Half Hollow Hills - 5/7/2015 Edition by Long-Islander Newspapers

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NEWSPAPER

VOL. 17, ISSUE 13

32 PAGES

THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2015

HALF HOLLOW HILLS

Little League’s ‘Major’ Moment

Teams from the Half Hollow Hills Little League got their shot at the big leagues on May 1 as the New York Mets invited them to walk the warning track of Citi Field before they took on the Nationals. Catch more photos on A31.

Next Up At Paramount: Psychedelic Furs A9

DIX HILLS

Casino Night Benefits Baby Addison By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

Take a stroll through

A fundraiser is being hosted in support of the Garvey family at Woodbury Country Club May 14.

Inside This Issue

Republic Airport Outcry A3

This is one casino visit where you might not mind losing your shirt. A May 14 casino night fundraiser at the Woodbury Country Club will benefit a Dix Hills family whose newborn daughter was born with a rare neurological disorder. The event, hosted by the Testaverde Fund for Spinal Cord Injury, will support a trust fund to benefit 4-month-old Addison Garvey’s future medical care and education. Jen Garvey, a 2006 Hills East grad,

VILLAGE

Page 16-17

(Continued on page A23)

A2 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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HALF HOLLOW HILLS

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Transparency, the handling of Common Core standards and standardized testing and, community involvement – on Monday night at Candlewood Middle School, these were a few of the topics discussed by the 2015 candidates for Half Hollow Hills school board a little more than two weeks prior to the May 19 election. All four of this year’s candidates – Scott McElhiney, Adam Kleinberg, Stephanie Gurin and Adrian Montalvo, who are vying for two seats on the board – attended the panel, which was hosted by the Half Hollow Hills PTA Council, moderated by the Huntington League of Women Voters and drew more than 100 audience members. From the get-go, it became apparent that there is a cry for transparency among residents; the very first question asked the candidates their opinion on the way district officials communicate to parents and residents. McElhiney, a former teacher for Half Hollow Hills and current building principal with the Locust Valley School District, said he understands the importance of being transparent, getting in front of issues and informing the community; “it’s critical,” he said. But McElhney added that he believes the district does an excellent job of informing residents through services like email notifications. However, Kleinberg, an attorney

Long Islander News photo/Andrew Wroblewski

‘Meet The Candidates’ For Hills’ School Board

From left: Half Hollow Hills school board candidates Scott McElhiney, Adam Kleinberg, Stephanie Gurin and Adrian Montalvo field questions from the public during Monday’s Meet the Candidates Night at Candlewood Middle School. who works closely with school districts, disagreed and said that he believes the district could be better when it comes to informing residents. The 12-year resident said should he be elected, he’d push for the live streaming and archiving of meetings so that all residents could have the opportunity to be involved. “Our district is seeking millions of dollars to upgrade technology this year,” he said. “This should be a part of the plan; we need better transparency with our residents.” Gurin, a 14-year resident with a track record of community involvement spanning the PTA, youth sports leagues and more, said she would advocate for a monthly district newsletter with the hopes of better including residents in the dealings of the district. “[The newsletter] would be the hub that keeps everybody united and

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

Special Delivery! From Alaska to Florida, on Saturday, May 9, U.S. Postal Service letter carriers across the country will visit homes and businesses in every city, suburb and town in America to collect food for what is the nation’s largest food drive. Long Islanders are being asked to set out non-perishable food by their mailboxes on May 9, which will then be picked up by their letter carriers while delivering the day’s mail. The letter carriers will then deliver their collected food to an Island Harvest “Stamp Out Hunger” warehouse, where an

army of volunteers will sort food, to be distributed immediately to Island Harvest’s network of 570 member agencies, including food pantries and soup kitchens throughout Long Island. “While the letter carriers do all of the day’s heavy lifting, Stamp Out Hunger makes donating easy. All people have to do is leave their donation by their mailbox,” said Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Island Harvest. “Our goal is for every family to donate something, and let their letter carriers do the rest. It’s that simple.”

together,” she said. Montalvo also said he believed the district plays a vital role in informing the community of events, emergencies and other pieces of information, but also warned that the nature of some issues could affect how and when such information is dispersed. With that transparency, the conversation eventually shifted into the recent debate over Common Core standards and standardized testing, which recently saw record numbers of parents opting their children out of the tests. “The biggest issue facing our community is Common Core and state assessments and what to do with them,” Kleinberg, who said he is against such testing and has opted his children out of them in the past, said. Should he be elected, however, Kleingberg said he wouldn’t let his own personal stance affect his decisions and the decisions of the school board. “My goal is to make sure the community gets the information they want, they deserve and they need so that they’re making an informed decision,” he said. Gurin echoed Kleingberg’s sentiments on the “inappropriate” nature of the testing and said she would push for school curricula to better involve subject areas like the arts, social studies and music. Montalvo, who has a son that attends High School East, said the Half Hollow Hills School District has never typically backed down from raising academic standards, but said that he disagrees with the way that the Common Core had been rolled out statewide. McElhiney, who has two daughters – one in the third grade and another in the fifth – maintains a simi-

lar viewpoint to Montalvo’s in terms of how Common Core was applied, but said that he chose not to opt his children out of testing in part because a low participation rate could affect school aid. “I believe in high standards,” he said. “I support formal and informal assessments; assessing students is how we know they’re learning. I’m against opting out. I think students should take the state tests. I can’t support anything that takes money away from the school community.” From this conversation, another based on increased community involvement with school board members arose. Gurin said she believes social media could play a major part in how the school board interacts with the community in providing an avenue for discussion on issues such as Common Core and standardized testing. Kleinberg agreed and said that keeping an open conversation between residents and himself, should he be elected, would be key. But while Gurin and Kleinberg had used social media and technology as a potential avenue for that open communication with the community, Montalvo and McElhiney said they believe there are other ways to do it. While he has been an active Twitter user during his time as principal for Bayville Intermediate in Locust Valley, McElhiney said that he stays involved with the community in other ways. Similarly, Montalvo agreed. “I’m more of a face-to-face type of person,” Montalvo said. “I ask that you don’t judge me on what I say, or what I don’t say, on social media; I ask that you judge me on my actions.”

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A3

MELVILLE

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

They may not always see eye to eye, but a packed room of more than 200 civic leaders, elected officials, board of education leaders, business organization chiefs and representatives of the state’s Republic Airport Commission spoke in one voice April 30 when they told the state to back off plans to intensify the use of Republic Airport. “On this issue, and on preserving the airport and keeping it the way it is now, we are united,” said Alissa Taff, president of the Civic Association of Sweet Hollow and organizer of a civic meeting last week at the Melville Fire Department. The state, which currently owns and runs Republic Airport, is seeking operations, management and business development services for the airport from a qualified firm as part of a 40-year contract. Part of that contract would include analysis as to whether the airport’s ownership should be privatized. The RFP came due Monday at 2

p.m. In late March, New York State Department of Transportation spokesperson Jennifer Post said four firms had already expressed interest. Taff and others slammed the state’s proposal, arguing the Republic Airport RFP amounted to little more than a poorly planned, secretive attempt to give to private business control of the general aviation airport and would ultimately bring in more traffic and larger planes without regard for taxpayers or surrounding residents. “The communities and the businesses and the elected officials have to sit down at the table and come up with a plan much better than this. This has to stop,” she said. During a Feb. 5 visit to Farmingdale State College, Governor Andrew Cuomo spoke of plans for Republic Airport in the context of a proposal to redevelop Kennedy and LaGuardia airports. Under that plan, he said ownership of Republic could be privatized, and some flights from Kennedy and LaGuardia would be re-routed to Republic to promote more efficient travel. The governor

Long Islander News photos/Danny Schrafel

Leaders Bash Republic Airport Plans

Hundreds pack a civic meeting April 30 to raise concerns over the state’s vision to expand Republic Airport in neighboring Farmingdale. Inset, a small jet taxis at the airport’s Northeastern Airways terminal Sunday. also said he supports converting 50 acres of the 527-acre Republic Airport campus into a tax-free zone, complete with a business park and free trade zone. The vision, which was first shared in his 2015 State of the State address, came as a surprise, said Assemblymen Chad Lupinacci and Andrew Raia, a pair of Republicans

who represent the Town of Huntington. Like the assemblymen, civic, town and other state leaders have complained the Department of Transportation has left them in the dark. Frank Nocerino, chairman of the Republic Airport Commission, said (Continued on page A20)

A4 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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POLICE REPORT Compiled by Danny Schrafel

In Full Bloom

Now That’s Petty Larceny

natural vitamins. Just make sure you put on lots of sunscreen, even in this early that means it’s time for the Huntington Tulip part of the sun season. Freckles Festival, and by all accounts, it appears that the may be cute while you’re young, weekend went as advertised. but when you get to be my age, IN THE KNOW Right on schedule, the tulips you wish you’d remembered to WITH AUNT ROSIE blossomed in Heckscher Park, slather more on way back when! enjoyed by scores who strolled through the park on a lovely spring day. I can’t Pass the popcorn… While wait to see how my pictures came out – maybe we’re on this outdoor kick, pencil in a few dates I’ll put them in the tulip photo contest this year! this summer for this summer’s Movies on the Lawn series. It looks like the Town of HuntingFire up the grill… It took a little longer this ton has booked some serious blockbusters for year, but I finally got the ol’ charcoal barbecue your viewing pleasure! The movies on the grill out of the garage for a barbecue this weekdocket are: “Paddington” on June 29 at end. Now, I need some ideas. I feel like I’ve gotHeckscher Park in Huntington; “Raiders of the ten into a bit of a rut on the grilling front the last Lost Ark” at Crab Meadow Beach in Northport few years, and I’m hoping you have some ideas July 9; “Big Hero 6” at Crab Meadow on July to share with me. What’s your favorite grilling 23; and on Aug. 17, you get to pick a Disney recipe? Send it my way by email or snail mail. flick. The vote is between “Cinderella” (the If it’s particularly lip-smacking, I’ll share it here 2015 version), “Frozen” with a bonus singwith all of our friends here – with your consent, along, and “Maleficent.” The winner will be of course. I know how some people get about shown at Peter Nelson Park in South Huntingsharing recipes. ton Aug. 17. Both of the Crab Meadow movies are drive-in presentations. Visit Sunny days… On sunny days, I like to sit out huntingtonny.gov/moviesonthelawn to vote. on my back lawn and just take in the vitamin D. Did you know that more than three million (Aunt Rosie wants to hear from you! If you Americans are found to be vitamin D deficient have comments, ideas, or tips about what’s hapevery year? It wouldn’t surprise me if many of pening in your neck of the woods, write to me tothem were from the northeast, especially after day and let me know the latest. To contact me, the winter we’ve had! Kids today spend so much drop a line to Aunt Rosie, c/o The Long-Islander, time in their houses, too. It’s such a shame. Do 14 Wall Street, Huntington NY 11743. Or try the yourself a favor and get some air and sun and e-mail at aunt.rosieli@gmail.com)

Tiptoe through the tulips… If it’s May,

PICTURE THIS TO THE PILLORY!

A Centereach man, 31, was charged with two counts of petit larceny April 29 after he allegedly helped himself to Marlboro cigarettes, small bottles of Pepsi and candy bars at a Broad Hollow Road Sunoco station at 8:15 a.m.

Sweet Dreams? Hardly Cops were called April 29 after two bags were stolen from a 2014 Toyota Camry parked outside the Hilton Long Island in Melville after 8 p.m. Paperwork was in one bag, while gym clothes were in another.

Jewelry Stolen Jewelry was reported stolen from a Blueberry Court residence in Melville April 29. The incident occurred between 8:30 a.m. April 24 and the call to cops. There were no signs of forced entry.

Up In Smoke The owner of a Melville Citgo station on Walt Whitman Road filed a grand-larceny complaint with Suffolk County police April 28. Police said that, between September and December 2014, someone stole more than $1,000 worth of cigarettes from the store.

Hit And Run Bust

QUOTE OF THE WEEK FRANK NOCERINO

“No one’s going to come in our community and change the quality of life that we live, we play and we work every day. You’re not running this community from Albany.” Caitlin Stone, 10, of Commack, learns a little history at the Kissam House on Sunday.

Leaders Bash Republic Airport Plans, PAGE A3

A Hauppauge man, 46, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident April 28. Police said that, on April 10 at 2 p.m., the man whacked his 2008 Toyota into a 2002 Jeep, then fled.

Foreclosed Home Burglarized An unoccupied, foreclosed home on Suncrest Drive in Dix Hills was damaged April 27. Between 7 a.m. April 26 and the next day, someone damaged an alarm box in the basement, according to a criminal complaint.

