Half Hollow Hills Newspaper - November 15, 2012

HALF HOLLOW HILLS Copyright © 2012 Long Islander Newspapers, LLC

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N E W S P A P E R

VOLUME FIFTEEN, ISSUE 36

24 PAGES

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15 , 2012

DIX HILLS/MELVILLE DIX HILLS

The Show Will Go On mkoehler@longislandernews.com

Tempers flared and buildings remained dark for nearly two weeks at Five Towns College, but with power restored on Friday night, life is returning to normal.

Provost Roger Sherman and Dix Hills Performing Arts Center (DHPAC) Executive Director Sandy Hinden did not to hold their tongues in expressing their anger with LIPA before being repowered.

“I think LIPA is in the midst of a meltdown in terms of their management,” Hinden said. “They must be totally overwhelmed by what’s happening.”

While Superstorm Sandy on Oct. 29 and the subsequent nor’easter on Nov. 7 dealt only very limited damage to the college’s buildings, Sandy did sever a power line to the main building. With no electricity, Sherman said all of the cafeteria’s food was tossed, classrooms grew cold and 1,000 students missed 11 days of class.

What made it worse, both administrators said, was the lack of communication with LIPA. Hinden made phone calls to Governor Andrew Cuomo, Congressman Steve Israel, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, State Senator John Flanagan, County Legislator Steve Stern and Town Supervisor Frank Petrone after many failed attempts to reach the utility directly. Hours before the power was restored Friday, Cuomo’s office contacted LIPA on (Continued on page A22)

Half Hollow Hills photo/Danny Schrafel

By Mike Koehler

All Eyes On The Powerless Residents’ concerns turn to elderly, others without electricity

By Jacqueline Birzon jbirzon@longislandernews.com

Since Hurricane Sandy hit Long Island on Oct. 29, the Half Hollow Hills community has pulled it together in ways residents said the utility companies could not.

Throughout Dix Hills and Melville, residents have shared stories of loss and devastation, but in the midst of the tragedy they have inadvertently become the subjects of a different kind of story – about the power of community.

The Dix Hills area was in the dark for a considerable amount of time, with some residents enduring up to 12 days of power outages.

Robert Wilk, 82, and his wife, Dolores, 79, were two such residents, who spent nearly two weeks without power, heat or other utilities. The couple’s home was damaged as a result of the hurricane when a tree put a gaping hole in their roof. Another felled tree totaled a newly purchased automobile.

Due to a handicap, Dolores was unable to leave the house, leaving the couple

Neighbors came together as the Half Hollow Hills community was still reeling from the damage of Superstorm Sandy last week, like that sustained by this house on Foothill Court. confined to their Swarthmore Lane property. Robert said that without electricity, the couple was unable to prepare meals for themselves, and without an accessible car, they had no means of accessing out-

side resources.

But thanks to the warm hearts of neighbors and several parishioners at St. Matthew’s Church in Dix Hills, the couple (Continued on page A22)

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

Leaders: LIPA ‘Didn’t Have Act Together’

By Mike Koehler mkoehler@longislandernews.com

Ranging from village trustees to the head of Suffolk County, municipalities throughout the Town of Huntington have staunchly criticized LIPA for poor communication and management in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

“We all know this was a bad storm, but there’s just something not right with the way LIPA responds and com-

municates with elected officials who can’t communicate with their residents,” Huntington Bay Mayor Herb Morrow said last week.

Over in the Village of Northport, Mayor George Doll and Trustee Damon McMullen griped that it was nigh impossible to even contact LIPA. Twice daily conference calls with the utility included municipalities across Long Island and New York City, McMullen said, and offered little helpful information.

“They kept saying, ‘Our plan is to do this.’ One of the gentlemen we were on the phone with said, ‘It’s time for a different plan; you need to adjust,’” the trustee recalled.

Northport officials said when they tried to contact LIPA on their own, whether it was calling on behalf of constituents or finding out for just how long crews would stay in town, they got nowhere fast.

(Continued on page A22)

IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION

Suspect Arrested In Home Depot Bomb Threat A3

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A2 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A3

HUNTINGTON STATION

Home Depot Worker Arrested In Pipe Bomb Scare Deer Park man allegedly tried to extort $2 million from company with Black Friday threat mkoehler@longislandernews.com

An employee of the Home Depot in Deer Park has been arrested in connection with the pipe bomb and extortion note found in the chain’s Huntington Station store last month.

FBI agents charged Daniel Sheehan, 50, of Deer Park, with attempted extortion and use of an explosive device on Nov. 8. If convicted, he would face life in prison with a minimum of 30 years.

On Oct. 15, the Huntington Station store received an anonymous letter saying there was a bomb in the store and demanding $2 million to prevent bombs on Black Friday. Suffolk County police, Nassau County police and the FBI investigated, resulting in Sheehan’s arrest late Wednesday. He made his initial court appearance before Magistrate Judge Gary R. Brown at the federal courthouse in Central Islip on Thursday afternoon.

“I commend all of the dedicated prosecutors, police officers, and agents who worked tirelessly on this investigation to make certain our citizens were safe and that the alleged perpetrator of this despicable scheme was apprehended,” Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota said.

According to the complaint, the Oct. 15 letter claimed there was a bomb in a box in the lighting department.

The bomb, the author said, was not rigged to go off but provided proof what they were capable of. The author threatened to detonate three functioning bombs in three different Home Depots on Black Friday.

The author described the new bombs as 2.5 inch by 6 inch pipes with a pound of roofing nails attached to each. They would be triggered via Trac Fone.

Police responded to the store, finding the bomb. FBI agents later said it proved the bomb maker had some expertise in creating explosive devices.

The letter also promised a call on Oct. 17 for their answer. When the anonymous call came in that afternoon, the caller demanded $2 million by Oct. 26.

The store also received a second letter on Oct. 26, lowering the demand to $1 million and establishing a money drop for Oct. 26. The author promised to arrive in person for the money, but would be wearing explosives armed with a dead-man switch.

But when that day arrived, the store received a call from the anonymous assailant angry about a visible law enforcement presence. They promised to send another letter with additional instructions.

Prosecutors claim the first call was made near Sheehan’s place of work and the second call near Pulaski Road and Chimay Court in Huntington Station.

Sheehan was found near Home Depot in Commack on Nov. 7, when he was stopped by law enforcement officers. The Trac Fone used in the previous calls was discovered in his possession. He later admitted to trying to extort money from the business, prosecutors said.

“As alleged in the criminal complaint, Sheehan put lives at risk and tried to hold the people of Long Island hostage to his extortionate demands. He tried to negotiate with Home Depot but failed to factor in the relentless determination of the dedicated law enforcement

Half Hollow Hills photo/archives

By Mike Koehler

The employee accused of threatening to bomb the Huntington Station Home Depot has been arrested. team that worked around the clock to foil his plot. There is no bargaining to be had with human life, and the only payout Sheehan will receive will be the full measure of justice for his actions. Sheehan’s arrest sends an unequivocal message that those who plot against our economy and the people of Long Island will be brought to justice,” U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch said.

A law enforcement source familiar with the situation said Sheehan was believed to have been working alone.

A spokesman for Home Depot declined to comment on Sheehan’s status as an employee, only emphasizing their commitment to safety.

“We’re truly grateful for the outstanding efforts of local and federal law enforcements to ensure the safety of our customers and associates,” Stephen Holmes said.

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

Town Attorney A Projected Winner In Judge Race dschrafel@longislandernews.com

With almost all certainty, Town Attorney John Leo will be turning in his seat on the Town Hall dais for a spot on the bench as a judge in the 10th District of the State Supreme Court come January 2013.

According to unofficial results, with 439,190 votes to his credit, Leo is comfortably in second place in the 12-way contest, trailing only Richard Ambro by about 1,000 votes. Six spots on the bench are up for grabs. Leo leads sixth-place candidate Leonard Steinman, a member of Nassau County’s financial control board, by a little more than 17,000 votes, according to the snap returns.

At the end of the Huntington Town

Board meeting on Nov. 7, Supervisor Frank Petrone congratulated Leo on his Election Day success.

“I’m very much humbled by the trust and the support that people have put in me to decide cases that are very important to each individual and entity,” Justice-elect Leo said.

Leo credits his success in the race to hard work, a strong presidential election year turnout for Democrats and prime real estate on the ballot.

“Having that first position was very helpful,” said Leo, whose name was directly next to the Obama/Biden ticket on the Democratic line.

He said that position likely helped him in Democratic strongholds like North Hempstead and Great Neck, where he

Half Hollow Hills photo/archives

By Danny Schrafel

might not enjoy tremendous name familiarity but there is strong support for Democrats.

Paired with directed mailings, advertising in local papers, lots of hard work and a flurry of road signs in the last two weeks, the Leo campaign built a comfortable margin to ensure victory.

On Election Night, Leo said the initial numbers “weren’t that great,” but his experience in past campaigns helped him stay calm. The numbers were coming in from the East End, and as long as he stayed close there, he said, Western Suffolk, including Huntington, Babylon and parts of Islip, would carry him to victory.

It’s a forecast that came true, especially in Huntington, where he led the field.

“As we migrated west, the numbers got

DIX HILLS

Memorial Garden To Honor Resident

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandernews.com

Two years after his death, Vinnie Candurra, who worked tirelessly for the Dix Hills Water District for more than two decades, will be honored with a memorial garden at their district office.

The town voted unanimously Nov. 7 to clear the way for a memorial garden around the flagpole at the Dix Hills Water District office on Caledonia Road.

“We felt that we wanted to honor him because he felt so strongly about the water district,” Vinnie’s wife, Colleen, said. “Vinnie loved his job so

much and he loved everybody he worked with.”

Candurra died in 2010 after 21 years with the Water District. He started with the Dix Hills Water District in 1986, retiring in 2007 as a senior water treatment plant operator.

“He was just a really great guy, and he was instrumental with the Citizens Advisory Committee,” said Councilwoman Susan Berland, the sponsor of the resolution allowing the memorial garden to be built. “He worked with me from the start on getting the property and designing the [new] tank [on Deer Park Avenue.]”

Fittingly, the design is to incorporate flowing water through a waterfall,

and the garden will be planted around that central feature, Colleen said. The garden is expected to also include a bench.

“He was very dedicated and spent a lot of his time in his life there,” his wife said. “We wanted to do something [incorporating water] because he his famous saying was ‘water is my life.’”

His love for water extended into his personal life, Colleen said, through his passion for boating and the wilderness.

“We loved nature,” she explained.

“We used to hike a lot. In Alleghany State Park, there were streams and he used to walk the dog in the stream. He loved water in every way.

Town Attorney John Leo is headed to the bench of the State Supreme Court after a strong performance at the polls Nov. 6. better and better and better,” he said.

As long as the results hold true, Leo will be headed off to “Judge School” in White Plains from Jan. 2-4 before being sworn in for a 14-year term.

“They tell you about procedures of the courts, some do’s and don’ts and give you some evidence seminars, things like that that,” he said.

And with his win came a bit of national exposure. When FOX News host Sean Hannity, a former Lloyd Harbor resident, Tweeted an image of his ballot, there’s John Leo’s name, dead smack in the middle of the picture – something the judgeelect got a kick out of.

“He didn’t put the whole ballot in, but he put the part in where you could see my name,” Leo said.

