same 9-to-5 grind.”

Gloria Dei church hosts 180 people for Christmas dinner (Continued from page A8)

Helping others and giving back are the reasons why church member Gloria Fagan, 58, of Greenlawn, has volunteered for the past five years.

“This is just a day for people to realize that not everybody is fortunate in this world. And that you get so much more inside when you give back, even just a little bit,” Fagan said.

Fagan plays an active role within the church. Aside from volunteering, she also helps with the church’s preschool, helping parents in need of a preschool for their children. Fagan added there were 75 toys giftwrapped for children at the dinner.

“No child at Christmas should feel that Santa forgot them,” Fagan said. “For a child to feel that they were left out is heartbreaking.”

This lesson of sharing and giving back is what prompted Fagan to bring her three children – ages 21, 24 and 26 – who at first were reluctant, but they have volunteered every year since.

“For the people that come here, there is hope and there is people that want you here,” Fagan said. “When people walk through the door here,

they know that they feel wanted here. They're not a burden. They’re welcome here.”

John Nolan, 65 and a 40-year Huntington Station resident, first heard about Gloria Dei’s Christmas dinner about 20 years ago in a Pennysaver ad. He has come ever since with his wife, Christine.

Recalling the first time he attended, he said, “It was very good. The food was good. Very crowded. People were nice,” Nolan said. “That’s why we come back. It’s better than staying home by yourself.”

Nolan said the dinner is like a “reunion.”

This was 67-year-old Brendan Cussen’s fifth year at the Gloria Dei dinner. Cussen, of Kings Park, is a U.S. Navy veteran who is no stranger to spending Christmas away from home.

“It was always pretty decent,” Cussen said of his Christmas dinners in the Navy. “I had some really good shipmates.”

After his first Gloria Dei dinner five years ago, he said has not hesitated to drive back every year and will continue to “if i’m still around... unless some gal invites me

Volunteers served a freshly prepared Christmas dinner to the 180 attendees at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church’s 30th annual Christmas dinner. to her place, you know,” he said, with a laugh.

Cussen said he was looking forward to seeing his family, including his 3-month-old nephew, later that day. “This will be the first time I’ll be laying eyes on him,” Cussen said.

Attendees lauded the generosity of the church and volunteers, and

said they shared a sense of holiday cheer, spirit and hope. Hope was especially important to Lorenz. He is now studying to apply for a class A commercial driver’s license to operate tractor trailers get a job that will help take him out of the woods.

“I’m thankful to God and the people who help me,” Lorenz said.

A10 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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2015 YEAR IN REVIEW

Fresh Faces, Cool People In Huntington Thomas Maier Taking photos with celebrities and attending red-carpet events, East Northport resident Thomas Maier is the author of the book “Masters of Sex,” which sparked a hit Showtime series series of the same name.

With the series on its third season, Maier said all the media attention is a new experience for him, since he has spent more than 30 years of his life as a newspaper investigative reporter.

Maier has written other books as well, which prompted Sony to purchase the TV rights of “Newhouse: All the Glitter, Power and Glory of America’s Richest Media Empire and the Secretive Man Behind It.” It’s now being developed for a mini-series by Bravo. The TV rights for his latest book, “When Lions Roar: the Churchills and the Kennedys,” has also been bought by Sony.

Brandon Niederauer Jordan Belous, of Melville, raised $19,136 toward pediatric cancer research with her #WhipPediatricCancer campaign.

Jordan Belous At 16 years old, Jordan Belous started an online fundraiser to benefit pediatric cancer research in August, challenging people to dance the “whip” and “nae nae.”

The #WhipPediatricCancer campaign surpassed her original goal of $10,000 having. She has a new goal of $20,000 and raised $19,136 as of Monday.

As the campaign continued, Belous, of Melville, said that her dream was to have her campaign reach out to celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Taylor Swift and Silentò.

After faced with the trails of watching her mother defeat cancer, Belous used that experience as motivation to help exterminate pediatric cancer since she was 7 years old.

Belous has worked with Northport’s Spencer Reid Foundation and Warrior’s Odyssey, and was a counselor for Sunrise Day Camp in Wheatley Heights this past summer.

At the camp, Belous watched 3and-a-half-year-old campers dance the “whip” and “nae nae” all summer, which prompted her to start the #WhipPediatricCancer campaign.

The funds raised from the campaign will be donated to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan.

Michael “Mikey” Brannigan In the world of track and field, Northport native Michael “Mikey” Brannigan has got the talent with an

ever-growing list of county, state and national running accomplishments.

Brannigan was a February 2015 feature athlete for Sports Illustrated and the centerpiece of a 2014 NBC “Nightly News” segment.

In May, the Huntington Cinema Arts Centre featured a documentary of Brannigan’s life story called, “The Silent Portrait of Michael Brannigan,” filmed by fellow Northport senior Devon Narine-Singh. The film depicted an emotional story of Brannigan as one of America’s best young long-distance runners who happens to have autism.

Brannigan started running when he was 7 years old, and throughout the years on the Northport varsity crosscountry team, he received All-American honors from USA Track and Field and the U.S. Olympic Committee during his junior year in 2014. He also became a national champion in the 3,200-meter run and set the state’s 2mile record at 8:42.92 on May 8 at the Loucks Games in White Plains.

In May, Brannigan was the main focus at the annual invitational meet at St. Anthony’s High School, where a documentary film crew followed his every move while shooting ESPN’s hourlong newsmagazine show, “E:60.”

came the first basketball player in Colts history to have his No. 12 jersey retired by Hills West.

The ceremony took place in January, which initially unveiled a banner that celebrated Hills West team winning the championship. The second banner that was unveiled was a surprise to Harris, indicating that his number will be retired.

Harris, 22, was drafted out of the University of Tennessee by the Charlotte Bobcats in 2011 and then traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He remained on the Bucks until 2013 where he was traded to the Magic and became the team’s second leading scorer at 17.6 points per game.

Brandon Niederauer, 12, of Dix Hills, can be seen starring as Zack in the Broadway musical “School of Rock” at the Winter Garden Theatre.

The guitar phenom rose to stardom after appearing on “The Ellen Degeneres Show” two years ago. Since then, he has played with the Allman Brothers, George Clinton, Dr. John and the Neville Brothers. He was also a backup player on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on Nov. 19.

A seventh-grader at the West Hollow Middle School, Neiderauer was home-tutored during rehearsal time and maintained a 98 average.

Neiderauer said landing the part for this role was meaningful because it was the movie version and the character he is playing that inspired him to start playing guitar.

Tobias Harris With a skyrocketing basketball career, having played for the Half Hollow Hills West High School varsity team to now a professional player for the Orlando Magic, Tobias Harris be-

Dix Hills’ Brandon Niederauer, 12, can be seen performing on Broadway in the musical “School of Rock” at the Winter Garden Theatre.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A11

The Best

HUNTINGTON

2015

e

e

Of

Wow – was it just us, or did this year fly!? It’s crazy to think how soon it will be 2016.

With that said, we want to give you – our valued readers – the opportunity to vote for Town of Huntington small businesses you thought were the best businesses of 2015!

To submit your nominations: • Log onto our “Best of 2015!” landing page (longislandernews.com/ best-of-2015) • Click on our “Best of Huntington 2015! – Nominations” survey • After entering your name and e-mail address, enter your top choice for each category (e.g. “Best Burger,” “Best Italian Food,” “Best Cup of Coffee”) based on which Town of Huntington businesses are your favorites Nominations open Dec. 17th at noon and close Jan. 3rd at noon (each individual can enter up to one nomination per day during this period).

After the nomination period closes, we will tally up the top contenders for each category, and then let you know how you can vote for which you think is the best in each one.

So don’t wait – let us know which businesses you think are the “Best of 2015!” today!

news 14 WA LL S T R E E T, H U NT I N G TO N

•

www.LongIslanderNews.com

P H O N E 427-7000

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Long Islander News photos/Tes Silverman

A12 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

Honu chef Robert Flaherty, owner Mark Zecher and manager Tom Nocella present skirt steak and shrimp and sea scallop risotto dishes.

Honu: Small Plates, Generous On Taste

www.facebook.com/dinehuntington

e i d o Fo DINEHUNTINGTON .COM

By Tes Silverman Honu Kitchen & Cocktails, formerly Blue Honu, serves small-plate New American cuisine in the heart of Huntington village.

Honu’s plates may be small, but chef Robert Flaherty, who has been creating amazing dishes since 2008, serves generous portions.

For starters, the lobster bisque ($10), ahi tuna tartare ($14) and toasted gnocchi ($12) are delicious.

The lobster bisque is served in small shot glasses. The bisque is creamy, but not heavy and has tender pieces

of lobster. The ahi tuna tartare is fresh and served with avocado, chili oil and plantains on top. It combines the meaty texture of the tuna with the creaminess of the avocado and a hint of spiciness.

If you like salads, try the roasted beet and arugula salad ($11). The salad is served with feta cheese, toasted pistachios and topped with pomegranate-tangerine vinaigrette.

The beets’ velvety texture combined with the creamy feta and crunchiness of the pistachios create a fusion of tastes and textures.

For those who want heartier fare,

the skirt steak ($29) and the shrimp and sea scallop risotto ($29) are great options. The skirt steak is tender and served with caramelized brussel sprouts and candied pecans.

The shrimps and sea scallops are tender, but with a meaty texture.

Served with mushrooms, which has a more dense texture, spinach and truffle oil, it creates a complex dish with the creamy texture of the risotto.

For dessert, Honu’s cranberry (Continued on page A13)

Ahi tuna tartare.

