Half Hollow Hills - 3/5/2015 Edition

HALF HOLLOW HILLS Copyright © 2015 Long Islander News

Online at www.LongIslanderNews.com

VOL. 17, ISSUE 4

NEWSPAPER 24 PAGES

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 DIX HILLS

Challenger League Scores With Kids Long Islander News photo/Andrew Wroblewski

The Paramount Spotlight Big Bad Voodoo Daddy hits The Paramount’s stage on March 14.

‘Swinging’ To The Paramount’s Tune

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

(Continued on page A20)

On Saturday morning, several members of the Half Hollow Hills High School East basketball program volunteer their time to work with the kids of Dix Hills Basketball Association’s Challenger Program.

awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

The Dix Hills Basketball Association’s program for disabled children is called Challenger, but to those who help run the program, it’s more about making a promise than taking on a challenge.

Take, for example, the Pliskin family. Despite having no previous connection to disabled children or special education, father Michael and son Ryan joined up with Challenger basketball for the 20142015 season. Now the family as a whole has made a promise.

“We’ve made a decision in my family that we’re going to keep doing this until we can’t anymore,” Michael, now one of the program’s coaches, said. “Until my knees (Continued on page A20)

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

Town Takes Aim At Jericho Turnpike Eyesores

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

As the Huntington Town Board gears up to tackle the question next Tuesday of whether to declare the former home of Sun Ming restaurant at 1000 Jericho Turnpike a blight, other eyesores and vacant buildings on the Huntington stretch of the major state road are back in the spotlight.

Some have been vacant for years – Frank’s Nursery near MercedesBenz of Huntington at 1081 E. Jericho Turnpike, where what used to be a greenhouse is torn and tattered; (Continued on page A20)

Long Islander News photo/Danny Schrafel

For the third-straight year, Swing Dance of Long Island is set to take over The Paramount. On March 14, a night of swing dancing will be headlined with a show by contemporary swing revival band, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

“My interest in Big Bad Voodoo Daddy goes back to the late ’90s and early 2000s when the swing-dance movement was huge,” Frank Calderon, a member of Swing Dance Long Island and organizer of The Paramount event, said. “They inspired

By Andrew Wroblewski

g n i r MARCH 1-8, 2015 p S DINEHUNTINGTON

The former site of the Army-Navy store on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington is one of several eyesores along the heavily-traveled state road in Huntington.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A3

DIX HILLS

All Quiet - For Now - On The Mediavilla Front

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

Mum’s been the word in recent months on a proposed 486,000 square-foot commercial development proposed to be built on 56 acres on Jericho Turnpike near Dix Hills.

Attorney Jason Stern, of the Melville-based Weber Law Group, is representing the owners of Spuntino Restaurant, Dix Hills Hot Bagels and Price Rite Wine & Liquor Shop in the

Dix Hills Shopping Center, and said that Great Neck-based developer Villadom Corporation has made few moves since a mandate requiring a rigorous environmental review of the sprawling project was issued by Huntington Town Hall in September.

“As far as we know, nothing is going on,” Stern said Friday.

The order came when the Town of Huntington issued a positive declaration Sept. 16 pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SE-

QRA), which requires rigorous environmental impact studies be performed related to the proposal.

Villadom Corp. president Kris Torkan did not return calls by press time Monday.

Filing the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) would also end discussions about whether or not to incorporate a process called public scoping, which aims “to narrow issues and ensure that the draft EIS [environmental impact statement] will be a

DIX HILLS

Gassy Zamboni Causes Ice Rink Evacuation About 30 people were briefly evacuated from the Dix Hills Ice Rink Monday after a malfunctioning Zamboni raised concerns of a gas leak in the facility, town and fire officials said.

The culprit appears to be a propane-powered Zamboni, which was used because the electric Zamboni was out of service.

Town spokesman A.J. Carter said the rink was evacuated while fire-

fighters investigated at 2:50 p.m.

Carbon monoxide detectors showed somewhat elevated levels of carbon dioxide, with readings coming in at approximately 18-20 parts per million; monitors issued to some town workers are set to be activated at 35 parts per million.

“After about 20 minutes, it was determined that everything was safe and the rink reopened,” Carter said.

Firefighters ventilated the building by opening the doors and turning on the exhaust fans, and the Zamboni in question has been taken out of service for repairs, Carter said.

Dix Hills Fire Department responded with four trucks and an ambulance under the command of Captain Karl Krage. No injuries were reported.

-SCHRAFEL

concise, accurate and complete document that is adequate for public review,” according to state rules.

“Once that’s filed, we’re not even talking about scoping anywhere,” Stern said.

Public scoping is not mandatory; the Huntington Town Board, as the lead agency, would decide whether to require public scoping in addition to mandatory public commentary periods on proposals in which a positive SEQRA declaration is issued.

Initial plans call for a two-story commercial structure, which is to include a 90,000 square-foot health club, a 40,000-square-foot supermarket, 180,680 square feet of retail food service, and 129,800 square feet of office space. Town officials said the property may also one day host the Elwood Public Library. The largest structure will be situated on the rear of the property, parallel to Jericho Turnpike, according to plans. Five smaller, standalone commercial “pod” buildings are planned closer to the road.

Extensive underground and surface parking is also planned.

Property taxes would be paid to the Elwood School District.

A4 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015

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POLICE REPORT Compiled by Danny Schrafel

Luck O’ The Irish

Bilked Out Of A Bike

Green with joy…

will be springing forward with $27.95 threeThis Sunday, the streets of course prix-fixe menus. Worried Huntington will be filled to the brim with revelabout that beach body? Hogwash! ers celebrating the 81st annual Ancient Order of You still have months to go beHibernians’ St. Patrick’s Parade! Read all about fore the swimwear comes out it in our special pullout in our IN THE KNOW (and the way this winter is going, Record and Long-Islander ediWITH AUNT ROSIE you might not hit the beach ‘til tions, but let me give you one Aug. 3), so chase the winter blues big takeaway: It steps off at 2 away with a great meal in the p.m., and be prepared to revel in more pipe meantime. bands than you ever thought could assemble in one place. Yes, that’s a nice way of saying it’s a Set phasers to stunned... For those of you long parade. Dress appropriately and wear comunfamiliar with that iconic statement, “Set phasers fy shoes. to stun” is derived from the “Star Trek” franchise.

On Friday, that franchise lost one of its cornerSpring forward… While we’re on the topic stones; Leonard Nimoy, known simply as Spock of Sunday, don’t forget to set your clocks forin the original Star Trek series, passed away at age ward at 2 a.m. Although, with the proliferation 83. Recognizing the great cultural significance of of modern technology, much of the “springing forward” and “falling back” is done for us, make the franchise and its accomplishments, I send my deepest condolences to Leonard's family and sure to take care of those wrist watches, alarm friends – and fans. Goodbye, Dr. Spock. May we clocks and such so you’re not one hour late to all live long and prosper as he did. everything for the next seven months or so.

Don’t forget to dine… Have you taken your opportunity to dine, Huntington? We started off March 1 with our inaugural springtime gustatory extravaganza, Dine Huntington Restaurant Week, but never fear – there’s still time to dine!

The festivities continue until March 8, during which two dozen Huntington-area restaurants

(Aunt Rosie wants to hear from you! If you have comments, ideas, or tips about what’s happening in your neck of the woods, write to me today and let me know the latest. To contact me, drop a line to Aunt Rosie, c/o The Long-Islander, 14 Wall Street, Huntington NY 11743. Or try the e-mail at aunt.rosieli@gmail.com)

A Melville home was burglarized Feb. 23. At 4:55 p.m. that day, someone broke into a Weinmann Boulevard home’s unlocked garage and stole a mountain bike.

Attention, Please A Bayville man, 39, was charged with DWI after he was pulled over in Dix Hills Feb. 26. Police said the man was out of it while behind the wheel of a 1998 blue Subaru while the motor was running and the car was in drive at 1:04 p.m.

Fleeced A person at Five Towns College in Dix Hills responded to a “get money fast” web link sometime between Feb. 20 and Feb. 26, setting the wheels of a scam into motion.

Police said the suspect ended up having the complainant’s debit card information and a wad of cash from the complainant.

Spooky Weed Two males, 19, were charged with criminal possession of marijuana Feb. 25.

Police said they were seen smoking pot at the corner of Highhold Drive and Mount Misery Road at 8:30 p.m.

Bank Account Raided

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“The governor needs to stop playing politics at the expense of our children and release these school aid runs to help our local districts. They have very important decisions to make which affect millions of students across New York State.”

Official: Pierce The Cap, Lose Proposed Rebate, PAGE A6

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Officials at a Broadhollow Road-based entertainment company in Melville called the cops Feb. 26 after discovering someone had hauled off thousands of dollars by fraudulently dipping into the firm’s checking account.

Loaded For Bear A Melville home on Old Country Road was burglarized Feb. 27. Police said that, at 9 a.m., someone broke a glass door and stole coins and ammunition.

A Sign Of Trouble The owners of an East Jericho Turnpike jewelry store called the cops at 6 p.m. Feb. 25 after someone stole holiday signs from in front of the shop.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A5

MELVILLE

Thief Breaks Through Sheetrock Wall, Steals Car PD: House was under construction

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

A burglar busted through the sheetrock wall of a Melville home undergoing an extension last week to break into the house, steal jewelry and grab the keys to a minivan in the garage, Suffolk County police said.

Second Squad Det./Lt. William Burke said that, between 8 a.m. Feb. 24 and 8 a.m. Feb. 25, someone got into the Half Hollow Road home’s attached garage, then broke through an unfinished sheetrock wall.

Once in the home, Burke said the suspect grabbed jewelry and car keys. Those keys belonged to a 2006 Honda Odyssey parked in the garage, which the suspect also stole.

“They’re doing some type of construction. The entry seems a little odd, but… detectives who were on the scene said there’s an area that’s kind of studded out,” he said. “They went into that and that’s where they broke into the sheetrock.”

While the means of entry might seem a little bit unusual, Burke said the construction offered the opportunity to get in either by punching or kicking through the wall.

“Most houses, you can’t get in through the sheetrock because there’s more than sheetrock,” he said.