A4 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012

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POLICE REPORT Compiled by Mike Koehler

Be My Eyes And Ears

Shopper Opts For Five Finger Discount

Keep seeing, keep saying… I just want to say

day of the 11th month – it makes those who fought so hard for us feel good all year round. After all, how gratified I am to the people who picked up the these are the men who have fought for a cherished phone and told us what was going on in their right on Long Island – the neighborhoods after Hurriright to tell LIPA’s managecane Sandy. Thank you for IN THE KNOW ment where to stick their trusting ol’ Aunt Rosie in this WITH AUNT ROSIE utility poles. time of great need. Even though it’s now 18 days out after landfall, it’s not Some holiday cheer… nearly time for us to call it day. I don’t know about It’s that time again, and not a moment too soon, to you, but I’m going to keep on this until every last be honest. The Town of Huntington will once again Huntingtonian’s lights are back on and everybody’s provide its annual parking fee holiday in Huntingnice and warm again. So keep the tips coming in ton village. From Nov. 22 through New Year’s Eve, and we’ll do what we can to get word out to the parking will be free in Huntington village. The idea right people. And should you hear about a benefit is to support small businesses in town by making it from a reputable organization to support the viceasier for customers to stop and support their fatims of the superstorm, send it my way. vorite downtown shops. And the town board also gave the OK for Huntington village, Huntington I say ‘reputable’ because… I want you to be Station and East Northport business associations to well aware that although tragedy brings out the gussy up their downtowns with holiday lights and kindest impulses in people, it also brings the dreaddecorations. After the beating we all took from ful shylocks out of their caves to prey on the impresHuntington Sandy, we can use all the help – and sionable, charitable public. Don’t let them. To paraholiday cheer – that we can get! phrase what Mr. Christie said a few weeks ago – if it sounds stupid, it probably is stupid. If you hear of …To stuff, or not to stuff? A final note on imany post-Sandy scams in the coming weeks, tell me pending holiday cheeriness – do you have your about them, too. Be eager to ask questions and turkey yet? Amidst all this madness, Thanksgiving is make sure every dollar gets to where it belongs – just a week away on Nov. 22. And with any holiday, helping the hardest-hit families up and down the there is great debate on the best ways to cook the big coast. And I will cheerfully put the hucksters and meal. With that in mind – Do you cook your stuffing the heartless scam artists, as the kids say, “on blast” on the side, or stuff it into the bird and bake the two should you catch any in the act. It might be a good together? Another question – do you call it stuffing time to bring back the stocks, if you ask me… or dressing? Real cranberries, or cranberry sauce-ina-can? And do you strain your gravy? Not to brag, Don’t forget to thank a vet… Amidst all this but I started doing that before Martha Stewart made Sandy madness is one of our most treasured obserit cool. And I could go on and on – little wonder why vances in this country. Monday was Veteran’s Day, half of Thanksgiving dinner is spent talking about which, evolved from its roots as Armistice Day folThanksgiving dinner at my house. lowing World War I, has grown into an importance recognition of all those who served our country in (Aunt Rosie wants to hear from you! If you have the Armed Forces. While some of the traditional comments, ideas, or tips about what’s happening in observances might have been canceled because of your neck of the woods, write to me today and let me the aftermath of the super storm, the message reknow the latest. To contact me, drop a line to Aunt mains crucial, and the opportunity to give thanks is Rosie, c/o The Long-Islander, 149 Main Street, Hunttimeless. Next time you see a veteran, say “thank ington NY 11743. Or try the e-mail at you.” It doesn’t matter if it’s the 11th hour of the 11th aunt.rosieli@gmail.com)

PD: BB Gun Used In Holdup Suffolk police responded to Huntington Station on Nov. 8 in response to a robbery. The complainant said three men approached him with what appeared to be a gun and took tools off the back of his truck.

A subsequent investigation revealed the weapon may have been a BB gun.

Alleged Shoplifter Arrested Over Two Jackets A Brooklyn man was taken into custody by Suffolk County police in relation to a theft on Nov. 8. A department store at the Walt Whitman Shops called police after two leather jackets were stolen. The 21year-old defendant was charged with grand larceny and possession of burglar tools.

Defendant Head Butts Complainant A 17-year-old Huntington resident was arrested on assault and menacing charges on Nov. 7. The complainant said he went to assist his brother, who was being assaulted. The defendant then head butted the complainant in the mouth, chipping a tooth and cutting his lip. Police said he brandished a knife at some point as well.

Utility Damages Fence Northport Village police were dispatched to a Dolphin Lane home on Nov. 7 about property damage. The complainant said National Grid dropped a tree on his fence. A National Grid employee said a LIPA representative would assess the damage. No further police action was necessary.

But It Already Was A Convertible Suffolk police were dispatched to a Melville hotel on Nov. 6 about criminal mischief. The complainant said an unknown person cut the convertible top of a 2010 Volkswagon Bug. Nothing was reported stolen.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK TINA SHEK

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Suffolk police were dispatched to the Walt Whitman Shops on Nov. 8 about a theft. The complainant said an unknown person stole shirts from a woman’s clothing store.

Victims: Thief Had Gun In Bag Suffolk police responded to the parking garage by the Huntington LIRR station on Nov. 6 about a robbery. Two complainants said they were approached by an unknown man, who brandished what appeared to be a gun inside a plastic bag. He stole a gold necklace and a ring.

Ring Thief Wanted

Holly Levis-Dolan, owner of Petport in Northport Village, holds Fred and Tinker. These long-haired Chihuahuas belong to customers still without power and heat last week.

She agreed to house these two in her store for a few hours with hopes they would warm up and start eating again.

“After seeing how it was the past two weeks, I’ll never take gas for granted.”

Enough Gas To Get Over the Hills, PAGE A6

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Suffolk police are on the search for a tall black man wearing a red hoodie in connection with a grand larceny in Melville on Nov. 5. The complainant told police they met at a convenience store to sell a ring. But after the subject showed some cash and the complainant revealed the ring, the man grabbed it and fled.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A5

THE AFTERMATH OF SANDY

Huntington Residents On The Front Lines dschrafel@longislandernews.com

While much of Huntington took a beating from Hurricane Sandy, most of the town was spared the worst of the devastation that ravaged Long Island’s South Shore communities.

But in the aftermath, Huntington residents have found themselves in the hardest-hit areas, either to aid family members, carry out an in-demand profession, or support neighbors in a dire time of need.

Northport Village Trustee Tom Kehoe, who grew up in Belle Harbor, Queens, just blocks from the ocean and Jamaica Bay, made it onto the Rockaway Peninsula at daybreak Oct. 30 to get his mother, Aileen, daughter, Rebecca, and nephew, Brendan, out of the Rockaways.

“We were concerned there was going to be another tidal surge,” Tom said.

Structurally, the Kehoe family’s home is fine, Tom said, but the basement and first floor were badly flooded. Thirteen members of the family gathered Nov. 3 to clean out the house, dispose of ruined appliances and gut the basement.

“When I got down there Tuesday… the water had receded from the first floor, but there was still plenty of water in the basement,” he said.

The Kehoes were far from the worst off.

Oceanfront homes in the Rockaways were almost uniformly destroyed.

“It was almost beyond what you could describe to people,” he said.

Numerous fires also ravaged Belle Har-

bor, and one of the landmarks of the neighborhood, the Harbor Light Pub, so beloved it was known as the “Rocakway Cheers,” was among the casualties. Tom and the owner were lifeguards together, he recalled.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Retzkin, an event producer from Huntington, has made two trips to Long Beach with supplies. He wasn’t able to make any more because of the post-storm gas shortage, he said, and has been working with a friend of his in Long Beach to help relief efforts.

“I have a lot of friends that live in Long Beach. A lot of them live on the water, and are now homeless and living with friends in other locations,” he said.

Initially, when a strict curfew was in place, he would bring supplies to Massapequa, where Long Beach residents, who could re-enter the city, filled up a box truck and brought them into the ailing city.

“The conditions are unreal. Indescribable. It looks like a war zone,” the Northport trustee said.

For Huntington Station’s John LaVertu, the proprietor of Greenlawn’s E-Z Sewer and Drain Cesspool Services, a “random call” on Halloween from a homeowner in Oceanside brought him to the South Shore. That one call, however, launched a four-day marathon. From Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 3, LaVertu pumped out flooded homes, an average of eight to 10 a day.

“Once we got down there and saw the devastation, everybody kept coming up to us. We couldn’t leave,” he said. “We started

Photo/Tom Kehoe

By Danny Schrafel

Northport Trustee Tom Kehoe, right, joins a dozen members of his family on Nov. 3 as they clean out their Belle Harbor home on the Rockaway Peninsula after Hurricane Sandy. out in Oceanside, then went down to Long Beach. Long Beach was wrecked. It was surreal… The high tide mark was halfway up their garage doors… halfway up their front door. They lost everything.”

Back home, his wife, Jennifer, put electricity to good use. Their Huntington Station home regained power relatively quickly after Sandy, and the LaVertus took in neighbors’ pets, especially cold-blooded critters that needed heat to survive. They hosted friends who were displaced by the storm, stored perishables for neighbors and went door-to-door with candles. She reached out to deaf families in the area and invited them over to charge batteries for their children’s hearing aids. And she

cooked – a lot.

“I did a lot of crock pots. I have a whole bunch of them,” she said. “If someone had something that was thawing, I said, ‘Give it to me! I can make something out of that.’”

She also kept an eye on social media for SOS messages from Huntington residents, and got word to Councilman Gene Cook that residents on Pam Lane in Huntington were trapped by downed trees.

LaVertu attributed much of her reaction – and that of similar people who stepped up to help after Sandy – to intuition.

“There’s a natural instinct… Some people, when things happen, that’s what you do. They’re doers. We need doers, and thank God for the doers,” she said.

A6 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012

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THE AFTERMATH OF SANDY

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandernews.com

In the wake of a post-Hurricane Sandy gas shortage, elected officials across Long Island are pushing for gas stations to have mandatory backup energy sources.

In Suffolk, Legislator Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills) is backing legislation that would require all gas stations with four or more pumping stations to have the infrastructure they need to switch to an alternative power source if power goes out.

“The issue for so many of the service stations – if they brought in a generator, they don’t have the switch wiring in place to switch to the alternative source,” Stern said.

Those gas stations would be required to install the switch capability, and have a generator ready to be brought in for when the power goes out, Stern said.

“So many of the service stations had plenty of supply, and they didn’t have power to access it,” Stern said.

Around the same time, Nassau County Legislator Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) introduced similar legislation, which would require all Nassau stations by June 2013 to have a way to pump fuel if the power went out.

“That could be a manual override, it could be a generator or it could be a battery,” he said.

Both men urged state, federal and county agencies to provide tax breaks, incentives and grants to support station owners. Kevin Beyer, president of the Long Island Gasoline Retailers Association, said that financial aid is crucial, and that his organization would not support an “unfunded mandate” to buy generators.

“A good-sized generator to power the whole setup is going to run about $30,000 or more,” Beyer said. “People have to realize this isn’t going to Home Depot, buying a generator out of the box and starting it up.”

Beyer called for gas station owners and elected officials to collaborate on a comprehensive solution that addresses public safety and business concerns.

Meanwhile, the Town of Huntington voted unanimously Nov. 7 to urge New York State to require gas stations across the state to have generators. Increasing the network of working stations after a storm would alleviate the mammoth gas lines, the confusion, additional traffic congestion and the aggravation it causes, they argued.

Enough Gas To Get Over The Hills Half Hollow Hills photo/ Jacqueline Birzon

No Power?

Keep The Fuel Flowing

By Jacqueline Birzon jbirzon@longislandernews.com

Since Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Nov. 9 implementation of a regional odd/even gas rationing system, concerns over gas in the Half Hollow Hills area have quelled reasonably.

At the Dix Hills Sunoco station at 765 Deer Park Ave., manager Kaz Tok said the rationing system has made the situation at the pump “much better.” Because of Superstorm Sandy, Tok said, the station lost power and gas supply for five days, and people were waiting in mile-long lines for over three hours.

But since Nov. 9, Tok said customers appear less frantic and are cooperating under the rationing system.

In a Nov. 9 press briefing, Cuomo said reports indicate that lines have shortened on Long Island. However, the governor warned that the anxiety surrounding the situation may be a source of exacerbated panic over gasoline.

“More than anything what we have to do is get buyers to relax, and I hope shorter lines help people relax. [The panic is] creating its own problem to a certain extent, and the anxiety and panic is creating more demand,” Cuomo said. ”If buyers relax, there will be less demand, and the situation will get better.”

At the Sunoco station in neighboring Melville, manager Cezmi Jasmine also said operations and gasoline at his 114 Broadhollow Road station have been flowing smoothly since the odd/even mandate. However, the manager said

At the Shell Gas Station at Walt Whitman Rd. in Melville on Nov. 12, the manager put up a “Gas Now Open” sign to attract customers since the fuel frenzy has slowed down. that in 12 days the station has only received one and a half deliveries, as opposed to having fuel imported every two days.

Jasmine said his attendants were pumping gas for eight hours straight when the shortage was at its peak, but

on Nov. 12 pumps were barren. Jasmine said he was in no position to turn customers away who came to the pump on the wrong designated day.

Down at the 1010 Walt Whitman Road Shell station, the manager, Gus, (Continued on page A22)

Food Stores Bouncing Back Local markets overcome ‘logistical nightmare’ to keep shelves full

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandernews.com

Two weeks after historic Hurricane Sandy rocked Long Island and the Town of Huntington, food markets in the area are continuing to overcome some obstacles as they try to keep their shelves full.

