The TIMES of Northport & East Northport
Northport • East Northport • Fort Salonga–West • Asharoken • Eaton’s Neck • Centerport Volume 5, No. 46
75¢
March 5, 2009
Dinner talk Sidewalk bistro: boon or bust? BY KAREN FORMAN timesnpt@tbrnewspapers.com
Photo by Alan Pearlman
Northport residents Michael Adam and Alexis Deluca; John and Nicole Apollo, of East Northport; and Tara Adam and Joseph Deluca, also of Northport, capitalized on the crowds rushing to Stop & Shop last Sunday before the impending blizzard and collected approximately $700 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
Head start on St. Baldrick’s Christine Apollo, a volunteer who has been coordinating local St. Baldrick’s Day events for the past eight years, expects to see a record turnout next weekend, March 13 and 14. About 105 people have already registered to have their hair razed Friday evening at the William Brosnan Administration Building, with pledges totaling more than $11,000. Food and face painting will add to the fun. Apollo said that, by press time, 293 shavees had signed up for Napper Tandy’s event Saturday at noon; and $70,000 has been pledged. Both venues will feature speakers from among 40 families of young cancer patients represented by the event.
A home in the world (wide web) soon Northport in contract with journalist to develop village website BY ARLENE GROSS arlenegross@tbrnewspapers.com
The long-awaited website for Northport Village may launch this week, if all goes according to plan, officials said. The site, www.northportny.gov or www.northport-ny.gov — the official address is pending and did not appear in Internet searches at press time — is still in development with content being added to daily over the next month. It is intended to be a powerful tool, streamlining the workflow in village government and helping bring interested residents closer to the process, Deputy Mayor Henry Tobin said.
Designed by Kelly Campbell, a Northport journalist and contributor to Times Beacon Record Newspapers, the site offers basic village information such as meeting agendas and minutes, calendars and both proposed and pending legislation. Campbell, who as webmaster for the journalism department at Stony Brook University has greatly expanded its website over the past year, said she initially volunteered her time and efforts “because I wanted the village to have one, I wanted the experience and because I love Northport very much.” By press time, the village agreed to pay her $20 per hour for up to 50 hours on the Continued on page A4
The Northport Board of Trustees will hold a public hearing for village residents to discuss their thoughts and concerns about outdoor and sidewalk dining at its next board meeting, Wednesday, March 18. The village has been allowing outdoor dining for about a decade now, explained Trustee Henry Tobin. Last fall, the board decided to try adding sidewalk dining to its repertoire. In September, the village board unanimously passed a resolution allowing restaurants and delis in the village — not just on Main Street but also in the neighborhood business district and on 25A — to set up tables in front of their establishments on a trial basis. The idea for sidewalk dining came about after trustees Tobin and Tom Kehoe deemed Northport Harbor Family Nights to have been a success this past August on Main Street. “As one of the Tuesday family nights were ending,” Tobin said, “Tom and I were walking along, and we saw how wonderful sidewalk dining was for the restaurants and for the residents. We wondered how we could go about permitting it to continue. We decided to try this test period first, to see how it would work out before we changed the code to allow it permanently.” Kehoe added, “Outdoor dining was a key component of the Northport family nights. It was very profitable for the restaurants and people kept telling us how interested they were in seeing it continue. We have good restaurants in the village but so does Huntington. Now we have something else to offer.” There is a difference between outdoor dining and sidewalk dining, Tobin explained. Outdoor dining is only on private property (such as Shipwreck Diner and Bistro 44); sidewalk dining is of course on sidewalks, which are public property. In the past, a yearly permit was required for restaurants with outdoor dining. The Continued on page A4
A house S460K built
Spring ahead
Women’s quest for equality
Club back from Nicaragua trip
The little change that makes a difference
And at LIM, ‘A Shared Aesthetic’ debuts
Back page
This Sunday, 2 am
Page B1
For breaking news, visit www.northshoreoflongisland.com
WANTED • Gold • Silver • Platinum • Diamonds • Rare Coins • Antique Jewelry • Watches • Estate Jewelry • Dental • Broken or Unwanted Jewelry
CALL NOW FOR YOUR FIRST LESSON!
We Are Paying TOP DOLLAR
LATIN • SMOOTH • DISCO NIGHTCLUB • SWING BALLROOM
Gold Still at an ALL TIME HIGH!