PERSON OF THE YEAR 2 015

ROBERT SCHEINER

RECIPIENT OF THE L ARRY KUSHNICK MEMORIAL AWARD FOR COMMUNIT Y SERVICE

DOLORES THOMPSON

SPECIAL TO THE LONG-ISLANDER, THE RECORD/NORTHPORT JOURNAL & THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER

B2 • PERSON OF THE YEAR • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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PERSON OF THE YEAR SPECIAL EDITION

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

In order for Huntington Station master developer Renaissance Downtowns to move forward with proposed revitalization projects, it needed to ink a community benefits agreement with the Town of Huntington earlier this year.

Part of that agreement involved distribution of what is expected to be $300,000-$400,000 in mandated funds that will be generated by the massive project to benefit communitybased programs.

To decide where the funds should go, the town assembled an advisory group of about 40 community members. It was chaired by Robert “Bob” Scheiner, a longtime resident with experience in both the private and public sectors.

At the group’s first meeting in mid2014, Scheiner sat, listened and assessed. That’s what he typically does in these types of situations, taking in all points of view and evaluating.

“There were some nice discussions” had by the diverse group, he said.

But there wasn’t consensus. Some wanted money to go to youth programs, others wanted it for the school district.

This troubled Scheiner. He knew

people were “losing hope” and that Renaissance Downtowns’ plan couldn't be slowed much longer. The town needed “to get shovels in the ground.”

“We need to start showing some progress,’” Scheiner, 68, told Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone and members of the town board.

After some research and a few more meetings, Scheiner did what he’s become known across Long Island for doing: he mediated.

Scheiner said to the group, “Listen, I hear what you’re saying. Can we at least agree on youth programs and not who the money is designated to? Let’s get beyond the issue of who it goes to – it’s premature. Once the town initiates this and development starts… the town is going to issue an RFP. And they’re going to say to all of you guys what you’re going to do, and then they’re going to fund you.”

By Jan. 14, 2015, the agreement was inked and opened the door for the developer to receive overall approval from the town board in September.

“That’s Bob,” Petrone said. “They all had the same idea, it was just a matter of focusing it.”

This is just one of the many ways Scheiner has given back to the Town of

Huntington, a town he loves dearly, and a town he lived in for 35 years.

Scheiner is currently chairman of the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce. He’s a driving force behind Leadership Huntington, a nonprofit foundation where he helps mold young minds into community leaders. And he’s a 29-year veteran of H2M, a Melville consulting and design firm, where he built an architectural group from zero to 85 employees.

For these reasons, and many more, Long Islander News has named Scheiner its person of the year.

Setting The Tone Early Scheiner was born to Sam and Marge Scheiner on June 22, 1947, in what used to be Freeport Hospital.

He grew up in Merrick with his parents and sister, Susan, and enjoyed a half-Jewish, half-Christian, upbringing.

“They called me half-breed,” he said with a laugh. The family celebrated Christmas with Scheiner’s mother’s side of the family and Hanukkah with his father’s. “I thought that was how everyone did it.”

Scheiner’s father was an architect.

He was a very “warm” person and a “good listener” who “wanted to solve

Long Islander News photo/Jano Tantongco

Robert ‘The Connector’ Scheiner

Robert “Bob” Scheiner problems and bring people together.”

He died in 1993.

Scheiner’s mother “wasn’t your typical housewife” and, in part, worked as a physical therapist. She aided young children affected by polio. She was “always involved” and, like his father, a “good listener.”

“There were always kids at my house between my sister’s friends and my friends, and everyone liked to talk (Continued on page B4)

Our sincerest congratulations to Bob Scheiner on being named Long Islander News’ “Person of the Year 2015”!

Thank you for your incredible service to us and to our community.

Bob Fonti, Co-Chair Trudy Fitzsimmons, Co-Chair Eric Alexander, Executive Director

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PERSON OF THE YEAR • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • B3

Leadership Huntington is Proud to Congratulate

B4 • PERSON OF THE YEAR • DECEMBER 31, 2015

LongIslanderNews.com

ROBERT SCHEINER DOLORES THOMPSON

PERSONS OF YEAR 2015!

We truly appreciate their leadership, contribution and dedication to our community.

LAW OFFICES OF BARRY D. LITES, LLP Congratulates Dee Thompson & Bob Scheiner The Long Islander’s Person of the Year FOR OVER 25 YEARS, BARRY LITES, ESQ. (HARVARD LAW ‘86) HAS BEEN HELPING BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS SUCCEED. EXPER IENCE. INTELLIGEN CE. COMMITMENT TO OUR CLIENTS.

2 3 G R E E N ST RE E T, S U IT E 2 0 9 HU N T IN GTO N, N E W YO R K 1 1 7 4 3 In the heart of Huntington Village

CALL F OR A FR EE CON SU LTATI ON 631- 415- 221 9 www.bdllaw.com

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PERSON OF THE YEAR

Robert ‘The Connector’ Scheiner (Continued from page B2)

with my mother,” Scheiner said. She died 13 years ago.

The family spent much of its free time together giving back and aiding its communities. Scheiner recalled his father’s efforts with Rotary and Boy Scouts. His mother also worked at a children’s shelter and with Girl Scouts.

He remembers fondly weekends he and his family spent at the Nassau County Girl Scouts Camp Tekakwitha in Hampton Bays to help out.

“We all went together to fix the tent platforms, build a building, etc.,” he said. “It was great, great fun.”

His upbringing left a mark on Scheiner’s soul.

“They really set the tone for me. Some people find it in religion, some people provide it in one specific organization – but my parents were more broad-based,” he said. “That encouraged me.”

Scheiner attended Sanford H. Calhoun High School in Merrick. He joined both the school’s baseball and winter track teams. However, he discovered that his true passion lie elsewhere.

He wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become an architect.

During his freshman year, Scheiner would sneak into his father’s office to review documents and plans. He was fascinated by them, he said, and it pushed him to begin taking classes in art and mechanical drawing.

When graduation came in 1965, Scheiner’s classmates voted him “Most Artistic.” This sent him over the architectural edge: “That basically told me that this was what I should do,” he said.

He graduated from New York Institute of Technology in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in architectural technology. He later earned his master's degree in public administration from Stony Brook University and is a registered architect and licensed professional planner in four states, including New York.

Soon, Scheiner ventured out into the professional world, and finally started putting to the test what his parents and schooling had taught him.

“The Connector” Professionally, Scheiner has a few different nicknames.

Vice chairman of the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce, Robert “Bob” Bontempi calls him a “resource,” not only to the Town of Huntington, but to all of Long Island.

“He transcends Huntington. He’s sought out as a resource across Long Island,” Bontempi said. “Bob is committed to seeing whatever project he touches through to the end, and to successful outcomes.”

Another nickname, “the connector,” was given to him by Liz Uzzo, vice president of human resources for H2M,

who’s known Scheiner for 28 years.

“Bob is just one of those people you want to be around because he exudes positive energy,” Uzzo said.

She credited the nickname to author Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Tipping Point, where he describes a connector as a person in the community who knows large numbers of people, and effectively “link[s] us up with the world.”

This fits Scheiner perfectly, said Uzzo.

“It’s a natural thing for him,” she said. “He gets to know people for who they are, not just on a surface level.

He’s interested – really interested – in who people are, and that shows.”

This trait has been evident in Scheiner ever since he started his career in architecture with his father in 1969. Even then, Scheiner’s genuine nature shined as he only worked for his father for six months. He said he felt as if he was taking advantage of his father and that he needed to find a new job, one where he could develop his craft.

He joined architect George Meltzer in Flushing, Queens and remained there until 1971 when he joined the now-defunct Levitt & Sons real estate development company.

“That was a good start for me in architecture because I got to work with a lot of folks, and I got to work in the building end of the business, besides design,” Scheiner said.

In 1976, Scheiner was recruited by the Town of Riverhead and took a job as the town's community development and planning directors.

“I wanted to see what it was like to serve the public,” he said.

There, he met the then-town supervisor and current town justice, Hon. Allen Smith.

“There are a lot of people who pretend to know how to get things done,” Smith said. “Bob is someone who knows how to get things done.”

Scheiner became the town’s deputy supervisor and helped lead its efforts to provide housing for the needy.

“We were one of the few jurisdictions on Long Island that was providing housing for the poor and Bob was instrumental in that,” Smith said.

While with Riverhead, Scheiner said he was “introduced” to the idea of working with everybody. A registered Republican, Scheiner said that didn't stand in the way of him working with both parties to tackle issues.

“It allowed me to become a good listener,” he said.

Scheiner soon returned to the private sector with a consulting and design firm he became familiar with while working for Riverhead. That firm was then Holzmacher, McLendon and Murrell. Today, it’s H2M. “I felt they were extremely profession(Continued on page B5)

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LongIslanderNews.com

PERSON OF THE YEAR • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • B5

SPECIAL EDITION (Continued from page B4)

al, above water, and I knew exactly how they treated their clients,” Scheiner said.

He was hired in 1986 and created an architectural group. Through his 29year stint, Scheiner grew that group to 85 employees, the largest in the firm.

“I’m very proud of that,” he said.

Scheiner eventually became senior vice president and chief marketing officer – the highest position he held before semi-retiring last year.

He’s now the Corporate Municipal Market Leader in charge of the firm’s Long Island market.

He’s “going to be missed” by the firm when he fully retires, said Liz Uzzo. But “Bob will always stay with us.”

A Family Of His Own Scheiner started a family of his own with his wife Janet in 1970. The couple has a 40-year-old son, Michael, and 42year-old daughter, Cara, andthree grandchildren.

They’ve lived in Bellmore and Coram before making the move to Dix Hills in 1981. They moved to Commack in 1993 and remained for 23 years until moving to Hauppauge in October. “We wanted to stay,” he said.