One of the biggest issues, said Tony Femminella, Vice President of Store Operations for King Kullen, was a transportation system largely paralyzed by Sandy.

“It was a couple of days’ delay, as far as supplies coming down, because of bridges and tunnels being closed, but we brought in so much ahead of time that we were in good shape,” he said. “It was definitely a logistical nightmare, I have to tell you that.”

Shortly after the storm, milk, eggs, bread, batteries, candles and flashlights were the toughest to keep in stock, Femminella said, and dairy was an ongoing problem.

“All our milk comes from Jersey, so that was a real issue for us,” he said.

Chicken products were also a problem, he explained, because much of the Maryland area was hard-hit by the massive storm.

“They were hit pretty hard and they closed the plants down a day or two. Just that one-day in the interruption of supply

– you saw what happened with the gas – and we have a problem,” he said.

At the height of the storm, Femminella said 28 of the brands stores were without power. The last of their stores were restored over the weekend, he said, and King Kullen stores’ stock levels are back to about 95 percent, he said.

In markets big and small, normalcy seemed to be returning as the time passed.

A&P, which operates Pathmark and Waldbaum’s stores in this area, was “working hard to re-stock our shelves as shipments become available” so they could continue providing “customers with the quality goods and service they have come to expect from our stores,” a spokeswoman said Friday.

Javier Tineo, owner of the Huntington Station Food Plaza on New York Avenue, agreed that meat and produce, which he gets through the Bronx, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, respectively, were delayed immediately after the storm. But he was grateful that his store survived the storm undamaged, and remained fully operational throughout the worst of Sandy thanks to a bit of foresight.

“When we built the store, we built it with the backup generator, and it’s connected to HVAC system. Everything was running perfectly,” he said. “It’s just a good idea.

When we came into the Island, we always heard about power outages for any little

thing, and we decided you know what?

Let’s be safe than sorry. You lose more if you don’t invest.”

David Intonato, owner of the Purple Elephant Specialty Foods in Northport, and his neighbors at Britannia Boatyard were among the so-called “nine percent” that never lost power at all after Sandy.

“Around 6 a.m. Tuesday, I came around that turn on Elwood Road – the whole village, 25A was out, but the light by Elwood was on,” Intonato, who lost power for about a week at his Northport Village home, said. “I came here and we never lost power. I could tell by the computers. It was pretty amazing.”

Customers flocked to his store, and in addition to stocking up on his organic products, they charged phones, used his WiFi and cable during extended postSandy hours. During the first few days, eggs and dairy were “very difficult to get a hold of ” since many of the store’s vendors are based in hard-hit parts of New Jersey and New York, forcing the Purple Elephant to improvise. But he wasn’t affected by early chicken shortages, he said, because he sells mostly whole chickens and fresh chicken breasts.

The worst of the supply crunch was in the first three or four days after Sandy, he said.

“We couldn’t find fresh tuna for about a week, but now we’re back on track,” he said.

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Making Up Lost Days

By Mike Koehler mkoehler@longislandernews.com

School is finally back in session across the Town of Huntington, although the remnants of Superstorm Sandy still pose serious issues.

Most school districts re-opened to students by Friday; Harborfields was the lone straggler. They all closed on Monday for Veterans Day and were set to open for instruction again on Tuesday.

“Our kids had a little skip to their step, like it was the first day of school,” South Huntington Superintendent Dave Bennardo said last week.

But Bennardo also admitted it was hardly a typical school day. Crews were repairing up to 20 classrooms at Walt Whitman High where the roof was damaged midstorm, social workers were helping students cope with the disaster and blocked streets forced bus routes to change, adding as much as 20 minutes to students’ rides home.

Classes in the Commack School District were also held on Friday, although road closures forced changes to bus routes. Students along Cedrus Road, Metcale Lane, Kevin Lane, Fruitwood Drive and Seward Drive were directed to other intersections, or other streets entirely.

In the Half Hollow Hills School District, schools opened on Nov. 7, but a power outage at Hills East prompted an 11:30 a.m. dismissal. District spokeswoman Chris Geed said last week’s nor’easter completely knocked out power to Hills East and six other school buildings, prompting the district to close last Thursday.

“We have 11 school buildings. We just

didn’t see it beneficial to have classes in four and not in seven,” Geed said.

But with all classes back in session more than two weeks after Superstorm Sandy ravaged the region on Oct. 29, administrators are faced with the troubling dilemma of how to compensate for many missed days of instruction.

Half Hollow Hills was closed for eight days, Geed said, and built just four emergency days into the school calendar. Huntington spokesman Jim Hoops said the district was closed for nine unaccounted days with just two snow days built into their schedule. And at South Huntington, they have just one snow day built into the calendar to help deal with the eight unplanned days off, before possibly reclaiming the day after Easter and a superintendent’s conference day before Memorial Day. Despite the need to recover school days, every school district in the town was closed on Monday for the holiday. According to state law, no school may be in session on Saturdays or legal holidays, except Election Day, Washington’s birthday and Lincoln’s birthday.

“State law explicitly prohibits schools from being in session on the majority of federal holidays, Veterans Day included,” Huntington Superintendent James Polansky wrote in a letter to parents on Friday.

State law also requires New York districts offer 180 days of instruction for state aid purposes. Education Commissioner John King is permitted to excuse up to five days for extraordinary circumstances, but only if they cannot be made up through vacation days before Regents exams in June.

However, the State Legislature can make

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A7

THE AFTERMATH OF

S A N DY temporary changes to the requirements.

For the 2011-2012 school year, they extended the number of days King can excuse to 10 in the wake of a disaster or declared emergency. Another such bill was recently filed for the 2012-2013 school year.

Meanwhile, local school districts can only wait to receive guidance from the state on how to adjust their calendars.

“There is no change of schedule yet, but it will happen. There will be adjustments to the school calendar,” Geed said on Friday.

“It’s Nov. 9. We have a whole winter to get through.”

Several school districts were also scheduled to host SATs on Nov. 3. Those tests have been rescheduled for Nov. 17. A College Board spokeswoman said they were not worried about cheating as different test forms are already administered at different sittings and different geographic locations.

She added that many of the affected students chose the Nov. 17 makeup date rather than their next standard weekend sitting on Dec. 1.

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Opinion

Sen

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

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

Shame, Shame, Shame, LIPA Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has cromanagement by government officials, in failed us. this case it seemed to work.

People have a right to have faith in their LIPA’s worst crime, however, is not being utility company; yes, even in the wake of a unprepared – which they were – but their 100-year storm. Instead, when Superstorm lack of humanity. Customers growing first Sandy swept through and a snowy nor’east- weary, then angry, were unable to reach a er followed, LIPA let us down. live person on the phone. There simply was Yes, the so-called superstorm was nearly no flow of reliable information to governunprecedented, but so too was LIPA’s inabil- ment officials or to the public. When LIPA ity to deal with it. Of the utilities 1.1 million did provide information, it was with the customers, 1 million were without power af- worst hit areas subtracted out. That fallacy ter the storm. Electric providers in wasn’t fixed until public offineighboring states were similarly EDITORIAL cials pressured the utility into struck. Yet none failed as miserably providing accurate updates. as LIPA. A full two weeks after the storm LIPA rightfully finds itself under a microstruck, there were still nearly 200,000 with- scope, and when all is said and done, we out power. Aging infrastructure had failed hope that heads roll. That’s not out of a and archaic systems for restoring power sense of vindictiveness, but rather because weren’t up to the task. present management failed the public, and The utility was broadsided by the storm, new oversight is necessary. while neighboring utilities reasonably went We remind LIPA that the public is comabout recovering. Incredibly, a frustrated prised of its customers – ratepayers who county executive took matters into his own pay among the highest utility rates in the hands and ordered work crews to get pow- nation. er turned on. While we hardly advocate miShame on you.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Thank You DEAR EDITOR: Hemingway wrote, "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."

This journey of ours began in the early days of February, and I am proud that we fought hard, every day, on behalf of the people of the 10th Assembly District.

While disappointed with the results, I am not disappointed in the least in the race that we ran, and how we ran it. It could not have been possible without the encouragement and support I have gotten from so many of you.

Whether you came to a fundraiser, displayed lawn signs, collected signatures, walked a district or made important Get Out The Vote phone calls, I have been privileged to wake up each morning knowing that I had earned your trust, and that we were working together for what we believe is right.

I learned a lot on this journey, I would not have traded this experience for anything in the world. I met so many hardworking, inspirational supporters. I hope I can continue to count you as a friend, and that you will consider me the same.

Tomorrow, I embark on a new journey as a community advocate. There are many of our neighbors who need someone strong to stand up for them and lead them through difficult times. I will continue to dedicate my life to helping those among us who face the greatest hardships and cry out for help.

Thank you again for all of your support and know that although this journey has met its end, a new one has just begun.

JOE DUJMIC

Huntington Station

LIPA Call Center Reps On Storm’s Front Line DEAR EDITOR: It’s been a very long 10 days

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

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

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

for the 300 service representatives at LIPA’s Customer Call Center in Melville. If ever there was an example of a 24/7 team effort under very demanding conditions, this is surely it.

Working 16-hour days, every day since Hurricane Sandy struck, these representatives have answered over one million customer calls. The commitment of these hard-working men and women to their customers and their fellow workers has been outstanding. It is a commitment that we take very seriously and pride ourselves in this tradition.

The call center in Melville is the main contact point between the public and LIPA. During Hurricane Sandy, call volume has spiked from the normal 10,000 daily calls to as much as 130,000 emergency calls. As you might imagine, customers living without power for more than a week have strong feelings and the experience for call center workers has been physically and emotionally challeng-

ing. The call center workers know that the service they help to provide gives comfort and security to the public and will not stop until everyone’s service is restored.

These reps are themselves Long Islanders who truly feel the pain of their neighbors.

Many are moms, who for more than a week have left their kids for all but a few hours daily, then rushed back to another 16-hour shift. Like the callers they help, these workers are Long Islanders and many have also been without power and have been flooded.

The call center professionals are part of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1049, whose members include about 3300 workers putting in similarly long days on the street getting power back on.

Whether our IBEW members work for National Grid in power generation or gas operations, directly for LIPA in the call center or the transmission and distribution area, or for a shared organization, these professionals always pull together and coordinate their efforts to help in a time of need.

It’s true that every Long Islander has had to sacrifice because of Hurricane Sandy. But few have given as much as the hard-working, dedicated electrical workers who are helping to get power restored to their neighbors.

DONALD DALEY

Business Manager International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1049

Michael Schenkler Publisher

Mike Koehler Danny Schrafel Jacqueline Birzon Reporters

DEAR EDITOR: Please allow me to set the record straight concerning the Nathan Hale Memorial Rock (“Memorial Rock Solid,” Oct. 25, 2012, page A5). The Nathan Hale Memorial was never located behind the Halesite Fire Department. In September, it was moved directly from its location in the middle of Mill Dam Road to its current location 50 feet away on the south side of Mill Dam Road.

While there had been a proposal to move the memorial to a location behind the firehouse, it was decided to stay with the original plan to re-locate the rock to the south side of Mill Dam Road.

Huntington’s mobile memorial originally came from Connecticut courtesy of a glacier during the last ice age. Then in 1897, George Taylor hired Oscar Kissam to move it to the beach on Huntington Bay at the end of Vineyard Road to mark the spot where Hale began his spying mission in 1776. It was moved to the traffic island in front of the American Legion building on Mill Dam Road in 1974. Taylor’s grandson donated the memorial to the Town of Huntington in 1976. It remained at the Mill Dam traffic island until September when it was moved to its current location on the southwest corner of Mill Dam Road and New York Avenue.

ROBERT C. HUGHES

Town Historian

Peter Sloggatt Associate Publisher/Managing Editor

Luann Dallojacono Editor Ian Blanco Dan Conroy Production/ Art Department

The Nathan Hale Rock

Susan Mandel Advertising Director Marnie Ortiz Office / Legals

Michele Caro Larry Stahl Account Executives

149 Main Street, Huntington, New York 11743 631.427.7000

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A9

Life&Style THEATER

‘Ragtime’ To Grace Dix Hills Stage Despite power outages for nearly two weeks, the show will gone at the Dix Hills Performing Arts Center this week now that electricity has been restored.

The center will present “Ragtime, The Musical,” Thursday to Saturday, Nov. 15-17, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18, at 2 p.m.

The 12-time Tony award nominated musical adapted from 2012 Walt Whitman Birthplace Champion of Literacy E.L. Doctorow’s 1975 novel, which followed his wildly popular “Billy Bathgate,” is directed by Professor Marie Danvers.