Photo by Ross McTyre

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A5

MELVILLE

Rosewood Inn Demolition Begins By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

The mechanical claws of heavy machinery took the first swipes at tearing down the former home of the Rosewood Inn on Route 110 Monday morning. Once it and a neighboring building are leveled, a TD Bank is to be built in their place. The Huntington Planning Board signed off on May 28 of last year on a site plan for a 2,560 square-foot bank on Route 110, which would be built in the Rosewood Inn’s place. The Rosewood Inn closed in November. Owners Gina Fogarty and William Rose have since opened the Wild Rose on New Highway near Republic Airport. TD’s proposed Melville location is one of three active bank proposals in the works in the Town of Huntington. Others include a bank at 460 Pulaski Road in Greenlawn and a second at 1941 Jericho Turnpike near

Long Islander News photo/Danny Schrafel

Restaurant, neighboring building being cleared for new TD Bank location

Work crews begin on Monday to demolish the former home of The Rosewood Inn Monday to make way for a TD Bank. Elwood Road, where part of a shopping center will be demolished to make way for the new bank. A Huntington village location opened in August 2013.

TD spokesperson Lisa Sawicki said they do not yet have groundbreaking or store-opening dates set for the Melville location. “However, we look forward to

providing more information in the future, and to providing residents with a truly unique and convenient place to bank,” she said in a statement Monday.

A6 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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From left: Huntington Station BID Treasurer Brad Rosen, Huntington Economic Development Corporation Board Member Ken Christensen, Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone, owner of Huntington Station’s Deck and Patio Bill Renter and Huntington Station BID President Keith Barrett admire the rainwater harvesting project, which was installed by Deck and Patio, during a ribbon cutting on Friday. TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

Water-Saving System Unveiled By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Nearly three years after the rainwater harvesting project at Huntington Train Station was completed by The Deck and Patio Company, officials from the Town of Huntington, Huntington Chamber of Commerce and Huntington Station BID joined Deck and Patio owner Bill Renter to officially unveil the sustainable water initiative. Completed just days before Hurricane Sandy hit Long Island in October 2012, the unveiling of the project had since been stalled and awaited the perfect opportunity to enter the public’s eye. With Earth Day 2015 just a little more than a week passed, that opportunity came on Friday as the red ribbon was finally cut by Renter,

standing alongside Huntington Station BID Treasurer Brad Rosen, Huntington Economic Development Corporation Board Member Ken Christensen, Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone and Huntington Station BID President Keith Barrett, who is also in the running to become a candidate for the 2015 Huntington Town Board election. The project – which was completed as a part of Deck and Patio’s Rainwater Harvesting Group and co-funded by the Town of Huntington’s Environmental Open Space & Park Fund (EOSPA) Committee – adds a paver pathway, wealth of greenery and a descending water feature that is made of waterfalls sustained by captured rainwater all to the Huntington Train Station entrance found at the corner of Broadway and New York Avenue.

Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone, left center, congratulates owner of Huntington Station’s Deck and Patio, Bill Renter, during a ribbon cutting on Friday when the rainwater harvesting project, which was installed by Deck and Patio in October 2012, was officially unveiled.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A7

MELVILLE

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

Initial phases of construction for the long-awaited Sweet Hollow Park in Melville are set to begin this summer, Supervisor Frank Petrone told members of the Civic Association of Sweet Hollow last week. Meanwhile, construction on a religious center and senior housing community on Deshon Drive, which resulted from a land-swap deal that made Sweet Hollow Park a reality, are progressing quickly. The supervisor said $1.75 million is earmarked in the town’s capital budget for the park. Bonding to secure those funds is set to begin in the fall. Funds in the town’s Environmental Open Space bond will be used first, Petrone said, and grants are also being sought for the project. Should weather cooperate, the park should be done sometime in spring 2016, the supervisor said. “We’ll be cutting the ribbon soon for Sweet Hollow Park,” Petrone said April 30. The park is being built on 8.2 acres that were once part of Meyer’s Farm

on Old Country Road. The town deemed five of those acres as passive parkland, and through using special materials, some of that passive parkland, which is not allowed to have anything built on it, could be used for parking. Space is at a premium for the park, which has ambitions plans including walking trails, chess tables, bocce, tennis and basketball courts and plantings. Outside exercise equipment for adults is also under consideration. The most active portions of the parks, such as the basketball courts, would be located near Old Country Road to reduce noise and visual impacts to residential neighbors. Organizers are also seeking grant money to build a statue as the park’s central gathering spot, one which would incorporate themes evoking the roots of the Sweet Hollow community, as well as the cultural identity of the BAPS Hindu religious organization, who sold the 8.2-acre parcel to the town. The sale was part of a three-

Long Islander News photos/Danny Schrafel

Spring ’16 Opening Eyed For Sweet Hollow Park

Construction on a BAPS mandir and The Club At Melville, both products of a land-swap deal that created Sweet Hollow Park, are moving along quickly. Inset, a rendering of the mandir. way land swap deal that also yielded a new BAPS mandir and 261 units of affordable senior housing on 18 acres at 25 Deshon Drive in Melville. On Deshon Drive, construction on The Club is progressing rapidly, and steel framing is in the ground for the BAPS religious center. The Club is

expected to be ready for tenants by later this spring. BAPS officials said the mandir is projected to be completed by late fall, but they’ll have a better idea of an end date around July, based on how construction progresses over the summer.

A8 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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

A Call To Action On Organ New Yorkers don’t accept being sec- manner by which most organ donors are ond best at much of anything. Yet, we’re registered, doesn’t help; nor does the fact among the worst in the nation, experts that those under 18 – who can be lisay, when it comes to signing up to give censed to drive – aren’t allowed to registhe gift of life. ter, regardless of parental consent. New York is a place where the fewest The state-specific challenges do not organs are available to the most people in end there. According to Pardes, New need. It’s long past time to change that. York also has one of the largest urban Recently, you’ve seen the populations in the country, story of 21-year-old Chris- EDITORIAL where the need for a driver’s tian Siems, a Greenlawn reslicense is less urgent. ident who underwent a successful heart To his credit, Assemblyman Chad transplant April 25 after living for six Lupinacci is backing legislation that months with an artificial heart. His fam- would allow new, teenage drivers to regily is now looking forward to his release ister as organ donors with parental perfrom the Westchester Medical Center. mission, and that would institute new Happy endings, however, are not al- outreach efforts into our state’s high ways the case. schools. Less than a quarter of New Yorkers are We support both measures, but laws organ donors; the nationwide average is take time to change. We don’t have the around 40 percent, according to Dr. Alan luxury of time. While our representatives Gass, the medical director of the heart in Albany do their work, do yours if you transplant and mechanical support pro- have not already. gram at Westchester Medical Center If you or a loved one are getting a liwhere Siems was treated. The result? cense or renewing one, check off the box Gass said more than quarter die waiting to become an organ donor. The same for an organ donor. goes for registering to vote. If you have James Pardes, vice president of mar- a living will or are drafting one, indicate keting and communications at LiveOn- in it that you wish to be an organ donor. NY, said recently that New York’s eightVisit donatelifeny.org and learn how year driver’s license renewal cycle, the you can be part of a life-saving solution.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Fix This Broken System DEAR EDITOR: As the dust attempts to settle following two weeks of state assessment administration, preceded by months of politically charged debate and activism, I’ll, once again, express my plea that the state powers-that-be re-

flect on the situation and its root causes, and attempt to redirect their decision-making toward what is in the best interests of the children of New York. I can attest to the fact that the administrators, teachers and staff members in Huntington clearly understand their responsibilities. They continue to develop and refine their crafts, but have

HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER

Serving the communities of: Dix Hills, Melville and the Half Hollow Hills Central School District. Copyright © 2015 by Long Islander News, publishers of The Long-Islander, The Record and Half Hollow Hills Newspaper. Each issue of the The Long-Islander and all contents thereof are copyrighted by Long Islander. None of the contents or articles may be reproduced in any forum or medium without the advance express written permission of the publisher. Infringement hereof is a violation of the Copyright laws.

never lost sight of the individual differences demonstrated by the students in their classrooms or buildings. They comprehend the concept of college and career readiness, and recognize their roles within a systemic approach to a child’s education. They have instructionally prepared their students in alignment with the new standards, while

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continually striving to instill in students a love of learning. They have done everything possible to put aside their anxieties in the face of statewide educational unrest, rapidly moving evaluation targets and mandates that seemingly appear out of nowhere. I imagine all of this is characteristic of the majority of schools and districts throughout the state. I’d like to think that some learning has been accomplished or perspective gained from recent events. For example, broad scale changes are likely to meet with failure if necessary preparations are not made or if measures are not put into place to facilitate those changes. (The cliché applies – one cannot build a plane while it is being flown.) No amount of federal monies is worth the potential outcomes of a rushed and, therefore, flawed change process. I’ll add that the importance of accountability and evaluation should not be minimized. But an unproven system based on unproven measures will surely contribute to inaccurate outcomes – both false positive and false negative. Education Law §3012-d has been passed. It requires the Regents to redesign the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) process by June 30 and subsequently requires districts to submit a new plan by Sept.

1. The bulk of plan development would be slated for a time when key stakeholders may not be available. There are numerous education-related issues facing New York at this juncture. These issues must be approached with common sense and, again, with an eye toward what is best for our students. Why not begin such an approach with accepting the recent recommendation and allowing districts until at least September 2016 to build valid and sensible APPR plans? Give districts the time, resources and capacity to do this right. Provide them with the guidance and support they need. Leave threats of withholding aid out of the equation. Education in New York is broken as a result of misguided and rushed initiatives that have left districts to their own devices to address state policy issues and misinformation spread throughout their communities. It is imperative that those in Albany reflect on what has happened and take the critical steps needed to restore transparency, close the wounds and repair what was and could return to being one of the finest educational systems in country. JAMES W. POLANSKY Superintendent of Schools Huntington School District

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A9

Life&Style Psychedelic Furs Rock Their Way To Town The Paramount Spotlight By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

The Psychedelic Furs will return to The Paramount in Huntington May 15, bringing nearly four decades of trend-setting music to Huntington’s biggest stage. First-time concertgoers can expect a “high-energy show” with a strong emphasis on the band’s hardrocking first and second albums, bassist Tim Butler said. “People will be surprised by how a bunch of old geezers can rock out,” he said. While the phrase “band of brothers” is liberally bandied about, this British band is quite literally that, headlined by brothers Tim and vocalist Richard Butler. “We have a middle brother who, in the beginning, was in the band,” Tim Butler explained. “He went to school with [saxophonist] Duncan Kilburn and [guitarist] Roger Morris… They used to come round and jam, not with any sort of idea of making a career.” They started out by sketching out rough songs in their parents’ front room. After their parents couldn’t take the racket, they moved it to a rehearsal studio. “Before we knew it we were saying, ‘Let’s do some gigs!’ There was never any sort of master plan. It was just having fun,” Tim Butler said. The band’s jamming style emerged from their ear-

The Psychedelic Furs perform at The Paramount May 15. ly songs which “all sort of turn into jams – probably because we didn’t know how to finish them.” The aural result was a wall of sound – “beautiful chaos,” Tim Butler explained. While their roots are in the mid-1970s punk-rock wave, by the time they released their first album in 1980, “people were bored of the angry three-chord, two-minute song. They wanted something else,” he said – something the Furs provided. They made their U.S. debut the following year with “Talk Talk Talk,” which spawned two charting singles in “Dumb Waiters” and the original version of “Pretty in Pink.” “Forever Now” in 1982 produced a top-100 U.S. hit, “Love My Way.” The band became a staple on college radio and modern rock stations, but hit the stratosphere in 1986

when they re-recorded “Pretty in Pink” for a John Hughes “Brat Pack” flick of the same name. It was a smash – and it marked an arrival at a crossroads. While it was a crossover success, that breakthrough alienated some Furs purists, who resented the teenage fans. By the early 1990s, the record-tour cycle had taken its toll, and the band went on hiatus. “We sort of got burned out,” Tim Butler said. But by the early 2000s, the “vibe was right” again, and they reformed, buoyed by bands coming up that cited the Furs as an influence. Since their return, the die-hards they lost during their Brat Pack spike in popularity have returned, and, as to the disparate audiences –– “they’ve learned to get on now,” Tim Butler teased. A new record is in the works, songs from which have been sprinkled into concerts, Tim Butler said. But they’re writing and recording at their own pace, without the pressure of the record-industry machine bearing down on them. The album will arrive “when we think it can stand up against a pretty good back catalog,” he said. But first, they’re immediately looking ahead to their next gig in Huntington village, when the band, anchored by the brothers Butler will be joined by guitarist Rich Good, Mars Williams on sax, Amanda Kramer on keyboards and Paul Garisto on drums. “The audiences are great… We’re always surprised, for some reason,” he said. Tickets are $29.50-$59.50 at the box office at 370 New York Ave. Visit paramountny.com.