Bring in this ad and get 10% more
FOR PARTIES VACATIONS • CRUISES BUSINESS EVENTS & MORE
COUPLES & SINGLES WELCOME!!
in $100-get an additional $10! For Example: Bring Bring in $400-get an additional $40!
4747-19 Rte 347, Port Jefferson Station
331–5423
• Watch & Jewelry Repairs • Collateral Loan (Pawn) • Licensed, Bonded & Insured • Consignments Accepted • All Transactions Confidential • Appraisals
326 Walt Whitman Rd., Huntington Station
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 1:30-10:00 pm • Sat: By Appt.
NOW HOSTING JEWELRY BUYING PARTIES
©84191
(631) 547–5678
At your home or ours! Call for more information
40 Years Experience
Center Gold
A FULL SERVICE JEWELRY STORE
Your Source for Jewelry, Watches & Fine Gifts JEWELER ON PREMISES • JEWELRY REPAIRS WHILE YOU WAIT
W e H os t Je w el r y s B u yi ng Pa rt ie r u O t A H ou se !
©83800
PAGE A2 • TIMES OF NORTHPORT • MARCH 05, 2009
www.arthurmurraysuffolk.com
2340 Middle Country Rd, Centereach, NY 11720 Across from CVS Pharmacy
www.centergold.com
631–467–0400 1–800–229–5265
Hours: Mon., Tues., Wed. & Fri. 10-6, Thurs. 10-8, Saturday 10-5, Sundays 11-4
Se Habla Español
All Major Credit Cards Accepted
83801
BY ARLENE GROSS arlenegross@tbrnewspapers.com
Since the Town Board voted in September 2008 to put a one-year moratorium on any development along the Route 25A corridor from Northport to Fort Salonga, Huntington’s planning department has been working on an analysis of the roadway. New legislation, to address zoning code changes, should be ready by September’s end, said Anthony Aloisio, the town’s planning director. His department is examining code changes that Northport Village approved for the north side of 25A in that area; the south side is under the auspices of the town and the road itself is managed by the state Department of Transportation. “We’re trying to develop a minor plan, an ordinance, which will in effect complement the objectives of their study and plan,� Aloisio said. The Northport corridor has reached its maximum development, he said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of available space for new development. I think what we’re speaking of really relates to how those sites will redevelop over time as new proposals come in, what kind of design features and controls will be enacted to really manage redevelopment and revitalization of those properties.� The planning department’s efforts are made considerably easier by recent work they did in developing the town’s com-
prehensive plan (Horizons 2020), where similar business corridors were examined, Aloisio explained. “We have a good idea of the kind of things that we’re going to look at but we’re still formulating recommendations and working on the study.� In November 2006, Northport developed its code changes for the highway business district, or the south side of 25A from the marina at Woodbine Avenue to Waterside Avenue, affecting the architectural historic review board, signage and lighting. “We came up with styles of buildings, location, pretty much what we wanted the streetscape to look like, parking,� said Mayor George Doll. “We did a whole new zoning section for that.� Originally initiated by predecessor Pete Panarites, the new plan was developed with a professional planner and involved several public sessions with various groups’ input. Doll, who requested last July that the town keep the village informed during the process, said, “I do not know what the town has done so far.� Deputy Mayor Henry Tobin, who worked on the village’s plan, said that Aloisio updated him this week. “We will be getting together with them to see how their code can best complement our code,� Tobin said. “We may decide we may want to make changes to our code because it’s been two and a half years. Huntington may have zoning techniques that may work better than what we came up with, and we may want to adopt some of their changes.�
Being PREPARED
... is having peace of mind. Everyone knows the value of being prepared. But few people know how to start. This family guide explains the steps: N Importance of a Will N Government Benefits N Funeral Costs N Funeral Arrangements N Organizing Personal Records N Valuable Family Diary
Let us send you this free “Being Prepared� brochure. Our counselors can answer any other questions you may have and assist in advance funeral planning.
DON’T MISS THIS FABULOUS COMMUNITY EVENT! Wine me, Dine me, and you will find me at... LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABr LE
A Taste of Long Island
Call Fo Yours Now!