“There’s an underlying sense of emotion, mysticism, coincidence and magic” in this tale of the reshaping of America and its journey toward hopefulness in the early 20th Century, said Lynn Ahrens, “Ragtime” lyricist.

First produced on Broadway in 1988 and revived in 2009, “Ragtime” was hailed at the time as “the most ambitious musical ever produced,” and was additionally produced in Toronto, London and Washington, DC at the Kennedy Center. It was also nominated for 13 Drama Desk awards.

With book by Terrence McNally and music and lyrics by Stephen Flaherty and Ahrens, the play follows the lives of three families separated by affluence, religion and culture.

The pivotal characters are “Mother,”

Despite almost two weeks without electricity, Five Towns College’s Dix Hills Performing Arts Center will stage its production of “Ragtime” this week. From left are Sam Hoffman, Kristina Lodestro, Steven Michel, Stephanie Courtney, Rajiv Ghimiray and Karina Gallagher. the matriarch of a white upper-middleclass home in New Rochelle, NY; “Tateh,” the socialist Jewish immigrant and his young daughter; and the African-Ameri-

can piano player “Colehouse Walker, Jr.” The story line features these characters interacting with such historical figures as Harry Houdini, Booker T. Washington, J.

P. Morgan and Evelyn Nesbit.

The play is takes its name from ragtime music, a precursor to the jazz movement in the early 20th century, fostered by composer/pianist Scott Joplin who wrote 44 ragtime pieces, two ragtime ballets and an opera. The play itself includes marches, cakewalks and gospel in addition to ragtime music.

The original cast included Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazzie, Peter Friedman and Audra McDonald, who were all nominated for Tony Awards, and also included Judy Kaye, Mark Jacoby and Lea Michele. The production was conducted by David Loud.

“We are so excited to be able to produce a show of Ragtime’s caliber on our stage,” said Sandy Hinden, director of the center. “This very ambitious production contains all of the elements that made this show such a Broadway success: Incredible music and choreography, a timeless storyline and characters lively staging and expert acting and directing. I know audiences will agree.”

Tickets are $18 for the general public and $15 for seniors and students. The Dix Hills Performing Arts Center is located at Five TownsCollege,305NorthServiceRoadinDix Hills. For more information and ticket sales, contact the box office at 631-656-2148 or visit online at www.DHPAC.org.

FOOD

Ideal Cheese Paints The Town Yellow Unique downtown gourmet shop offers customers 60 varieties from around the world jbirzon@longislandernews.com

Gourmet cheeses from around the world have found a home in Huntington.

Originally opened in New York City in 1954, Ideal Cheese made its way into Huntington village in July 2012.

Owner Chris Binetti, who previously owned Hot Spot Tanning on New Street, said the village was the perfect location to open a satellite location for the gourmet cheese shop. Ideal Cheese shares a space with The Crushed Olive at 278 Main St. “Huntington is like a mini Manhattan.

There’s a lot of walking traffic and it was a good marriage between The Crushed Olive and Ideal Cheese. They sell olive oils and vinegar, and we thought cheese could complement that. We’ve had a positive response to the combination,” he said.

Binetti and his father, Julius, run the store together, and they carry an assortment of 60 different cheeses that are imported from around the country and the world. Cheese is imported from Italy, France, Holland, and around the United States, and can come from either cow, goat or sheep’s milk.

For Binetti, who said his nostrils have a distaste for “stinky” cheese, going into the cheese business has been a learning expe-

rience. Binetti said cheese education is a process that involves research and sampling each cheese to get a feel for its texture, flavor, taste, and region of origin.

“I like working here. It’s fun to let our customers try the different cheeses, and it’s interesting to see how they react,” Binetti said.

All cheese purchased is cut fresh to order. Customers can pick up anywhere from a quarter pound of cheese to five pounds.

Binetti said his goal is to establish relationships with local restaurant owners so that they can provide wholesale services to neighboring business. He said that Ideal Cheese has already catered to several restaurants in the village.

The shop owner also has plans to expand his menu. He plans to invest in a panini maker and design a unique (and made to order) sandwich menu, which he hopes to launch early next year.

Popular cheeses include the Italian parmigiano reggiano cheese, Istara from France, and truffle gouda imported from Holland. Another customer favorite is the fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, said Binetti.

And with the holidays fast approaching, there will be no shortage of gift baskets available for purchase, making for one time when a cheesy gift is acceptable.

Half Hollow Hills photo/Jacqueline Birzon

By Jacqueline Birzon

Cheese monger Mike Roselle, and store owner Christopher Binetti are happy to cut your cheese.

A10 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 www.LongIslanderNews.com

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ELECTION 2012 Long Islander photo/Danny Schrafel

Lupinacci Wins Big In 10th AD

By D. Schrafel & J. Birzon info@longislandernews.com

Huntington Republicans secured an emotional victory in the 10th Assembly District Nov. 6 as voters handily elected Chad Lupinacci to succeed the late Jim Conte in Albany.

“During the last few weeks, we’ve gone through a lot,” Lupinacci said at Centerport’s Jellyfish Restaurant, the site of the town GOP victory party. “I know it’s been very hard for us, but we came together as a community and we

celebrated all the good he’s done for our state and the Town of Huntington.”

Lupinacci earned 55.59 percent of the vote, or 24,502 ballots, to defeat Democratic challenger Joe Dujmic, who received 19,554 votes, good for 44.36-percent of the electorate.

“There are some obstacles we’ve have to overcome in the campaign, but we did it,” Huntington GOP chair Toni Tepe said. “Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, you have a winner in the 10th Assembly district, and Jimmy Conte, this one is for you!”

Conte died at age 53 on Oct. 16 after battling T-cell lymphoma and serving in the Assembly for 24 years.

When he goes to Albany this January, Lupinacci will join the longtime Huntington Republican delegation, as Assemblyman Andrew Raia and State Senators John Flanagan and Carl Marcellino were both re-elected by wide margins.

While disappointed by his defeat, Dujmic said he was optimistic about his continued opportunity to be a force of good in the Huntington community.

Assemblyman Andrew Raia congratulates Chad Lupinacci at Jellyfish restuarant in Centerport on Nov. 6.

“I’m a family court attorney, and I enjoy helping children. I want to continue to be a go-to [person] for people who have difficulty reaching out to elected officials in office,” he said. “We’re neighbors, and we’re supposed to work together for each other.

Lupinacci thanked his supporters and a large family network for their support during the campaign, and said it wouldn’t have been possible without them. And he thanked Conte, who he said “taught me everything I know” about elected office, and pledged to do his best to continue his legacy.

Raia, who will become the senior member of the Huntington Assembly delegation in January, praised Lupinacci’s tireless work ethic in the campaign.

“Jimmy is looking down from above, and smiling, and saying, ‘Thank God, Chad – you didn’t screw it up,” Raia quipped. “And you didn’t. Our minority leader, Brian Kolb, called us this morning and said, ‘where is he?’ I said, freezing at Cold Spring Harbor train station… You did everything we could ever ask of a candidate – and then some… we are going to do well. He is going to do outstanding.”

While the state results for Huntington Republicans were especially strong Tuesday night, Democrats enjoyed many successes nationally, gaining seats in the U.S. Senate and re-electing President Barack Obama.

Democrats at the Islandia Marriott rejoiced over the news of President Obama’s re-election, cheering wildly and toasting in celebration. In Suffolk County, Obama and Vice President Joe Biden won 50.75 percent, or 274,830 votes, over Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.

Congressman Steve Israel (D-Huntington) was amongst the winners, carrying 114,053 votes and a 56.17 margin in the new 3rd Congressional District.

His opponent, Stephen Labate, garnered 87,745 votes, or 43.22 percent.

Israel said he is honored by his election in the Third District and is looking forward to bipartisan cooperation in Congress to boost the middle class. He said he was particularly touched by the support following Hurricane Sandy.

“It’s been a very tough week in our community and I know the election was the last thing on most people’s minds.

But I think it really shows how strong our community is,” he said. “People didn’t have power, they didn’t know where to vote, they didn’t have gas to get to the polls, but they still got out and exercised their civic duty,” Israel said. “I’m just so proud of the way our community has weathered this storm and I am humbled to represent them in Congress.”

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was handily re-elected for a new six-year term in Washington D.C.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A11

FOOD/CELEBRITY

Main Catch Hooks Celebrity-Savvy Manager

By Jacqueline Birzon jbirzon@longislandernews.com

Budapest-born Andy Kormendi brings over 34 years of fine-dining expertise to the Main Catch in Commack. Along with his impressive resume of managerial experience, he brings to the table an array of anecdotal encounters with hundreds of celebrities and politicians, from Benji the dog to Billy Joel to Jacqueline Onassis.

Kormendi came to the United States in 1972 at the age of 19, and started his career as a stock boy in a warehouse.

“I remember being just a stock boy listening to 8-track tapes. I couldn’t dream where I’d end up,” he said.

His career in fine dining took off at the Brasserie restaurant in 1974, a 24-hour restaurant where he served as a waiter for two years. From there, Kormendi graduated to Maxwell’s Plum in Manhattan, an eclectic restaurant that attracted the likes of many celebrities, including Miss America and Miss Universe.

Kormendi remembers seeing two beautiful, classy women seated, and he was instructed to serve them. When one of the guests left the table to use the restroom, Kormendi was summoned by her friend.

“Do you know who that is?,” the woman asked. “That’s Miss America.”

Kormendi said he was in shock, and when the woman returned he approached her and introduced himself.

“I understand you are Miss America,” he said, to which the woman replied, “Yes, and my friend is Miss Universe!”

The pair then invited Kormendi to join them for a movie after their meal, however a working man, he respectfully declined their invitation.

1970s sex symbol Tom Jones also visited Maxwell’s Plum and, according to Kormendi, tried to pick up a “working girl.”

The working girl refused his advances, calling him “cheap,” Kormendi recalled.

Kormendi said he served many animals during his time as a waiter, but most memorable was when he served Benji the Dog. “He literally sat on a chair with two paws up, and was served a sirloin steak.

His owner literally cut it up and fed the dog with a fork. It was a four-star restaurant, and people were lining up to get this dog’s autograph,” Kormendi said with a laugh.

In 1979 Kormendi met former No.1 U.S. tennis player Jimmy Connors when he walked into Maxwell’s Plum. Kormendi said that a co-worker asked Connors about his feelings toward rival tennis player John McEnroe, to which Connors responded “As long as I live McEnroe will never be No. 1.” But one month later, McEnroe was the No.1 player in the country.

After his stint at Maxwell’s Plum, Kormendi began his employment at the notorious Russian Tea Room in Manhattan.

There he had his most memorable starstruck moment, when he encountered Jacqueline Onassis.

“I remember she came to the restaurant, and we didn’t have a table ready for

her. She came upstairs to where I was working and asked if was alright if she took a seat up there. It was absolutely overwhelming for me to carry a conversation with her,” he said.

At the Russian Tea Room in the 1990s, Kormendi remembers when baseball player Keith Hernandez, a frequent patron of the Russian Tea Room, found out he was traded by the Mets.

“A co-worker asked Hernandez how he felt about being traded by the Mets—at the time he didn’t know, because it happened that day, and that’s how he found out,” Kormendi said.

Prior to coming into her own, Madonna worked alongside Kormendi at the Russian Tea Room as a coat-check girl.

According to Kormendi, the starlet had no time to date anybody as she was focused on her singing career. Madonna returned to the dining venue two years after leaving her job simply to say hi to her former colleagues, and Kormendui said he couldn’t believe he was in the presence of the same young lady who had not long ago been checking coats.

Kormendi had many positive interactions with the celebrities who visited the various restaurants where he established himself, however he admits some were less pleasant than others, including Diana Ross, former U.S. President Richard Nixon, and Peter Falk. Kormendi remembers a time when Woody Allen demanded that a recipe for his favorite chocolate and raspberry cake be changed back after the chefs had made adjustments to it, and the

Half Hollow Hills photo/Jacqueline Birzon

Andy Kormendi shares memorable moments serving rich and famous

Andy Kormendi stands in front of his latest managerial endeavor at the Main Catch in Commack. restaurant willingly complied.

Once his days at the Russian Tea Room were over, Kormendi worked at Aureole for three years, Windows of the World at the World Trade Center for six months, and was manager at Louis XIV in Patchogue, where Kormendi met Billy Joel. Once Louis XIV shut down, Kormendi worked as a manager at Placido Domingo Restaurant on 49th Street, and then became manager of Connolly’s Corner in Queens.