Burke said Friday that no description of the suspects was available, but anyone with information can call Suffolk County’s Second Squad at 631-854-8252.

HALF HOLLOW HILLS

Students Shine In National Merit Scholarships Photo by Ben Wiley

Photo by Jennifer Ievolo

Hills West has six National Merit finalists. From left, front row: Rose Bender, Sabrina Kim and Liana He. Back row, from left: Joshua Wende, Brandon Nomberg and Alexander Bass.

Hills East produced 11 finalists. They are: Grant Berland, Judy Chen, Justin Estreicher, Jacob Goldberg, Zachary Goldstein, Anja Kenagy, Heesu Shin, Jenny Truong, Joanna Wang, Akash Wasil (not pictured) and Michelle Zhao.

Half Hollow Hills students are well represented among the nation’s National Merit Scholarship finalists in 2015.

Six Hills West and 11 Hills East students are among the 15,000 finalists, drawn from an initial pool of 1.5 mil-

students, while the remainder are named semifinalists.

Of those, about 15,000 are notified in February that they are now finalists in the competition.

About half, or 7,600, will be told starting in March that they will receive

lion entrants.

Of that field, about 50,000 with the highest PSAT/NMSQT selection index scores – which measure critical reading, mathematics and writing skills scores – are selected. About 34,000 of those become commended

$2,500 National Merit scholarships.

Approximately 1,300 National Merit program participants, who are non-finalists but outstanding entrants, will receive special scholarships provided by corporations and business organizations.

A6 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

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By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

Taxpayers in school districts that pierce the state tax levy cap would be all but shut out of what could be a sizable tax rebate next year, a state tax official said during a recent visit to the town.

Kenneth Adams, the acting commissioner of New York State’s Tax and Finance division, made the remarks during a visit to Huntington Station Feb. 26, in which he argued enacting Governor Andrew Cuomo’s property tax-reduction agenda is essential to maintaining New York State’s future viability.

“We have to find ways to lower the tax burden in New York State,” he said in the living room of Huntington Station’s Vita Scaturro. “We’re not going to get the companies to move here. We’re not going to get people to move here. We’re not going to hold on to the people we’ve got.”

Starting with the 2015-2016 budget, homeowners whose school tax payments exceed 3.75 percent of their income would be eligible for a credit next year. Over the next four years, the program would expand to cover all taxing entities which contribute to a homeowner’s property tax bill.

By the time the proposal is fully implemented at the end of four years, taxpayers whose household incomes are less than $250,000 would be eligible to receive a tax “credit” payment of up to 50 percent of the portion of their property taxes which exceed 6 percent of their income.

For instance, a household making

$100,000 who pays $8,000 in taxes would be eligible to receive up to $1,000. The credit would be paid against a homeowner’s income tax bill, with funds drawn from the state general fund.

However, only municipalities which adhere to the state tax cap will be eligible, and only portions of a tax bill levied by compliant agencies would count toward the rebate. So, if a school district pierced the cap, but other taxing entities represented more than 6 percent of a homeowner’s income, those portions of the tax bill would be eligible for a rebate. But, with school taxes forming the lion’s share of the average tax bill, that’s unlikely to happen.

Adams said the tough line is designed to “incentivize districts to stay under the cap.”

“Part of the proposal is to keep pressure on school districts” and other taxing entities, he said.

Cuomo is employing a similar dangling-carrot approach when it comes to state aid allocations for school districts, and it’s an approach that has been met with controversy.

Cuomo has tied a $1.1-billion proposed state aid increase to passage of a package of education reforms, which include linking 50 percent of a teacher’s evaluation to student test scores. He also planned on offering college incentives to recruit top teachers; offering $20,000 bonuses to the state’s top teachers to become “master teachers” who mentor struggling educators; and making it easier to remove “ineffective” teachers from the classroom.

Long Islander News photo/Danny Schrafel

Official: Pierce The Cap, Lose Proposed Rebate

Vita Scaturro, right, speaks to New York State’s acting commissioner of Tax and Finance, Kenneth Adams, in her living room about Governor Andrew Cuomo’s property tax relief proposal.

If the package doesn’t become law, just a $377-million increase, agreed to last year, will go into effect.

“It’s tough negotiating,” Adams said.

But to Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci, it’s a step too far. On Monday, the former South Huntington school board trustee demanded Cuomo release the state budget projections, which he said are vital to crafting budgets.

“The governor needs to stop playing politics at the expense of our children and release these school aid runs to help our local districts. They have very important decisions to make which affect millions of stu-

dents across New York State,” Lupinacci said.

South Huntington Superintendent Dave Bennardo said that already, they’re feeling the pinch.

“The lack of state aid runs is having a serious impact upon our ability to responsibly assemble a school district funding plan,” he said.

“Whether one believes in the proposed changes in some of these previously negotiated and approved APPR plans or the call for more charter schools and adaptation of tenure, the simple fact remains that a school district's state aid should not be used for the purposes of promoting legislation.”

DIX HILLS

A woman suffered minor burns in a house fire that consumed a Seaman Neck Road home in Dix Hills early Saturday.

Volunteers rushed to the home at 6:08 a.m., where they battled bitter cold and ice in their efforts to extinguish heavy fire on the first floor, which fire officials said quickly extended to the second floor and attic.

Once they were on the scene, Dix Hills firefighters began an aggressive attack on the blaze, which was contained within a half hour under the command of Chief Robert Fling, supported by First Assistant Chief Tom Napolitano.

All three occupants of the home were evacuated before firefighters arrived. Fire officials said the woman who was burnt suffered lower-body injuries and was taken to Huntington Hospital by the Dix Hills Rescue Squad.

The fire is under investigation by the Huntington Town Fire Marshal and Suffolk Police Arson Squad.

Nearly 50 firefighters from Dix Hills, Deer Park and Melville fire departments were on the scene with six trucks, three ambulances, and first responder and paramedic units.

The Greenlawn Fire Department and Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps provided standby coverage.

Photo/Dix Hills FD & Steve Silverman

Woman Hurt In Seaman Neck Road House Fire

Firefighters spray water on a raging house fire in Dix Hills Saturday morning.

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DIX HILLS

PD: Man Rode HOV With Dummy

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

There’s a reason that passenger looked so stiff. It’s because the “person” next to a man driving on the expressway was a wooden figure, police said.

A Suffolk County police officer who pulled over a speeding man in the Long Island Expressway HOV lane in Dix Hills Friday morning discovered the man had a fake passenger riding shotgun.

Officer Jonathan Abrams pulled driver James Campbell, 56, of Brentwood, over near exit 51 on the westbound LIE for going 77 mph in a 55 mph zone at 6:30 a.m. Then, he discovered a “non-person sitting in the passenger seat,” Abrams said with a chuckle.

“Basically, it was in the shape of a torso, with the head on top and a gray hooded sweatshirt,” Abrams said, describing it essentially as a “wooden stick figure” made of scrap.

Campbell told Abrams that he did it because he was rushing to a new job and did not want to be late, according to police. Instead, he was issued summonses for speeding and the

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A7

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Police said this stick-figure dummy rode shotgun with a Brentwood man in the HOV lane in Dix Hills Friday morning.

HOV violation, which carries a fivepoint penalty on a driver’s license.

“It was definitely surprising,” Abrams said. “It takes a bit of nerve to do that.”

Although sticking a mannequin in the passenger seat to scam your way into the HOV lane is often joked about, Abrams said that, in his experience, it doesn’t happen often. For officers, it’s hard to find unless the driver in question is doing something else wrong.

“At 55 mph-plus, it looks like a person up there,” he said.

HOV lane restrictions are in place from 6-10 a.m. and 3-8 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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

Stop Using Our Kids As Bargaining Chips

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.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

There is a difference between tough the legislators do such a thing, when our negotiating and bullying. schools are already struggling to stay Governor Andrew Cuomo wants edu- under the 2-percent tax cap? Many can’t cation reform, the most controversial even fund full-day kindergarten anypart of which comes in the form of a more. If the legislators vote for it, while proposal to link 50 percent of a teacher’s that is a saving grace for many Long Isevaluation to student test scores. land school districts who argue they It is not a reform that will ever gain don’t get their “fair share” from the the support of prominent lobbying and state, what happens to the teachers? voting demographics that Many of them already feel include teachers, teacher’s EDITORIAL forced to “teach to the test,” so unions and the education to speak, rather than teach our community. children how to learn.

So what is a governor to do? Linking Furthermore, the longer the governor the reform to something the community waits to release school aid runs, the hardwants – and desperately needs – is one er it is for our districts to budget responway to make sure it goes through. That’s sibly. This is school budget season and what the governor is attempting to do. districts still do not know the revenue toHe has tied a $1.1-billion proposed tals they will be getting from the state. state aid increase to school districts to To make matters worse, Cuomo’s passage of a package of education re- property tax-reduction agenda – alforms in the state budget. If the package though undoubtedly helpful to homedoesn’t become law, only the $377-mil- owners whose school tax payments exlion increase that was agreed to last year ceed 3.75 percent of their income by will go into effect. making them eligible for tax credits – is “It’s tough negotiating,” Kenneth only available to districts that adhere to Adams, the acting commissioner of New the cap. We see the merits in offering inYork State’s Tax and Finance division, centives for keeping to the cap and see a said in the living room of a Town of need for increased accountability of edHuntington resident last week during a ucators, but not when you are also holdpresentation to community leaders. ing a sizable increase in school state aid We think there is another word for hostage to push an agenda. what the governor is doing here. He has The governor strong-armed the educabacked legislators into a corner, put tion community into adopting the Comteachers’ unions in an impossible situa- mon Core curriculum; let us not forget tion, and made our children’s education what effect the poorly timed rollout has a bargaining chip. had.

If the legislators vote down the budgGovernor, if you want education reet because they don’t agree with the re- form, find a bargaining chip that does forms, they throw away $723 million in not hold our children’s education state aid to our school districts. How can hostage.

HALF HOLLOW HILLS

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Dangers of Melting Ice DEAR EDITOR: With warmer temperatures in the forecast, the Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau is reminding the public of ice safety tips.