DANCE

Ballet Benefit Performances To Feature Huntington By Carina Livoti clivoti@longislandergroup.com

The Ballet Education and Scholarship Fund’s 36th annual benefit performances – which will feature a Huntington dancer – are at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts on May 15 and 16. The annual performances bring in outside guest artists from major ballet companies, who perform alongside students within Ballet Education and Scholarship Fund, Inc.’s (BESFI) programs. “We’re bringing professionally staged performances to the local community with a nix of guest artists and young talent,” BESFI President Dimitri Papadakos said. This year’s performances featured guests include the Joffrey Ballet’s

O ulcan Borova and Nicholas Coppula, who was formerly with the Pittsburgh Ballet. Among the students performing with them is Seiskaya Ballet first soloist Girie Carrero-Sagona, of Huntington. Carrero-Sagona will be reunited with Borova in the romantic “Les Sylphides Pas de Deux.” The pair were featured in “La Esmeralda Pas de Deux” in last year’s benefit performances. A Harborfields High School graduate, Carrero-Sagona now attends LIU Post and continues to perform with the company. Papadakos said that the annual performances included pairings, classical repertoire, character pieces, and one contemporary piece, but that the centerpiece was always a one-act ballet, which is the third act of the show. This year’s centerpiece is

called “Seasons,” set to the music of Alexander Glazounov. “It’s really a display of the changing literally of the seasons. It’s very colorful, the costumes are gorgeous, and it’s the single longest piece of the production,” Papadakos said. He added that the character selections were classic ethnic folk dances generally reserved for younger students. These dances involve more movement in the upper body than traditional ballet, he sad. “It teaches them to be lively and emote,” he said. Over the past 40 years, BESFI has had over 70 students become professional dancers, five of whom joined the prestigious American Ballet Theatre, according to Papadakos. “Our mission is to provide opportunities that are not locally available

This year’s performances will feature Huntington’s own, dancer Girie Carrero-Sagona. or financially within reach,” he said. This year’s benefit performance program is about two hours and fifteen minutes long and costs $30 for adults, $24 for children and seniors, and $20 each for groups of 20 or more. To buy tickets, call 631-5840192.

A10 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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BUSINESS Sun Shines On Solarize Huntington

Selling Your Business? Now What? By Peter Klein info@longislandergroup.com

You are finally monetizing your life’s work after years of hard work in building the business. Maybe it’s been a family business for generations and for whatever reasons things are changing and you are looking to do something different. Maybe your kids – or the next generation – are not interested in the family business and as such you have found an interested buyer. Or maybe they have found you. Either way, you are coming into some liquid capital and now you are wondering, “What do I do now?” Perhaps you never thought of your legacy in terms of philanthropy, or maybe you have made a concerted effort to become proactive with your giving. You plan to move from “checkbook giving” to the more serious and mindful “professional giving,” moving towards a concerted and earmarked level of giving where you are looking for impact and judge effectiveness through a series of metrics. You may not be the Gates Foundation, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take your giving seriously. You want to make a difference, right? First things first—let’s go back to the “monetization event” that started you thinking about your legacy in the first place. Many sellers of businesses are not sure if or when their business will sell, but they are sure that they want to use this opportunity to start to make a serious impact with their giving or to start their legacy – a legacy that can be passed down to children and grandchildren – so their passions, values and interest live on. What may people in this situation do is to allocate some of the shares in their business to a Donor Advised Fund (DAF). The DAF (and not every DAF will accept these complex assets) will first review the governing documents (Continued on page A20)

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

After nearly five months of planning, the sun is now shining on the Solarize Huntington program. On Monday, the Town of Huntington – in partnership with Sustainable CUNY, a part of the City University of New York (CUNY) – kicked off Long Island’s first-ever, solar system group-purchasing program, Solarize Huntington, which aims to reduce the cost of and increase awareness for residential solar energy systems. “This is special,” Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone said during a press conference. “We’ve done things with solar in this town and we’ve noticed whenever people have that opportunity they take advantage of it.” Now through Sept. 10, 2015, residents can sign up for the program online (www.SolarizeHuntington.com) or during one of the program’s infor-

Town and state officials to announce the launch of Solarize Huntington, a solar system group-purchasing program, on monday. mational workshops, “Solarize 101,” the first of which is scheduled for May 11 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Huntington Town Hall. Once participating homeowners join up, they’ll be paired with Direct Energy Solar – a 7-year-old solar provider headquartered in Maryland. Options to purchase, finance or lease solar systems are provided by Direct Energy Solar; simply put, the

more residents who join up, the more savings that are created – up to 25 percent. Direct Energy Solar has also promised a $500 discount to the first 20 contracts signed through Solarize Huntington. The installer will take an educational approach to the program, Community Program Manager for Direct Energy Solar Brandon Hart said, working to ensure that customers understand every step in the process and how they could benefit. “We think that, in a town the size of Huntington, with 200,000-plus homeowners we can really knock this one out of the park and get 100150 contracts signed,” Hart said. In the end, Town of Huntington officials hope to see the number of solar panel permits per year grow from its current average rate of 500 per year. While similar programs have been employed in other areas of New York, Solarize Huntington is the first of its kind on Long Island.

Choosing The Right Life Insurance By Jon L. Ten Haagen, CFP asktheexpert@longislandergroup.com

Q: I am getting married soon and believe I should look into insurance policies to protect my new family. Can you help me get on the right track? A: When you buy life insurance, you’re making a bet with the insurance company. You are betting that you’re going to die sooner than they think you’re going to die. Insurance companies would love to sell insurance to someone who’s going to live until the ripe old age of 100, because the insurance company can collect the premiums for a longer time without having to pay out any money. The proceeds of your insurance policy should serve a useful purpose. This purpose can be as minor as providing sufficient money for your funeral. It can be something that will enable your widow(er) to live in a style to which he or she has become accustomed. It can make sure your children are financially comfortable while they grow up without a parent. It can provide pro-

tection in the event of the death of a partner in a business, or a key employee replacement. Providing sufficient funds to enable your family adequately is a useful purpose. Donating money to charity is another useful purpose. Choosing The Right Insurance: How do you choose what insurance is best suited for your purpose and how do you choose a company to provide the insurance? There is term insurance which covers you for a certain term (10, 20, 30 years). There is universal life which is a permanent insurance which will cover you up to 120 years of age as long as you continue to pay the policy each year. There is whole life insurance which has an internal savings portion to it. They are listed from the least expensive to the most. Here are a couple considerations. First, what’s the purpose of the insurance? If it’s for a combination of savings and insurance, then perhaps a whole-life policy would be best. It is the most expensive policy to buy.

If it’s for a “key man” policy – to protect your company should a key employee die – then perhaps a termlife product would be your best bet. If you are just starting out with a new spouse, house and child then perhaps tem insurance is right for you. You get the most coverage for the least amount of money. Once you get established and have a better cash flow you should consider a more permanent policy, like Universal Life. As you can see there are a number of different types of policies available to you. The key here is that before you can make a reasonable decision on the type of insurance you need, you have to understand the reason for the insurance and what it will do for you. Now that you know why you want the insurance, it’s time to choose the company/agent who’s going to provide it for you. You want to use a company has a full complement of products and that will still be around when you die, regardless of how far into the future that may be.

ASK

THE EXPERT

(Continued on page A20)

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A11

BUSINESS Long Islander News photo/Andrew Wroblewski

Carol L. Schlitt and her team at The Schlitt Law Firm in Huntington and in the Bronx work to deliver a “personal” touch to each and every client they take on across the New York Metropolitan area.

‘Intentionally Small,’ Incredibly Personal Spotlight On

Huntington Businesses CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Thank You To Our Young Professionals Thank you to those who came out on May 6 to support Long Island’s young professionals, who deserve recognition for their notable impact on their business, industry and community. The Huntington Chamber was proud to host the Celebrate Young Professionals event, an annual awards reception recognizing 30 stars under the age of 30, and is thankful for the continued support of the sponsors who make it possible. Our generous sponsors were: Adelphi University, Advanced Sound Company, Cerini & Associates, LLP, College Hunks Hauling Junk/College Hunks Moving, Community National Bank, The Country Printer, Digho Image Marketing, Farmingdale State College, Fado Restaurant, H2M Architects + Engineers, John W. Engeman Theater, JW Creations, Inc., Len Marks Photography, Leviton Manufacturing Company, Long Island Cares-The Harry Chapin Food Bank, Newsday, SilvermanAcampora LLP, The Schlitt Law Firm and URS Capital Partners. The award recipients were honored at the Crest Hollow Country Club. Please join us in recognizing the accomplishments of the following honorees: Julie Allegretti, Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT); Kimberly R. Bickoff, Broadridge Financial Solutions; Cayla Calderwood, The Schlitt Law Firm; Krystle L.

DiNicola, KLD Photography & Web Designs; Matthew Doughty, Fuller Lowenberg & Co, CPAs, P.C.; Andrew D Drepanis, First Data Corporation; Josh Eitingon, Elite Apartment Coaching; Kaitlin Giannakos, New York State Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery; Justin Greene, SchoolBusiness Partnership of Long Island; Josh Korenbaum, College Hunks; Michelle K r i e g e l , Farmingdale State College; Danielle L a R u f f a , Fulfillment Plus, Inc.; Amanda Lindner, Office of Legislator Steve Stern; Timothy McGowan, Adelphi University; Cory Morris, Law Offices of Cory H. Morris; Connor Nolan, Northport Students Mean Business Inc.; Steven J. Pinto, Life Center Counseling & Health Services; Jacqueline Polden, John W. Engeman Theater; Brian Powers, SilvermanAcampora LLP; Dena Raia, Blow & Co Blow Dry Bar; Carrie A. Shaw, GM Advisory Group; Lisa Stefanowski, Leviton Manufacturing Co.; Alisha M. Summers, Long Island Cares; Shelbi Thurau, Greenfield's ShopRite of Commack; Amanda Rose Vardakas, H2M; Stephen V. Waldenburg III, Huntington Learning Center; Sean Wilkinson, Cerini & Associates, LLP; Alexander Wong, Castagna Realty; Kelly A. Wysocki, Office of Assemblyman Andrew Raia; and Jessica Zuniga, Farmingdale State College.

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Huntington’s Carol Schlitt is no stranger to the law. After graduating from the College of the Holy Cross in Maryland, Schlitt attended law school at St. John’s University in Queens. From that point on, she’s developed a longstanding, personal bond with the law over her more than 25-year-long career as an attorney. Today, at The Schlitt Law Firm in Huntington, the personal injury and

medical malpractice attorney is now devoted to extending that personal bond to her clients – all 100 of them. “We emphasize personal contact with our clients,” Schlitt said. “We look at [our work] as a true partnership… The closer we are with our clients and the more information we give them, then the better job we can do for them.” Representing those who are hurt through the fault of another – falls, motor vehicle collisions, medical negligence, etc. – the firm has made a name for itself by extending its personal touch to clients across the New York Metropolitan area through its Huntington and Bronx offices. Communication is key, she said, and The Schlitt Law Firm ensures to constantly keeps its clients in the loop and, simultaneously, educate them in the law – for example, The Schlitt Law

LAW OFFICES OF BARRY D. LITES, LLP

(Continued on page A20)

If You’re Starting a Business, Buying or Selling a Business, Raising Money for Business...We Can Help If you’re Buying Real Estate, Selling Real Estate or Financing Real Estate (or Looking to Save Your Home From Foreclosure)...We Can Help If You’re a Physician Looking to Merge with Another Practice or a Hospital...We Can Help

FOR OVER 25 YEARS, BARRY LITES, ESQ. (HARVARD LAW ‘86) HAS BEEN HELPING BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS SUCCEED. EXPERIEN CE. INTELLIG ENCE. CO MMITMENT TO O UR CLIEN TS.