‘I Always Loved This Town’ As a child, Scheiner and his family often visited Huntington. “I always loved this town,” he said.

That’s why he and his wife moved to town before he joined H2M. Throughout the 34 years he lived in the Town of Huntington, Scheiner joined a slew of causes and organizations that include the Rotary Club of Huntington Station, the Commack homeowners association, Leadership Huntington and the Huntington Township Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber is where Scheiner’s influence has, perhaps, most been felt.

For example, earlier this year, Scheiner helped push the town toward solving the perennial parking problems in Huntington village.

“If you went to the average Joe, I think they’re saying: ‘What’s going on around town that it’s so difficult to find a parking spot when I want to go out to dinner?’” he said. “People get tired, they turn around and leave because there are other alternatives for them.”

The town as a whole, but specifically Huntington village, he said, is “suffering from the success of itself. Which is wonderful, but we really need to act because I don’t know that people understand parking is not just a problem when The Paramount has a show, or on the weekends. Parking is a problem during the week, in the evenings, and during the latter part of the day.”

To help remedy this, the town has begun rolling out recommendations made in the June 2013 Huntington Village

Robert “Bob” Scheiner, center, and his family. Front row: daughter-in-law Nichole, granddaughter Electra, Bob, granddaughter Aria and wife Janet. Back row: daughter Cara and her boyfriend Chris, son Michael and grandson Tiege.

Parking Study, which was conducted by Nelson Nygaard in conjunction with the town’s Huntington Village Parking Consortium, which Scheiner co-chairs.

The study recommends valet strategies, private lot acquisition and the exploration of one or more joint-development parking structures in the village.

Supervisor Petrone said Scheiner played a pivotal role to move forward the town’s plan to issue a request for proposals for one or more parking

structures to be built in the village.

“He’s a great blend of a community activist, businessman and someone who really cares,” he said. “Bob leads in such a way that he’s able to blend the concerns of the business community and the community at large. There is always a solution to a problem and there’s always a compromise.”

And Scheiner knows how to reach them, he said, “That’s what Bob does and he does it so well.”

Huntington Hospital and the Dolan Family Health Center congratulate Dee Thompson on being named Person of the Year by the Long Islander. We are proud to partner with Dee to ensure all members of our community have access to the highest quality healthcare possible.

We thank Dee for her leadership and advocacy for the community. Congratulations!

B6 • PERSON OF THE YEAR • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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PERSON OF THE YEAR

Thomson: Set On Seeing A Thriving Huntington Station

By Carl Corry ccorry@longislandergroup.com

Legislator William "Doc" Spencer Would Like To Congratulate

DEE THOMPSON

BOB SCHEINER

on being honored as PEOPLE OF THE YEAR for 2015 YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE HELPED TO SHAPE THE FUTURE

Dolores Thompson, recipient of the Larry Kushnick Memorial Award for Community Service, remembers a time when Huntington Station had a thriving business district, with a bank, a supermarket and other essential operations that locals depended on.

For more than three decades, the tough, seemingly ubiquitous community activist has been doing everything she can to bring life back into the area.

“I like to see things get done,” said Thompson, executive director of the Huntington Station Enrichment Center. “I was here when we had a Huntington Station that was alive and well.

All we have now is a parking garage.”

Born in Brooklyn, Thompson, who goes by “Dee,” moved to Jamaica, Queens, and then to Woodbury before landing in Huntington Station. A graduate of what is now Huntington High School, she became an operator at New York Telephone, where she rose through the ranks to become a manager.

Thompson retired from AT&T, New York Telephone’s successor, in 1985, but before that, she already established the Silhouettes, a group that opened up activities to youths in the area by connecting with local schools. “There was never any community center for young people in Huntington Station,” Thompson said.

After retiring, she did a needs assessment for the Huntington Station area, and told Huntington officials that the Station was lacking facilities for young people. “That’s when I opened up the Huntington Station Enrichment Center,” she said. The center, which was first located at the current Station Branch of the Huntington Public Library, provides arts and crafts and music lessons and education assistance, among other services.

The center now shares space with Renaissance Downtowns and the Huntington Opportunity Resource Center on New York Avenue. Thompson sits on HORC’s advisory board.

Thompson is the mother of Huntington Town Councilwoman Tracey Edwards. She also has a son, Kevin.

An elder son, Royal II, died in automobile accident in 1975.

Edwards said the importance of community service was instilled in the children early. “You had to have a

Dee Thompson couple of things. You had to play two instruments and a you had to have a community service position. Those were the must-dos in the Thompson household,” said Edwards, whose late father, Royal, was a police officer.

A former 20-year president of the Huntington Chapter of the NAACP, Thompson said she is proud of helping to make the chapter one of the strongest in the Long Island region.

She also helped get the Dolan Family Health Center in Greenlawn up and running, which she considers one of her biggest accomplishments.

“It’s what we wanted. Not a storefront clinic,” Thompson said. “We do not call it a clinic, because it’s not. It’s a family center. And it’s for all people. It’s not just for the underserved.”

She continues to serves on the center’s advisory board.

Joseph Volavka, senior administrative director of the Dolan Family Health Center, said he quickly realized the impact Thompson had on the community when he came to the center about two and a half years ago.

“Dee was alway known to be something of a tremendous advocate,” he said. She has assisted me with vision and strategy, and where to go. She was very helpful in pulling off the 20th anniversary” celebration in October.

Thompson is known to be tough with people when they don’t deliver.

Is that a fair assessment?

“It depends,” she said. “If they haven’t done something I expected them to do, yes. Because I feel like we’re a neglected group of people here in Huntington Station, and we’re like an afterthought.” It’s why she sits on the Huntington Township Cham(Continued on page B5)

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LongIslanderNews.com

PERSON OF THE YEAR • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • B7

SPECIAL EDITION (Continued from page B2)

ber of Commerce board, she said. “I have to let the chamber know that they’re the chamber not just for the village, but for the whole community. So I have to remind them periodically. With all of the stores and everything else that’s in the village, don’t forget to support the Station.”

Thompson is also vice president of the Huntington Station Business Improvement District.

“We work very hard to support the local businesses here,” Thompson said. “So we do the cash mobs,” like a “Fairground Bazaar” in December, with vendors, food and crafts, to support a discount store. She wasn’t happy with the lack of news coverage of the event, saying the media is quick to point out crime in the area, but not the good things happening.

Keith Barrett, president of the Huntington Station BID, said Thompson was “well deserving” of the community-service award.

“She’s very determined. She doesn't take ‘no’ for an answer. And she cares,” said Barrett, who co-chairs the annual Unity in the Community - Huntington Awareness Day Parade and Fair along with Thompson and Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone.

“Dee is trying to bring life back into Huntington Station, for no other reason than it should. That’s what she’s intent on doing,” Barrett said.

Thompson also ran a Boys and Girls Club.

“She’s very determined. She doesn't take ‘no’ for an answer. And she cares.”

— KEITH BARRETT, PRESIDENT OF THE HUNTINGTON STATION BID

“I was able to serve an awful lot of people in the Huntington Station area. A lot of these children come back to see me, they’re grown, I hardly recognize them, but the memories of them being here” are steadfast, she said. “We were able to help with their education and also with their leisure life. Fishing trips, the zoo.”

After all she’s accomplished, what does Thompson still want to do?

Oh, that’s simple.

“Bring back Huntington Station.

That’s my goal. Bring back what we

Dolores Thompson, center, at the Dolan Family Health Center’s 20th anniversary celebration in October with Huntington Hospital CEO Kevin Lawlor and Bernard Rosof, a Huntington Hospital board member. had here and make us the village that we were. Don’t forget: Huntington Station is the gateway to Huntington.”

To that end she plans to be meeting with MTA officials on helping to prop up mom-and-pop shops around

the Huntington Long Island Rail Road station.

And she wants to see the New York State Armory on E. 5th Street turned into a community center, with a park and activities “so that young people have a place to go.”

Congratulations to

The Town of Huntington would like to say

Bob Scheiner and Dee Thompson for being named PEOPLE of the YEAR for 2015

Well Done!

Frank P Petrone, Supervisor Mark Cuthbertson, Councilman Susan A Berland, Councilwoman Eugene Cook, Councilman Tracey A Edwards, Councilwoman

B8 • PERSON OF THE YEAR • DECEMBER 31, 2015

LongIslanderNews.com

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A13

Side Dish www.facebook.com/dinehuntington

DINEHUNTINGTON .COM

Party band Midnight In Motion will play at XO restaurant Jan. 8, 2016.

NEW BAGEL SPOT: Frank Profaci, the veggie to chocolate chip and straw-

owner of Best Bagel in Huntington Station, has opened up a new bagel spot in downtown Huntington. Village Bagel (46 Gerard St.), between Claytime and Minuteman Press, opened on Dec. 21, offering coffee, egg sandwiches, hand-rolled bagels, old-fashion water bagels and a variety of cream cheeses, ranging from

berry. The 2,000-square-foot shop also offers a full deli spread, with Boar's Head meats, panini, wraps and pastry items. The shop is open seven days a week and, with a seating capacity at 18-20, Profaci plans to have outdoor seating once the weather warms up. It is currently open from 6 a.m.-4p.m., but that is

party band Midnight In Motion will be playing a show Jan. 8, 2016 at XO restaurant (69 Wall St., Huntington).

Party band Midnight In Motion will The show will start at 8:30 p.m. and play at XO restaurant Jan. 8, 2016. admission is free. “Be ready to subject to change in the spring and dance,” says the promotional flyer for the event. For more information, summer months. visit Facebook.com/MidnightInMoMIDNIGHT IN MOTION: New York-born tion or XOHuntington.com.