261–3573
A Unique Wine, Food and Beer Tasting ing ngg Ev Even Event vent ve ent ntt AT THE LARKFIELD MANOR, EAST T NORT NOR N NORTHPORT NORTHPO RTH THP HP P T PO
In the midst of the cold weather... ather... er
THE EAST NORTHPORT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ERC RC CE ROTARY CLUB OF EAST NORTHPORT AN AND A D VISITING NURSE SERVICE AND HOSPICE OF SUFFOLK SSU UF OLK OLK O
are busy planning for their Spring ringg Event! E Ev Event ven ent! t!! Yes, that is right, Spring! ing! ng! g! Participating restaurants:
Participating Wineries/breweries/spirits:
Antonio’s Pizza & Restaurant Batata Cafe Big Bear Pizzelli Cafe 1019 Copenhagen Bakery Costco Crossroads Cafe Fireside Caterer, Original Jo’s Port Deli Madison’s Grille Mascali Restaurant Nocello Ristorante V & F Meat Center Tropical Smoothie CafÊ Smoking Sloe’s Nina’s Pizza Northport Fish Lobster shh & Lob Lobst ob Chocolate With thh A Twist wiis w Delightful Dinners nne nners e Elijah Churchill’s urchill rchill illl’s lll’s ls Filetto’s Re Restaurant estaurant es st urrra rant ant Legal Sea ea Foo ea Foods Foodss Pumpernickel’s ckel ckel’s el’s l’ Richter’s Rich c Orchard rd Charlie CCh a Brown’s Steakhouse Steakho S eakhouse kh Restaurant Taormina aormin ao orminaa Resta auuran aur u antt Starbucks SStarbuc St tta
Laurel Lake Vineyards iineyar ney ne Macari Vineyards Vineyard rds dss Raphael el Blue Point nt Brewing ng Company Compa Comp mpanny m Martha Vineyards haa Clara Clar C Vin nneyards yard ya Osprey’s’s Dominion Dominio ominio ion LTD io ZYR Vodka dka Barefoot Cellars a CCe Cella Admiral Company Adm miral mir a Wine Win W Com ompan omp mpa m pany pa ny Kendall Jackson KKendddalllll JJac Jackso ackkkson ac son Yellow Yell ellow Tail Ta l Michael Collins Coll Co Jagermeister eister Absolut VVodk Vodka dka ka Hypnotique Hypnotiqu HHypnotiq pnnotique Pama m ma Evan Williams Ev William Willia i Van VVa GGogh oghh VVodka Vod Vod Tommy TTom om BBaha Bahama ama Rum Long Island’s Lo g Isla LLon nd s Origi OOriginal Ori LiV Vodka kka WineWave Win Wave Im Wine Imports
M rlo sponsors: Merlot Merlo spo pponsors: pon on rs:: Councilmen cilme lme men Stuart Besen esen & Mark rk CCuthbertson on (Town (Town ow wn oof Huntington) Federal Teach rs Fe Teachers Tea Fede Union CCr Credit Cre redit ditt Unio UUn Taylor-Howe Nolan No an & TTa Funeral Home-Northport Fun Funeral Ho H
Cha Ch Chardonnay Char hardo arrdonna nna nay ay sponsors: s Raymond Raymo m d AA.. Ma Mascolo DDS Brueggemann rueggeman ueggemann e an Funeral Home Sheehan & Co., C.P.A., P.C. Catherine Lindstadt, Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate TD Bank Simply Accounting Service Birchwood Suites, An Assisted Living Community Extra Space Storage of East Northport
Champagne sponsor: 1) Bank of Smithtown
Winery sponsor: Richter’s Liquors neryssp Floral Sponsor: Beckman’s Florist Raffle Sponsor: Costco-Commack Printing sponsor: Loudon’s P Minuteman Press Media Sponsors: The Times of Northport & East Northport , Clipper Magazine
THURSDAY, April 2, 2009 • 6:30-9:30 pm $60/person or $75 at door
Â…Ă€ÂˆĂƒĂŒÂˆ>Â˜ĂŠ °Ê >VÂœLĂƒi˜]ĂŠ"ĂœÂ˜iÀÊÊUĂŠĂŠ ˆViÂ˜Ăƒiʛ䣙{{ĂŠ
83200
.EW 9ORK !VENUE s (UNTINGTON 3TATION (631) 423-2185 s WWW JACOBSENFUNERAL COM N Please send me this free booklet on Being Prepared...