2 3 G RE E N S T R E E T, S U IT E 2 0 9 H U N T I N G TON , N E W YO RK 1 1 7 4 3 In the heart of Huntington Village

C ALL FO R A FREE C ON SU LTATIO N 631- 415- 2219 www.bdllaw.com

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e i d o o F THE

SECTION

DINEHUNTINGTON .COM

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Long Islander News photos/Danny Schrafel

A12 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

A ‘Taste’ Of LI Favorites By The Foodies foodies@longislandergroup.com

You simply couldn’t go wrong at East Northport Chamber of Commerce’s 12th annual Taste of Long Island, the yearly charitable and gustatory extravaganza at The Larkfield, where dozens of restaurants gathered to strut their stuff. Waterside Caterers (828 Ft. Salonga Road, Northport 631-7573663 watersidecaterers.com) practically stole the show with a complex salmon and fantastic pork. Swallow (366 New York Ave., Huntington 631547-5388 swallowrestaurant.com) was another fine-dining favorite, presenting snap-peas, pea tendrils, radish, carrots, kumquat, yuzu essence and avocado mousse, topping yellowfin tuna, in shot-glass sized

Waterside Caterers wowed with salmon and pork.

Manager Laura Mugno shows off Sweet Mama’s lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. portions. Crew (138 New York Ave., Huntington 631-549-3338 crewli.com) impressed with cool, refreshing chicken salad. For those however seeking specialists in the art of comfort, there were plenty of those opportunities, too. Kerber’s Farm (309 West Pulaski Road, Huntington 631-4234400 kerbersfarm.com ) wowed

with its award-winning, decadently delicious mini chicken pot-pies, bite-sized brownies and Kerber’s “candy bars” – a graham cracker crust, condensed milk and toasted coconut. La Villini Family Style Restaurant (288 Larkfield Road, East Northport 631-261-6344 la-villini.com) and (Continued on page A14)

Celebrate Mother’s Day

BRUNCH:

DINNER:

11 A.M. - 2 P.M. PRE FIXE MENU $35 FOR ADULTS, $16 FOR CHILDREN $5 MIMOSAS AND BLOODY MARYS

3 P.M. - 9 P.M. REGULAR DINNER MENU PLUS SPECIALS

BAR MENU

•

AWARD WINNING WINE LIST • PRIVATE PARTIES OPEN 7 DAYS LUNCH & DINNER

15 WALL STREET•HUNTINGTON VILL AGE•631-549-0055 w w w.jonathansristorante.com or opentable.com

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A13

Side Dish www.facebook.com/dinehuntington

DINEHUNTINGTON .COM THE SUMMER SCOOP: With the temper- hot fudge. Cheers to a great summer!

ature finally seasonal – although the way 2015 has gone, you’re never really sure – it’s about time we dig into some warm-weather delights. And there’s no better place to start than Best of Huntington winner Herrell’s Ice Cream (46 Gerard St., Huntington, 631-673-1100 www.herrells.com). Here’s the hot scoop on cool treats – for starters, ice cream sandwiches are a featured treat at the storied shop, and Herrell’s is now handing out loyalty cards. That means if the holder buys 10 of a certain-sized ice cream, they’ll get the 11th free of charge. Customers can request a card at the counter, and when you do, mention to the crew that you read about it in Long Islander News. A great way to rack up purchases is to try out some of the new flavors, including Tamarind Coconut Pineapple, Date Almond Halva, Coffee Beer and Sangria Sorbet. And don’t forget their decadent

SANDBAR ON THE HORIZON: Continu-

ing the summery theme, Mark Lessing tells us that their forthcoming Cold Spring Harbor restaurant, the Sand Bar at 55 Main St., should be ready to dish out dining delights by the summertime. Lessing’s operates eight restaurants on Long Island, including Finnegan’s

As you punch your loyalty card for purchase at Herrell’s, don’t forget the hot fugde. on Wall Street in Huntington village. Once complete, The Sandbar restaurant will have about 100 seats and a private dining room. Lessing envisions a “great American restaurant and bar” concept featuring farm-to-table food on a menu designed under the guidance of Mirabelle Tavern chef Guy Reuge, along with artisanal drinks and craft beers.

Beautiful Weather

Has Arrived!

As you stroll through Northport village, make sure to stop by and enjoy fine dining on our outdoor patio.

We cannot wait to see you soon!

44 Main Street, Northport, NY • (631)-262-9744 • www.bistro44.net Open 7 Days 11:30am - 10pm

A14 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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Taste of Long Island

Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza manager John Marsh and kitchen Jorge Hernandez. Swallow Restaurant Group General Manager David Malinowski, Executive Chef Adam Bordonaro and head server Chris Shanbrom. (Continued from page A12)

BiVio (1801 E. Jericho Turnpike, Huntington 631-499-9133) dished out traditional Italian pastas and poultry, and Mr. Sausage (3 Union Place, Huntington 631-271-3836 mrsausagefinefoods.com) stopped the show with their sensational lasagna. Anthony’s Coal-Fired Pizza (6401 Jericho Turnpike, Commack 631-858-2625) brought out the meatballs, Italian-style chicken wings and eggplant. Sweet Mama’s (9 Alsace Place, Northport 631-261-6262 sweetmamaskitchen.net) went luxe with its comfort food, presenting lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, and The Whale’s Tale (81 Fort Salonga Road, Northport 631-651-8844) went TexMex with its popular tacos. Storyville American Table (43 Green St., Huntington 631-3513446 storyvilleamericantable.com) did gumbo, Smoka Burger (380 Larkfield Road, East Northport 631-266-2600 smokaburgers.com)

had pulled pork sliders and wraps, and the Fireside Caterers (4097 Jericho Turnpike, East Northport 631-462-0900 firesidecaterers.com) dished out wings and mac ‘n’ cheese. Light and fresh was the order of the day for Northport Fish & Lobster Co. (827 Ft. Salonga Road, Northport 631-757-3474 ) which laid out an array of shellfish and crustaceans for the picking. The Aegean Grill (354 Larkfield Road, East Northport 631-266-3300) brought classic Greek fare, including a flavorful, flaky spanakopita that really hit the spot. Nisen (5032 Jericho Turnpike, Commack 631462-1000 nisensushi.com) dished out plenty of freshly-crafted sushi, and Pumpernickel’s (640 Main St., Northport 631-757-7959 pumpernickelsofnorthport.com), one of Huntington’s oldest restaurants, delighted with German delicacies. Among those presenting incidentals to fine dining, Northport’s

Nisen’s sushi chef kept ‘em coming back for more.

Backyard Brine owners Randy and Cori Kopke. Backyard Brine Pickle Company (631-754-1050 backyardbrine.com) brought an array, including a taste bud-twisting “everything pickle.” And, of course, Bon Bons Chocolatier (319 Main St., Huntington 631-549-1059 bonbonschocolatier.com) and Copenhagen Bakery (75 Woodbine Ave., Northport 631-754-3256 copenhagenbakery.net) provided a sweet finish indeed. And if the half-dozen

or so vineyards and craft breweries weren’t enough to wet your whistle, there was always a chance to freeze it with Frosae wine sorbet. While the hundreds of guests delighted in dining, the biggest winners were charitable endeavors the Visiting Nurse Service and Hospice of Northport, the East Northport Rotary and the chamber itself were all benefactors of the funds raised during the evening.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A15

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

Town Inks $1.5M Deal For Conte Center Funds By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

More than $1 million in state grant money will soon be flowing to Huntington Town Hall to support a project to convert the onetime state armory building on East Fifth Street to the James D. Conte Community Center in Huntington Station. The town board voted April 21 to allow supervisor Frank Petrone to sign the paperwork agreeing to the terms and conditions tied to $1.5 million in Empire State Development reimbursement grant dollars to the Huntington Community Development Agency. The funds will be used for construction of the long-awaited community center named in Conte’s honor. He served as an assemblyman representing Huntington Station for 24 years and died Oct. 16, 2012 after a battle with T-cell lymphoma at the age of 53. Town spokesman A.J. Carter said remediation work will be completed this year, for which the board approved a $436,570 contract with Unitech Service Group, of Bay Shore. Then, the town can begin planning what will go inside the community center. Architectural and engineering services would begin in the fourth quarter of 2014, while building renovations are scheduled to start in the fall of 2015. Green building elements would be introduced at the end of 2015 and

A $1.5 million state grant for converting the former state armory into the James Conte Community Center is on its way to Town Hall. Inset, the late assemblyman, James Conte. work would continue through until an anticipated opening to community use toward the end of 2016. The multimillion-dollar adaptive reuse of the armory aims to create a large-scale, environmentally friendly community center to provide services for all ages. The state armory closed in September 2011 when the Armed Forces Reserves centralized

operations into a modern facility in Farmingdale. The Huntington Station building, located on 3.6 acres, was later conveyed to the town board for $1. In its place, the town plans a multi-purposed community center that will spur revitalization efforts in Huntington Station, according to the town.

A16 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 The Huntington Public Library’s main branch has something for everyone: research databases; downloadable eBooks, movies, music and magazines; children, teen and adult programs; art exhibits; museum passes; local history; career counseling; ESL and literacy classes; homework help and much more! And remember, as Albert Einstein said, “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”

Address: Phone: Website:

338 Main Street 631-427-5165 thehuntingtonlibrary.com

lion in the sun

In two words, BlueBirdNY is “affordable luxury.” Huntington resident Joanna Koelmel has filled her shop with fashion-forward women’s clothing and accessories, all in a hip, mirror-clad storefront with a New York City, urban feel. Check out the new line of “ath-leisure.”

Address: 324 Main Street Phone: 631-424-2053 Facebook: Blue-Bird-NY-Boutique

Ideal’s Element is set to open this week after a complete renovation of the former Main Street wine and cheese café. The restaurant and wine and cheese lounge now sports a new, sleek look as well as a late-night menu. Don’t worry, cheese lovers; the cheese shop is still active and has moved to Green Street.

308 Main Street/6 Green Street 631-923-3434 idealselement.com

Your wildest stationery dreams come true at Lion in the Sun, an award-winning paperie dedicated to fine stationery and custom invitations. Family-owned for more than 34 years, they have the experience and longevity to seamlessly guide you through all the details and etiquette of custom printing while also serving as a trendsetter in vibrant, unique invitation design. They also carry unique gifts, books, albums and greeting cards that you won’t find anywhere else.

Address: Phone: Website:

314 Main Street 631-423-5757 lioninthesunps.com/Huntington

Take a stroll through

HUNTINGTON VILLAGE

Kilwins has a wide variety of tasty sweets such as saltwater taffy, fudge, caramel toffee and several other delicious treats, but it’s their customer service that truly separates them from the rest. With a simple motto of “treat others as you want to be treated, do your best, and have fun,” Kilwins’ goal is to always make you feel right at home. Kilwins is the perfect place to enjoy a sweet snack with the gift of a nostalgic Americana setting. Address: Phone: Website:

www.LongIsla

293 Main Street 631-271-4200 kilwins.com/Huntington

The folks at the Schlitt Law Firm are more than just lawyers; they are community members, volunteers and advocates. The intentionally small, mission-driven personal injury and medical malpractice law firm is dedicated to delivering remarkable service and outstanding outcomes. It donates one percent of revenues to children and educational charities including the Tri-CYA, the Huntington Foundation for Educational Excellence and the Association for Children with Down Syndrome.

Address: Phone: Website:

79 Wall Street 631-425-9775 schlittlaw.com

Celebrating 50 years, the Community Thrift Shop has offered quality merchandise at bargain prices. With new sales every day, the all-volunteer-run shop is the perfect place to find unique items like antiques, collectibles, jewelry, antique art, books, household items, shoes and clothing for the entire family. Its six partner nonprofit agencies — Huntington Hospital, The Visiting Nurse Services & Hospice, the Family Service League, Cancer Care, and Day Top Village and Planned Parenthood — have returned more than $5 million to the community since 1961.

At Sip Tea Lounge, customers are given the perfect atmosphere to clear their minds, focus, create, discuss and relax. With somewhat of a log cabin feel, and a plethora of teas and pastries (even vegan ones) to enjoy, Sip Tea Lounge is the best place to sit back and get away from the everyday grind of life. The goal of the lounge is to sip your beverage; don’t gulp it down. Just sit back, relax and nourish your body with a refreshing cup (or little pot of your own) of herbal tea.

There is a colorful, magical quality to Little Switzerland Toys & Dolls, where Lily Bergh has operated the shop for more than three decades. Past the glass double doors is a refuge for board games and tea sets and plastic guns, Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls, porcelain dolls and baby dolls and nesting dolls. After helping customers choose gifts, she wraps them and also offers delivery service.