News and reviews from the restaurant capital of Long Island To Advertise Call 631-427-7000 Read past reviews online at www.LongIslanderNews.com

Honu generous on taste

The Fig N Fennel and coconut martinis at Honu.

(Continued from page A12)

walnut bread pudding ($8), and Irish coffee creme brulee ($9) are delicious. The bread pudding is creamy yet dense due to the pieces of bread mixed with candied walnuts, with a hint of sweetness from a vanilla glaze. The creme brulee is not for the weak-hearted when it comes to the liquors that make up the dessert (Bailey’s Irish Cream, Jameson Irish Whiskey). The spirits that make up the creme brulee may be strong, but they are tamed by the vanilla bean.

If you’re looking to pair your entrees with wine, the Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc ($13) goes well with the shrimp and scallop risotto, and the Super Tuscan (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon - $13) pairs

well with the skirt steak. The Sancerre’s salty, briny flavor balances the creamy, richness of the risotto. The Super Tuscan has a fruity forwardness that works well with the candied pecans and caramelized brussel sprouts served with the skirt steak.

For those wanting to try their hand-crafted cocktails, the coconut martini ($11) and Fig N Fennel ($12) are great. The coconut martini is made with Cruzan coconut rum, Cruzan pineapple rum, pineapple juice and toasted coconut throughout the rim. The Fig N Fennel is made with Figenza Artisanal Fig Vodka, fresh fennel, lemon juice and black currant juice, which creates a refreshing cocktail that’s not too

The skirt steak is served with caramelized brussel sprouts and candied pecans. sweet because of the fennel and citrus flavor of lemon juice.

If you’re partial to craft beers, Goose Island IPA ($8), Blue Point Toasted Lager ($7) and Founders All Day IPA ($7) are a few of the choices.

Mark Zecher, who took over Honu in January 2011, believes the restaurant’s success lies with the staff.

“They are truly like family, and when your staff is happy, diners feel it. When you have a happy staff, you have happy diners. We hope our guests feel welcome and comfortable and appreciate all the attention to detail with the decor, service and seasonality of the menu.”

ONLINE EXTRA: See video of Honu’s skirt steak being prepared at LongIslanderNews.com, under the Foodie Spotlight tab.

Honu Kitchen & Cocktails 363 New York Ave. Huntington 631-421-6900 honukitchen.com Ambiance: Casual Cuisine: New American Price: Moderate Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 5-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 5 p.m.-12 a.m.; Sunday 4-9 p.m.

A14 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

LongIslanderNews.com

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Spotlight On

Huntington Businesses

By Janee Law

Long Islander News Photos/Janee Law

BUSINESS A Club That’s Engaged With Every Punch jlaw@longislandergroup.com

At Title Boxing Club in Huntington village, there is a boxing ring, weight-lifting area and treadmills stationed to the left side of the 3,400square-foot building. And taking up a majority of the space, for classes, are 35 “Title” punching bags hang in rows from steel metal bars.

“We are a people business, and we happen to offer fitness through boxing and kickboxing,” said owner Danny Cordova, 48. “We’re in the business of making people happy and changing their lives.”

Title offers boxing and kickboxing classes in group or private training sessions. For $99 a month, the membership includes unlimited classes from 5:30 a.m.-7:45 p.m.

(A trial class is free.)

For those who are nervous going into a class, Cordova will spend one-on-one time with students to teach the basics, including how to position the body into a fighting stance, the correct way to punch and kick and then relay the format of the class.

Starting with a 15 minute warm up, the workout session begins with eight, three-minute rounds of combinations. In between, there’s a minute of active rest, which involves lower body movements with all core and abs to complete the workout.

With eight trainers, Cordova has every trainer write down every movement demonstrated in class, and if something doesn’t work, Cordova has them take it out.

“It’s all vibe each class, motivation, positive thinking, it’s a whole science to it,” Cordova said.

For instance, during the push-up segment of the class, trainers will have their students do push ups for 10 seconds as opposed to counting up to 10 push ups, since everyone’s abilities are different.

“When people leave, they’re on a high,” Cordova said. “That’s the best part.”

Danny Cordova, owner of Title Boxing Club, said business has tripled since he took it over in November 2014.

“It’s a group fitness setting, although it’s your workout, how hard you want go,” Cordova said. “It’s all about the details on what the person needs, so we talk about individualized needs.”

In addition, what makes Title stand out is retention and engagement with members, Cordova said.

“The more you’re engaged, the more you like the place, the more comfortable you are,” he added.

With an average class size of 20, Cordova knows every single client who attends and why they are there.

If someone misses several classes, Title reaches out to its clients to help them stay focused on the healthy path they initially pursued when signing up.

“People just love that,” Cordova said. “We have that ability to have that family environment. We all know each others family and what’s going on and people come just to hang out.”

With 275 members, Title has had clients who have lost 80 pounds or some who came off their medication after having built up their strength and health from the classes, Cordova said.

“We do it in a real authentic way so that you’ll get the workout,” Cordova said. “Nothing invented uses more muscle and body parts.

Our format is scientifically proven.

We don’t just come up with stuff.”

Open since August 2013, Cordova, who was an Elite International Taekwondo athlete in the ‘80s, took over the boxing club in November 2014.

“It was just a passionate project of mine, I knew that I wanted to do this,” Cordova said, adding that the business has almost tripled since he took over. “If you're passionate about it, you can do anything.”

With clients ranging from 8 to 80 years old, Title also has local high school sports teams come down to train at the club, including Northport, Cold Spring Harbor and Harborfields.

For busy athletes and parents, Title will be adding half-hour classes twice a week so members can squeeze in a quick workout. Title also will be adding a 75-minute class on Sundays, with a 15-minute warm up, 12 full rounds of boxing and then a 15-minute core workout.

“You’ll never experience a total body workout where it’s total body and not made up,” Cordova said.

“It’s scientifically proven that uses more muscle or body parts where you’re engaged that entire hour and you have fun, a blast doing it.”

Title Boxing Club in Huntington offers boxing and kickboxing classes and private training sessions with the goal to motivate, focus on the needs of the individual and stay engaged with each client.

Title Boxing Club 335 Main St. , Suite 2 Huntington, New York (631) 425-4141 titleboxingclub.com

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A15

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BUSINESS Nurture Your Investments With Knowledge

By Jon L. Ten Haagen

Let’s end the 2015 year and start the New Year of 2016 with the basics of investing and why you should be investing now!

Focus on the principles and you will have the basics of an investment strategy. There is a difference between savings and investing, two of the ways to meet investment goals.

Savings is holding money in bank (usual way) accounts, money market funds, or a CD. Usually for a specific short-term need. Investing is buying things of intrinsic value such as stocks, bonds and real estate (examples) that have the potential to provide income or increase in price or both, over the long-term.

Investing does not have to be complicated. You have to learn about the basics as mentioned above (stocks, bonds, cash and real estate). Based on your time until retirement will help determine how much you put into the various categories. Most young investors can afford to be more aggressive (i.e. – more in stocks and real estate) and then as they get closer to retirement you can consider reducing the stocks and real estate and increasing the cash and bonds in your portfolio. Within your investment strategies be aware of when you plan to retire (how many years and your overall health). You are actuarially supposed to live into your mid to late 80s, so you should

consider retaining some portion of your portfolio in stocks to hopefully offset taxes and inflations effects.

Being a successful investor requires money, patience, and confidence. You need confidence to stand by your financial decisions, and that requires education. Always strive for more knowledge about investing. I was told years ago about a book called Benjamin Graham’s “The Intelligent Investor.”

I found it a great read, but it might not be for everyone because of his writing style.

There are also many daily, weekly and monthly publications on investing. Try them until you find the one you like.

There are a few terms you will have to become familiar with: • Volatility: How much and how quickly the value of an investment changes.

• Diversification: Making several different types of investments rather than just one or two.

• Allocation: Deciding what percentage of your portfolio goes into which categories of investments.

• Risk: all the reasons you may have a loss or a weak return.

• Yield: The income you receive as a percent of what your investment cost you.

• Return: What you get back, based on what you invest, usually

measured on an annual basis.

Picking the right investments is the first step in achieving your financial goals. You must also monitor their performance regularly to determine whether they are still right for your portfolio as your goals change and your lifestyle evolves.

To follow up on this, you have to be ready to make adjustments or even major changes if and when you change your goals.

Or when the investments you made are not performing the way you expected.

Remember: Do not tie up all your investments in only one or two places.

This exposes you to possible greater investment risks.

You might want to talk with your family and friends as to what they are doing and seeing in the stock markets. You do not have to take their advice. However, it is good to know what others are thinking. If you do not want to go it alone, consult with a qualified certified financial planner.

In investing, patience is a virtue.

An analogy shared with me years ago says it best: A young boy and his dad were walking out in a field and they approach a big perfectly formed beautiful oak tree. When they get close, the boy picks up an acorn and asks, “What is it?” His dad says it is an acorn and if planted and nurtured over many years, it can grow into a

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THE EXPERT

mighty oak tree. If the boy planted the acorn and watered it correctly, then most likely the acorn would eventually grow into a big oak tree.

However, if the boy dug up the acorn every couple weeks to see how it was doing, it would never become a mighty oak. Investing is for the long term and given time your chances of success are much better.

If we have not covered a topic you would like to know more about please drop us a note with your query. Here’s to a Healthy, fun and prosperous 2016 New Year.

Huntington’s Jon L. Ten Haagen, CFP*, runs Ten Haagen Financial Services, Inc., a full-service independent financial planning firm – and now, he is here to answer your questions!