There is no such thing as 100-percent safe ice. The strength of ice cannot be determined by its appearance, age, thickness, temperature or whether the ice is covered with snow. It may be a foot thick in one location and only an inch or two just a few feet away.

New ice is usually stronger than old ice. Ice formed over flowing water and currents is often dangerous. This is especially true near streams, bridges and culverts.

Ice covered by snow always should be presumed unsafe. Snow acts like an insulating blanket and slows the freezing process. Ice under the snow will be thinner and weaker. A snowfall also can warm up and melt existing ice.

If there is slush on the ice, stay off. Slush ice is only half as strong as clear ice.

Never venture out alone and ensure someone on shore knows your plans.

Do not take a vehicle onto the ice at any time.

If you fall through the ice, remain calm and act quickly: • Do not remove winter clothing. Heavy clothes can trap air, which can help pro-

vide warmth and flotation.

• Go back toward the direction you came. That is probably where the strongest ice will be. What lies ahead is unknown.

• Place hands and arms on the unbroken surface. This is where a pair of nails, sharpened screwdrivers or ice picks can be handy.

• Kick your feet and dig in your ice picks to work your way back onto the solid ice.

If your clothes have trapped a lot of water, you may have to lift yourself partially out of the water on your elbows to let the water drain before starting forward.

• Once back on the ice, don't try to stand up. Lie flat until you are completely out of the water, then roll away from the hole to keep your weight spread out. This may help prevent you from breaking through again.

• Get to a warm, dry, sheltered area and warm yourself up immediately. In moderate to severe cases of coldwater hypothermia, you must seek medical attention.

If you see anyone in distress on the ice, call 911 immediately. Do not attempt a rescue yourself, without proper rescue and survival equipment. Suffolk Police Marine Bureau vehicles are equipped with ice sleds and cold water exposure suits to safely effect a rescue.

Suffolk Police Marine Bureau

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A9

Life&Style ART

Gallery To Hold Women’s History Benefit

By Carina Livoti clivoti@longislandergroup.com

Tiny pieces of art are about to help victims of violence in a big way.

Hutington’s b.j spoke gallery is hosting an Artists’Trading Cards Benefit in honor of Women’s History Month this March. It will benefit the Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk’s Family Violence and Rape Crisis Center.

“We’ve always wanted to do a show in honor of women,” gallery manager Marilyn Lavi said. b.j. spoke member Katherine Criss explained that artists’ trading cards are tiny, original pieces of art, which were first created to swap with other artists.

The cards have a work on the front and the artist’s name, contact information, and sometimes a date or title on the back. “[They began as] a way to collect other people’s work and share your work with other artists,” she said.

Though not originally intended for sale, artists’ trading cards became so popular among artists that eventually collectors became involved, according

Gallery manager Marilyn Lavi checks in the artists’ trading cards before they’re hung. to Criss.

At the upcoming benefit, artists from b.j. spoke will be selling these tiny works of art. The gallery has waived its commission fee, and half of the proceeds will go to the Victims Information Bureau, though Criss said that many artists plan to donate more.

While this is certainly not the

gallery’s first charitable event, Lavi said that artists’ trading cards are new to the gallery.

“This is the first time we’ve ever done anything like this,” she said.

Criss said lots of artists were embracing the cause and the challenges of creating small, interesting images.

“It’s a gallery event and a challenge,

but it’s [also] a way to help this organization, and since it’s Women’s History Month, it’s a perfect fit,” Criss said.

One artist, Patti Kern, brought in a mosaic of artists’ trading cards created by her high school art students, who wanted to support the Victims Information Bureau once they heard what the gallery was doing. Prices for Kern’s students’ cards will start at $1.

Pieces by other artists will be $50 for framed works and $25 for matted cards.

The Victims Information Bureau works with survivors of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault and aims to prevent future incidences of these types of crimes through education, services, and community awareness.

The Artists Trading Cards Benefit will be on sale through March 29.

There will be an opening artists’ reception featuring speeches from Victims Information Bureau Director of Development Patrick Barry and Interim Executive Director Clarice Murphy on March 7 from 2-5 p.m.

For more information, visit bjspokegallery.com or VIBS.org.

PHOTOGRAPHY

To Print Or Not To Print? Solving A Digital Dilemma

Through The Lens

By Kevin Armstrong info@longislandernews.com More than any other industry, photography has been revolutionized by the digitalization of our lives. The ability to digitally record still images and moving pictures has altered our daily lives, but this revolution is not without its problems. Now that every person from the age of 10 and up has a camera in their pocket, they are using them to document all of life’s moments, both big and small – moments

as small as what “we are eating for lunch” to events that change public opinion and shape world events.

We often associate keeping digital media as convenient and safe. It may be convenient, but they are not any safer than their analog and paper versions.

Why are these digital photos not any safer than the albums/boxes of family photos stored in countless attics and closets? The old family photos may be unorganized, faded and dusty, but they are still here and readily available for viewing and sharing.

With all the options to preserve our digital photos, it’s my opinion that making prints is probably still the best way to preserve them for the future.

Most people assume that digitizing photos and doing regular backups is the same thing as preserving them.

This is not the case.

Photo books are a good way to preserve your digital photos.

Digital photos will always require several different software programs and devices in order to render them correctly for viewing. There are so many assumptions that are made

about the future of the digital world and no one really knows what will happen. Most photos are stored in the JPEG format, but who is to say that (Continued on page A22)

A10 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015

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BUSINESS Medicenter: Medicine For The Future Spotlight On

Huntington Businesses

By Carina Livoti clivoti@longislandergroup.com

Longtime Huntington resident Dr. Robert E. Scully opened up his first Medicenter in Huntington in 1990, when urgent care centers were neither as popular nor taken as seriously as they are now.

“We might be the longest-running multi-site urgent care center [in the area],” Scully said.

Scully worked in an emergency room for less than two years before the grueling hours pushed him toward urgent care work. After less than a year at an urgent care center, he decided to open his own. Scully said he saw walk-in clinics as the future of medicine and the epitome of responsive patient care.

“I saw it as the new thing; it was what patients wanted,” Scully said.

The doctor’s progressive mindset paid off; over the past 25 years, his business has grown and expanded, from one location with one doctor to three locations with eight physicians moving between them.

Scully started out by himself in Huntington. Several months later, he said he brought in an associate to work every other weekend, and things just took off from there.

Scully opened up Medicenter locations in Northport and Massapequa in 2000 and 2013, and seven other doctors are now involved. Scully himself works primarily out of Huntington, but said that he does “hop around.”

The Medicenters accept almost all health insurance and provide immediate, walk-in care for both adults and children. The centers accept worker’s compensation and have built relationships with many businesses in the area, according to Scully.

It’s open seven days a week, with evening hours during the week.

Dr. Robert E. Scully opened his first Medicenter in 1990 and has continued to work in urgent care since.

Scully said that those are among the most important things the center provides; for him, it’s about patient convenience.

“Patients want to be seen when it’s convenient for them, not when it’s convenient for the doctor,” Scully said.

For more information on each Medicenter location, including

hours, patient intake forms, and acceptable insurance, visit medicenterny.com.

Medicenter 234 West Jericho Turnpike Huntington Station 631-423-5400

How Much Money Do I Need To Move Out?

By Jon L. Ten Haagen, CFP asktheexpert@longislandergroup.com

Q: When I finished college, I found a job, but it is not paying me enough to live on my own. How much money should I have saved in order to be able to move out of my parents’ home?

A: You have to take stock of what it will cost you to live on your own. Will you rent an apartment and live by yourself? Rent a house with a group of friends? What will be the cost of utilities, renters’ insurance, food, etc.?

Where can you get the essentials like a bedroom set, couch for the living room, and kitchen necessities? Think about St. Vincent DePaul for slightly used items.

You would be wise to create a budget and balance sheet. What income do you have coming in and what are your

monthly costs? Is there a plus sign or minus sign at the end? Do you spend everything each month or are you (can you) save money? I would strongly urge you to have an emergency money account for a rainy day before you move out. What do I own (car, furniture, jewelry, etc.) and what do I owe (car payments, insurance, student loans, etc.)? Once you have the basics down on paper, you can focus on where you can cut back on expenses and which ones are necessary.

Most likely you will want to consider sharing a place with good friends.

This costs you less and you can save that much more for an eventual home purchase. You also split the costs of rent and utilities and furniture. Make sure you choose your roommates carefully. Are they reliable in their ability to pay their share? Are they go-

ing to share the workload of cleaning, chipping in for groceries, etc.? Do you work similar hours? Does that matter to you?

Create a budget plan. What are the costs of utilities, groceries, renter’s insurance, clothing and kitchen needs?

Parents can be a good source for some of the items you need. Discuss all these details with your potential roommates. Create a joint budget together so you are all on the same page.. How secure are each of your jobs?

Do not take the first place you see.

Shop around and see what the average costs are. Drive around the different neighborhoods to see if your potential new home is in an area you are comfortable coming back to later in the evening. When you decide on a place, do an inventory of what is broken and what is worn out. Do this with your

ASK

THE EXPERT

potential roommates and perhaps a parent to give you feedback.

Most importantly, leave the parental home on good terms. I read a statistic that 65 percent of kids that move out end up back home or homeless in three months or less. Discuss this possibility with you folks and the future will be better for all of you.

Think, plan, strategize, plan again and only move out when you have thought through all the possible ramifications.

Got a question? Email asktheexpert@longislandergroup.com and see if yours gets answered in our next issue!

Disclaimer: The advice offered in this column is intended for informational purposes only. Use of this column is not intended to replace or substitute any professional advice. This column, its author, the newspaper and publisher are not responsible for the outcome of following any advice that appears here.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A11

BUSINESS Home Depot Looks To Future For Energy

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

Space-age technology could soon be providing electricity for Home Depot’s Huntington store.

Representatives of Bloom Energy, a Sunnyvale, Calif.-based firm, introduced a proposal to the Huntington Planning Board Feb. 25 that would call for the installation of fuel cells at the Big ‘H’ shopping center where the Home Depot is located. The cells, which, along with wind and solar energy are part of a growing green energy market, would provide about 90 percent of the store’s electrical needs.