Address: Phone:

274 New York Avenue 631-271-4883

Address: Phone: Website:

286c New York Avenue 631-683-5777 siptealoungeny.com

Address: Phone: Website:

267 Main Street 631-988-2097 littleswitzerlanddolls.com

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A17

anderNews.com

A lover of mantra, mudra and chanting, Yoga Love Project owner Chantal Vice weaves these ancient practices into her classes in an invitation to look inside your heart. With her and her community of teachers, you don’t just get a yoga class; you become inspired and encouraged to be more yourself. Yoga Love Project offers a safe, nurturing environment to begin your yoga journey. The studio also hosts wellness workshops like beading, meditation and healing. Address: Phone: Website:

15B Green Street 631-423-5683 yogaloveproject.com

Lotus Vintage makes it its mission to bring shoppers one-of-a-kind vintage-style treasures that can’t be found at your run-of-the-mill department store. With a Bohemian style and a mix of bold prints and patterns, the clothes at Lotus Vintage are meant to bring out your individuality. Shopping at Lotus Vintage is about being yourself and embracing what makes you different from the rest.

Address: Phone: Website:

12 W Carver Street 631-470-7795 lotusvintage.com

At Wild Flours, a 100-percent gluten-free bakery, their goal is to make traditional sweets tasty to eat without the aftereffects of tummy trouble. Baked goods and breads are also dairy free, with many vegan options, from muffins and brownies to cakes baked daily from scratch using many organic ingredients. The shop also makes fresh pizzas on Saturdays and bagels on Sundays, has a lunch menu with panini and quiches, and organic fresh-pressed vegetable juices.

ANTIQUES & JEWELS ON MAIN

13 14

Address: Phone: Website:

293 Main Street 631-427-7674 antiquesandjewels.com

Love is the main ingredient at A Rise Above Bake Shop, and has been fore more than 30 years. Owner Mary McDonald serves the finest baked-fromscratch goodies in town, from scones and muffins to loaves and cakes. And don’t forget the cookies and superb coffee, brewed from fresh ground beans from an old, established family coffeehouse in Greenwich Village.

7 17

Address: Phone:

333 Main Street 631-351-9811

They have only been in town here for less than a year, but Harbor Beverage Merchants has quickly become the craft beer capital of the Huntington area. At Harbor Beverage Merchants, they sell and offer tastings from their growler station, which contains some of the finest beer around. Along with top-notch taste, they offer top-notch customer service. Bring in a competitor’s coupon and Harbor Beverage Merchants will match it.

Scentsational of Huntington is no ordinary shop. Owner Sarah Latham has made a place where customers can choose from a wide array of fragrances created in the store or create their own, which they then name. Also sold are accessories, home fragrances, jewelry and trinkets. They also carry Kiehls, Mario Badescu, 100% Pure and Crabtree & Evelyn.

11 New Street 631-923-1090 wildfloursbakeshop.com

Since May of 1979, Antiques & Jewels has been on Main Street offering unique jewelry ranging all the way from the turn of the 19th century to modern day. They have gold, silver, platinum, and precious and semi-precious stones available for sale. They are also known for their one-of-a-kind engagement rings, and they even do ear piercings. If you have never visited the store before, now is the best time. At Antiques & Jewels they are currently offering 50-percent off shelf price.

Address: Phone: Website:

259 Main Street 631-549-2090 scentsational.com

TV producer and Chip ‘n Dipped founder Peter Goldfarb grew up on his mother’s delicious cookies. After sharing the recipes with his industry friends and getting a wave of positive reviews, he moved back east to study cooking and open up a business. Enjoy the gift of his mother’s delicious recipes at Chip N’ Dipped, where you can get an abundance of different tasty treats such as chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate bars, artisan chocolate and their signature chocolate chip cookie dipped in chocolate.

Address: Phone: Website:

342 New York Avenue 631-470-2579 chipndipped.com

Address: Phone: Website:

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A18 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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Health Fitness / Fifty50+Plus NY: Where Organ Demand Is High, Supply Low Long Islander News photo/Carina Livoti

By Carina Livoti clivoti@longislandergroup.com

We may call ourselves the Empire State, but New York is far from an authority in at least one area: organ donor registration. Despite being ranked third-highest among all states in the number of residents in need of transplant, NewYork is has the third-lowest donor registration rate in the country – 22 percent, according to Blue Cross Blue Shield nonprofit Excellus. “As a legislator in the New York State Assembly and the successor of two-time kidney recipient Jim Conte, I believe it is time that NewYork State breaks this trend by becoming a leader in organ donation awareness and education,” Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R-Huntington Station) said in an April 30 press conference on organ donor awareness. With Assemblymen Andrew Raia (R-Northport) and Edward Ra (RFranklin Square), Lupinacci introduced legislation which would require public schools to include transplant and organ donation lessons in health education curricula beginning next year.

At a press conference in Huntington on promoting organ donation in New York, Stony Brook Medicine’s Dr. Frank Darras, right, said that increased education on how to be a donor was necessary. According to James Pardes, vice president of marketing and communications at LiveOnNY, New York does not find itself at the bottom of the donor registry for no reason. “For most of the country, 90 percent of enrollments come through the DMV; most states renew licenses

every three or four years. We have an eight-year driver’s license renewal cycle, meaning the question is asked less frequently,” Pardes said. He added that no one under 18 may register as an organ donor, even with parental consent, meaning that many new drivers are not eligible. In some

other states, 17-year-old drivers can register with parental consent, he said. The state-specific challenges do not end there. According to Pardes, New York also has one of the largest urban populations in the country, which accounts for a large percentage of our overall population. “A lot of people [in New York urban areas] don’t get driver licenses or even state IDs,” he said. That urban population is also exposed to a wide variety of advertising, making it difficult for those advocating for organ donation awareness to cut through the noise. Finally, the state’s diversity poses challenges, Pardes said. “Part of what’s so great about New York is that it’s so diverse, but many cultures come with long held beliefs within communities that require education and dialogue,” he said. Lupinacci’s legislation would not only increase education, but could help foster the dialogue and increased awareness that New York needs to increase that donor registry rate. For more information on how to register as a donor, visit donatelifeny.org/take-action.

Friends Rally To Help Woman Get New Lungs By Carina Livoti clivoti@longislandergroup.com

For most of us, the words “take a deep breath” are more soothing than stressful. For 41-year-old Walt Whitman High School graduate Ann Marie Cortina, they pose an almost insurmountable challenge. Cortina has cystic fibrosis, a hereditary condition that damages the lungs. Diagnosed at the age of 2, Cortina said she was fortunate enough to go through most of her life without too much trouble. She was hospitalized here and there, but for a victim of cystic fibrosis, her experience was relatively mild until a sudden decline last year. Now she needs new lungs. “I ran a relatively normal life until about two years ago… I just started getting sicker, and then I rapidly declined until December, when I got pneumonia and I was put on 24-hour oxygen,” she said. Previously an executive assistant to two medical companies, Cortina

was forced to go on disability in 2012 as her health began to decline. She said prior to her bout of pneumonia, she was on nighttime oxygen. “Just before I got the pneumonia [my doctor] said she wanted to talk to me about transplants, just in case I needed one in the future,” she said. Neither Cortina nor her doctor anticipated that she would be on a transplant list just months later. According to Cortina’s cousin, Kourtney Radice, the current snag is not the new lungs themselves, but the associated medical costs. “Everything is moving along kind of quickly with Ann Marie. She’s on the transplant list and she can get it whenever she’s ready,” Radice said. Transplants come with a lifetime of additional medical costs, including anti-rejection medications that often come with hefty copayments. As a result, Cortina’s friends and family started an online fundraising campaign in mid-March with a goal of raising $50,000 before Cortina receives her transplant.

“It’s not something we can just take our time with; this is someone’s life we’re talking about. If you knew Ann Marie, she’s not a person to rely on other people or to ask other people to support her,” Radice said. In addition to the page, which has raised over $20,000 so far, friends and family have begun holding events in Cortina’s honor. Radice is organizing a dinner event at Huntington’s Eatalia, a new restaurant taking over the space at 34 New Street in Huntington, on May 31 called “Just Breathe,” where she hopes to raise funds for her cousin and awareness for cystic fibrosis. “I don’t think people know much about the disease, the severity of it, the fact that it’s a life-threatening illness,” she said. The night will feature dinner, cocktails, raffles and prizes, all for $60 a head. “It’s going to be a fun time—that’s our goal. We want people to come and enjoy themselves and have a

Whitman graduate Ann Marie Cortina must wear a mask to avoid picking up infections at the hospital, especially in the elevator. nice night out all the while supporting a great cause,” she said. For more information on the event and Cortina’s story, visit https://m.helphopelive.org/campaign/6507.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A19

21-Year-Old Gets Long-Awaited Heart By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

Some days just get burned into a parent’s memory. April 24, 2015 was one of them for Greenlawn’s Michele and Doug Martines. Earlier that day, her 21-year-old son, Christian Siems, spoke at a press conference, hosted by Legislator Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills), advocating for organ donation. He knows the need first-hand - he needed a heart transplant. Six months earlier, on Oct. 25, 2014, he’d been airlifted to Westchester Medical Center, where an emergency procedure was performed on Nov. 6 to equip him with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) – an artificial heart. The procedure came six weeks after he was added to the list of New Yorkers in need of a heart transplant. On April 24, he was in urgent need of a new heart. “He lived on battery power for exactly six months to the day,” Michele said. Then, 12 hours after last Friday’s press conference, Michele received “the call.” There was a heart, and it

Christian Siems with his family at Westchester Medical Center prepares to undergo a heart transplant April 25. was healthy. The family quickly packed their bags, Christian’s LVAD and his battery chargers, loaded up their car and rushed to Westchester. After a 14-hour procedure and despite some complications, Christian is recovering well. A respirator was removed Wednesday.

“In our joy there is sadness for another family,” Michele said. “We are blessed with his selfless act of kindness by being a donor. No words can express our gratitude.” The journey to a transplant began June 28, 2012, a few weeks after Christian had tried to give blood at Harborfields High School. They

turned him down after discovering “something wrong” with his heart rate, Michele said. When they visited a neighborhood cardiologist June 28, they found that something was very wrong. He was rushed to St. Francis Hospital, where an emergency angiogram was performed. At St. Francis, the family was told “he’s not going to live through the night.” After an internal cardiac defibrillator was placed in Christian, the family rushed north to Westchester Medical Center, where Christian was put in the care of Dr. Alan Gass, the medical director of the heart transplant and mechanical support program. They didn’t know it then, but Christian was suffering dilated cardiomyopathy, in which the heart becomes weakened and enlarged and cannot pump blood effectively. Michele said she had always been especially vigilant about heart health with her son because her exhusband had suffered the same condition and underwent a successful transplant in 2001. Now, it was her son. (Continued on page A27)

A20 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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What do you do when sellinga business (Continued from page A10)

of your business to make sure that there are no restrictions on the sale or donation. For the year of the donation you will get a charitable tax deduction for the Fair Market Value of the shares (donors need to follow the rules on appraisals and need a qualified appraisal dated no earlier than 60 days before the donation). The DAF will sell the shares and avoid the capital

gain, and you (and your family) will have the opportunity to direct the proceeds in the DAF to be distributed to your favorite charities—hence the start of your philanthropic legacy. With the Donor Advised Fund in place, you are now ready for the next step: defining your areas of interest; your “mission statement.” Many families embarking on this venture want to share the philanthropic experience

with their children and family. Many, unsure on how to get started, turn to a philanthropic adviser to determine which giving sectors resonate with family members the most. Some philanthropic advisers facilitate a family retreat to flesh out the sectors of interest and to discuss philanthropy more broadly. Just think about the opportunity to work with your family on making a difference.

Klein Wealth Management is a team of investment professionals registered with HighTower Securities, LLC, member FINRA, MSRB and SIPC & HighTower Advisors, LLC a registered investment advisor with the SEC. All securities are offered through HighTower Securities, LLC and advisory services are offered through HighTower Advisors, LLC.

Attorney brings personal touch to practice (Continued from page A11)

Firm also offers free lawyer consolation anytime over the phone. “If we touch the case, we touch the client,” she said. “It may be something as simple as getting in a record; we’ll let the client know… that we’re working on their case because what we provide is an ‘invisible’ service. [So] we keep them in the loop every step of the way.” But Schlitt has done it while keeping the firm “intentionally small;” she’s the

only lawyer on staff. This mentality, however, is what has helped Schlitt to develop those personal bonds with her clients as she works alongside her team: several young, aspiring legal analysts, her director of client services and husband, Mark Cronin, and mail room clerk and son, John Cronin. Together the group has ensured that even though the firm is intentionally small in size it offers an in-

credibly personal impact on clients. “We work in a team concept… We work collectively,” she said. “In law firms, typically you have the lawyer working in a private office somewhere that doesn’t interact with anybody else; that’s not what we do.” The Schlitt Law Firm’s Huntington office encourages that “team” mentality with its openness and accessibility that Schlitt sought when deciding upon office space three

years ago. Huntington village offered that openness, she said, while allowing the firm to stay at “home,” where Schlitt and her family reside. The location has also helped The Schlitt Law Firm be involved with the community. “We are particularly focused on charities focused on children; we donate 1 percent of our profits to children’s charities,” Schlitt said.