In this bi-monthly column, Ten Haagen will answer your financial questions and help you with his expert financial advice. Don’t be shy – our expert is here for you, so feel free to ask away!

Email your questions to asktheexpert@longislandergroup.com today, and let our expert help you. *Ten Haagen is an Investment Advisor Representative offering securities and advisory services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., member of FINRA/SIPC, and a registered investment advisor. He is also an active community member, serving on several nonprofit boards and as executive officer of the Greater Huntington Boating Council. ** NEW OFFICE LOCATION: Due to a fire in the office building, the offices of Ten Haagen Financial Services, Inc. are now at 12 Bayview Ave., Northport.

2016 Huntington Chamber Calendar of Events Cheers to 2016! With a new year comes new resolutions and new opportunities. The Huntington Chamber is pleased to offer a variety of networking events and encourages your participation. The chamber’s signature events are in bold. For more event details, check huntingtonchamber.com closer to the date.

If you would like to receive the chamber’s bi-monthly eNewsline, just input your email address for updates direct to your inbox on the main page or call the Chamber at 631-423-6100. We look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

Jan. 12: Ribbon Cutting – Flemington Furs Jan. 26: Networking Breakfast ‘Meet the Media’ Feb. 23: Networking Breakfast ‘Business in a Multicultural World’ Feb. 3: Business After Hours with FETCH March 10: Business After Hours

with Katz Plastic Surgery March 22: Networking Breakfast April 7: ‘Veterans as Entrepreneurs’ with the Veterans + Education Committees at LaunchPad April 13: Shred Day with the Green Committee April 19: Networking Breakfast ‘Digital Marketing’ April 26: Business After Hours with St. Joseph’s College at LaunchPad May 3: Long Island’s Celebrate 30 under 30 May 17: Business After Hours with Huntington Jewish Center June 13: Annual Golf Outing

June 15: Business After Hours with Level Solar June 21: Networking Breakfast ‘State of the Chamber’ June 30: Multicultural Business Committee: Annual Potluck July 13: Sunset Soiree Sept. 20: Networking Breakfast ‘State of the Town’ Oct. 7 – 10: 23rd Annual Long Island Fall Festival Nov. 15: Networking Breakfast Nov. 30: Young Professionals Business Competition Dec. 14: Young Professionals Holiday Hijack

A16 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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OPEN HOUSES

Want to get your open houses listed? Get your listings for free on this page every week in Long Islander News papers.

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(Continued from page A1)

“She loved to meet people and hear their stories, and to share their stories with others,” Schacknow said.

In trying to pinpoint what Schuman felt her purpose was, Schacknow said, “To tell the stories. To bring people closer together. The more we know each other, the more we care about each other. The more of our stories that we know, the better we work together.”

Schuman began working at WPDE, an ABC affiliate in South Carolina, as a multimedia reporter in March 2015. After several internships, it was her first professional position in the field.

Shortly after WPDE News Director Victoria Spechko hired Schuman, she recognized the Schuman’s enthusiasm bubbling inside her.

Spechko and Schuman scheduled weekly 2:30 p.m. phone calls for Mondays, where they would review the previous week’s coverage.

“Jordan had a light and a spirit about her... she just embraced everything she did to the fullest,” she said.

Spechko added that Schuman had a special connection with veterans because their stories intensely resonated with her.

“She just had such a respect for people who give their freedom, and in some cases sacrifice their lives… that so moved her, that when she told

those stories, that respect just came through in every word that she wrote,” Spechko said.

Recalling her high school days, Judy Leopold, Schuman’s former chorus teacher at Walt Whitman High School, said Schuman “was the kind of student that could brighten the room just by entering. She had a positive outlook about everything in life. Even in the vagaries of everyone’s adolescence, she could always self-regulate.”

She noted that Schuman sang since she was in elementary school, and that while Schuman enjoyed chorus work, her passion blossomed on the theater stage.

Leopold helped her get into the part of Little Red for the production of “Into The Woods,” when Schuman was just a freshman. She also performed as Tzeitel in “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Leopold saw this clearly translate into her career in broadcast journalism, saying that, “broadcasting is the intellectual side of theater.” “...Jordan was one of those very rare, bright birds who changes you for the better,” Leopold said.

Schuman’s mother added that more than cards and flowers, she wants others to honor her memory by “emulating her best traits.”

“Be a friend. Share a kindness.

Smile. Sing in the car--loudly. Dare

Photo Credit: ABC Affiliate WPDE

South Huntington native dies in North Carolina crash

Reporter Jordan Schuman, a South Huntington native, just started her work for ABC affiliate WPDE in March 2015. It was her first job as a professional journalist. to dream. Put on a kickass pair of high heels. Laugh. Love. Rock a red lip. And live every moment you are lucky enough to be given,” she said.

A funeral was held Dec. 27 at the I.J. Morris funeral home in Dix Hills, with the burial at Mount Golda Cemetery in South Huntington. In

addition to her mother and stepfather, she is survived by her father Brian Schuman and stepmother Patrice Golde; brother Justin Schuman; and grandmothers Lorraine and Roz. Schuman’s family is now in the process of organizing a scholarship fund to be administered by the New York Press Club.

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sitions and furthered her education in accounting at Town Hall before becoming principal account clerk.

Co-workers remember her as someone who had a positive attitude, dependable and someone who loved to talk about her nieces, nephews and silky terrier dog, Archie.

Family members, friends and coworkers of Cotugno dedicated a bench in her honor on Dec. 8, which was paid for through donations that amounted to $1,571.

Michael Bradley

Michael Bradley Remembered by the community as a superhero by being himself, Michael Bradley was a longtime owner of the comic shop Collectors Kingdom in Huntington Station before he died on April 6 at 48 years old.

Longtime friend Jade Torres said Bradley “ate and breathed comics” and “created a safe haven” at the shop.

After attending Newfield High School, Bradley studied theology in Oklahoma and then Minneapolis before returning to Long Island in his early 20s, where he enrolled at Farmingdale State College and earned an associate’s degree in business.

During that time, Bradley worked as an assistant manager for a Huntington-based Pergament hardware store, where he became infatuated with comics and was introduced to the owners of Collectors Kingdom.

Bradley took over the shop in 1994.

In his 21 years as the owner, Bradley traveled across the United States to comic conventions and shows, expanding the Collectors Kingdom namesake.

Four months before Bradley died, a fire destroyed Collectors Kingdom and it was permanently closed, but Bradley left behind a legacy of loyal customers.

In Memoriam

LongIslanderNews.com

Jean Gale Known as the matriarch of the real estate family at the Daniel Gale real estate agency, Jean Gale died Oct. 13 of natural causes at 93 years old. She was remembered as someone who “loved to love,” said granddaughter Jaclyn Gale.

Born on Feb. 9, 1922 in Brooklyn, Gale grew up in Huntington, graduated from the former Central High School and began working as a secretary at the Daniel Gale agency in 1939.

She became the first female real estate agent and worked there for 56 years.

She was the manager of the Cold Spring Harbor office and retired in 1995.

There, she met her husband D. Kent Gale, the son of the agency’s founder, Daniel Gale.

The couple settled in Lloyd Harbor after Kent returned from serving in World War II and were members of the Huntington Country Club for 50 years.

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A17

1942-1946. She returned to work in 1971 with Tunis Huntington Doge, then started working for William Hagerty at Devany Stock Photos in Huntington in 1981 and retired in 1994 due to an illness.

With a consistent passion for the arts since childhood, Fahlbusch was an avid painter, played the violin and took up photography after retirement.

Many of her photos taken at local events were featured in Long Islander News’ publications over the last 15 years.

She is remembered by her family and friends as someone who always thought of others.

Rex Metcalf More than a mind full of facts and stories, Rex Metcalf died at 72 years old on April 14 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was remembered as a “wonderful person,” said wife of 43 years, Patricia Metcalf.

Known for his passion for history, Metcalf was born on July 15, 1942 and grew up in the historic Latting’s Hundred home, where he lived for the remainder of his life.

With an immense amount of knowledge for Huntington history, Metcalf oversaw restoration of the colonial-era arsenal building in the 1970s and was a member of the Huntington Militia.

He also worked with the Huntington Historical Society and the Huntington Historic Preservation Committee. He was also a Vietnam War veteran and an escaped prisoner of war.

Metcalf was a member of Nathan Hale VFW Post 1469 and worked on the Vietnam Committee, where he served as the committee’s chair from 1966-2003. He also belonged to the Sons of the American Revolution.

After he retired as an engineer for Grumman in 1994, Metcalf dedicated his time to his family and the history of Huntington.

Debra ‘Debbie’ Cotugno

Marissa Pastore

Although she was confined to a wheelchair for 40 years after breaking her neck in a diving accident when she was a child, Debra “Debbie” Cotugno is remembered as someone who didn’t let circumstances restrict her from living life.

Working for 30 years in the comptroller’s office at Huntington Town Hall, Cotugno, of Deer Park, died at 53 of sepsis on Sept. 9.

Cotugno attended St. John’s the Baptist High School and continued her education at Dowling College, graduating in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. At Town Hall, Cotugno took the civil service test and moved up several po-

Marissa Pastore was a junior firefighter at the Huntington Manor Fire Department and daughter of a captain at the department.

Facing medical challenges for her 14 years of life, Marissa died on July 17 after her diagnosis with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

On the day she died, the words “Heaven has a new angel,” were announced from the front of the firehouse lightboard.

Marissa had Down’s syndrome, underwent open-heart surgery and then was diagnosed with cancer on April 20. After she was transferred to Cohen’s Children’s Hospital in New Hyde Park, the family learned that her

Jean Gale

Ruth Fahlbusch A lifelong Huntington resident, Ruth Semon Fahlbusch was known for attending several events within the town where she loved taking photographs of each event and sharing them with the community. She died Dec. 7 at 91 years old.