Kormendi has been the manager of Main Catch since the restaurant opened in late August.

A12 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 www.LongIslanderNews.com

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Health & Fitness / Fifty 50+Plus

Sitting Too Long Is Bad For Your Health Photo/(c) Ivonne Wierink – Fotolia

Whether you have a desk job or otherwise sedentary lifestyle, prolonged periods of sitting may be unavoidable for you. Chances are you are sitting as you read this article.

New research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine and other journals shows that sitting for long stretches can be detrimental to your health, contributing to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic kidney disease.

“The best defense – the only defense – is to move more,” said Dr. Keith Overland, president of the American Chiropractic Association.

The simple act of walking can help you get in shape and feel great. It’s easy, burns calories, reduces the risk of heart disease, tones muscles and increases cardiovascular endurance. Walking as little as 12 minutes a day can have a significant positive effect.

To get the most from your walk, move your arms freely in coordination with the opposite leg, walk “with purpose” to maximize your cardiovascular workout, don’t stoop your head or look down as you walk and don’t carry weights, as they’re better used as a separate part of your exercise regimen.

But aches and pains prevent many

If you have a desk job, experts suggest getting up and moving around at least every half hour. people from even taking that first step toward better health. Chiropractic physicians – experts in treating muscles and joints – offer not only a drug-free approach to alleviating pain through spinal adjustments and manipulation, they also promote overall health and wellness through nutritional counseling, rehabilitation and exercise and lifestyle recommendations. Search for a chiro-

practor in your area by using “Find a Doc,” the American Chiropractic Association’s online member database, www.acatoday.org/FindaDoc. “When you do sit, make sure to do it correctly so you don’t ruin your posture or strain your muscles, leading to pain that could inhibit you from getting the activity you need,” Overland added.

To prevent problems, keep your feet

on the floor or a footrest and don't cross your legs. Your knees should be at or below the level of your hips. Adjust the backrest of your chair to support your lower- and mid-back or use a back support, and avoid sitting in the same position for long periods of time.

Include frequent micro-breaks into your sitting time, stretching your neck, arms, wrists, back, and legs. Simple stretches include neck rotations, fist clenches, arm dangles, and shoulder shrugs.

Most of all, don’t sit for too long.

Stand up and stretch your legs with a short walk about every 20 to 30 minutes.

Avoid working through lunch.

Poor posture not only consumes more energy but also can lead to excessive strain on your postural muscles and may even cause them to weaken when held in certain positions for long periods of time. The postural muscles are prone to injury and back pain, but maintaining good posture, sitting properly and moving regularly can help you stay pain-free.

You can learn more healthy tips at www.ChiroHealthy.com.

While you may not be able to quit your desk job, you can prevail over inactivity and move yourself closer to better health.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A13 Foodie photos/Danny Schrafel

Main Catch: A Foodie Trifecta

By Jackie & Danny foodie@longislandernews.com

If you want to catch the foodie bug, Main Catch in Commack offers customers a unique variety of dining options, from seafood to steak and a wide array of sushi platters. If you come hungry, you can’t go wrong.

Restaurant owner Tony Gambino, who also owns a seafood restaurant in Lindenhurst, said he opened the North Shore location in September to expand the variety of options he offers to customers. The space on Jericho Turnpike was the former Southside Fish & Clam.

One look at the Main Catch menu and you will be overwhelmed by the abundance this location has to offer.

The crispy calamari ($11.95) appetizer is the perfect Crispy Calamari at Main Catch restaurant in Commack. combination of tender and flaky, with just the right amount of butter that it melts in your mouth. The “Out of Control” roll ($17.95) is where big eye tuna toro meets lobster, tastefully combined with scallions, wasabi mayo, chive oil, almond flakes and onion—the creative pairing will leave you wishing you had control of your appetite.

The lobster bisque ($7.95) is a happy marriage of lobster and creamy sherry bisque, tastefully presented with a tender lobster claw. Diners must try the Catch’s take on New England clam chowder, a well-balanced, delicate version of the classic dish, highlighted with generous portions of clam.

The Newport Shrimp and Scallops ($23.95) are served over capellini pasta and sautéed in a flavorful saffron sauce. Without a doubt, their seafood products are as George’s Bank Filet of Sole, smothered with chipotle fresh as they come. sauced and stuffed with lobster If you’re a chipotle enthusiast, George’s Bank Filet of served with sautéed spinach and Sole ($23.95) is worth your taste buds’ time. Stuffed with mashed potatoes. lobster and served with garlic sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes, the medley leaves little to be desired.

If you have room for it, the chocolate mousse served with mixed berries is 1095 Jericho Turnpike, Commack a light, sweet touch to send 631-486-8864 you happily swimming on your way.

Main Catch

Sushi Chef Makio San smiles proudly with his “Out of Control” roll at the Main Catch in Commack.

The

Foodie SECTION

A14 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 www.LongIslanderNews.com The

Foodie SECTION

News and reviews from the restaurant capital of Long Island To Advertise Call 631-427-7000

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Side Dish

Read past reviews online at www.LongIslanderNews.com

DINE HUNTINGTON.COM

By DineHuntington.com Foodie@longislandernews.com

The

Foodie SECTION

News and reviews from the restaurant capital of Long Island

CALL 631-427-7000

WINE TASTING: Vitae (54 New St., Huntington 631-385-1919 vitaeli.com) will host a Fall Harvest Wine Tasting event on Sunday, Nov. 18 from 3-7 p.m. Meet various wine representatives and producers and taste and talk about a wide range of wines.

Twenty percent of the proceeds collected will be donated to the Townwide Fund of Huntington, a nonprofit that supports more than 21 local charities in the Town of Huntington. Some featured wines include MacMurray Ranch, Clarendelle, Honig and Campo Viejo. The cost is $30 per person; reservations are a must.

LI RESTAURANT WEEK EXTENDED: Every cloud has a silver lining. In the case of Superstorm Sandy, that silver lining could be that many of the 200-plus restaurants participating in Long Island Restaurant Week have extended the special menu offerings another week. The Fall 2012 campaign continues through Sunday, Nov. 18 to accommodate those diners who continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy and others who are conserving gas. Participating restaurants will offer their special three-course prix-fixe menus for $24.95 all night, every night they are open except Saturday when the menu must only be offered until 7 p.m.

Check www.longislandrestaurantweek.com for updates.

HARPOON A BEER: Executive Chef Christopher Lee and Chef Luke Omarzu of Huntington Social (330 New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743 631-9232442 www.huntingtonsocial.com) will serve a four-course dinner specially paired with Harpoon beer on Nov. 15 from 5-10 p.m. The cost is $39.99 per person plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are a must.

THANKSGIVING AT JONATHAN’S: Thanksgiving comes as early as it can this year – Nov. 22 – and between the early date and the extraordinary storm and recovery, you know it’s going to sneak up on you.

The Foodies’ favorite Thanksgiving menu? Reservations! Jonathan’s Ristorante (15 Wall St., Huntington 631549-0055 jonathansristorante.com) will serve Thanksgiving from 3-8:30 p.m.

They will be offering their regular menu along with some Thanksgiving specials: butternut squash soup with balsamic cipollini ($9); seared sea scallops with baby arugula hearts of palm, asparagus, pistachio and warm goat cheese ($16); pumpkin ravioli with cacio e pepe al tartufo nero ($13 app/$23 entrée); risotto with luganega sausage, cranberries, asparagus and water chestnuts ($25); pancetta-wrapped monkfish with corn chowder and baby spinach ($32); and roast turkey with sausage and mushroom stuffing, sweet potato puree and baby root vegetables, haricots vert and cranberry sauce ($24).

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A15

TOWN OF HUNTINGTON

From Hidden Speakers To Home Theaters Huntington Businesses

By Mike Koehler mkoehler@longislandernews.com

Located in Huntington village, Sound Insight may sell televisions, stereos and other audio-visual equipment, but they’re anything but a local electronics store.

In fact, owner Fred Kaplan makes fresh popcorn so customers can sit in his homemade theater and custom sound rooms to experience what it would be like in their homes. And when he’s not working in customer’s homes, he’s keeping The Paramount up and running.

“I’m not geared to be a cash and carry store. If you want to see the type of whole systems that we do and experience all the vignettes we do here…” he said.

Sound Insight carries a wide selection of audio-visual equipment, ranging from middle-of-the-road to very high-end.

That includes speakers by Paradigm, amplifiers by Onkyo and Denon, and flat screen televisions by LG, Sony and other well-known brands.

But it’s what the Huntington store can do with that equipment that makes them stand out. Using custom-designed furniture and mounts, Kaplan and his company can add technology to a house in very un-

guy in. You don’t need to bring an alarm guy in.”

It’s that expertise that recently earned them work with The Paramount. Theater representatives walked into Kaplan’s store a few weeks back with an issue during one of their events.

“I stopped what we were doing and took care of them,” he said.

Sound Insight did not handle the theater’s initial build, nor do they handle the professional stage audio gear, but they do oversee the various monitors, cameras and other technology inside The Paramount.

Graduating from NYIT with a degree in Electro-Mechanical Computer Technology in 1987, Kaplan found himself working for an alarm company in Great Neck. Five years later, he became the installation manger through the tri-state area for a company licensed to use the Sears brand name.

He ventured into the security, camera and phone business on his own in 1992.

As the new millennium approached, he added stereos and flat screen televisions to the mix.

Come 2002 and in need of a retail presence, he joined the Huntington Village Design Center along New York Avenue. At the time, Kaplan joined Appliance World, a custom cabinet company and a tile company.

With one out of business and the other moved away, Kaplan left Appliance World for his own retail presence this summer. He opened the doors to Sound Insight’s new home, a few blocks north on New York Avenue, on Aug. 20.

Half Hollow Hills photo/Mike Koehler

Spotlight On

usual ways. They hide wall speakers behind wallpaper or paint, rig mirrors to slide in front of a television and create weatherproof boxes to house televisions outside.

Kaplan also specializes in distributed music systems. These systems are designed to play different music at different volumes in different parts of the house.

“You can walk up to the wall in the morning and without waking up your wife, hit a panel and have music play just in the bathroom,” he said.

Home automation – a main system to control sub-systems like distributed music systems and security cameras – is Sound Insight’s biggest seller. Customers can access everything through just a few panels in their home, or even on the Internet. Kaplan said a customer landing at JFK Airport can use their cell phone to turn on the heat at home long before they arrive.

Prices at Sound Insight vary widely, although they tend to be higher than not due to the lack of lower-quality gear.

Speakers range from $400-$8,000, the owner said, while a home theater can run from $15,000-$250,000.

But not only does Kaplan sell the technology necessary for these projects, he also plans and directs them. Employing three full-time workers and three partners – professionals in cabinetry, woodworking and construction – they can construct anything from a home theater to a complete basement renovation.

“When someone builds a house and they want a couple of cameras, music, everything but the vacuum system…” he added. “You don’t need to bring a phone

Sound Insight owner Fred Kaplan shows off a TV that can be hidden behind a painting.

“After being in town for 10 years, we decided to make an investment and make a new showroom in the heart of the village,” he said.

His new location is already returning dividends, especially in the form of more space and increased visibility.

“It’s 8 p.m. and I have people walking in on Friday and Saturday,” the owner said.

Looking forward, Kaplan said he expects the business to grow even stronger, especially through home automation and Digital Analog Converters (DACs). DACs uncompress digital music files “to make it sound like it did back then, not like it does on an iPod.” Sound Insight 382 New York Avenue Huntington, NY 11743 631-271-4434 www.sound-insight.com

A16 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012

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HUNTINGTON OPEN HOUSES Want to get your open houses listed? Get your listings for free on this page every week in the Long Islander Newspapers.