How to choose the right life insurance (Continued from page A10)

You can use a broker, who represents a variety of companies. You can use a captive agent, who’s restricted to the policy offerings of his own company. Whichever way you go, make sure the broker/agent probes to determine your needs and makes his/her decision based upon your needs rather than upon their own commission considera-

tions. Seek out a CLU or CFP who has a fiduciary responsibility to look out for your best interests. Lastly, review your insurance policies every 3-5 years. New policy offerings come out every few years and your circumstances and situation changes – be sure your policy still does what you need it to do when the time comes.

Jon L. Ten Haagen, CFP, of Huntington, is an Investment Advisor Representative offering securities and advisory services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor. Ten Haagen Financial Group is not affiliated with Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. or registered as a broker dealer or in-

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

Republic Airport plans panned by leaders (Continued from page A5)

the state never reached out to the board – an action he alleges is a violation of state law. He also urged that Cuomo eschew the tax-free zone and take steps to bolster development in surrounding areas instead. “No one’s going to come in our community and change the quality of life that we live, we play and we work every day. You’re not running this community from Albany,” he said. Taff claimed that Department of Transportation representatives were “banned” from attending the April 30 civic meeting in Melville. Post said that wasn’t true. “DOT, EDS and members of the Governor’s office have been meeting with stakeholders, touring the area and holding information sessions about the RFP – consistent with state

procurement guidelines,” Post said. She added that any plans to change cargo and commercial flights at Republic would “require a more detailed analysis and additional conversations with federal and local partners.” Regardless, what civic leaders do know, they don’t seem to like. The plan “basically says is we’re going to give the keys to the airport to someone for the next 40 years,” said Mike DeLuise, president of the Melville Chamber of Commerce. It’s a plan, he said, that “doesn’t make sense,” especially considering a proposed rail station at Republic, supported by Babylon and Huntington townships, could get passengers to Ronkonkoma and MacArthur Airport in 20 minutes. “We want to know why we can’t utilize what we’ve have,” DeLuise said.

Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone said he was working to convene a meeting between himself, Babylon Supervisor Rich Schaffer and Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto to tackle the Republic question together. “We’re going to sit down and decide – what information do we need? Because we do not have the information we need to go through this and ask the intelligent questions,” Petrone said. Taff and others also said they are against a cost-sharing mechanism in the first 10 years of the contract, in which the state would pick up the difference between revenues and “reasonable costs incurred for the operation of the airport.” She argued it’s a golden opportunity for a new private operator to go on a veritable infrastructure shopping spree on the

taxpayer dime. By the same token, the state would keep all revenues during those 10 years. Post said Republic is “a development opportunity” with the potential for wide-reaching benefits. “Republic is highly marketable to the business community and has long been underutilized,” she said. “The governor has called for the best ideas out there to remake Republic, which he believes has the potential to become an economic catalyst in the area with the right smart, longterm development.” Analysis of the proposals was set to begin after press time Wednesday. Technical presentations are set to begin on May 13, with a contractor to be selected a week later. Contracts are set to be approved by June 16, with a proposed contract start date set for July 1.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A21

FESTIVAL

The 15th annual Huntington Tulip Festival on Sunday had splashes of spring, beats of music and sounds of laughing as hundreds flocked to Heckscher Park. A sea of children’s activity booths, an art exhibit, and live performances courtesy of the Huntington Art Council kept families busy as they strolled through the thousands of tulips that bloomed in time for the event. Did you take an amazing photo? Enter it in the town’s Tulip Festival Photography Contest, which is open to both amateurs and professional photographers. The winner of this contest will be awarded a $300 prize. The entry form can be found online at Huntingtonny.gov, and all entries must be received by July 31, 2015.

Photos by Ross McTyre

Sun Shines On Town’s Tulip Festival

A22 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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OPEN HOUSES

Want to get your open houses listed? Get your listings for free on this page every week in Long Islander News papers. Call Associate Publisher Peter Sloggatt at 631-427-7000 or send an e-mail to psloggatt@longislandergroup.com. Town Huntington Huntington Lloyd Harbor Cold Spring Hrbr Lloyd Harbor Dix Hills E. Northport Cold Spring Hrbr Lloyd Neck Lloyd Neck Huntington Sta Melville Huntington Sta E. Northport Greenlawn Dix Hills Huntington Dix Hills Northport Huntington Dix Hills Dix Hills Huntington Bay

MELVILLE

DIX HILLS

37 Schwab Rd Bedrooms 2 Baths 3 Price $375,000 Taxes $9,097 Open House 5/9 2:00pm-4:00pm Realty Connect USA LLC 888-236-6319

21 Grayon Dr Bedrooms 4 Baths 3 Price $595,000 Taxes $17,023 Open House5/9 1:00pm-3:00pm Better Homes & Gardens RE AS 631-427-0010

32 Rustic Gate Ln Bedrooms 5 Baths 3 Price $769,000 Taxes $17,884 Open House 5/9 2:30pm-4:00pm Douglas Elliman Real Estate 631-499-9191

Address Beds 67 West Neck Rd 4 21 Thorman Ln 4 41 Middle Hollow Rd 5 4 The Commons 5 5 Knutson Ct 5 328 Gilbert St 4 7 Midvale Ct 6 187 Lawrence Hill Rd 5 23 Oakwood Dr 5 14 Mallard Dr 5 37 Lynch St 3 37 Schwab Rd 2 52 Meadowbrook Dr 4 20 Mansfield Lane S 4 57 Kirkland Dr 4 21 Grayon Dr 4 116 Old Field Rd 5 22 Stonehurst Ln 5 110 Sea Cove Rd 5 9 Briarfield Ln 2 32 Rustic Gate Ln 5 14 Sabrina Ct 4 22 Baycrest Dr 7

Baths 2 2 5 6 5 4 4 3 5 5 1 3 2 4 3 3 4 4 3 2 3 3 6

Price $669,000 $750,000 $2,850,000 $3,359,000 $3,495,000 $599,000 $1,000,000 $1,400,000 $2,188,000 $2,499,000 $265,000 $375,000 $429,000 $539,000 $559,000 $595,000 $679,000 $699,000 $699,000 $765,000 $769,000 $795,000 $1,650,000

Taxes $10,826 $16,845 $27,668 $45,175 $39,490 $13,012 $19,420 $22,000 N/A $22,429 $7,247 $9,097 $15,610 $16,497 $13,861 $17,023 $20,252 $16,590 $10,305 $16,974 $17,884 $16,247 $39,149

Date 5/6 5/6 5/6 5/6 5/6 5/7 5/7 5/7 5/7 5/7 5/9 5/9 5/9 5/9 5/9 5/9 5/9 5/9 5/9 5/9 5/9 5/9 5/9

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

Broker Daniel Gale Agency Inc Coldwell Banker Residential Daniel Gale Agency Inc Daniel Gale Agency Inc Daniel Gale Agency Inc RE/MAX Beyond Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc European American Specialists Daniel Gale Agency Inc Daniel Gale Agency Inc Coldwell Banker Residential Realty Connect USA LLC Signature Premier Properties Coldwell Banker Residential Signature Premier Properties Better Homes & Gardens RE AS Douglas Elliman Real Estate Realty Connect USA LLC Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc Daniel Gale Agency Inc Douglas Elliman Real Estate Douglas Elliman Real Estate LAFFEY FINE HOMES

Phone 631-692-6770 631-673-6800 631-692-6770 631-692-6770 631-692-6770 631-862-1100 631-360-1900 631-367-4900 631-692-6770 631-692-6770 631-673-4444 888-236-6319 631-673-3700 516-864-8100 631-673-3700 631-427-0010 631-549-4400 877-647-1092 631-673-2222 631-427-6600 631-499-9191 631-499-9191 631-547-5300

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Casino night fundraiser (Continued from page A1)

and her husband Jim, a mortgage banker and grandson of the late Half Hollow Hills community activist Bea Garvey, said the island-wide outpouring of support for their little girl has been “incredible.” Addison was diagnosed with Moebius Syndrome, a disorder of cranial nerves six and seven which results in varying degrees of facial paralysis. In Addison’s case, she cannot blink or move her mouth, resulting in difficulties with eating and speaking, Jen said. Moebius Syndrome affects just two out of every 1 million people. There are no in-utero tests that can detect the syndrome; no determinations on causes and no cure. Addison receives speech, physical and operational therapy to treat the disorder, and a nutritionist oversees the use of a G-tube to feed Addison. With obstacles on the horizon, Jen said her colleagues in the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park School District, where she teaches first grade, sprung into action. Already, they’ve held a happy hour fundraiser in support of the family and stepped up

again, organizing the casino night when they realized baby Addison’s needs were more complex than initially thought. Her coworkers have also donated sick days, allowing Jen the flexibility to stay home with her newborn without losing a day’s pay. Friends from all walks of life have stepped up to the plate as well. Her father has called in support from his friends in the Nassau County Detectives Association, and husband Jim’s ties in the banking and real estate industries have proven fruitful as well. The outpouring of generosity has inspired the couple. “One of the greatest blessings of our journey… has been experiencing the kindness of extraordinary people,” they said. “We’ve become inspired to be more like them – loving people just for the sake of loving, without receiving anything in return.” Tickets are $75 per person, which includes $100 in chips. A table of 10 is $700, and includes $1,000 in chips for the group. Call 516-3988968 for more information.

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A23

A24 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

THURSDAY Civil War Roundtable

The North Shore Civil War Roundtable presents a lecture by Matthew Borowick on May 7, 7 pm at the South Huntington Public Library, 145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station. Borowick will discuss his book, “The Court Martial of Fitz John Porter.” The meeting is free and is open to everyone. andrewathanas@hotmail.com.

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Calendar O M M U N I T Y

Huntington Public Library

Main Branch: 338 Main St., Huntington. 631-427-5165. Station Branch: 1335 New York Ave., Huntington Station. 631421-5053. 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.

Northport-East Northport Public Library

The Centerport Garden Club is having their Annual Plant Sale May 8, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Harborfields Library, 31 Broadway, Greenlawn. 631-757-4200, rain or shine.

Northport: 151 Laurel Ave. 631-2616930. East Northport: 185 Larkfield Road. 631-261-2313. www.nenpl.org. • Learn about the history of East Northport and the important roles the railroad, the post office, and the library has played in its history Tuesday, May 12, 2:30 p.m. in East Northport.

Healthy Kids Race

South Huntington Public Library

FRIDAY Plant Sale

The Healthy Kids Running Series will be held Friday, May 8, 5-6 p.m. at Fifth Avenue Elementary School, 1157 Fifth Ave., East Northport. The series aims to provide kids with a positive, educational, and fun experience in the world of running. Visit www.healthykidsrunningseries.org.

SATURDAY YMCA Camp Open House

Learn more about the Huntington YMCA Summer Day Camp during open houses on Saturday, May 16, 12-3 p.m.; and Saturday, June 6, 1-3 p.m. at 60 Main St., Huntington. https://ymcali.org/huntington/camp/ or call 631-421-4242.

Argentine Tango Classes

Experience the subtle communication between partners as you learn the passionate dance known as the tango. Come dressed to impress (but be comfortable) for classes at a new time on Saturdays, 2-4 p.m. at Spirit of Huntington Art Center, 2 Melville Road North, Huntington Station. 631-470-9620 or email noconintended@gmail.com. Suggested donation: $15 per person/$25 per couple.

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!

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.

MONDAY

Time Running Out For A Chorus Line The classic “A Chorus Line” shows through May 10 at the John W. Engeman Theater At Northport, 350 Main St., Northport. www.johnwengemantheater.com. 631-261-2900. the following places and times: Huntington Library, Monday, May 11 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; Huntington Nutrition Center, Wednesdays, May 27 and June 24, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Paumanack Village I & II (Greenlawn), Tuesday, June 16, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Paumanack Village V & VI (Melville), Thursday, May 28, 8:3011:30 a.m.; South Huntington Library, Thursday, June 25, 10-11:30 a.m. 631853-8200.