Fahlbusch grew up with her family off of Main Street, west of Huntington village, and graduated from Huntington High School in 1942.

Married in 1942, she had three children and divorced in 1970. During that time, Fahlbusch worked for the telephone company during from

body was unable to tolerate chemotherapy and the hospital released her to hospice care.

The family did everything it could to make Marissa’s final months comfortable. In May, Marissa was thrown a surprise party where the Make-AWish Foundation attended with a cast of characters to complete performances from Frozen, Marissa’s favorite movie.

Ralph Oswald Longtime Dix Hills Fire District paramedic Ralph Oswald died suddenly on the job at 64 years old on Feb. 9.

Oswald, of Hampton Bays, was responding to a call for an unresponsive man with the Hampton Bays Volunteer Ambulance Corps and fell ill while caring for the man. Moments later, he went into cardiac arrest and rushed by Hampton Bays Volunteer Ambulance and Southampton Village Volunteer Ambulance Corps to Southampton Hospital. Oswald was pronounced dead after resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

Oswald was a passionate educator who loved teaching others about the EMS service and his tragic death was a huge loss to the department.

Sean Urda Sean Urda, a John Glenn High School student who excelled athletically, academically and in service died Jan. 26 after crashing into a light post while snow-tubing down Chester Court in Huntington.

He, of East Northport, was remembered as bright, funny, kind-hearted and dedicated.

Urda played on the school’s soccer and lacrosse teams, standing out as a defensive soccer player. He was also an AP scholar, a member of the school’s Natural Helpers peer counseling program, involved in National Honor Society, the LOTE Honor Society and the school’s band and marching band. He was also a volunteer for Project HOPE and served as a youth soccer coach.

Sean Urda

A18 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

THURSDAY Rockin’ In The New Year

Ring in 2016 by reliving 1989. Spend New Year’s Eve with Jesse’s Girl, a bad consisting of some of New York City’s successful rock and pop artists who will take you into the future by going back in time. The show is Thursday, Dec. 31, 10 p.m., doors open at 9 p.m. Tickets are $25-$55. For more information, visit paramountny.com.

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Calendar O M M U N I T Y

Food And Drinks In 2016

New Year’s means drinks and food.

Enjoy drink and brunch specials 11 a.m.3 p.m. at Sandbar (55 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor) and 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at Besito (402 New York Ave., Huntington).

Food, drinks and prices vary by location.

Contact Sandbar at 631-498-6188 and Besito at 631-549-0100 for specials listings and prices.

Israeli Soldier Izzy Ezagui Speaks On Personal Sacrifice

SATURDAY Kung Fu Panda At Home Depot

SUNDAY Huntington Town Council And Board Members’ Inauguration

Huntington residents are invited to witness the swearing in of their elected board members, Sunday, Jan. 3, 1 p.m. at Walt Whitman High School, 301 West Hills Road in Huntington Station. Musical selections and reception will follow.

MONDAY ‘Windward City- Paint Nite’

Spend a night painting, eating and enjoy a drink at Napper Tandy’s Irish Pub in Northport, 229 Laurel Ave, Monday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m. Adults, ages 21 and over, can paint with guidance from a social painting instructor with provided supplies including smocks and canvases.

Reserve your seat for $45 online at paintnite.com.

TUESDAY Chef Rocco DiSpirito Book Signing

Hear celebrity chef and New York Times bestselling author Rocco DiSpirito give a lecture and sign his new book “The Negative Calorie Diet.” His book details how health and weight loss benefits can come from foods with “negative calories” that fill you up and do not further hunger you. The free lecture and book signing is Tuesday, Jan. 5, 7 p.m. at The Book Revue, 313 New York Ave, Huntington.

Ridotto Concert, ‘Princely Patrons: A Festive New Year’s Concert’

The Long Island-based, nonprofit cultural organization Ridotto will be holding its ‘With A Touch Of Theater’ concert series.

Its upcoming show, ‘Princely Patrons: A Festive New Year’s Concert,’ will have music from Beethoven and Haydn and accompaniment by pianist Yoonie Han. The Concert is Sunday, Jan. 10, 4 p.m., at the Huntington Jewish Center, 510 Park Ave., Huntington. Tickets are $10, student; $18, members; $20, seniors; $25, adults. For ticket reservations, call 631-385-0372.

FRIDAY

Children can create a Spinning Box Toy with Kung Fu Panda 3 stickers at a free workshop at The Home Depot, 785 New York Ave., Big “H” Shopping Center, Huntington, Saturday, Jan. 2, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Children will get a commemorative pin, workshop apron and certificate of achievement. Parents can register their children online at workshops.homedepot.com.

bles, as well as other delectables from local vendors, at this year’s Long Island Winter Farmer’s Market. It takes place at Jack Abrams School, 155 Lowndes Ave., Huntington Station. The market will take place every Sunday after, until April 24.

‘7 In Heaven’ Speed Dating Singles, ages 32 to 46, can enjoy a drink, food and find that special someone at 7-In-Heaven’s speed dating event at XO Wine And Chocolate Restaurant, 69 Wall Street, Huntington. Visit 7-in-heaven.com to register, pricing and information

WEDNESDAY Young Professional’s Group Meeting-

Melville Chamber of Commerce Melville Chamber of Commerce members and professionals, ages 20 to 40, can come together to an “Open Committee Meeting,” Wednesday, Jan. 6, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. at Five Towns College, 305 North Service Road, Dix Hills. Members will discuss upcoming events, ongoing chamber topics and serve as an opportunity for young professional minds to grow and network in business. Interested members can register at melvillechamber.org under “upcoming events.”

THURSDAY Long Island Economic Outlook For 2016

Hear and participate in a discussion on the future of Long Island’s economy in 2016. The discussion, hosted by AVZ Certified Public Accountants, Long Island Business News and Long Island business leaders, will be at Crest Hollow Country Club, 8325 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury, Thursday, Jan 7, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Interested participants can register at libn.com/outlook-2016 for $35, $300 for a display table with two panel discussion seats. For more information, call 631-913-4258. Breakfast will be served.

‘7 In Heaven’ Speed Dating

Singles, ages 32 to 46, can enjoy a drink, food and find that special someone at 7In-Heaven’s speed dating event a month before Valentine's Day at XO Wine And Chocolate Restaurant, 69 Wall Street,

Huntington. Men and women talk to each other for seven minutes, recording interest information as to who they meet to determine potential matches. The speed dating event is Thursday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and interested participants can register at 7-in-heaven.com under the “calendar” banner for $38, discounts offered for bringing a friend.

FRIDAY Friday Night Shabbat Dinner

Enjoy a nice dinner after a Shabbat service at the Chai Center, 501 Vanderbilt Parkway, Dix Hills. The dinner is open to the public and service attendance is not required. Shabbat service is 5:30 p.m. and the dinner follows at 6:30 p.m. Call 631-351-8672 for more information and to reserve seats, $22 Adults, $12 Child (Under 12), $72 Family (up to 2 adults and 3 children)

Chamber New Member Orientation

New inductees in the Huntington Chamber of Commerce can meet other members, staff and learn about chamber benefits,opportunities and networking for chamber-member business owners, Friday, Jan. 8, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the chamber’s offices, 164 Main Street, Huntington. Visit huntingtonchamber.com to register your business for chamber membership and for the event or call 631-423-6100.

UPCOMING/ONGOING Long Island Winter Farmer's Market Come and get fresh fruits and vegeta-

Get inspired with the story of Izzy Ezagui, an Israeli soldier who gave his all for the defense of his nation, losing his arm during combat, but was eager to return to serve in the Israeli military. His dedication earned him top honors from former Israeli president, Shimon Peres.

The lecture is Sunday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. at The Chai Center, 501 Vanderbilt Parkway, Dix Hills. Tickets are $20 when reserving early (call 631-351-8672 for more information; $30 at the door; $90 for priority seating and private reception with Ezagui. $360 reservations gets sponsors’ names mentioned in program booklet, four VIP seats and private reception with Ezagui.

AT THE LIBRARIES Library-hosted events and programs are reserved for cardholders of their respective library unless otherwise noted.

Cold Spring Harbor Library

95 Harbor Road, Cold Spring Harbor.

631-692-6820. cshlibrary.org.

• Little Scientists: Turn your children into little Einsteins with science books, games and activities. The session meets Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2 p.m.

Registration is required and is for children ages 2 to 5.

• Teen Advisory Board Meeting: Earn one hour of volunteer credit while discussing thoughts and ideas with the Teen Advisory Board. The meeting is Tuesday, Jan. 5, 7 p.m. and is for students in grades six to 12.

Commack Public Library

18 Hauppauge Road, Commack. 631499-0888. commack.suffolk.lib.ny.us.

• Long Island Blood Drive: Help save a life or two, or many. The Commack Public Library will hold a blood drive, Saturday, Jan. 2, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The drive is open to Commack residents and non-residents.

• Bouncing Babies: Bring your infants and have them move around to short stories, music, finger plays and nursery rhymes. The program is Monday, Jan 4. 10 to 10:30 a.m. Registration is required and is for infants two to 18 months old.

(Continued on page A19)

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A19 Memorial Building, 228 Main St. 631427-7045, ext. 401. huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org

(Continued from page A18)

Elwood Public Library

3027 Jericho Turnpike, Elwood. 631499-3722. elwoodlibrary.org.

• New-Mom Meet Up: You’re a new mom and you’re wondering what to do.