If approved, it would represent the first use of the technology in Huntington township and among the first fuel cells used on Long Island, according to Bloom Energy planning and permit specialist Amy Shanahan.

Home Depot filed a pre-application on Feb. 23, Shanahan said, and met with town planning and building staff on Feb. 11 and Feb. 13 to discuss the project. The fuel cell would be located near the store’s loading dock and take up about the same amount of space as a parking stall, company officials said.

Already, Bloom Energy has installed approximately 140 megawatts worth of fuel cells in the U.S. and Japan.

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Farmingdale-based Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said fuel cells are good for the environment as well as the bottom line. For businesses, fuel cells stand to provide a major budgeting benefit – fixed fuel costs.

Fuel cells, pictured like these in use at a Target store, may be powering Huntington’s Home Depot store in the near future.

“They’re clean, they’re safe. They need to be part of the energy mix for Long Island,” Esposito said.

Shanahan said the firm’s roots are steeped in space travel – particularly with hopes to launch a manned mission to Mars.

“In doing research for that project, the challenge was, how do we generate air for breathing, heat, electricity and water to sustain life on Mars?” Shanahan said. “It dawned on him [CEO KR Sridhar] those are all things we need here on Earth.”

Bloom Energy specializes in solid oxide fuel cells, using a solid ceramic material as an electrolyte. At approximately 800 degrees Celsius, warmed air enters the cathode side of the fuel cell and steam mixes with fuel to produce reformed fuel.

Next, the chemical reaction begins in the fuel cell.

As the reformed fuel crosses the anode, it attracts oxygen ions from the cathode. The oxygen ions com-

bine with the reformed fuel to produce electricity, water, and small amounts of carbon dioxide. The water gets recycled to produce the steam needed to reform the fuel. The process also generates the heat required by the fuel cell.

“There is no combustion or burning or anything like that taking place,” Shanahan said, later adding, “Probably the propane tank you use for your barbecue is more of a hazard than a fuel cell is.”

One fuel cell creates 25 watts, enough to power a light bulb. Those cells are stacked into four inch by four inch “stacks” – enough to power a single-family home for a year. Those stacks are combined into larger modules, and six modules form a system. The system in this case will produce 200 kilowatts, enough power to electrify 160 homes or, in this case, a Home Depot store.

Shanahan said the typical carbon dioxide emissions of a fuel cell are less than one-third of typical energy emissions from the United States energy grid.

They’re fairly quiet – the nearest home occupants, located 150 feet away, could hear a “humming noise” no more than 57 decibels, which is quieter than typical conversation and air conditioning but louder than a refrigerator. They’re durable, too – a threemegawatt installation for DelMarVa made it through Superstorm Sandy with “no problem,” Shanahan said.

Planning Board Chairman Paul Mandelik seemed amiable to the proposal.

“It doesn’t bother me. Huntington may be on the cutting edge on Long Island,” he said. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

What To Ask At Your Foundation’s Portfolio Review

By Peter Klein info@longislandergroup.com

So you happen to sit on an Investment Committee at a foundation or a nonprofit, with responsibility (yes, fiduciary responsibility!) to understand what is happening in that portfolio and the effect it may have on your organization’s effectiveness to meet their stated mandate.

What board members really want to know is what they should be asking at a portfolio review meeting in order to gain the most insights on the portfolio and its plan to meet the goals of the organization.

Let’s start off with performance, for it is probably the first thing on the investor’s mind (although the first thing on my agenda is always a review of the organization’s specific circumstances – have there been any meaningful changes? anything that the adviser should know about?). The adviser should walk the Investment Com-

mittee through a well-defined process which starts with relative performance (how your performance compares with a benchmark).

You are not going to want to compare your portfolio to a “full variety” of market benchmarks, because that will likely muddy the waters too much. What you want to do is compare your performance to a benchmark crafted to your portfolio’s holdings and style. Note: returns should always be shown net of fees and as a time-weighted return calculation— adjusting for inflows and outflows of capital over the period – and of course, total returns – income plus growth.

Next we want to ask about the portfolio’s asset allocation – how the assets are divided up – and the returns on each “sleeve” of the allocation matrix.

Advisers should be able to break down for the committee or board the returns on each asset class and sub-asset class (i.e. large cap growth, small cap value, international fixed income, etc.). Then we want to drill down on

each holding in the portfolio to see how much return it is bringing to the proverbial table. This is called attribution analysis—looking at each position and seeing where the gains and losses are coming from. This is helpful because you don’t want all of your return coming from one or two positions. You would prefer to see a series of returns. That shows that the adviser’s process is sound and working rather than simply getting lucky.

If the adviser has passed along the management of the portfolio to a manager (“managed account”) or has many mutual funds in the portfolio rather than stewarding the capital him or herself (typically more cost effective), the Investment Committee should ask about style fidelity. In other words, we invested with this manager to add diversity to the portfolio by investing in large cap value stocks and it has done well, but when we peel back the onion we find substantial positions in small growth companies (far from value stocks). This should give the seasoned

investor some pause, for it is not what you hired the manager to do.

On the fixed income side of the portfolio, we need to understand the average rating, the average duration (a measure of sensitivity to changes in interest rates), as well as the cash flow generated and the maturity (or call) schedule of the positions.

Finally, while it is not a critical concern to the tax-exempt foundation or nonprofit, we want to look at tax effects of the portfolio. Tax efficiency is an important mandate and your adviser should take it seriously—so buying a mutual fund with an imbedded capital gain in November is not such a good idea. Keeping taxes front and center is a hallmark of a good adviser.

Peter J. Klein, CFA is managing director and partner of Melville-based Klein Wealth Management/HighTower Advisors where he and his team help create legacies for generations to come. His articles appear regularly in Long Islander News’ Business Section.

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Foodie photo/Danny Schrafel

A12 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015

DINEHUNTINGTON .COM

Dine Huntington’s Just Warming Up

By The Foodies foodies@longislandergroup.com

In like a lion, out like a lamb; conventional wisdom that applies to the month of March, and wisdom we hope applies to Dine Huntington’s spring restaurant week, too.

Only the hardiest of souls ventured out Sunday to partake in the opening night of Dine Huntington Restaurant Week amidst another wintry blast, but the ones that did were in for a real treat.

Across Huntington, 24 restaurants are offering up delightful $27.95 three-course prix fixes featuring some of their favorites along with new creations whipped up just for the occasion.

Dine Huntington Restaurant Week’s first spring edition concludes on March 8, the same day of the St. Patrick’s parade which is expected to draw thousands to town for a celebration of Irish culture earlier in the day. Why not cap off a day of revelry with a fantastic meal? Make sure to swing by a Dine Huntington-participating restaurant and order up your favorites, or explore a new destination and expand your horizons.

No matter how you go about it, peruse this selection of some of each restaurant’s offerings on tap for this weekend’s celebration. Bon appétit!

Almarco 13 Wall St., Huntington 631-935-1690 Your choice of soup or salad, any entrée and a St. Joseph’s pastry Besito 402 New York Ave., Huntington 631-549-0100 Full menu available (except where noted) – choose one app, one entrée, one dessert Bistro Cassis 55B Wall St., Huntington

631-421-4122 Onglet Frites – Grilled hanger steak, French fries and maitre d’hotel Bistro 44 44 Main St., Northport 631-262-9744 Lobster and spinach ravioli with shallots, herbs and cream Black & Blue Seafood Chophouse 65 Wall St., Huntington 631-385-9255 Lobster-crusted Atlantic Salmon, crushed fingerling potatoes, sautéed baby spinach and truffle butter sauce Bravo! Nader 9 Union Place, Huntington 631-351-1200 Baked fresh sea bass Oreganata over creamed spinach Café Buenos Aires 23 Wall St., Huntington 631-603-3600 Paella – saffron rice w/shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari and chicken Cinque Terre 872 E. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington Station 631-923-1255 Veal Cinque Terre – veal Scallopine served w/wild mushrooms and roasted peppers in a Marsala demiglace served with grilled asparagus tips Cirella’s 14 Broadhollow Road, Melville 631-385-7380 Boneless short ribs, slowly cooked in a marsala wine sauce w/wild mushrooms, garnished with a creamy risotto Fado 10 New St., Huntington 631-351-1010 Portuguese-style baby back ribs with jalapeno cheddar corn bread, slow-

Eddie and Allison Nobre show one of their Restaurant Week menu’s highlights – Portuguese-style baby back ribs. braised Collard Greens cabbage and drizzled in piri-piri sauce Honu Kitchen & Cocktails 363 New York Ave., Huntington 631-421-6900 Full menu available – choose one app, one entrée, one dessert Ideal Cheese & Wine Cafe 308 Main St., Huntington 631-923-3434 Beer & Cheddar burger – exclusive blend of short rib, brisket and 80/20 chop stuffed and topped w/melted beer cheddar, caramelized onions, bacon, jalapeno; served w/pommes frites Jewel Restaurant 400 Broad Hollow Road, Melville 631-755-5777 Short Ribs, root-beer braised, roasted carrots, buttermilk smashed potatoes and an onion pickle Jonathan's Ristorante 15 Wall St., Huntington 631-549-0055 Risotto ai Funghi w/Italian Arborio rice, mixed wild mushrooms and truffle oil La Parma II 452 W Jericho Turnpike, Huntington 631-367-6360 Shrimp Anthony – braded jumbo shrimp in a marsala wine sauce w/prosciutto, portabella mushrooms, onions and melted mozzarella Mascali Restaurant 277A Larkfield Road, E. Northport 631-757-2404 Pan-seared sea scallops, finished in a fresh-squeezed lime cilantro and butter, topped with Cassis pearls Mill Pond House 437 E. Main St., Centerport 631-261-7663

Double-cut pork chop with mushroom risotto, sautéed kale and natural jus Neraki 273 Main St., Huntington 631-358-3474 Grilled porgy with rice Piccola Bussola 970 W. Jerico Turnpike, Huntington 631-692-6300 Prime: An American Kitchen and Bar 117 New York Ave., Huntington 631-385-1515 Shrimp & Lobster Wontons – panseared, hoisin glaze and miso mustard Ruvo Restaurant 63 Broadway, Greenlawn 631-261-7700 Long Island Clam Flatbread w/fire roasted peppers, red chilis, wild oregano, fontina and olive oil Storyville American Table 43 Green St., Huntington 631-351-3446 Charbroiled oysters – plump, handshucked Gulf oysters, topped w/cheesy Mornay sauce and broiled until golden-brown Tutto Pazzo 84 N. New York Ave., Huntington 631-271-2253 Famous homemade ravioli twisters in pomodoro sauce Vitae Wine Bar & Restaurant 54 New St., Huntington 631-385-1919 Pan-roasted Scottish salmon w/wild mushroom-potato hash, roasted asparagus and Cabernet-Merlot butter

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A13

Side Dish www.facebook.com/dinehuntington

DINEHUNTINGTON .COM

Owner Steve Chen sits at the sleek sushi bar at Mio in East Northport.