TUESDAY 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 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. 631-4627446.

How do I get my report for free? And how do they figure out my score? Come to this fast-paced and informative session Tuesday, May 12 at 7 pm that will answer these questions and dispel common myths about credit.

Suffolk County Senior Advocates who assist seniors with information gathering, completion of eligibility or recertification applications and referrals to appropriate community agencies, will be available at

AT THE LIBRARIES Cold Spring Harbor Library

95 Harbor Road, Cold Spring Harbor. 631-692-6820. cshlibrary.org. • Just what is a credit report anyway?

THEATER & FILM Cinema Arts Centre

Commack Public Library

423 Park Ave., Huntington. www.cinemaartscentre.org. 631-423-7611. • The Puppet Slam Café is a cabaret of hip, contemporary puppetry for adults. Some of America’s finest puppeteers will present material created for an adult audience on Thursday, May 14 at 8 p.m. $15 members/$20 general. Price includes 2 Beverages (Wine, Coffee or Soda).

Deer Park Public Library

John W. Engeman Theater At Northport

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. 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.

Elwood Public Library

3027 Jericho Turnpike, Elwood. 631499-3722. www.elwoodlibrary.org. • Watch the library’s weekly Friday afternoon movie at 1 p.m.

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.

Harborfields Public Library Meet With Senior Advocates

145 Pidgeon Hill Road, Huntington Station. 631-549-4411. www.shpl.info. • Visit the East End before the summer crowds with a trip to Raphael & Baiting Hollow wineries on Wednesday, May 13. Trip includes a stop at Briermere. $50 includes bus, box lunch and gratuity.

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.

350 Main St., Northport. www.johnwengemantheater.com. 631-261-2900. • The classic “A Chorus Line” shows through May 10.

Northport-E. Northport Community Theater

The Brosnan Building, 158 Laurel Avenue, Northport. www.NorthportCommunityTheater.org • Go on “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” May 8-10.

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. • Check out the Art League’s 57th Long Island Artists Exhibition through May 7.

b.j. spoke gallery

299 Main St., Huntington. Gallery hours: Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. 631-5495106. www.bjspokegallery.com. • Two solo exhibits – Liz Ehrlichman’s

(Continued on page A25)

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A25 seeking artistically gifted volunteers to partner with residents in a new program, “heART to heART” aimed at helping people with varying levels of cognitive ability express themselves through art. Contact Judie at 516-931-5036 or jatlas1@optonline.net.

“Not Quite Ready-to-Wear” and Kevin Larkin’s “the haiku paintings” – open Tuesday, May 5, on display through May 30, with a reception on Saturday, May 9, from 6-9 p.m. Ehrlichman presents a clothesline collage demo on May 5 and on May 10 at 1 p.m. Watch Larkin while he creates a new painting on May 17 at 1 p.m.

(Continued from page A24)

Don’t Hibernate. Help

Cold Spring Harbor Whaling Museum

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, $4-6/seniors, and $4-5/children; members and children under 10 free. 631-351-3250. • Come and check out “Before Selfies: Portraiture through the Ages” for a look at portraits before the advent of cameras. The exhibit is on display through Aug. 9.

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. • “Art in Marriage” combines the sculpture work of Arthur Bernstein and afghans made by Edith Bernstein. On display through May 18, with an afghan demonstration by Edith on Saturday, May 9 at 1:30 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 first Tide Mill Tour of the season is May 21 at 1:45 p.m. The mill was built in 1795 and is the only one left in Huntington. Advanced registration is required.

Northport Historical Society Museum

215 Main St., Northport. Museum hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 1-4:30 p.m. 631-7579859. www.northporthistorical.org. • For an afternoon of historical fun, come and enjoy a self-guided walking tour of the Northport’s Historic Main Street Tuesday-Sunday from 1-4:30 p.m. Available in the museum shop at $5 per person.

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. • A solo show of mixed media canvases by Sue Contessa opens May 9 with a reception from 4-7 p.m.

New Exhibits at bj spoke Two solo exhibits – Liz Ehrlichman’s “Not Quite Ready-to-Wear” and Kevin Larkin’s “the haiku paintings” – open Tuesday, May 5, on display through May 30,with a reception on Saturday, May 9, from 6-9 p.m. Ehrlichman presents aclothesline collage demo on May 5 and on May 10 at 1 p.m. Watch Larkin while he creates a new painting on May 17 at 1 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. • Enjoy an afternoon of mansion touring, which begins in the Courtyard of the historic house once owned by William K. Vanderbilt II. Tours are Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday for a fee of $5 in addition to the price of admission. Check the museum’s website for time listings.

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. 631-427-5240, 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. • Go “Broadway Bound” on Sunday, May 10, 2 p.m. $10.

The Paramount

370 New York Ave., Huntington. 631673-7300. www.paramountny.com. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. • Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes play Saturday, May 9. $20-$49.50.

Ridotto, Concerts “with a Touch of Theatre”

“Misha and Cipa Dichter in Recital” features legendary American pianist Misha Dichter with partner Cipa Dichter. The program includes cartoons by Misha Dichter

and others. Sunday, May 17, 4 p.m. in the Huntington Jewish Center, 510 Park Ave., Huntington. $10 (students), $18 (members), $20 (seniors), $25 (adults). Reservations strongly recommended: 631-385-0373, or Ridotto@optonline.net. Info: www.ridotto.org.

VOLUNTEERING Tea Party Volunteer Assistant

The Walt Whitman Birthplace, 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington Station, aims to create a greater passion for reading and writing through exhibits, tours, educational and cultural events. It seeks volunteers to assist the tea party coordinator. The position entails setting up food and beverages and assisting with clean-up. Contact Diana Alvarez at 631-427-5240 ext. 114. www.waltwhitman.org.

Cosmetologists Wanted

Hospice Care Network is seeking New York State-licensed cosmetologists to provide 2-4 haircuts per month for community members facing life-limiting illnesses. Download an application at www.hospicecarenetwork.org or call 516224-6423.

Be A Museum Docent

The Huntington Historical Society is currently seeking volunteers to train to become Museum Docents at the historic David Conklin Farmhouse Museum. The museum is located at 2 High St. in Huntington village and is a fascinating interpretation of the Colonial, Federal and Victorian time periods. No experience required – an interest in local history is a plus. Training is provided. Call 631-427-7045 ext 403.

Seeking Volunteer Advocates

The Family Service League’s Ombudservice Program of Suffolk County is seeking volunteers to train as advocates for nursing home, adult home and assisted living facility residents to help ensure they receive quality care and their rights are protected. 631-4273700 ext. 240.

Artistically Gifted Needed

The Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Commack is

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP SUFFOLK) needs adults 55+ to help in organizations throughout Suffolk County. Dozens of opportunities available in this federally funded program for just about any interest or skill. Visit www.rsvpsuffolk.org or call 631-9799490 ext.12 for more information.

Friends At Home

Looking to earn some community service hours while changing a life? As part of the Friends@Home program, a project of The Ariella's Friendship Circle at the Chai Center in Dix Hills, visit a child with special needs in an environment they are most comfortable: their own homes. Together, bake cookies, play games, create arts and crafts, read books and more. Contact Nati or Sara at 631-3518672 or fcchaicenter@gmail.com

Be A Friend Of The Bay

Friends of the Bay is in need of volunteers who can help convert water quality data, which is currently kept in an excel sheet, into a Microsoft Access database. Assistance is also needed with ArcView GIS, to configure maps of the watershed. Call 516-922-6666 or email info@friendsofthebay.org.

Be A Host Family

Huntington Sanctuary is seeking families or individual adults to become Host Homes, which provide temporary shelter to youth between ages 12-17 who are experiencing a family crisis. Contact Jennifer Petti at 631-271-2183 for more information.

Helping Furry Friends

Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center is looking for volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of animals. Free training provided. Visit www.littleshelter.com or call 631368-8770 ext. 204.

Walt Whitman Birthplace

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

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

A26 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A27

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandergroup.com

Ninety marines who served together in Afghanistan will be taking to the roads of East Northport as part of an annual road race that pays tribute to fallen soldiers and raises funds to support them. The added support is being woven into the eighth annual Christopher G. Scherer “I Did The Grid” race, a Memorial Day weekend tradition named for an East Northport Marine corporal who was killed in battle in 2007 in Iraq, felled by an enemy sniper. Race organizer Tim Scherer, Chris’ father, said the Marines’ participation in the annual run is an outgrowth of a reunion being held out east. The soldiers will run the one-mile fun run while performing Marine cadence chants, Tim Scherer said. Beginning at Pulaski Elementary School, runners and walkers will round the 31 turns on the 4-mile course while wearing the names of four fallen service members on their bibs. Once they cross the finish line, they ring a bell for each name. For the first time, links will be printed on each bib, directing runners to the service member’s Legacy.com profile. Runners will be encouraged to leave messages of support on the website. All funds raised support the Semper Fi Fund, which funds Christopher G. Scherer Scholarships at Northport High School and the Cpl. Christopher

Long Islander News photo/archives

Runners Do ‘The Grid’ For Fallen Marine

The Christopher G. Scherer “I Did The Grid” run will kick off the inaugural Suffolk County Veterans Running series May 23. Inset, Scherer, of East Northport, who was killed in Iraq in 2007. G. Scherer Leave No Marine Behind Project, which sends requested supplies to Chris’fellow Marines in the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, as well as care packages to local soldiers serving overseas. In recent years, as more veterans have returned from war with needs, the fund’s efforts have recalibrated toward sponsoring service dogs for veterans who have returned from war and are suffering from post-traumatic stress and other ailments. The 4-mile competitive run begins at 8 a.m. Runners must be able to complete a 12-minute mile to register,

which costs $35. A one-mile fun run follows at 9 a.m. and is $20. A 4-mile recreational run-walk is $35 and begins at 9:30 a.m. For more information about the race and the Christopher G. Scherer Semper Fi Fund, visit www.cplchris.com. The Scherer run marks the first stop on a six-race Suffolk County Veterans Running Series, which concludes in November. Stop number four in the series is the Cow Harbor Warriors’ Captain Joseph J. Boccia Jr. USMC FourMile Warrior Run at Crab Meadow Beach on Sept. 12, which is immediately followed by the inaugural Suf-

folk County Marathon on Sept. 13. Scherer said he approached County Executive Steve Bellone with the idea during a turkey drop at the Northport VA Medical Center last year, and the county ran with it. “We now have the opportunity to make an even bigger impact for our local veterans,” Bellone said in a statement announcing the series. Veterans and residents who run or volunteer in all of the six races will receive a special, commemorative challenge coin. For more information about the series, visit suffolkmarathon.com.

Resident undergoes successful heart transplant (Continued from page A19)

NY Worst At Meeting Organ Demand The Martines family’s happy outcome this week is hardly a given – especially in New York. Only 24 percent of New Yorkers are organ donors; the nationwide average is around 40 percent, Gass said. New York, in fact, is the worst in the nation – a place where the most patients are waiting for the fewest organs. “That’s a very unfortunate disconnect,” Gass said. The result is grim. Gass said 25 to 30 percent of those waiting for organs die before an organ is found. Nationwide, about 5,000 are on the waiting list for hearts; only about 2,000 procedures are done per year. Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (RHuntington Station) said he is preparing legislation to increase organ dona-

tion outreach to high schools, and allow students ages 16 and 17, with parental permission, to become organ donors. Already, $250,000 in this year’s budget is earmarked to promote organ donation. Lupinacci succeeded the late Jim Conte, who represented the 10th assembly district for 24 years and was a leading advocate in New York of organ donation. A two-time kidney transplant recipient, Conte’s efforts resulted in the creation of a statewide Gift of Life trust fund and a statewide organ donor registry. Conte died Oct. 16, 2012 after a battle with cancer. “This is in his honor of all of his accomplishments,” Lupinacci said. Christian was supposed to speak at Lupinacci’s press conference. Instead, his mother’s boss, Councilwoman Tracey Edwards, will pinch hit for him while he’s on the mend.