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

DIX HILLS

3 Beatrice Ct Bedrooms 5 Baths 4 Price $749,000 Taxes $16,547 Open House 11/17 2pm-4pm Prudential Douglas Elliman RE 631-499-9191

MELVILLE

19 Threepence Dr Bedrooms 5 Baths 5 Price $1,145,000 Taxes $26,890 Open House 11/18 1pm-3pm Coldwell Banker Residential 516-864-8100

Town Greenlawn Melville Dix Hills Huntington Northport Dix Hills Northport Huntington Dix Hills Dix Hills Fort Salonga Northport Fort Salonga Centerport Huntington Sta Huntington Sta E. Northport Huntington Sta Huntington Sta Greenlawn Commack Huntington Huntington Fort Salonga Dix Hills Centerport Centerport Huntington Huntington Fort Salonga Huntington Dix Hills Dix Hills Centerport S. Huntington Huntington Dix Hills Dix Hills Dix Hills Huntington Melville Lloyd Harbor

Address Beds Baths Price Taxes Date 23 Butterfield Dr 4 3 $409,000 $9,863 11/17 64 Northgate Cir 3 3 $489,000 $10,609 11/17 9 Princeton Dr 4 2 $495,000 $12,908 11/17 39 High Oak Ct 3 3 $499,000 $12,395 11/17 22 Woody Ln 5 2 $519,000 $7,758 11/17 310 Frederick St 5 3 $529,000 $10,873 11/17 15 Vista Dr 4 2 $549,000 $7,963 11/17 30 Renwick (Howard) Ave 4 3 $689,000 $17,923 11/17 3 Beatrice Ct 5 4 $749,000 $16,547 11/17 4 Croydon Ct 5 4 $798,000 $23,152 11/17 48 Brookfield Rd 4 3 $825,000 $15,345 11/17 413 Main St 5 3 $829,000 $4,797 11/17 11 Marions Ln 3 4 $995,000 $24,226 11/17 36 Harned Dr 4 3 $1,099,999 $15,376 11/17 7 Frog Pond Rd 3 2 $319,000 $7,793 11/18 48 Whitson Rd 4 2 $329,000 $11,030 11/18 16 Cherry St 3 2 $349,000 $8,133 11/18 265 Crombie St 4 2 $355,000 $8,700 11/18 124 E 23rd St 3 3 $359,900 $8,741 11/18 34 Clay Pitts Rd 4 1 $369,900 $11,379 11/18 20 Olga Ln 3 3 $439,500 $10,633 11/18 72 Valentine Ave 3 3 $459,000 $13,692 11/18 6 Arrowhead Pl 3 2 $499,000 $10,203 11/18 22 Glenview Ave 4 2 $499,990 $12,282 11/18 69 E Deer Park Rd 4 3 $515,000 $12,773 11/18 23 Cranbrook Ct 4 3 $527,000 $14,512 11/18 92 Little Neck Rd 4 3 $619,000 $13,569 11/18 1 Canary Ct 3 3 $619,000 $13,714 11/18 16 Briarcliff Pl 4 3 $629,000 $14,589 11/18 5 Truxton Ln 4 3 $669,000 $17,934 11/18 15 Harmon Dr 4 3 $675,000 $13,532 11/18 59 Seward Dr 4 3 $699,900 $13,100 11/18 10 Parsons Dr 5 4 $709,000 $15,200 11/18 10 Marys Ln 3 2 $717,000 $15,845 11/18 90 Pidgeon Hill Rd 5 4 $739,000 $17,267 11/18 5 Magnolia Ln 3 2 $799,000 $17,627 11/18 4 Stony Run Ct 5 4 $845,000 $25,500 11/18 19 Folger Ln 3 3 $845,900 $18,467 11/18 16 Stepping Stone Cres 5 4 $855,000 $22,500 11/18 8 Landing Rd 4 3 $959,000 $19,580 11/18 19 Threepence Dr 5 5 $1,145,000 $26,890 11/18 2 Fox Meadow Ln 5 5 $2,275,000 $38,985 11/18

Time Broker 11am-1pm Signature Premier Properties 2pm-4pm Prudential Douglas Elliman RE 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 2pm-4pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 1pm-3pm Coldwell Banker Residential 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 2:30pm-4:30pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 2pm-4pm Prudential Douglas Elliman RE 1pm-3pm Coldwell Banker Residential 2pm-4pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 1pm-3pm Prudential Douglas Elliman RE 1pm-3pm Prudential Douglas Elliman RE 1pm-3pm Coldwell Banker Residential 12:30pm-2:30pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 12pm-2pm Coldwell Banker Residential 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 12pm-2pm Coldwell Banker Residential 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 1pm-3pm Coldwell Banker Residential 1pm-3pm Coldwell Banker Residential 12pm-2pm Daniel Gale Agency Inc 2:30pm-4:30pm Coldwell Banker Residential 1pm-3pm Coldwell Banker Residential 1pm-3pm Signature Premier Properties 2pm-4pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 2:30pm-4:30pm Daniel Gale Agency Inc 1:00pm-3:00pm Coldwell Banker Residential 12:30pm-2:30pm Signature Premier Properties 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 11:30am-1pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 12pm-2pm Coldwell Banker Residential 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 2pm-4pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 1pm-3pm Coldwell Banker Residential 1pm-3pm Coach Real Estate Assoc Inc 1:30pm-3pm Daniel Gale Agency Inc 1pm-3pm Coldwell Banker Residential 1pm-3pm Coldwell Banker Residential

Phone 631-673-3700 631-499-9191 631-499-1000 631-673-2222 631-757-7272 631-673-4444 631-757-7272 631-673-2222 631-499-9191 631-673-4444 631-757-4000 631-360-1900 631-261-6800 631-261-6800 631-673-4444 631-427-9100 631-754-4800 631-757-4000 631-673-6800 631-427-9100 631-499-0500 631-673-6800 631-427-6600 631-754-4800 631-673-4444 631-673-3700 631-673-2222 631-427-6600 631-754-4800 631-673-3700 631-757-4000 631-360-1900 631-427-9100 631-754-4800 631-673-2222 631-673-2222 631-360-1900 631-673-4444 631-360-1900 631-692-6770 516-864-8100 631-673-6800

HUNTINGTON STATION

Town Takes Step To Purchase Armory

The town is now officially authorized to purchase the State Armory for $1.

By Danny Schrafel dschrafel@longislandernews.com

The town board has authorized Huntington Supervisor Frank Petrone to apply to the state to acquire the State Armory in Huntington Station.

By authorizing the application to New York State’s Office of General Services, the town is taking the next step toward acquiring the 3.4-acre parcel on East Fifth Street in Huntington Station.

The town voted May 8 to buy the Armory from the state – for the nominal fee of $1 to make it official – and said the surplus land would be used for parkland or possibly a community

center. Eight months earlier, in September 2011, the Huntington Station armory closed and reserves were moved into a $92-million, centralized Armed Forces Reserve Center in Farmingdale. The Farmingdale facility now hosts Army, Navy and Marine Corps reservists that were previously housed in seven centers across Long Island.

Whatever the property is ultimately used for, the facility will bear the name of one of Huntington Station’s beloved sons. Huntington’s town board passed on Oct. 17 a resolution that would rename the Armory after the late Assemblyman Jim Conte, a longtime advocate for Huntington Station.

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P U Z Z L E CRYPTOQUIP

NOD IYDNOJAPG APMOJDH AZGGDANJYK RPHDM RZH P EHJCKD GJDC PEZIN OJM APMO RGZU. JN UPM P NZGG NJGG NPGG NPGD. Today’s Cryptoquip clue: N equals T ©2012 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

Answer to Blue Language

P u bl i s h e d N ove m b e r 8 , 2 0 1 2

ANSWER TO LAST WEEK’S CRYPTOQUIP OUR VETERINARIAN NEVER NEEDS TO SEND OUT NEUTERING BILLS BECAUSE SHE HAS A SPAY-AS-YOU-GO POLICIY Published November 8, 2012 ©2012 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

NEW CRYPTOQUIP BOOKS 3 & 4! Send $3.50 for one book or $6.00 for both (check/m.o.) to Cryptoquip Classics Books 3 and 4, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475

THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A17

PA G E

PREMIER CROSSWORD / By Frank A. Longo

E-BUSINESS

A18 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 www.LongIslanderNews.com THURSDAY Jewels For Vets Frassanito Jewelers is running a Veteran’s Day promotion through Friday, Nov. 16. All United States veterans will receive 10-percent off of their purchase. Post a picture on the company’s Facebook page and be automatically entered to win a $500 Frassanito Jewelers gift coin good for any purchase made on or before Dec. 24. 346 New York Ave., Huntington village. 631-427-5498. www.FrassanitoJewelers.com.

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Calendar O M M U N I T Y

0888. commack.suffolk.lib.ny.us.

• A six-hour defensive driving classroom course will be held Saturday, Nov. 17, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Applications may be picked up at the library. For information, call 631-3609720. $35.

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

• As of Nov. 9, the library was still closed due to power outages.

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

• Catch “The Amazing Spider-Man” starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone on Friday, Nov. 23, 1 p.m.

An Evening Of Texas Troubadours The Folk Music Society of Huntington hosts “An Evening of Texas Troubadours” at the Cinema Arts Centre on Thursday, Nov. 15, as part of its monthly Hard Luck Café series. The 8:30 p.m. concert featuring Brian Kalinec and Jarrod Dickenson will be preceded by an open mic at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for Cinema Arts Centre and Folk Music Society of Huntington members; $12 for non-members.

The Cinema Arts Centre is at 423 Park Ave. in Huntington. Visit www.fmsh.org or call 631425-2925.

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

• If you're a Mad Men maniac or just curious about the show, watch Season 2 with others on Tuesdays, through Dec. 11, 7 p.m. in Dix Hills.

• It’s picture book time for kids ages 3-5 on Monday, Nov. 19, 10:30 a.m.

FRIDAY

Harborfields Public Library A Midsummer Night’s Dream Cold Spring Harbor High School and Arts Booster Club present Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” a modern retelling of the famous comedy where lovers and honest actors are toyed with by the fairies, on Friday, Nov. 16, and Saturday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center, 82 Turkey Lane, Cold Spring Harbor. $10.

Celebrate Native American Day With Crafts And Games Celebrate Native American Day with the Huntington Historical Society on Nov. 18, 2-4 p.m. at the Conklin Barn, 2 High St., Huntington. $25 per child (ages 7-12) includes presentation of the daily life of the Native Americans, face painting, arts and crafts, food and games. 631-427-7045, ext. 401. www.huntingtonhistoricalsociety.org.

The King and I Performances of “The King and I” by the Northport-East Northport Community Theater at the Laurel Avenue School/Brosnan Administration Building have been rescheduled in the aftermath of Sandy. Catch the show Nov. 16 at 8 p.m.; Nov. 17 at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. www.northportcommunitytheater.org.

Huntington Station. Over 100 vendors with handcrafted items can help you find the perfect gift. $2. Profits go towards the building of an art gallery for the school.

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!

anniversary of The Huntington Lighthouse.

The display includes correspondence between the Lighthouse Establishment and Lighthouse Keeper Robert McGlone, and an original painting of the lighthouse, which will be auctioned.

On display in the Town Hall lobby, 100 Main St, Huntington, Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. and Friday, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. www.huntingtonlighthouse.org. 631-421-1985.

SUNDAY

TUESDAY

Live Music

Opera Night Long Island’s best singers perform in Oyster Bay on Nov. 16, 8 p.m. at Christ Church, 61 East Main St. $15 suggested donation. www.operanight.org. 631-261-8808.

Nominate A Nonprofit The inaugural Long Island Imagine Awards will be held Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, and nominations are open to acknowledge some of Long Island’s most effective and innovative nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization and located and serve in either Nassau or Suffolk can apply to win $5,000. Visit www.ceriniandassociates.com. Deadline is Nov. 30.

The Story Behind HeLa

Free Help For Vets

Cell biologist and cancer researcher Dr. David Spector brings his knowledge, experience and perspective about HeLa cells – the star of Rebecca Skloot’s best-selling book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” – to a free public lecture and discussion at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Nov. 18, 3 p.m. Get a glimpse of the tremendous impact this cell line has made on medical research and the discoveries that it contributed to. Grace Auditorium, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, One Bungtown Road. Free. Call 516-367-8455 to reserve seats.

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 Hauppauge and Freeport emergency pantries. Appointments can be made by contacting jrosati@licares.org.

Red Is For Passion Love the color red and enjoy living it up? The Red Hat women are looking for new members who enjoy going places and making new friends. Their motto: Fun, Frolic and Friendship. 631-271-6470 or flarpp@yahoo.com.

SATURDAY Hot, Hot, Hot Things will heat up Nov. 17 when the Greenlawn Fire Department again hosts its chili cook-off. Tastings last from noon-3 p.m. or as long as the chili lasts. $7 (firefighters, police and emergency personnel free). 23 Boulevard Ave., Greenlawn. Celebrity judges include Town Councilwoman Susan Berland, “Restaurant Hunters” host Bob Petrone, Long Islander Newspapers Associate Publisher Peter Sloggatt and Joel Vetter of Suffolk County EMS. Proceeds will benefit UCP Suffolk. For more info call Chief Scott Dalrymple at 631-261-9106.