Don’t worry, you are not alone. New moms can meet other new moms in the Elwood area to socialize and connect with each other. The first meet is Friday, Jan. 8, at 10:30 a.m. and will meet every subsequent Friday until Jan. 29. No registration or fee is required, just stop on by.

‘Paint Nite’ At Napper Tandy’s Spend a night painting, eating and enjoy a drink at Napper Tandy’s Irish Pub in Northport, 229 Laurel Ave, Monday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m.

Reserve your seat for $45 online at paintnite.com.

Half Hollow Hills Community Library

Dix Hills: 55 Vanderbilt Parkway. 631421-4530; Melville: 510 Sweet Hollow Road, 631-421-4535. hhhlibrary.org.

• One-On-One Medicare Counseling and Assistance: Meet with a HIICAP (Health Insurance Information, Counseling & Assistance Program) volunteer to discuss information, concerns and questions regarding Medicare savings programs, health insurance and other Medicare-related topics and issues. Registration is required and meets at the Dix Hills location.

• Adult Luncheon Book Discussion“Necessary Lies, Diane Chamberlain: Discuss the novel “Necessary Lies,” with other readers of the book. The novel tells of a young orphan southern girl who tends to her family and whose situation compels a newly hired social worker to make hard decisions in helping the family. The discussion takes place Friday, Jan. 8, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Melville location. No registration needed.

Harborfields Public Library

31 Broadway, Greenlawn. 631-757-4200. harborfieldslibrary.org • Medicare Services Counseling: Harborfields senior citizens who have questions or concerns with Medicare can seek professional assistance. A volunteer from HIICAP (Health Insurance Information, Counseling & Assistance Program) will discuss Medicare related questions and issues on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Call the library for more information.

Huntington Public Library

Main branch: 338 Main St., Huntington.

631-427-5165. Station branch: 1335 New York Ave., Huntington Station. 631-4215053. thehuntingtonlibrary.org.

• Girls’ ‘Live Empowerment and Dance:’ L.E.A.D Mentoring Inc. helps girls feel confident about themselves, improve self-esteem, personal health, safety, awareness, tolerance and diversity through role playing, one-on-one and group discussions, activities and with guest speakers. The workshop is for girls in grades five to 12 and will be held, Monday, Jan. 4, and Monday, Jan. 11, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m at the station branch location. Permission slip and application must be filled out before attending. Call the library for more details.

• Acting Academy: Does your child aspire to be an actor/actress? Then this workshop will suit them. This acting academy will teach your children the fundamentals and skills of stage performing through games and activities. The workshop is for children in grades four to six and meets Wednesday, Jan. 6, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m at the station branch location.

Northport Historical Society Museum

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

• For an afternoon of historical fun, take a self-guided walking tour of the Northport’s historic Main Street, Tuesday-Sunday, from 1-4:30 p.m.

Available in the museum shop at $5 per person.

Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium Registration is required.

Northport-East Northport Library

Northport: 151 Laurel Ave. 631-2616930. (ext East Northport: 185 Larkfield Road. 631-261-2313. nenpl.org.

• Free Blood Pressure Check: Save that co-payment money and get your blood pressure checked for free at the Northport Public Library. The check ups are Wednesday, Jan. 6, 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. (Northport location) and 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. (East Northport location). No registration is required and is open to Northport residents and non-residents.

• Introduction To Windows 10: Technology keeps changing and this time, Microsoft unveils its Windows 10 operating system. Kids are most likely in the knowhow of how to operate this new software, but for the adults and older generation, it may be a hassle. But now, you can learn how to download and instal a free legal copy of the operating system software and how to use it, work with files, apps and much more. The free workshop meets at the Northport location, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 6. Registration is required and participants must have basic computer knowledge and experience.

South Huntington Public Library

145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station. 631-549-4411. shpl.info.

• Soprano Singer Diana Newman Concert: Don’t want to travel into the city to see a recital at the Met? You can see one close to home. Diana Newman, soprano singer with Lyric Opera of Chicago, will perform English, French and German repertoires of joy and hope at the South Huntington Library. This free concert is Sunday, Jan. 3, 2:30 p.m.

• Introduction to Windows 10: The South Huntington Library will holding a tutorial on Microsoft’s new operating system, for $10, on Monday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Registration is required.

Participants must have basic computer knowledge and experience.

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.

ArtLeagueLI.net.

B. J. Spoke Gallery

299 Main St., Huntington. Gallery hours:

Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. 631-5495106. bjspokegallery.com.

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery

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 ages 3-12 and seniors over 65; members and children under 3 are free. 516-692-6768. cshfha.org.

Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum

301 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor. 631367-3418. cshwhalingmuseum.org.

Tuesday through Friday, 12-4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 12-5 p.m. (closed Monday). Admission $6 adults, $5 children and seniors.

Heckscher Museum Of Art

2 Prime Ave., Huntington. Museum hours: Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., first Fridays from 4-8:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission $6 for adults, $46/seniors, and $4-6/children; members and children under 10 get in free. 631351-3250.

• “Street Life: PrivateMoments/Public Record” runs through March 27.

Selected works from the permanent collection illustrate the urban experience and create a portrait of New York City in its daily life. Featured artists include Berenice Abbott, N. Jay Jaffee, Martin Lewis, John Sloan, Garry Winogrand.

• “You Go Girl!” Celebrating Women Artists: runs through April 3. Featured artists include Berenice Abbott, Elaine de Kooning, Dorothy Dehner, Audrey Flack, Jane Hammond, Mary Nimmo Moran, Georgia O’Keeffe, Betty Parsons, Miriam Schapiro, Esphyr Slobodkina, Emma Stebbins, and Jane Wilson, among others.

180 Little Neck Road, Centerport.

Museum hours: Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday, 12-4 p.m. Grounds admission: $7 adults, $6 students with ID and seniors 62 and older, and $3 children 12 and under. Mansion tour, add $5 per person. 631-854-5555. vanderbiltmuseum.org.

• Afternoon mansion tours begin in the courtyard of the historic house once owned by William K. Vanderbilt II. Tours are Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday for a $5 fee, in addition to the price of admission. Check the museum’s website for listing times.

Walt Whitman Birthplace

246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station. Hours: Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: $6 adults, $5 seniors, $4 students, and children under 5 are free. 631-427-5240. waltwhitman.org.

• Schedule at a group high tea and transport yourself back in time in a private gathering house at the Birthplace. $25 per person. 631-427-5240, ext.

120. teaparty@waltwhitman.org.

MUSIC/DANCE Five Towns Performing Arts Center

305 North Service Road, Dix Hills, NY 11746. 631-656-2110. FTC.edu.

• Wild Women of Comedy: Saturday, Jan. 23, 7:30 p.m. Call or visit online for information, seat availability and reservation and ticket pricing.

The Paramount

370 New York Ave., Huntington. 631673-7300. Paramountny.com. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

• Mike DelGuidice and Big ShotCelebrating the Music of Billy Joel.

Saturday, Jan. 2, 8 p.m. See website for ticket price and info.

Huntington Arts Council

Main Street Petite Gallery: 213 Main St., Huntington.

Gallery hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday noon-4 p.m. 631-2718423. huntingtonarts.org.

• “Members at Their Best” show runs through Jan. 9

Huntington Historical Society

Main office/library: 209 Main St., Huntington. Museums: Conklin Barn, 2 High St.; Kissam House/Museum Shop, 434 Park Ave.; Soldiers & Sailors

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

10 days prior to publication date.

Send to Community Calendar at 14 Wall Street, Huntington, NY 11743, or e-mail to info@longislandergroup.com

A20 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A21

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Address: Long Islander News, Inc., Attn.: Classifieds, 14 Wall Street, Huntington, NY 11743

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Auto Donations Donate your car to Wheels For Wishes, benefiting Make-A-Wish.

We offer free towing and your donation is 100% tax deductible. Call 631-317-2014 Today!

Wanted CASH for Coins! Buying Gold & Silver. Also Stamps & Paper

HELP WANTED

Money, Comics, Entire Collections, Estates. Travel to your home. Call Marc in NY: 1-800-959-3419 Wanted to Buy CASH FOR DIABETIC TEST STRIPS Up to $35/Box! Sealed & Unexpired.

Payment Made SAME DAY. Highest Prices Paid!! Call Juley Today! 800413-3479 www.CashForYourTestStrips.com

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Billion dollar manufacturer expanding in the Long Island area seeking per-B son with sales and/or marketing background. Call 1-516-759-5926. Leave message for call back.

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A22 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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HillSPORTS Taylor Moreno: LI’s only female varsity football player

Talent Spotted Early In seventh grade, Taylor was approached by the eighth-grade football coach who was interested in having her play for the team after he watched her toss a football around with the boys.

However, her parents didn’t want her to get hurt playing with the bigger athletes and felt it best that she didn’t join.

“They were all talking about her being the quarterback, so we were concerned,” said Theresa Moreno.

“She was a little disappointed back then, but it’s always been something on her bucket list to be a part of.”

But both parents liked the idea of her participating in the sport, and they signed her up for a flag football team at the Huntington YMCA. “I remember one night, it was really cold and raining, but we were still playing anyway and it was just fun to be out there,” Taylor said, adding that she played wide receiver and was the

Long Islander News Photo/Janee Law

(Continued from page A1)

the only female in the fall season to play on a varsity football team on Long Island, completing 13 extra points. Her longest kick was a 35yard field goal in practice.

Before every football game -- the season ended Nov. 7, with Blue Devils making it to the first round of the playoffs -- Taylor dressed alone in gear and padding in the girls’ locker room, often getting done before the boys. With her blue eyes peering from the facemask of her helmet, she mentally prepared herself while waiting for the rest of the team.