Rite Aid store. With 11 hibachi tables on one side and sit-down dining on the other, diners have an array of experiences awaiting them. The menu is diverse, with a raw bar, sushi rolls ($4-$16), sushi pieces and entrees ($3-$24), Japanese specialties (like the crispy duck for $20 or Udon noodles for $15), and hibachi entrees ($15-$24). Lunch specials – and free delivery for orders $25 or more – are tempting, with roll specials ($9-$12), create-your-own lunch box ($12), a sushi bar lunch ($11-$14), hibachi lunch ($8-$14) or Japanese classics ($10).

Join Us For Our Prix Fixe Menu!

MIO ROLLS IN: There’s a new Japanese WINE AND DINE: After Restaurant

restaurant in town. Mio Sushi & Steakhouse (in the Elwood Cinema shopping center at 1932 Jericho Turnpike, East Northport 631-4868900 miojapanese.com) welcomed its first customers on Feb. 27. The inside is sleek, trendy and sweeping – Mio takes over the old Torcello’s restaurant along with half of the old

Week, participant Prime: An American Kitchen & Bar (117 New York Ave., Huntington 631-385-1515 restaurantprime.com) will keep the excitement going with a special wine dinner featuring Bedell Cellars on March 9. The three-course pairing dinner by Executive Chef Ben Durham and his culinary team is $75.

437 East Main Street, Centerport, NY 11721 Hours: Monday - Thursday - 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Friday - Saturday - 12 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Sunday - 12 p.m. - 9 p.m.

631-261-7663 | www.millpondrestaurant.com

g n i r p SDINEHUNTINGTON

A14 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015

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R E S TA U R A N T MARCH 1-8, 2015

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3-Course Prix Fixe

27

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95

(SATURDAY TO 7 P.M ONLY)

PARTICIPATING RESTAUR ANTS:

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A15

PARADE

“Father Stephen is an integral part of our community extending well beyond his local parish St. Patrick’s.

Come parade day, it will be easy to spot Father Stephen, the gentle giant leading his ‘flock’ down Main Street,” organizers said in announcing the parade.

Donnelly’s path to the priesthood began later in life. When he graduated Deer Park High School in 1973, he aspired to be involved in law enforcement and earned a degree in criminal justice. When that didn’t pan out, he took work with an A&P supermarket.

After 15 years as a manager, he began his theological formation in September 1991 and was ordained in June 1997. He then took assignments in New Hyde Park, North Merrick and Sound Beach before coming to Huntington a little more than four and a half years ago.

Here, he has become a widely respected and popular community figure. Rich McGrath, a 2008 grand marshal who co-chairs the parade’s selec-

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

With the Ancient Order of Hibernians’ 81st Annual Huntington St. Patrick’s Parade just around the corner, Grand Marshal Father Stephen Donnelly, who has distinguished himself in the community as an associate pastor at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church, said he can’t wait to kick off the parade Sunday.

“I feel wonderful,” he said. “When they announced it back in September, it was a great thing… I didn’t realize the magnitude of it. To be leading it is just a wonderful, wonderful thing. I’m more humbled as it gets closer.”

At 2 p.m. sharp on March 8, Donnelly will take his first steps in leading an array of Hibernians, elected officials, marching bands and step-dance performers as they make their way down Main Street.

If the weather is good, Donnelly said he expects great turnout to beat a winter’s worth of cabin fever, he said.

tion committee with 1979’s grand marshal, Dominick Feeney, Sr., fondly Donnelly a “gentle giant.”

In addition to his pastoral work, Donnelly has distinguished himself in the service of those struggling with addiction. Calling on his personal experience to bring hands-on aid to those in need, Donnelly has become a popular speaker at community forums and is active in several drug-awareness organizations.

Donnelly has also been directly of service to the Ancient Order of Hibernians’ Huntington Division 4 as their acting chaplain for several years.

The Hibernians will celebrate the season at their annual Grand Marshal’s Ball, set for Friday, March 6 at the Huntington Crescent Club. Tickets are still available; call Greg Kennedy at 631-425-2500.

The parade begins mustering at

Long Islander News photo/archives

Hibernians Ready To Paint The Town Green

Father Stephen Donnelly will lead the Ancient Order of Hibernians’ 81st annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Sunday.

the corner of Church Street and Route 110 in Huntington Station at 1 p.m., and will step off at 2 p.m. sharp, progressing down New York Avenue to Main Street, before concluding outside St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in the village.

OPEN HOUSES

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

Call Associate Publisher Peter Sloggatt at 631-427-7000 or send an e-mail to psloggatt@longislandergroup.com.

Town Huntington Sta Commack Dix Hills Greenlawn Huntington Huntington Melville Northport Lloyd Neck Melville Melville Huntington Huntington S. Huntington Dix Hills Dix Hills Melville Huntington Huntington Melville Melville Melville

DIX HILLS

MELVILLE

DIX HILLS

9 Dianes Ct Bedrooms 5 Baths 4 Price $1,375,000 Taxes $22,531 Open House 3/5 12:00pm-1:30pm Daniel Gale Agency Inc 631-692-6770

9 Split Rock Ct Bedrooms 4 Baths 4 Price $881,020 Taxes $21,077 Open House 3/7 12:30pm-2:30pm Douglas Elliman Real Estate 631-549-4400

17 Ryder Ave Bedrooms 4 Baths 4 Price $729,000 Taxes $15,965 Open House 3/8 12:00pm-2:00pm Coldwell Banker Residential 631-673-6800

Address 11 Leyden St 3 Brian St 9 Dianes Ct 48 Oakwood St 26 Jacobsen St 29 Maurice Ln 9 Split Rock Ct 10 Amanda Ct 23 Watch Way 139 Wolf Hill Rd 109 Northgate Cir 94 W Shore Rd 460 W Main St 45 Weston St 274 Marlin St 17 Ryder Ave 50 Quintree Ln 6 E Neck Rd 60 Old Field Rd 34 Tamara Ct 231 Altessa Blvd 7 Carry Ln

Beds 2 5 5 3 6 4 4 4 4 3 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 4 3 5 3 5

Baths 1 3 4 2 4 3 4 3 3 1 3 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 5

Price $254,900 $859,000 $1,375,000 $418,879 $499,000 $729,000 $881,020 $949,000 $999,000 $412,000 $479,000 $579,000 $629,000 $629,000 $669,000 $729,000 $745,000 $799,000 $899,000 $919,000 $1,199,000 $1,299,000

Taxes $5,760 $16,500 $22,531 $10,752 $16,036 $15,989 $21,077 $18,307 $24,737 $9,312 $11,246 $13,197 $16,153 N/A $13,500 $15,965 $20,868 $15,528 $25,260 $17,748 $9,477 $28,969

Date 3/5 3/5 3/5 3/7 3/7 3/7 3/7 3/7 3/7 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8 3/8

Time 12:00pm-2:00pm 12:00pm-2:00pm 12:00pm-1:30pm 12:00pm-2:00pm 1:00pm-3:00pm 12:00pm-2:00pm 12:30pm-2:30pm 10:00am-12:00pm 2:30pm-4:00pm 1:00pm-3:00pm 12:00pm-1:30pm 1:00pm-1:00pm 1:00pm-3:00pm 1:00pm-2:30pm 1:00pm-3:00pm 12:00pm-2:00pm 1:00pm-3:00pm 2:00pm-4:00pm 1:00pm-3:00pm 2:00pm-4:00pm 1:00pm-3:00pm 2:00pm-4:00pm

Broker Coldwell Banker Residential Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc Daniel Gale Agency Inc Douglas Elliman Real Estate Coldwell Banker Residential Daniel Gale Agency Inc Douglas Elliman Real Estate Signature Premier Properties Daniel Gale Agency Inc Shawn Elliott Luxury Homes Daniel Gale Agency Inc Douglas Elliman Real Estate Coldwell Banker Residential Realty Executives North Shore Coldwell Banker Residential Coldwell Banker Residential Coldwell Banker Residential Daniel Gale Agency Inc Daniel Gale Agency Inc Douglas Elliman Real Estate Douglas Elliman Real Estate Realty Connect USA LLC

Phone 631-673-6800 631-360-1900 631-692-6770 631-549-4400 631-673-6800 631-692-6770 631-549-4400 631-673-3700 631-692-6770 516-364-4663 631-427-6600 631-549-4400 631-673-6800 631-499-4040 516-864-8100 631-673-6800 516-864-8100 631-427-6600 631-427-6600 631-499-9191 631-499-9191 888-236-6319

A16 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015

THURSDAY Senior Advocates

Suffolk County Office for the Aging Senior Advocates meet with interested and needy seniors ages 60 and over this winter at the following locations in the Town of Huntington: Huntington Senior Nutrition Center, 423 Park Ave., Huntington: Wednesday, March 25, 8:3011:30 a.m.; Paumanack Village I & II, 650 Paumanack Village Drive, Greenlawn: Tuesday, March 24, 10 a.m.1 p.m.; Paumanack Village V & VI, 100 Adriatic Drive, Melville: Thursday, March 26, 8:30-11:30 a.m.; Monday, March 9, 10 a.m.-noon. Advocates assist with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP – formerly known as food stamps), Medicare Savings Program and Heating Emergency Assistance Program (HEAP) applications. 631-853-8200.