Road Ahead For Heart Recipients Filled With Potential Dr. Gass said the prognosis is good for Christian. Most heart transplant patients are out of the hospital within two weeks, and the median survival rate is about 12 years. About half live at least 10 years; 30 to 40 percent live 20 years or more. Those statistics come with a hopeful caveat. Today, the procedures are more sophisticated, and with better LVADs in use, patients don’t get as sick as they used to before a transplant is done, he said. “I don’t see any reason Christian can’t go 20, 30 years with this heart,” Gass said. Eighty-five percent of patients are able to return to work, the doctor said. Some have run marathons; another has climbed the Matterhorn af-

ter a transplant. Gass recently went skiing with two of his heart transplant patients. “Transplantation is real. It works. The limiting factor is, basically, supply of organs,” he said. Christian’s recovery will be filmed for a documentary, “Waiting to Live,” with hopes of promoting organ donation. Filmmaker Edmund Kuuya hopes to complete work on the project by September. Already, Christian’s improvement is evident. He wrote on April 26 that, after the operation, he felt the best he had in five years. While he wrote that message, he was still intubated and the chest wound from his heart transplant had just been stitched up. “That’s pretty remarkable,” Gass said. Visit www.donatelifeny.org for more information on donating.

A28 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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RUNNING

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

The story of Michael “Mikey” Brannigan has been told time and time again. A February 2015 feature athlete for Sports Illustrated; the centerpiece of a 2014 NBC “Nightly News” segment; and the talking point of countless articles highlighting the ever-growing list of his county, state and national running accomplishments, which he’s accrued during his time at Northport High School – the senior has seemingly made “Brannigan” a household name in the world of track and field. On Sunday, however, Brannigan’s story came to life on the silver screen for the very first time in the form of “The Silent Portrait of Michael Brannigan,” a documentary filmed by fellow Northport senior Devon Narine-Singh. Before a mostly crowded theater at the Huntington Cinema Arts Centre, Narine-Singh offered a first-of-itskind, in-depth, complex, emotional and inspiring look at the life of Brannigan: one of America’s best young long-distance runners who also happens to have autism. “Being in the Northport community, everyone knows Mikey; everyone knows his story,” Narine-Singh, 18, said. “But there’s a very simple way to tell the story… and, in my opinion, that’s not an accurate portrayal because a story is much more complicated.” Narine-Singh believes that some have let Brannigan’s disability cloud the more complicated tale. Yes, Brannigan has autism and was diagnosed with the intellectual disability prior to his second birthday, but that’s not the focal point, nor the stopping point here.

“To people that don’t know Mikey very well, [the story] would seem to be about an autistic runner,” Brannigan’s mother, Edie, says during one of the film’s interviews. “But anyone that knows him… understands that he’s a great runner – who has autism.” Running since the age of 7, Brannigan lowered his time on the one mile run to under five minutes as a seventh-grader. A grade later, Brannigan tried out for Northport’s varsity cross-country team. He made it. Along his winding path of success, Brannigan received All-American honors from USA Track and Field and the U.S. Olympic Committee during his junior year in 2014 – the same year he became a national champion in the 3,200-meter run. Just this past weekend, Brannigan took to the track at St. Anthony’s High School during the annual invitational meet and won the 800-meter run with a time of 1:51.87 – a meet record. He accomplished that while a crew filming another documentary – ESPN’s hour-long newsmagazine show, “E:60” – followed his every move. “That’s how Mikey is on a daily basis, it’s not so much his talent, but his work ethic,” Brannigan’s Northport High School coach, Jason Strom, says during another of the film’s interviews. “He wants to be first in everything; he only knows that one speed... He works to be the best every day.” With this success came the attention and, simultaneously, the film’s major obstacle. Brannigan doesn’t need the media spotlight; as his father, Kevin, says during the film, in some ways, it even hinders him. The young runner thrives on having a routine and that routine can be easily disrupted.

Northport High School senior and filmmaker Devon Narine-Singh, left, fields questions after the screening of his documentary “The Silent Portrait of Michael Brannigan,” which examines the life of Northport’s Brannigan family, including the oldest Brannigan brother, Patrick, right.

Long Islander News photos/Andrew Wroblewski

A ‘Silent Portrait’ Of Mikey Brannigan

Mikey Brannigan, left, and his mother Edie, right, smile after a question from the audience on Sunday, asked after the conclusion of “The Silent Portrait of Michael Brannigan,” a documentary exploring the life of the Northport runner’s accomplishments and his dealings with autism. Similarly, Narine-Singh’s original focus of the film became disrupted during filming. The filmmaker originally intended to tell the story partly through Brannigan’s eyes, but the runner became uncomfortable during filming and, as a result, opted to have his screen time limited. With that in mind, Narine-Singh began to explore the story through the eyes of Brannigan’s parents and his brothers, Thomas and Patrick. With this, Narine-Singh evokes real emotion as he’s able to reveal stories, thoughts and feelings not previously shown to the public. Edie discusses the challenges of caring for her autistic son around the house. Kevin battles with the idea that National Collegiate Athletic Association academic standards could prevent his son from running for a Division I college. Patrick talks about the frustrations of yearning for a younger brother that he could relate to on a social level. Thomas battles to step out of the shadow that his older brother has cast before him. These complex, emotional issues and talking points are explored through “fly-on-the-wall” camerawork that make Brannigan’s story more than just what immediately meets the eye; they’re what make it real. “I’m very grateful that the Brannigans allowed me to tell their story and that they were so candid and honest with me,” Narine-Singh said after the film’s conclusion. “I think that’s really what makes the film.” At the end of the day, though, with all stones unturned, the Brannigan family wouldn’t have it any other way. “Everything is exactly the way it’s supposed to be whether I understand

it… or not,” Edie says. “Mikey and autism has enhanced our lives, that’s how I see it today – that’s also for Mikey’s life and for his siblings’ lives. Everyone that Mikey touches… they come away inspired. I don’t walk around inspiring people. Mike does, and what a gift that is.”

Brannigan To Race In International Qualifiers Edie Brannigan announced on Sunday to a crowd at the Huntington Cinema Arts Centre that her son, Mikey Brannigan – a decorated long-distance runner for Northport High School – will begin running for the United States in international qualifying races this year in preparation for the 2016 Paralympic Games, which are set to be played in Rio de Janeiro. “This is my passion and my dream,” Mikey said to the crowd on Sunday. Accepted as an athlete with an intellectual disability, upon graduating from Northport this year, Brannigan is set to travel to Olympic training facilities in San Diego and Colorado to begin training for the 1,500-meter run. “He wants to win a gold medal, not only for the United States, but for Northport,” the mother said. Mikey will also begin taking a business course, she said, on his way to someday fulfilling his goal of owning a running store.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A29

CLASSIFIEDS

DEADLINE is Friday at 2 p.m. All Categories TELEPHONE: (631) 427-7000, FAX: (631) 824-9303 HOURS: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Address: Long Islander News, Inc., Attn.: Classifieds, 14 Wall Street, Huntington, NY 11743

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A30 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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HillSPORTS BOYS LACROSSE>> HILLS WEST 14, WHITMAN 8

Colts Edge Out Wildcats Once Again Long Islander News photo/Andrew Wroblewski

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Cam Mule led Half Hollow Hills West with 6 points and Ryan Ozvath scored 5 goals as Half Hollow Hills West cruised to a 14-8 victory Friday night under the lights of Walt Whitman High School. With the win, the Colts (7-3) claimed their second consecutive win over Whitman (5-5) in what has become an annual night game between the crosstown rivals. For Hills West, the scoring came early and often as the Colts jumped out to a 5-1 lead after one quarter and extended that total to 9-2 before the break for halftime. From that point on, despite the Wildcats outscoring the Colts 6-5 in the second half, Hills West preserved its lead to claim a two-game lead over Whitman in the League II standings. Mule, a sophomore attacker, powered the potent Colts offense with 6 points on 2 goals and 4 assists to lead all players in points. Ozsvath, who this season became Hills West’s all-time scoring leader, added 5 goals of his own to lead all scorers.

The Colts of Half Hollow Hills High School West came away with a 14-8 win over Whitman under the lights on Friday night. Michael McCarthy, a senior, produced 5 points of his own on 1 goal and 3 assists while goaltender

Ryan Coffey managed the Colts’ net and lead with 4 saves to his name.

The win for Hills West extended its League II winning streak to four straight. Consecutive wins over East Islip, Deer Park, West Babylon and now Whitman have clinched the Colts’ spot in the 2015 Suffolk Division I playoffs, which kick off next Friday. After press time on Tuesday, the Colts began their final week of the regular season with a matchup against Bellport (3-7), a team eliminated from playoff contention. Perhaps the Colts’ bigger test, however, will come against Hills East (9-1) on Saturday. The matchup will be the Colts’ final League II game of the season and is scheduled to be played at 4 p.m. on the turf field of High School West. One of the biggest rivalries in Long Island lacrosse, the battle for Half Hollow Hills will be fought in league play for the first time since 2012; the result will have a direct impact on playoff implications for both teams. Dating back to the 2011-2012 season, the Colts have won one of the last three matchups with the Thunderbirds. That last win came during the 2013-2014 season when the Colts defeated Hills East 11-6.

BOYS LACROSSE>> HILLS EAST 15, NORTH BABYLON 9

T-Birds Win Three Straight Before ‘Big Game’ By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Sean Lully tied a season-high with 8 points on Friday and the Thunderbirds of Half Hollow Hills East boys lacrosse team came away with their third consecutive League II win with a 15-9 triumph over the visiting Bulldogs of North Babylon (3-6). But while Hills East (9-1) slotted itself in second place of League II as of press time on Monday with the win, a bigger test awaited the Thunderbirds – a test they’ve awaited all year. On Saturday, the long-awaited showdown between high schools East and West is scheduled to take to

the turf field of High School West at 4 p.m. “If both teams do what they’re expected to do, it’ll be a big game,” Gordon Hodgson, head coach of the Thunderbirds, told Long Islander News in March. Two months later, both teams have done just that. Lully, a sophomore, has played a major part for the Thunderbirds to become one of the best teams in Suffolk County; the team clinched its 2015 Division I playoff spot with five games left to play in the season. With 71 points to his name, Lully also sat with Suffolk’s best as of Monday when he was tied for second place on the county’s list of points leaders. Through 14 games this sea-

son, Lully has accrued 34 goals and added 37 assists to his name. But Lully hasn’t done it on his own. During Friday’s win over North Babylon, juniors Andre Gomez and Joe Wulforst padded out Hills East’s potent offense with 4 points each. Gomez, a midfielder, scored 1 goal and recorded 3 assists in the win while Wulforst, also a midfielder, produced 2 goals and 2 assists. In net, goaltender Jordan Eicholz has recorded a save in all but one game for the Thunderbirds this season – a season in which the senior captain has made 133 saves. All these contributions and more have allowed the Thunderbirds to a nearly perfect mark with the team’s

only loss coming against League II’s leader, Smithtown East (10-0). Just a little more than a mile away, however, the Colts of High School West have enjoyed a successful season of their own. Also a playoff team, the Colts (73) sat a half-game behind fourth place as of Monday and assuredly looked towards the matchup with Hills East as an opportunity to improve its eventual playoff seeding in the final game of the regular season. All these factors, combined with the fact that the teams will meet in divisional play for the first time since 2012, will make for what Hodgson had predicted would be a “big game” for both sides.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015 • A31

LITTLE LEAGUE

By Andrew Wroblewski awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

Even though they’re minors, the boys and girls of the Half Hollow Hills Little League got a taste of what it’s like to walk with the majors on Friday. During their annual trip to Citi Field for New York Mets Little League day, players, parents and coaches from Half Hollow Hills Little League stormed the Queens ballpark for a pregame parade around the field, plenty of peanuts and crackerjacks and nine innings of Mets baseball. “This is always a great night; it’s so exciting to see the joy on the kids’ faces… It really doesn’t get old,” Steven Muraco, league president, said. Proceeds from the 350 tickets sold by Half Hollow Hills Little Leaguers, he said, will go towards maintaining the league’s 14 fields at Otsego Park in Dix Hills. “These nights are important to us,” Muraco said. For their efforts, Half Hollow Hills

Long Islander News photos/Andrew Wroblewski

Half Hollow Hills Little League Takes To Citi Field

members were the first in a long line of Little Leaguers that got the chance to walk from the left field gate, down the third base line, behind home plate and up to the right field exit before the Mets took on the Nationals in a divisional contest. Afterwards, there was a mad dash for the second deck on the right field

line as swarms of caps, t-shirts and jackets sporting the Half Hollow Hills logo anxiously sought their seats. Settled in with popcorn, soda, hot dogs and more, the smiling faces of the Half Hollow Hills Little Leaguers made their way onto the Citi Field LED scoreboard as, between innings, the section was featured and sparked a

“Let’s go Mets!” chant that rang throughout the ballpark and into the surrounding Queens area. The chant may have also rang with Mets’ left fielder Michael Cuddyer who, just an inning later, belted a solo home run to give New York its winning run in what proved to be a 4-0 victory over Washington.

A32 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • MAY 7, 2015

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