The oldest of three children -- she has a sister Theresa, 16, and brother RJ, 13 -- Taylor grew up around the sport. Watching games with her father, Taylor said she always wanted to play football.

“She was always very athletic, so we would always be doing something -- whether it was kicking the soccer ball around, throwing the football around or playing lacrosse and she enjoyed it,” said Taylor’s father, Michael Moreno, 52. As her father pushed her to give 100 percent, Taylor wasn’t afraid to get down and dirty, and found herself playing with the boys. She enjoyed the challenge and it helped her grow as an athlete, she said.

they welcomed her when she joined the team.

Case in point: After Taylor scored the game-winning goal in a soccer game against Centereach on Oct. 5, she arrived late to a football dinner, and when she walked into the cafeteria, the boys stood up and cheered.

“It just goes to show how involved they are with both sports that I play and how much they care for me as a teammate,” Taylor said.

A Role Model

Working on her timing and footing in practice, Taylor Moreno has completed 13 extra-points for the Huntington High School football team. Above, she kicks an extra point during West Babylon’s homecoming game in October. only girl on the flag football team.

She played flag football for one season, then focused on lacrosse and soccer.

Taylor was given another opportunity to play football at the end of her junior year when the Blue Devils football coach saw her kick a soccer ball.

“She kicks the heck out of the ball, so we use to say to her, ‘You should kick for us, we need a kicker,’” said Huntington head coach Steve Muller.

After she made the team at tryouts, Taylor, who is playing three other high school sports this year, was mandated to take a state athletic placement test, which consisted of running a mile, push-ups, sit-ups, shuttle running and flexibility.

Taylor said it “wasn’t difficult.”

“It just goes to prove any girl can fit into a guy’s sport if they put their mind to it.”

‘She’s Got A Swagger To Her’ This fall, Taylor was also a star goalie for the girls soccer team.

From 3-5 p.m., she practiced with the soccer team before heading over to the football field to work on her timing and footing for an hour.

“A lot of parents that came to the football games had no kids playing on the football team, but strictly came to watch her play,” said Michael Moreno.

“It was exciting to see these little kids just completely in awe of the fact that there was a girl on the boys football team,” said Taylor’s mother.

“They were mobbing her, wanting

her autograph and it was really cool to watch this transform and the impact she was having over the crowd.”

While Taylor solely kicked extra points, risking an injury was still possible, but Taylor said she put those concerns aside due to the support she received and her passion for the sport.

Throughout the season, Taylor came into contact only once with an opponent. It was during a game with Half Hollow Hills West in September.

During an extra-point attempt, the snap was short and the Blue Devils holder for field goals and extra points grabbed the football and rolled out to look for an open receiver when an opponent shot through the linemen and, in an attempt to tackle the ball carrier, he pushed Taylor out of the way.

“I just stood my ground a little bit and let him run into me instead of making it easy for him to get to him,” Taylor said, referring to the play.

Blue Devils co-captain Amaru Jones, 17, said although it was an intense experience for Taylor, she’s tough and can handle it.

“She’s got a swagger to her. She knows what she’s doing out there,” said Michael Lonergan, 17, also a co-captain. “She doesn’t think of herself any differently and she does what she’s got to do and gets us points. It’s an awesome experience having a girl on the team just acting like one of the guys.”

Having been friends with some of the boys previously, Taylor said

After a stint with indoor winter track last year -- in which she earned All-League honors in the long jump and triple jump -- and completing the football and soccer seasons, Taylor is currently playing basketball and will be playing lacrosse in the spring.

In soccer, Taylor has been AllCounty, All-State and Suffolk’s Large School Goalie of the Year twice in each category.

In addition, she was named Suffolk MVP at the Long Island AllAmerican lacrosse game last year and MVP of the Girls’ 2016-2018 Gold Division championship game in the Lake Placid Lacrosse Tournament over the summer.

“She can do whatever she wants to do,” said John Walsh, head coach for the Blue Devils soccer team. “If she wanted to be an All-American football player, she can probably be an All-American football player. She’s got it all.”

With a 4.0 GPA and a 1560 score on her SAT, Taylor has been a New York State Scholar Athlete all four years in soccer and lacrosse. She plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a partial scholarship to play lacrosse next fall.

When thinking about the mark she left as a girl football player, Taylor said she wants to be viewed as a role model.

“I want to be a positive figure in that young girls can look up to and not necessarily have the desire to play football but have the desire to play whatever sport they want to,” Taylor said. “I’ve always been told you’re better off regretting a decision you made than regretting a decision you didn’t pursue. Don’t be afraid to prove yourself worthy of something, no matter how hard it might be to get there.”

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015 • A23

HillSPORTS GIRLS BASKETBALL>> HILLS WEST 51, BELLPORT 19

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

The combination of stout defensive play and Tori Harris’ first double-double of the season led Hills West to a 51-19 blowout of Bellport on Dec. 21.

The Colts allowed just one point in the first quarter and five in the second on their way to a 426 lead at halftime. Head coach Bryan Dugan said the Colts’ defensive effort was fueled by their ability to take the ball away from Bellport and convert the fast-break opportunities into points.

Harris, who is the sister of Hills West alum and NBA star Tobias Harris, scored 20 points in the win and grabbed 10 rebounds. “She’s a competitor,” Dugan said.

“Offensively, she can do all the things you want any basketball player to be able to do,” he said.

“She can hit the outside jump shot… and then she also has the dribble-penetration ability and the ability to finish in traffic.”

Hills West scored just nine points in the second half, but still limited Bellport to a total of 13 points.

Samantha Hinke scored 10 points as the Colts second-leading scorer. Channiah Baker, Alyse McAlpine and Joi Wilson each scored five points.

Jada Cooper added four points and Samantha

Pierre-Louis score two points.

“Tori is doing some wonderful, wonderful things, but she’s one of the teammates,” Dugan said. “On defense, five girls have to play together.

Then, when we get steals, we can break-out and get layups. We’re trying to pressure the ball and make the other team feel uncomfortable.”

The 32-point win was Hills West’s most decisive of the season. However, the Colts also defeated Floyd by 29 points on Dec. 11.

Hills West has one loss on the season. It was a 7877 setback against Hauppauge on Dec. 15. In that game, Harris scored 44 points, but Hills West ultimately fell in double overtime after Hauppauge’s Caitlin Cronin hit a buzzer-beater to end the game.

As of deadline Monday, Harris was averaging 31 points per game through six games. According to statistics on newsday.com, Harris is Suffolk’s leading scorer this season.

Harris’ efforts have helped Hills West to a fourway tie for second place in League IV. The league is led by Kings Park (3-0), but Hills West, West Babylon, East Islip and Hauppauge were are all 21 so far.

“We’re going to have to keep building, as a team, on the early season success that we’ve found,” Dugan said.

Long Islander News photo/Andrew Wroblewski

Defense, Harris’ 20 Pts. Lead Colts’ Blowout Win

The Colts of Hills West, pictured last season, are in a four-way tie for second place in League IV this season.

The Colts have a break in league play until after the New Year, but were set to play Sayville on Wednesday in a non-league matchup. They’re also scheduled to play another non-league game today at 12 noon against Huntington at Huntington High School.

Huntington is a reigning Suffolk big-school semifinalist, but has won three of five games this season.

Hills West will get back to league play on Jan. 5, 2016 with a game at West Babylon scheduled for 5:45 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL>> HILLS EAST 56, LINDENHURST 37

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

The Hills East Thunderbirds defeated Lindenhurst 56-37 in League II play last week. The Dec. 22 win was the Thunderbirds’ second in three league games this season.

Jess Womble and Alexa Wallace led the charge for the Thunderbirds.

Womble, a 5-foot-2 sophomore, scored a career-high 17 points to lead Hills East. Wallace, a 5-foot-8 sophomore, notched her second doubledouble of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Hills East and Lindenhurst were tied 9-9 after the first quarter, but the Thunderbirds ended up taking the lead in the second quarter to make it 25-14 at halftime.

In the second half, Hills East extended its lead further as it outscored Lindenhurst in the third quarter, 16-12, and in the fourth quarter, 15-11.

Hills East also saw contributions

Long Islander News photo/Andrew Wroblewski

Lady Thunderbirds Zap Bulldogs In League II Play

The Thunderbirds of Hills East, pictured last season, are currently 2-1 in League II play this season. They most recently defeated Lindenhurst 56-37 on Dec. 22. from sophomore Jessie Maurer, who scored eight points, and from senior Mesha Rivers, who added seven points. Rivers also grabbed seven rebounds.

Lindenhurst was led by Megan Steinman’s game-high 19 points and

Alexis Perdue’s 10 points. The Thunderbirds limited Perdue to her lowest points’ total in a game this season. She had previously come off a 27-point, 10-rebound performance against Connetquot Dec. 18.

For Hills East, the win kept the

team among the best in League II this young season. Hills East (2-1) is currently in a tie for third place with Copiague. Central Islip (3-0) and Northport (3-0) are leading the league. The Thunderbirds lost to Northport 47-43 on Dec. 18.

Hills East’s first league win was on Dec. 15 when it defeated Bay Shore 62-50.

The Thunderbirds were slated to play in the annual Suffolk Shoot-Out tournament at Northport High School on Monday and Tuesday.

They were scheduled to face both Deer Park and reigning Suffolk champion Harborfields.

Hills East is now in the midst of a break until after the New Year. On Jan. 5, 2016, the Thunderbirds will start up league play again when they welcome Walt Whitman to High School East for a scheduled 6 p.m. tip-off.

Whitman lost its first two league matchups, but most recently defeated Connetquot 45-26 on Dec. 22.

A24 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 31, 2015

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