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Calendar O M M U N I T Y

Kiss Me, Kate

HJC Park Avenue Players present Cole Porter's “Kiss Me, Kate,” the fun and romantic musical classic which is "Too Darn Hot" on Saturday, March 7 at 8 p.m. and Sundays, March 1 and 8 at 3 p.m. $18 general admission, $10 children 5 and under. Premium and patron seats $25/$50. Huntington Jewish Center, 510 Park Ave. For more info or tickets, please call 631-427-1089 ext.

10 / 631-697-3666 or log onto hjcny.org/kiss-me-kate.

‘The Sweet Spot at Cucina ‘D’

Chef Danyell Miller of Campari Ristorante in Northport, music producer/singer-songwriter Toby Tobias and local food advocate Dylan Licopoli have banded together to create a new music/dining on March 7 and March 14. $25 general admission gets you a choice of tapas and a beverage while enjoying a fusion of live world music.

Or, enjoy a $50 three-course prix-fixe with a beverage. 225 Main St., Northport. For more information, call Toby Tobias at 516-850-4815 or email seeme@sweetspotvenue.com.

Live Music

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

Farmer’s Market

Shop at a farmer’s market at Main Street Nursery, 475 West Main St., Huntington, every Saturday until March 21, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 631-271-0160.

Vendors welcome.

95 Harbor Road, Cold Spring Harbor.

631-692-6820. cshlibrary.org.

• The artwork of the talented Cold Spring Harbor School District's students in grades 7 -12 is on display March 3-26.

• Join Dorothy and the gang for a live one-hour “Wizard of Oz” performance by the Plaza Theatrical, followed by a meet and greet with the cast on Saturday, March 7, 3:30 p.m.

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

• Enjoy a friendly game of bridge or mah-jongg in the Community Room every Friday, from 1-5:30 p.m.

• Learn about the rich history of World War II pinup girls in an illustrated lecture by art historian Louise Cella on Thursday, March 12, 2-3:30 p.m.

Register at the Circulation Desk.

Deer Park Public Library

Opera Night in Northport

SATURDAY

Cold Spring Harbor Library

Commack Public Library

FRIDAY Opera Night returns March 6 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 270 Main St., Northport. $10 minimum donation. www.operanight.org.

Call 631-261-8808 Professional vocalists perform excerpts from favorite operas.

AT THE LIBRARIES

Opera Night in Northport Opera Night returns March 6 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 270 Main St., Northport. $10 minimum donation. www.operanight.org. Call 631-261-8808 Professional vocalists perform excerpts from favorite operas.

SUNDAY Find Your Center

Find inner peace in an ongoing weekly class for beginners and newcomers every Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Dipamkara Meditation Center, 282 New York Ave., Huntington. 631-549-1000. www.MeditationOnLongisland.org.

Usdan Open House

Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts (www.usdan.com), the nationally acclaimed summer arts day camp, begins its 48th season with new programs this summer. The next open house is on Sunday, March 15, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at the center’s 200-acre woodland campus, at 185 Colonial Springs Road, Wheatley Heights. Call 631-643-7900, write to info@usdan.com, or visit www.usdan.com.

MONDAY Coping With Mental Illness

The Melville-based National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, NAMI, hosts a free, 12-week program for family members who are coping with loved ones with severe mental illness. The class is held every Monday from 7-9 p.m. at the Syosset Hospital through March 23. Contact Susan Palmer at 917-8387436 to register.

TUESDAY Free Mommy And Me Class

Sing! Stretch! Dance! Play! Enjoy a fun-filled class that includes parachute play and bubble play and meet other Jewish moms at The Chai Center in Dix Hills. The free class takes place Tuesdays at 10 a.m. For children ages 6-36 months. Pre-registration required

by phone or online: 631-351-8672. www.thechaicenter.com.

Free Help For Vets

Every Tuesday from 12-4 p.m. is “Military Appreciation Tuesdays,” when Long Island Cares specifically assists veterans, military personnel and their families at the Huntington Station, Hauppauge and Freeport emergency pantries. Appointments can be made by contacting jrosati@licares.org.

WEDNESDAY A Purim Celebration: Purim In France

Join in the fun as The Chai Center celebrates Purim with a fire juggling show, interactive Megillah reading, hot buffet and live music all set to a French theme.

All children who attend in costume will receive a prize. All adults who come dressed in a French costume will receive one free entry into our Basket of Treats Raffle. March 4 at 5 p.m. at The Chai Center, 501 Vanderbilt Pkwy, Dix Hills. $12 per person, $44 family (2 adults up to 3 children). Reservations in advance are required. Call 631-351-8672 or visit www.thechaicenter.com.

Open Mic Night

Play your heart out at an acoustic open mic night every Wednesday at Caffe Portofino, 249 Main St., Northport, 7-10 p.m. www.facebook.com/cafportopenmic.

Original songs only.

Power Breakfast

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

631-462-7446.

44 Lake Ave., Deer Park. 631-586-3000. deerparklibrary.org.

• Through a grant from New York State, the library offers Google Nexus 7 tablets for borrowing. Browse the web, download a book, play games and more with just a touch of your finger. Tablets can be checked out for two weeks on an adult Deer Park library card.

• For this week’s Thursday @ the Movies, come and watch “The Equalizer,” an action/thriller starring Denzel Washington on Thursday, March 5, at 1 p.m. Adults only, no registration required.

Elwood Public Library

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

• Watch the library’s weekly Friday afternoon movie at 1 p.m.

• Stay healthy with Stacy Plaske’s eightweek balance yoga program on Friday, March 6 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Registration costs $32.

Half Hollow Hills Community Library

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

• 3D printing is here! Watch the MakerBot in action for 50 cents of printing for each 30 minutes. For more information, call the Adult Reference Desk.

• Dress your best and bring your resume to meet job recruiters and receive employment information at the job fair on Thursday, March 5 at 1 p.m. No registration required.

Harborfields Public Library

31 Broadway, Greenlawn. 631-757-4200. harborfieldslibrary.org.

• Come in for some fun and games every Friday from 1-4 p.m. The game room is stocked with scrabble, bridge and other fun board games.

• Come and learn about hypnosis and how it works with expert Tina Pineiro on Monday, March 9 at 7 p.m. Register online.

Huntington Public Library

Main Branch: 338 Main St., Huntington.

631-427-5165. Station Branch: 1335 New York Ave., Huntington Station. 631-421-

(Continued on page A17)

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5053. www.thehuntingtonlibrary.org.

• Op-Ed Fridays are weekly at the main branch. Stop by from 2-5 p.m. and discuss your thoughts on a changing world. Registration is required and light refreshments will be served.

• Stay in shape with a weekly morning Tai Chi lesson for beginners. The eightweek program requires a nonrefundable $45 online or in-person registration fee.

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A17

(Continued from page A16)

Angels In America At Five Towns Performing Arts Center “Angels in America” runs Thursday, March 5, Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 8 at 2 p.m. at Five Towns College Performing Arts Center, 305 N. Service Road, Dix Hills. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $12 for seniors and students. Box Office: 631-656-2148. www.dhpac.org.

Northport-East Northport Library

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

• Bring the children for a fun afternoon of family Bingo, a picture version of the game Bingo where everyone wins a prize, on Saturday, March 7, 3-4 p.m.

No registration is required.

• Come and listen to the talented musician Celeste Ray Trio as she performs “Love Song of the Celts” on Sunday, March 8, from 2-3:30 p.m. No registration is required.

South Huntington Public Library

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

• The library has extended hours on Saturday nights in February and March! From 7-9 p.m. patrons will have access to WiFi and the audio-visual collection, which includes Blu-Ray discs, movies and TV series on DVD and video games. Also, each Saturday night at 7 p.m. there will be a show downstairs in the Community Room.

• Join in an evening of rock and roll as talented local teen bands perform live on Saturday, March 7 at 7 p.m. Free tickets can be printed out online or in person at the Circulation Desk.

THEATER/FILM Cinema Arts Centre

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

• Watch a TEDxManhattan talk “Changing the Way We Eat”, a free big screen viewing party in the Sky Room Café, a full-day event featuring a dynamic and diverse group of speakers addressing issues in the sustainable food and farming movement. Everyday café green treats for sale: organic popcorn (with organic butter/sea salt), organic drinks, and more. Co-presented

by Slow Food North Shore, it will be live-streamed from the Times Center in Manhattan on Saturday, March 7, from 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

cabaret-style seating complete with wine/beer on March 7, 8 p.m. and March 7 and 8 at 2 p.m. at the Helen Butler Hall Theatre at Dominican Village, 565 Albany Ave., Amityville. $25 general/$20 students and seniors. Call 631-213-9832 or visit http://townshiptheatregroup.org.

AUDITIONS/SUBMISSIONS Northport Symphony Orchestra

The Northport Symphony Orchestra seeks new members in all sections.

Repertoire ranges from Baroque through classical and romantic to early 20th century. Music Director Richard Hyman is an award-winning music educator and composer. Rehearsals are on Wednesdays from 7:30-9 p.m. usually at East Northport Middle School. Email info@northportorchestra.org to arrange an audition. Website: northportorchestra.org.

MUSEUMS/EXHIBITS Art League of Long Island

107 East Deer Park Road, Dix Hills.

Gallery hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends. 631-462-5400. www.ArtLeagueLI.net.

• Curated by Long Island master printmaker Dan Welden, an exhibition of large-scale woodcuts by Li Kang, one of China’s most celebrated printmakers, will be seen for the first time in the United States at the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery through March 8.

b.j. spoke gallery

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

• “Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike”, the Tony Award-winning play, runs until March 8.

299 Main St., Huntington. Gallery hours: Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. 631-5495106. www.bjspokegallery.com.

• March brings a benefit exhibition of artists’ trading cards from March 3-29, with an opening reception March 7 from 2-5 p.m. with a 3 p.m. welcoming address. 50 percent of the proceeds go to VIBS Family Violence and Rape Crisis Center.