MONDAY Seniors, Get Your Questions Answered Senior Advocates – who provide assistance with food stamps, Medicare savings programs, Medicaid applications and Heating Emergency Assistance Program (HEAP) applications – will make stops throughout town over the next two months: • Huntington Library: Monday, Nov. 19, 10 a.m.-noon; • Huntington Nutrition Center: Wednesdays, Nov. 28 and Dec. 20, 9 a.m.-noon; • Paumanack Village I & II (Greenlawn): Tuesdays, Nov. 29 and Dec. 18, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; • Paumanack Village III & IV (Greenlawn): Thursday, Dec. 13, 10 a.m.noon; • Paumanack Village V & VI (Melville): Tuesday, Dec. 11, 9 a.m.-noon. 631-853-8200.

Appointments encouraged, drop-ins welcome.

10th Long Island Fight for Charity

Swirls and Twirls self-serve frozen yogurt shop (www.swirlsandtwirlsusa.com) celebrates the grand opening of its sixth location at 769 Pulaski Road, Greenlawn, in the Waldbaum’s Shopping Center, on Nov. 17, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Fifty percent of proceeds to benefit the Elwood and Harborfields booster clubs.

Long Island Fight for Charity will host a free event announcing plans for next year on Nov. 19, 6-8 p.m., at the Long Island Hilton, Route 110, in Melville. LI Fight for Charity will announce plans and special events leading up to and including its November 2013 “Main Event.” Complimentary appetizers, beer, wine and soda; cocktails-cash bar. RSVP: 877-2407821. For information or to learn about sponsoring or becoming a celebrity boxer visit www.lifightforcharity.com or call 516-775-0435 ext. 5.

Whitman Art & Crafts Fair

See The Light

Walt Whitman High School hosts its 11th annual Fine Art & Crafts Fair on Nov. 17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at 301 West Hills Road,

Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia has organized an exhibit of Huntington Lighthouse artifacts and memorabilia to celebrate its centennial

Swirls, Twirls And A Boost

WEDNESDAY Rejoice and Give Thanks Center yourself in the joy of the Thanksgiving season by joining the Commack United Methodist Church in worship at 486 Townline Road, Commack, just north of Route 25 at Commack Road, on Wednesday, Nov. 21 at Noon. In the evening there will be a worship service with special choral music at 7:30 pm in the main sanctuary. Call 631-499-7310 or visit www.commack-umc.org.

Classic Car Show The Huntington Station Business Improvement District hosts a car show at Station Sports, 25 Depot Road, Huntington Station, from 6:30-8 p.m. every Wednesday.

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

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

• In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, the library has charging stations for your devices, WiFi, internet, water and a warm place to relax, read and recharge.

• Celebrate the release of Jeff Kinney’s seventh book, “The Third Wheel,” with “Wimpy Kid” series theme games, crafts, and raffles on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2 p.m. For grades 3-6.

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

• Join SeniorNet volunteers to learn how to search for products, compare prices and protect yourself from fraud as you shop online this holiday season. Tuesday, Nov. 20, 3:305 p.m. 631-427-3700 ext. 268, snoffice@fslli.org.

• Do you like to write creatively but never seem to be able to set enough time aside to do so? Meet with aspiring teen writers and share your written work and ideas on Friday, Nov. 16, 5 p.m.

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

• Love to draw? Love Anime/Manga? Come join others in grads 5-12 who do too!

Discuss different drawing techniques, share your drawings, and get guidance from an animator on Thursday, Nov. 15, 5 p.m.

• “New Paintings” by William Pardue at the Main Art Gallery wanders over a range of themes, styles, and mediums. On display Nov. 17-Dec. 29, with a reception Saturday, Dec. 1, 2-4 p.m.

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

• On display in the East Northport gallery, “Masks in the Sea of Faces” by former LongIslander graphic artist Sheauwei Pidd shows off her love of colors and mood, as well as movement.

• The Friends of the Library present the highly acclaimed Paul Joseph Quartet for a memorable evening of George Gershwin jazz on Friday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m. in Northport.

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

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

• Art exhibit “Themes & Variations,” paintings

by Margaret Cibulsky, now on display.

• Enjoy an afternoon of Latin American music performed on the classical guitar by Francisco Roldan, who will play pieces by Montes, Cordero, Barrios and Piazzolla on Sunday, Nov. 18. 2:30 p.m.

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

• Come in costume as Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Captain Hook, or a Lost Boy at a screening of the magical 1924 adaptation of J.M Barrie’s classic about two children who travel to Never Never Land and join forces with Peter Pan to save the Lost Boys from Captain Hook, on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2 p.m., with a live harp score performed by harpistcomposer Leslie McMichael. $7.50 Kids (12 & under)/$10 members/$15 public. Best costume wins free admission and a free Peter Pan harp CD.

Commack Public Library 18 Hauppauge Road, Commack. 631-499-

(Continued on page A19)

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A19 Emergency Home Repair Program. Call Susan at Housing Help Inc., 631-754-0373.

(Continued from page A18)

Dix Hills Performing Arts Center

Fly Away To Never Land

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

• “Ragtime: The Musical" is a twelve-time Tony nominated musical and revolves around the classic story of American culture, the grandeur of the American sprrit and the epic scale of the human struggle. ThursdaySaturday, Nov. 15-17 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 18 at 2 p.m. $18/$15 seniors and students.

Come in costume as Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Captain Hook, or a Lost Boy at a screening of the magical 1924 adaptation of J.M Barrie’s classic about two children who travel to Never Never Land and join forces with Peter Pan to save the Lost Boys from Captain Hook, at Cinema Arts Centre on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2 p.m., with a live harp score performed by harpist-composer Leslie McMichael. $7.50 Kids (12 & under)/$10 members/$15 public. Best costume wins free admission and a free Peter Pan harp CD. 423 Park Ave., Huntington. www.cinemaartscentre.org. 631-423-7611.

John W. Engeman Theater At Northport 350 Main St., Northport. www.johnwengemantheater.com. 631-261-2900.

• Celebrate the holiday season with a thrilling new twist on the holiday classic “A Christmas Carol.” Michael Wilson’s adaptation is a creative re-telling of Dickens’ classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge. Sponsored by North Shore LIJ and running from Nov. 20Jan. 6. $65.

• Christmas has been cancelled! Or at least, it will be if Santa can't find a way to guide his sleigh through a fierce blizzard. Fortunately for him, there's “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” showing as part of the Youth Theater Series, Nov. 24-Jan. 6 on weekends and special dates. $15.

AUDITIONS LIU Post Chamber Musicians Auditions for the 31st Summer Season of the LIU Post Chamber Music Festival continue by special appointment. The LIU Post Chamber Music Festival offers gifted music students (ages 10-18), college/conservatory students and young professionals the opportunity to study and perform in a rich musical environment. To schedule an audition, call 516-2992103 or visit www.liu.edu/post/chambermusic.

Performing Arts Training Open auditions are being held at the Huntington Center for Performing Arts: Musical Theater: Les Petits Danseurs - a dance school for children; Huntington Ballet Academy exclusively offering the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum; Suzuki Music School - string and piano training using the Japanese method and traditional lessons; Long Island Ballet Theatre - providing professional performing opportunities for students.

310 New York Ave., Huntington. www.huntingtonperformingarts.com. 631-271-4626

members and children under 10 free. 631351-3250.

• Robert S. Neuman’s “Ship to Paradise” focuses on the colorful, large-scale, mixedmedia drawings in which Neuman addressed the timeless question of human folly. On display through Nov. 25.

• The museum will honor Christian White for his significant contributions to the arts and culture on Long Island at the annual Celebrate Achievement Benefit on Saturday, Nov. 17, 5:30 p.m. Enjoy a selection of eclectic tastings and libations, bid on an array of silent auction items, and take a chance on the raffles. Proceeds support the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs. $150.

Holocaust Memorial And Tolerance Center Welwyn Preserve. 100 Crescent Beach Road, Glen Cove. Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun.: noon-4 p.m. 516-571-8040 ext.

100. www.holocaust-nassau.org.

• The new permanent exhibit explains the 1920s increase of intolerance, the reduction of human rights, and the lack of intervention that enabled the persecution and mass murder of millions of Jews and others: people with disabilities, Roma and Sinti (Gypsies), Jehovah’s Witnesses, gays and Polish intelligentsia.

Huntington Arts Council

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.

• The first of a two-part exhibit featuring about 200 works of art created by their many talented members will be on display Nov. 4-25.

• Paul Dorrell discusses and signs his book, “Living the Artist’s Life: Updated & Revised” in the Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery on Friday, Nov. 16, 7 p.m.

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

• “Bold,” featuring artists that grab the viewer with their unique and striking artwork, opens Friday, Nov. 16 with an opening reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Art-Trium including a music performance by Shenole Latimer. Running through Feb. 25.

• View and bid on over 50 pieces of artwork in the 2012 “Auction on Main,” through Nov. 30.

Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery

Huntington Historical Society

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

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.

• Celebrate Native American Day on Nov. 18, 2-4 p.m. at the Conklin Barn. $25 per child (ages 7-12) includes presentation of the daily life of the Native Americans, face painting, arts and crafts, food and games.

MUSEUMS & EXHIBITS Art League of Long Island

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

631-367-3418. www.cshwhalingmuseum.org. fotofoto Gallery 14 W. Carver St., Huntington. Gallery hours: Friday 5-8 p.m., Saturday 12-8 p.m., Sunday 12-4 p.m. 631-549-0448.

• A solo exhibition by Ralph Masullo is on display at Nov. 25.

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

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

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

• The Alan & Helene Rosenberg Jewish Discovery Museum provides hands-on exhibits and programs for children 3-13 years old and their families, classes and camps. Now on exhibit: The Alef Bet of Being a Mensch. “Zye a mensch” is a Yiddish saying that means “be a decent, responsible, caring person,” infusing both the best blessing and the best that an educator can wish for his students.

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

• The Arena Players Repertory Theatre presents Anthony Horowitz's comic-thriller “Mind Game” on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. through Nov. 25. $20-$25. Call 516-293-0674 or visit www.ArenaPlayers.org.

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

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

MUSIC & DANCE The Paramount 370 New York Ave., Huntington. 631-6737300. www.paramountny.com. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

• Tickets now on sale for the Saturday, Jan. 19 concert “A Diva, A Comedian & Broadway for the Children of Huntington Station.”

• The Sandy that everyone loves, Olivia Newton-John, comes to Huntington Thursday, Nov. 15, 8 p.m.

• Long Island favorite Taking Back Sunday headlines the Wednesday, Nov. 21 show.

AID AND ASSISTANCE

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

• Robert Finale presents captivating landscapes and Richard Johnson displays exquisite paintings of the human face and form.

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

• “Serendipity: A Solo Exhibition,” is a comprehensive show of 2D and 3D works of art by Puneeta Mittal, on view through Dec. 2.

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

Help After Sandy Touro Law Center has opened a legal hotline at 631-761-7198 that is staffed MondayFriday 9-6 by law students and attorneys from the bar associations. Bilingual and Spanish-stpeaking lawyers are available, also, thanks tot the Hispanic Bar Assn.

Emergency Home Repair Program Are you “underwater” on your mortgage but making payments on time? Do you need an emergency repair on your home, but can’t get a home equity loan because you are underwater? You could eligible for up to $5,000 for emergency home repairs if your income does not exceed 120 percent of the HUD median income for Long Island ($129,000 for a family of four). Apply to the

VOLUNTEERING 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 631271-2183 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 631-368-8770 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.

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 631-351-8672 or fcchaicenter@gmail.com

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

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

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

631-924-6700 ext 212.

Seeking Volunteer Advocates The Family Service League’s Ombudservice Program of Suffolk County is seeking volunteers to train as advocates for nursing home, adult home and assisted living facility residents to help insure they receive quality care and their rights are protected. 631-427-3700 ext. 240.

Time For Meals On Wheels Meals On Wheels of Huntington is in need of men and women to be volunteers, who work in teams, delivering midday meals to shut-ins.

Two hours required, one day a week.

Substitutes also needed to fill in when regular drivers are unavailable. There is also a pressing need for nurses who can volunteer to screen potential clients. Times are flexible.

631-271-5150.

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

10 days prior to publication date.