Township Theatre Group

Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum

John W. Engeman Theater At Northport

• “Finnegan’s Farewell” is an interactive comedy by the co-creators of “Tony ’n’ Tina's Wedding.” Come to an authentic Irish wake and pay your respects to beloved U. S. Postal worker Patrick James Finnegan, who won millions in Atlantic City then promptly died. As Father Seamus presides, the audience is treated to eulogies, sing-alongs, Irish music, dancing and a surprise twist. Enjoy

279 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor.

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

• The year-long exhibit “Sea Ink: American Sailors and Tattoo Art” explores the culture and significance of nautical tattoos and their historical origins from sailors’ lives at sea. The exhibit features an array of tattoo artifacts, antique machines, early inking

tools and Sailor Jerry flash art.

Heckscher Museum Of Art

2 Prime Ave., Huntington. Museum hours: Wednesday - Friday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., first Fridays from 4-8:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission $6-8/adults, $46/seniors, and $4-5/children; members and children under 10 free. 631-3513250.

• The museum presents “Modern Alchemy: Experiments in Photography,” on view through March 15.

Holocaust Memorial And Tolerance Center

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

516-571-8040 ext. 100. www.holocaustnassau.org.

• The permanent exhibit explains the 1930s increase of intolerance, the reduction of human rights, and the lack of intervention that enabled the persecution and mass murder of millions of Jews and others: people with disabilities, Roma and Sinti (Gypsies), Jehovah’s Witnesses, gays and Polish intelligentsia.

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. 631-271-8423. www.huntingtonarts.org.

• The works of Alice Riordan will be featured in her solo exhibit “A Lifetime of Art,” drawing, paintings and sculpture.

Opening reception on Friday, March 6, 6-8 p.m.

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 Memorial Building, 228 Main St. 631427-7045, ext. 401. www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

• The next Lunch & Learn program, “Around Huntington Village,” is March 12 at Black & Blue Restaurant in Huntington village at noon. $40 members/$45 non-members. Price includes a gourmet three-course meal.

Reservations required; call 631-4277045 ext. 404.

Northport Historical Society Museum

215 Main St., Northport. Museum hours:

Tuesday - Sunday, 1-4:30 p.m. 631-7579859. www.northporthistorical.org.

Ripe Art Gallery

1028 Park Ave., Huntington. TuesdayThursday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday, 2-8 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. www.ripeartgal.com. 631-239-1805.

• Next up is “FemINus,” a ladies-only group show, with an opening reception Saturday, March 21, 7 p.m.

Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium

180 Little Neck Road, Centerport.

Museum hours through April 15: 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. 631854-5555. www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.

• Experience hurricanes, volcanoes, gigantic whales and ocean currents in the planetarium’s new show, “Dynamic Earth.” Regular showings at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Walt Whitman Birthplace

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

• Schedule at a time convenient for your group for high tea and transport yourself back in time as your group experiences High Tea in a private gathering house at the Birthplace. $25/person. 631-4275240, ext. 120. teaparty@waltwhitman.org.

MUSIC & DANCE Five Towns College Performing Arts Center

Five Towns College, 305 N. Service Road, Dix Hills. Box Office: 631-6562148. www.dhpac.org.

• “Angels in America” runs Thursday, March 5, Friday, March 6, and Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 8 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $12 for seniors and students.

The Paramount

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

• The Marshall Tucker Band plays Saturday, March 21 at 8 p.m. Tickets: $25-$59.50.

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

A18 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A19

announcement!

The water is important to our readers so it’s important to us.

Join Long Islander News as we launch a special Nautical Section with a two-week kickoff starting next week. In our March 12 and March 19 editions, we will take a closer look at the interests and issues of the Town of Huntington’s boating community.

Have an idea for us? Want your organization to be included?

Call us at 631-427-7000 or email info@longislandergroup.com, and help us make this section a staple for our water-lovers.

A20 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015

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Challenger league helps kids play ball (Continued from page A1)

give out.”

Helping kids with disabilities – such as autism or Down syndrome – get onto the court and play the game they love is the idea Challenger basketball was founded upon by Commissioner Maribeth Kramer in 2008.

Kramer’s son, Matthew, was entering third grade at the time and loved to play basketball, so she had an idea.

“I went to the Dix Hills Basketball Association and told them that we have a population of special needs kids here that love to play sports,” Kramer, of Dix Hills, said. “We started with 15 kids and grew to now 36 in total, and they love it. To see how their skills have developed over the years feels great to watch.”

With two different sessions – “varsity” and “junior varsity” – the kids of Challenger basketball have been able to hone their basketball skills thanks to

the program’s “buddy” system. Each year, a buddy manager – typically a high school student in the Half Hollow Hills School District – volunteers their time each and every Saturday morning by coming down to Vanderbilt Elementary School and working with the kids to play basketball while recruiting other buddies to do the same.

This year, that manager was Ryan – senior at High School East and a captain on this year’s varsity team.

“I love playing basketball and I love [working] with kids so this was just a perfect match,” Ryan, who’s off to Binghamton University next fall, said.

“Everyone is in a good mood, everyone is upbeat and the kids love it.”

Ryan stressed the importance that his younger siblings step into his shoes once he ultimately does leave for college. He wants to make sure the Pliskin name is associated with Challenger basketball even when he’s not

able to be there himself.

“He gets it,” Michael said of his son. “This is just a beautiful thing to give back to the community… He’s gotten so much out of it [too]; it’s made him a better person. So, yes, I’m proud of Ryan for doing this, but I’m also proud of the fact that it’s enabled my son to become a better person.”

On Saturday, Ryan recruited members of the High School East basketball program to come down and work with Challenger basketball; the kids got a taste of what it’s like to be Thunderbirds.

“To see these kids have smiles on their faces… and watch them be successful in any way possible is just great to see,” Peter Basel, head coach for Hills East’s varsity team, said.

Basel said he’d love to get the varsity program further involved with Challenger basketball in the future.

With this season coming to a close,

A team huddle caps off the day. however, those thoughtd will have to wait as the baseball diamond now comes into view this spring. For the kids in the Challenger basketball program, though, that change becomes as simple as grabbing a bat and stepping up to the plate for Half Hollow Hills Little League, which has a challenger team of its own.

For more information on Challenger basketball visit: www.eteamz.com/Dixhillsbasketball.

‘Swinging’ to The Paramount’s tunes (Continued from page A1)

[my wife and me] to learn more dance moves… We were pretty much out dancing from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. every night.”

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, founded in Ventura, Calif. in 1993, was created by members Scotty Morris (lead vocals, guitar) and Kurt Sodergren (drums, percussion). The band has since released nine studio albums and has seen success in hit singles like “Go Daddy-O,” “You & Me & the Bottle Makes 3 Tonight (Baby)” and “Mr. Pinstripe Suit.” In 1999, the

band performed during halftime of Super Bowl XXXIII. “These events have been very successful, and we’re very happy with the turnout,” Calderon, of Greenlawn, said. “This year we’re offering a dance lesson prior to the contest so that people can get a taste of what East Coast Swing is.”

For concert-goers, the show starts at 8 p.m. Prior to that, however, Swing Dance of Long Island takes over at 6 p.m. for the dance lesson before the contest begins at 6:30 p.m. From 7 p.m. until the show begins at 8 p.m.,

the floor will be wide-open for any and all dancers to step into the spotlight.

Once Big Bad Voodoo Daddy takes the stage, the dancing will continue throughout the night.

Welcoming any and all regardless of their skill level is important, Calderon said.

“We’ll show you the moves, you can practice and then we’ll have the show,” he said. “Even if you don’t want to dance, you can always come and watch… It’s a great way to meet people.”

This year, a “Jack and Jill” will

make an appearance – not the fairy tale characters, but in the form of a dancewith-a-stranger contest that welcomes dancers to “mix it up” and dance with a different partner for every song.

“Now you don’t need a partner [beforehand],” said Calderon.

Tickets for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy are available from the box office or at www.paramountny.com and range from $25-$60. Those who wish to participate in the dance contest before the show must have a ticket and join up with Swing Dance of Long Island at www.sdli.org.

Town takes aim at Jericho Turnpike eyesores (Continued from page A1)

the Browsery Antiques at 449 Jericho Turnpike near Dragon Gate Restaurant, shuttered for years and weathered by the elements; and the former ArmyNavy Store at 390 Jericho Turnpike, where the former owners were evicted and a menagerie of cats and dogs and exotic birds were discovered inside in hoarding-like conditions. On Sunday, the front exterior wall of that building, which the town has since condemned, was compromised and pushed inward.

Blighted properties can be a serious drag on quality of life, Huntington’s Steve Rossetti, who lives up the block from Sun Ming, said.

“People were trying to strip the main restaurant building of its scrap metal on the roof – you can see the air conditioners have been opened up, they

might have stolen the condensers,” he said. “It is a true blight to the neighborhood and a safety issue.”

Town code provides two major tools for dealing with eyesores of this sort.

Enacted in 2011, the town’s blight law deems properties blighted when they pile up more than 100 points on a weighted rubric. Owners of homes and businesses enrolled on the blight registry are subject to a fee of $2,500 and $5,000, respectively, until the properties are brought back up to code or a restoration agreement is reached.

Once blighted, the town can then set a hearing with an administrative hearing officer to consider demolition in the most severe cases, with final approval coming from the Town Board.

The former home of Sitar restaurant at 665 Jericho Turnpike was torn down

in late 2013, and Frank’s Nursery was added to the blight registry last April.

For issues such as standing water, litter, tall grass and junk cars, the town board can order a cleanup, costs of which are added to the owner’s tax bill.

At 918 East Jericho Turnpike, the former D’Angelo’s sausage and peppers stand, the town board voted in December to authorize a clearing “pieces of parking lot, used cars, litter and debris.” At the long-vacant Browsery, complaints last June led to the clearing of “exterior violations,” town spokesman A.J. Carter said.

But it’s not all about blight. New development is coming to Jericho Turnpike as well. The former home of the Huntington Townhouse, itself an overgrown, sprawling eyesore before being torn down, is now a Target. The

vacant OTB parlor is being pursued

by Dairy Queen as the site of a new drive-through, and a former Blockbuster Video store near New York Avenue is being redeveloped as a Capital One bank and retail space.

Taco Bell and Westy are building in East Northport, and across from the former Northport Ford, which is being eyed by Quick Chek as a possible site, a new building is being developed, with Burger Fi as an anchor tenant.