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

C L A S S I F I E D S THE LONG-ISLANDER • THE RECORD • NORTHPORT JOURNAL • HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER

A20 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 www.LongIslanderNews.com

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TELEPHONE: (631) 427-7000, FAX: (631) 427-5820

EMPLOYMENT

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HOURS: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

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LOST POWER OF ATTORNEY Last with NYS Senator Smith. Please send all litigation again to Kevin M. Donnelly, P.O. Box 708, Northport NY 11768.

Never received.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A21

HOW TO GET YOUR HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER 1. FREE Digital Subscription Sign up to get the newspaper to read on your computer or smartphone by going to www.HalfHollowNews.com.. An e-reader version or PDF format will be delivered to your inbox weekly.

2. Subscribe for Home Delivery Get the print version delivered to your home at a cost of just $21 a year. Use the coupon inside this paper; sign up at ww.HalfHollowNews.com; or call with your credit card: 631-427-7000.

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

Pick up your FREE copy at these and other locations throughout the community

COMMACK ROAD American Community Bank ANC Food The Everything Bagel Deli Beer Smoke

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

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

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

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

A22 • THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 www.LongIslanderNews.com

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Community turns to help vulnerable residents (Continued from page A1)

did not suffer in silence.

Upon placing calls to several relief agencies, the Wilks were put in contact with Sister Kay McCarthy of St. Matthew’s. With the help of parishioners, including Fran Manos and Kathryn Monaco-Douglas, the church was able to supply the Wilks with warm meals and delivered the couple six dinners within a week and a half ’s time.

“We’ll do whatever we can for whomever,” Sister McCarthy said.

By coincidence, Dix Hills contractor Lorenzo Piazza overheard Monaco-Douglas speaking with a friend about the hole in the Wilks’ roof. Given their condition— not to mention to pending nor’easter on Nov. 7—Piazza took it upon himself to put a temporary tarp over the Wilks’ damaged roof and removed the trees blocking

the couple’s driveway.

According to Sister McCarthy, most contractors require payment upfront; however, Piazza waived the initial fee and provided his services without payment upfront.

“They were in need of assistance; it felt right. It’s normal to offer something good to someone who needed it,” Piazza said.

Neighbors of the Wilks supplied them with hot coffee, and lent them a generator for two days.

Electricity was restored to the Wilks’ house on Nov. 10. Robert said he was astounded by the length of time his home was ignored by utility companies, but was thankful he and his wife were not left alone.

“It’s amazing how people came together on this; everyone was helping each other. [A bunch of ] little big things made

a difference – it was great,” Robert said.

“But LIPA has a different agenda, and a different profit motivation, and they need to take another good look at this. It’s nonsense…I thought they would have had a better system for people who are handicapped. It’s one thing if you are a 25- or 26-year-old [without power], but if you’re 76 or 80 it’s a totally different ball game.”

Half Hollow Hills Board of Education member and Dix Hills resident Frank Grimaldi, who was without power for nine days, said he was appalled by LIPA’s lack of communication with residents in the area.

“I think LIPA itself has a tremendous amount of issues, and part of the problem is that the infrastructure was built in the 1950s, and that’s poor management. You see all these trucks and hear rumors, and

no one knows what’s true what’s not… It was horrific. You had no idea what was going on and you couldn’t talk to anybody… It was handled poorly,” Grimaldi said.

Once power was returned to the Grimaldi house, Frank said his family opened their doors to those who were still without and housed up to 15 of his children’s friends after the storm.

Tina Shek, of Dix Hills, said that while she can commiserate with the fact that LIPA’s hands are tied, she wished there was more communication on LIPA’s part. Her home was without electricity for 10 days.

“The whole thing has been a surreal experience. Despite the negatives it was nice to see everybody come together, and I think we all know we need to help each other to get through something like this,” she said.

LIPA failed at communication, leaders say (Continued from page A1)

“We would try to explain to people.

They called LIPA too. We weren’t getting answers on the phone or via email,” McMullen said.

He added that the village’s highway crews worked well with the tree-trimming crews when they arrived, and that the linemen did good work when they were in Northport.

“It’s very hard to understand why they would come into an area and then leave without finishing the work,” McMullen said.

Most of Northport recovered electricity by Friday, but Morrow had previously described Huntington Bay as “a lost village.” With power fully restored to his village by Sunday, he did not back off his strong opinions. “[LIPA] did not have its act together,” he said.

Running into similar communication issues as his Northport colleagues, Morrow relied on Huntington Town Super-

visor Frank Petrone to reach LIPA after the storm. Petrone said he leaned on his connections in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office to get information relayed, not shy at all to criticize LIPA management.

Not only did the utility abandon plans for their crews to work with municipal crews before they started, the supervisor said, but they failed to effectively restore power within the town.

“There was a 10-day period where virtually very little was happening,” Petrone said.

By Friday, Petrone joined members of the governor’s office and National Grid at County Executive Steve Bellone’s office to complain about the 1,200 still without power. Less than 850 Town of Huntington residents were without power on Monday afternoon.

Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills) joined Bellone on Saturday when the county executive announced he was bypassing LIPA man-

Power at Five Towns

agement and communicating directly with substation staff directly.

Unlike Morrow and McMullen, Stern said he had no problem reaching a person at LIPA. But instead, he found them uninformed and sometimes with different information than they previously offered.

“I know that workers on the front lines have been working very hard and although I’ve always had the opportunity to communicate with LIPA administration, there was a disgraceful disconnect between the administration and the supervisors on the ground making deployment decisions,” Stern said.

Asharoken Mayor Greg Letica was satisfied with LIPA’s communication after Sandy, while Lloyd Harbor Mayor Leland Hairr did not return messages for comment. Letica said the utility provided them with a phone number for municipalities that connected them with the regional manager.

“I can only speak from my experience.

They did OK with us, considering the circumstances,” Letica said.

Despite sharing a border, emergency

dispatchers and much more, Northport officials said their northern neighbor lucked out.

“He got the right number, we didn’t,” McMullen said.

And more than two weeks after Sandy ravaged the region, local officials are still calling for change within LIPA. Stern, who received power at his Dix Hills home late on Saturday, said the legislature created a LIPA oversight committee in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene last year. They assembled experts and held public meetings, but only the state appoints LIPA management.

“This is absolutely unacceptable and we all appreciate how important it is for New York State to implement meaningful changes going forward,” Stern said.

Not only did Petrone support efforts to regulate LIPA more stringently, he also continued to push for underground wiring and upgraded infrastructure.

“We spent good dollars on Irene and we’re spending the same dollars again.

Useless waste of taxpayers’ dollars,” the supervisor said.

(Continued from page A1)

behalf of the DHPAC. At the same time, Sherman said he watched an out-of-state crew sit with a LIPA pickup truck at the Half Hollow Hills School District bus depot across the street, waiting for orders. The provost said he spoke with someone at the bus depot, who told him they were waiting for their next assignment.

Generators were used to keep the Public Safety and Maintenance departments operational, but all four dorms were evacuated and closed; two of the dorms were also in the dark. Five Towns has approximately 200 students who reside on campus.

“There’s no way to feed anyone or transport them,” Sherman said.

But with power finally returning on Friday evening, the campus started coming back to life. Heat began to flow, new food was purchased for the cafeteria and IT crews were dispatched to restore service. Students were welcomed back to their rooms as of 3 p.m. Monday and classes were set to pick up again on Tuesday.

This weekend’s performance of “Ragtime” is still expected to go on. A musical about three different cultural groups in early 20th century America, the show was in jeopardy with the college in the

dark as the show grew near.

Deputy Theater Chair James Beneduce said the cast and orchestra rehearsed at various outside venues during the outage, even if they were never at full strength.

“The best we could get at any time is 50 percent. The rest of them live far away in the city, New Jersey… Some of those areas were hit really hard,” Beneduce said. “Somehow we were able to pull people together, have them crash on other people’s couches.”

Very limited work was accomplished on the set, with the theater head considering more of a focus on the actors than the background.

“I’m getting outside help over the next couple of days to get it as done as possible,” he said, adding they would focus on essential sets first.

Opening night is scheduled for tonight, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m. The show will run for evenings through Saturday, with a 2 p.m. show on Sunday. Tickets are still available for all four shows. The theater can be reached at 631-656-2148.

“We just wanted to bring some comfort to say in some way we’re back to normal. Get your mind off the insanity of the past three weeks,” Beneduce said.

Gas rationing works (Continued from page A6)

who declined to give his last name, said operations have returned to normal.

“I think there was a panic over the weekend because we saw a lot of people filling up. But today [Nov. 12], we put up a “We have gas” sign because I thought people thought we were closed [because lines were so short],” Gus said.

Gus said that on Monday he only turned two drivers away from the pump because they wanted to fill up on an even day when their plates were odd. After being “dry” for a week and a half, Gus said the station received its first shipment of gas over the weekend of Nov. 10.

Out of a normal 12,000-gallon delivery, the truck only delivered 8,000 gallons to the Melville station.

Residents of the Half Hollow Hills area said that prior to the ra-

tioning system, conditions were “crazy.”

Frank Grimalidi, of Dix Hills, said he saw several stations hiking up gas prices during the days following the storm.

“It was crazy; you literally couldn’t get gas even after waiting three to four hours long, and you’d waste more gas waiting in line just for them to tell you there’s no gas,” Grimaldi said. “It’s really disgusting when you see a bunch of gas stations prices go from $3.99 per gallon to $4.50 per gallon.”

Tina Shek of Dix Hills said that after the shortage, she will never take a full tank of gasoline for granted again.

“After seeing how it was the past two weeks I’ll never take gas for granted. It’s been ridiculous, when you see fights break out on gas lines, when everyone should be cooperating,” Shek said.

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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • NOVEMBER 15, 2012 • A23

HillSPORTS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Colts Out Of Playoffs Season Slips From Storm disrupted season for girls volleyball Players’ Grasp BOYS VOLLEYBALL

Half Hollow Hills photo/archives

By Jacqueline Birzon

jbirzon@longislandernews.com

Volleyball players in the Half Hollow Hills area triumphed at the net throughout the season, however the court climate seemed to drop after the cold front induced by Hurricane Sandy.

The Half Hollow Hills West girls varsity volleyball team made it to the playoffs, but lost to Smithtown West (0-3) at their quarterfinal game on Nov. 9.

Prior to that, the storm caused the team to cancel its last game of the season.

According to Coach Lauren DiNigris, the cancellation of the final match weighed down the girls’ spirits, especially the seniors.

“The last game of the season is usually a very special day for the seniors. The team puts together speeches and gifts to acknowledge and honor them. But this made us finish with a 6-5 record,” DiNigris said.

Following the cancellation, the girls were unable to practice for 10 days due to school closures. Having just one full practice in a two-week span, the girls were a bit disconnected from the game, and had to go into the playoffs less prepared than they would have liked, the coach said, adding that Smithtown West

Despite a strong season, the Half Hollow Hills West girls volleyball team lost in quarterfinals of the playoffs. was able to hold practices while the Hills team could not.

“Trying to get back to that sense of normalcy was a little hard with all the changes and interruptions. We lost to Smithtown West and played very well considering the situation. We were just rusty and who knows what could have happened if it was a normal season,” DiNigris said.

Boys volleyball team falls in quarters

By Jacqueline Birzon jbirzon@longislandernews.com

If you ask Half Hollow Hills boys volleyball coach Todd Donaghy, it was the season that could have been.

After qualifying for the Suffolk Class AA playoffs, the team (8-2) left the courts disappointed on Nov. 9 after losing during the quarterfinal game against Northport.

Donaghy said that the two-week layoff due to the storm had a visible effect on the team’s morale. Going into the last full week of the season, the team, made up of players from both Half Hollow Hills high schools, was ranked No.1 in the county by MSG Varsity.

According to the coach, the team’s top setter, Brian Rickles, rolled his ankle and was out for the last full week of the season. Another blow to the team came after the hurricane prevented

them from practicing in full-swing prior to the playoffs.

“We were a talented team, not the biggest and possibly not the most athletic. So not getting the reps we needed hurt,” Donaghy said. “I honestly believe this season will be remembered for the season that could have been.”

Donaghy said that in retrospect, the team relied a little too heavily on ball control than anything else, rather than shifting their attention to defense. In the end, that was ultimately what ended their season.

“After months of hard work, I felt terrible for the boys. For our seniors I honestly believed this was their year, they deserved it. They played such a big part in turning the culture at Hills around,” Donaghy said.

The coach said that after coaching Hills in two country championships, he is optimistic that next season, the team will have their day in court.

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