In other portions of the stretch, particularly in Huntington Station, Rossetti, a former member of Suffolk County’s Industrial Development Agency, said a lack of sewers is a major hindrance to development.

“You don’t have the capability for changing density,” he said. “That’s got to be the front-running problem.”

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A21

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A22 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015

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MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Native Now General Manager Of San Diego Padres A.J. Preller is the second-youngest GM in Major League Baseball

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Twenty years ago, A.J. Preller was preparing to step onto the baseball diamond for the Wildcats of Walt Whitman High School. Today, the Class of 1995 graduate prepares to send out onto the diamond a team of his own: the San Diego Padres.

On Aug. 6, 2014, Preller, 37, was named the general manager of the Major League Baseball (MLB) club and became the second-youngest general manager in professional baseball.

“It’s an honor to have been selected for this position,” Preller said in a press release at the time of his hiring.

A “Long Islander” at heart, he said, Preller made a splash in his first offseason as general manager by landing seven trades and signing some of baseball’s biggest free agents.

The result?

The Padres – who finished in third place of the National League West last season – are now a team regarded by many as a perennial postseason contender. Outfielders Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Myers now make up what could be one of the best starting outfields in baseball, and starting pitcher James Shields was signed to lead a pitching rotation that has the potential to be elite.

“Now going into spring training and having made some of the addi-

A graduate of Walt Whitman High School and now general manager of baseball’s San Diego Padres, A.J. Preller, left, is pictured during a press conference where it was announced the team traded for all-star outfielder Matt Kemp, right. Inset, Preller’s yearbook picture from his senior year at Whitman. tions [we’ve made], this is a very exciting time throughout San Diego,” Preller, 37, said. “There’s definitely a big-time buzz surrounding the team.”

Preller’s professional journey began after graduating summa cum laude from Cornell University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree. From there, he worked as an intern for the Philadelphia Phillies before joining both Major League Baseball and the front office of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2004, he made the move to Texas where he worked alongside his former fraternity brother, Jon Daniels, the current

general manager of the Rangers.

The experience he gained during that time was invaluable, he said.

“It helped me to get a little taste of everything,” Preller, who worked as the director of international and professional scouting and then assistant general manager for Texas, said. “The decisions that we made that went well – and those that didn’t go so well – we learned from in building a database of [front office] experience.”

But Preller’s baseball experience goes beyond managing – at Walt Whitman he played the game for himself. In fact, the Huntington Sta-

tion native played three sports in the Wildcats’ uniform: soccer, basketball and baseball.

“I learned so many lessons at Whitman by being involved with school and sports,” he said. “I took from there, an environment that was always competitive, to be respectful in terms of a ‘team’ standpoint.”

Having lived in warm-weather environments for the last several years, Preller said he looks forward to his Huntington Station visits during the holidays, not just for the winter weather, but to enjoy some “home cooking,” as well.

“My parents and everybody still live on Long Island [in Huntington Station],” he said. “I definitely view myself as a Long Islander; I still view Huntington Station as my home.”

Now, however, with 32 days now remaining until the Padres kick off the regular season – their opening game is against rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers, on April 6 – Preller is back in the warmer weather of Arizona for the Padres’ spring training.

Having last made the playoffs in 2006, Preller is hopeful that San Diego will be able to compete in a division that will surely test the team’s new parts early and often.

Hopefully, for the better, he said. “[The National League West] is a division with some of the better teams in baseball,” he said. “It’ll be a good test for us and I hope that we continue to get stronger and put out an improved product.”

To print or not to print? Solving a digital dilemma (Continued from page A9)

this will be the preferred format 30 years from now? As other new formats emerge, software programs evolve to accommodate these formats and start to drop support for older formats. There is no incentive for manufacturers to support outdated technology. The situation could even be more difficult if you store your photos in the camera manufactures proprietary RAW format.

These problems don’t take long to surface. They are happening even now. Have you tried to open a floppy disk recently?

Much attention has been given to preserving our files. Hard drives, cloud services and disks are a few of

the more popular options. The outlook for the long-term viability of these options is bleak. Mechanical hard drives crash; five years seems to be the average lifespan. Cloud-based storage services are expensive, and you have no guarantee that any of these companies stay in business. What happens to your files when they go out of business? Maybe your files will be there to retrieve, or maybe not. Burning files to DVDs or CDs has an even shorter shelf life than mechanical hard drives.

Smartphones are not an answer to this problem. In fact, they make it worse. Apple’s iPhone is the most popular camera in the world. Last year it was used to take more photos than any other camera manufactured. Since

photos taken with these little devices are also routinely only displayed on these devices, we often spend very little time thinking about preserving them. Most exchange their phones for a newer version every 18 to 24 months, and almost always, photos are lost in the process.

This recent February school break, my son went on a high school trip to Italy. Against my better advice, he was content to just use his iPhone to record the trip. What are the chances that he will have those photos to show his kids some day?

Backing up our digital files has always been a short-term solution; preserving them has always been and still is the real challenge. As I mentioned

before, the best solution to the longterm problem is an “old school” fix: print your photos. Technology has given use more options for printing than the old days. No longer do you have to print every photo and store them in bulky albums. One of my favorites is to make hard cover bound books based on an event or trip. A book that recaps each year is also popular. Online printers have made the process very easy with user-friendly interfaces. Prices are very reasonable; most have nice options under $30.

Many also have some unique ideas and products for your prints. These options will help you prevent becoming a victim of the inevitable digital “black hole.”

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015 • A23

HillSPORTS BOYS BASKETBALL>> BRENTWOOD 80, HILLS WEST 60

Standing Together Until The End Long Islander News photos/Andrew Wroblewski

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Bill Mitaritonna had taken teams to a Suffolk County final before Monday night. As head coach of the Half Hollow Hills High School West varsity boys basketball team, in fact, he’s been all the way to the Long Island Championship and into the state tournament during his 15 years with the program.

But, despite falling to Brentwood 80-60 in the Suffolk Class AA championship on March 2, not one of those other teams can quite compare with what the 2014-2015 Colts brought to the table.

“This is the best ‘team’ we’ve ever had,” Mitaritonna said. “This is the greatest assembly of unselfish kids we’ve had. They left their egos at home in November… They just wanted to work so hard to get to this point.”

After earning the no. 2 overall seed in this year’s county tournament, the Colts reached the championship game for the first time since 2011. Hills West faced No. 1 Brentwood (21-1), a team widely regarded as one of the best in New York, and fought hard but ultimately saw the game fall out of reach in the fourth quarter.

“We went up against a team that’s extremely talented,” Mitaritonna said.

After the game as the Colts reflected, and it became apparent what Mitaritonna meant when he

Members of the 2014-2015 Colts’s basketball team huddle during Monday’s Suffolk Class AA championship game; head coach Bill Mitaritonna would go on to say that this season’s group was one of the best he’s ever coached. said this was the best “team” he’d ever had.

“I was lucky to be a part of this team,” senior Justin Leonard said. Leonard went for 13 points in his final game as a Colt. “We’re all best friends.”

Senior Jon Faraci – dubbed “Mr. Fourth Quarter” by Mitaritonna – scored 7 points against Brentwood. After taking a year off from basketball

as a junior, Faraci made the decision to hit the court one final time before heading to St. John’s University, where he’ll play baseball this fall.

“This was the best season of my life,” he said.

“Deciding to come back and play basketball was probably the best decision I’ve ever made. I love this team. I made friends, and brothers, for life.”

Senior Josh Koval, who will play soccer in the fall at Lafayette College, said this playoff run was a great way to close out his career.

“To finish that game with my best friends on the court really meant a lot to me,” Koval, who scored 4 points, said. “It just made high school that much better.”

Hills West also graduates Owen Clark, Cody Clarson and Curtis Weingard.

The future, however, is bright. Junior Richard Altenord, a speedy forward who does most of the ball handling for the Colts, established himself as one of the team’s leaders this season. Junior Kian Dalyrimple is a tall guard who is a threat to pull up from just about anywhere on the court.

Cameron Jordan, a hard-nosed forward at 6-foot5, already drives to the basket hard as a sophomore.

Deven Williams, whose crossover left a few defenders stunned during the Suffolk final, will return next year as a senior.

“I can’t wait to start working with them again,” Mitaritonna said. “The sky is the limit.”

GIRLS BASKETBALL

T-Birds Eliminated From Suffolk Playoffs

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Although it’s always preferred, this year’s Lady Thunderbirds reached a point where they weren’t concerned with just “winning,” head coach Adam Cirnigliaro said.

They didn’t want the season to end.

“More than just wins and losses, our team was extremely close,” the first-time head coach said. “We just didn’t want it to end.”

After finishing League II play, the Thunderbirds (10-9) were awarded a no. 14 seed in the Suffolk Class AA tournament. Facing No. 3 Copiague in the first round on Feb. 17, Hills East lost 58-42.

Kristen McKenzie, a senior captain, scored 19 points. Aliyah Minor, another senior captain, scored 8 points.

Both McKenzie and Minor spent

time at forward this year. Averaging 15.8 points per game through league play, McKenzie was given AllCounty honors, he said; for the second-straight year Minor was awarded All-League honors.

Haley Cohen, Tiffany Coleman and captain Dani Lulley round out that group of seniors for Hills East.

“While we’ll lose a lot, we still have a good core coming back,” Cirnigliaro said.

Mesha Rivers, a captain as a junior on this year’s team, is set to return and capitalize on a season where she averaged 7.9 points per game. Eighth-grader Sophia Tawil, along with freshmen Jessica Womble, Alexa Wallace and Jessie Maurer, make up a group of underclassmen that Cirnigliaro is excited to see on the court next season.

Rachel Silverman and Jessica Mersand, a pair of juniors, round

The 2014-2015 Thunderbirds’ season came to a close on Feb. 17 with a playoff loss. out the Thunderbirds’ roster.

Cirnigliaro said he’s already started work on a new team motto for the 2015-2016 season.

“Every time we step onto the court, we need to focus on urgency,” he said. “That’s the mentality that’s going to take us a long way.”

A24 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MARCH 5, 2015

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