^£™n™Ê ĂŠ >ÀŽiĂŒÂˆÂ˜}
_____________________________________________________________________________________ NAME
We are pleased to announce our honorees: DENISE AND CHUCK ADAMS OF ADAMS CYCLERY Part of the proceeds of the event will be shared with Food Pantries of St. Anthony Padua and Northport Food Pantry.
Many sponsorship opportunities are available. Please check out our website at: www.eastnorthport.com for all the details.
_____________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS
_____________________________________________________ CITY/STATE/ZIP
Of course, there is no cost or obligation.
Clip out and mail to: AL Jacobsen FH, Inc., 1380 New York Ave., Huntington Station, NY 11746
Š84506
MARCH 05, 2009 • TIMES OF NORTHPORT • PAGE A3
Town on schedule for Route 25A code changes
PAGE A4 • TIMES OF NORTHPORT • MARCH 05, 2009
Inside this week
‘Petals and Pastels’ show
News Columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6
Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5, B30-B31
Leisure Arts & Lifestyles Art Exhibits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B11 Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B18-B19 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B22-B24 Cooking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B12 Dining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B15 Father Frank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B21
Gardening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B13 Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B3-B9 Investing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B18 Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B25-B29 Religious Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . B20-B21 SBU Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B30-B31
Classifieds Section C The TIMES (USPS 003-952) is published Thursdays by TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWSPAPERS, 185 Route 25A, Setauket, NY 11733. Periodicals postage paid at Setauket, NY and additional mailing offices. Subscription price $35 annually. Leah S. Dunaief, Publisher. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733.
Those who missed Rodee Hansen’s recent gallery exhibit at the Northport Library have a second chance to view the longtime resident’s watercolors, pastels and meticulous pressed flower creations. Her traveling exhibit, “Paintings, Petals and Pastels” featuring more than 70 works of art, appears at Harborfields Library, 31 Broadway, Greenlawn, through March 31. Call 757-4200 or visit harborfieldslibrary.org.
World wide web
Continued from page A1 projectt, she said. Her familiarity with the inner workings of the village and its government has proven most helpful in easing her into this new enterprise, she said. The preliminary site will go up as the Board of Trustees interviews vendors to design and “host” a more comprehensive, sophisticated website, Tobin said. Eventually, it will have a government category, including descriptions of the municipality’s structure, information on elected representatives, the various boards of reviews, police and fire departments and administrative offices. “Under government, we would have proposed and pending legislation, applications and things like that,” said Tobin. “In other words, what we’re in the middle of and what we know is coming out.” There will also be a category for permits, including a complete list of what kinds of permits are needed for various projects in the village. Other categories: the calendar of meetings, with agendas and minutes; a link to the village code; and a description of the village budget. Public education on matters concerning clean water would be addressed and the site would also include calendars for recycling and trash pickup, and other useful information for home and business owners. “It will be useful, it will be a very helpful website, similar to many municipalities’ websites,” Tobin said. “This is something that we need to have up that village residents need.” Though he had promised to launch the village into cyberspace when he campaigned for trustee three years ago, Tobin described the process as detailed and lengthy. After putting out initial requests for proposals, the board had to sort through 20 or so responses, narrow them down to the best candidates — all of whom design, build and maintain websites with a specialty in municipalities. “There really isn’t something I could point to at any one point and say, ‘This happened and it held up the development for such and such period of time,’” noted Tobin. “Simply, there have been many things I’ve been involved in and often things on deadline, such as preparing our budget this year … review of 25A zoning legislation …. and many other things I’ve worked on in village government.” PRMG, a public relations and marketing consultant firm in Patchogue, answered the village’s request for proposal in November 2006, the company’s president, John Zaher, said. While cautioning that the rates might be dated, he quoted web development and launch fees of $7,500; maintenance/site development fees, the equivalent of 20 hours per month, of $1,500 monthly; and $105 for additional web-hosting fees. Costs for administering the final website will come out of the village’s discretionary fund, Tobin said. Despite the wait for the website’s ultimate version, Tobin seemed upbeat. “The preliminary site, in itself, will be a good site,” he said.
Dinner talk
84610
Continued from page A1 village wants to eliminate that permit but require anyone providing sidewalk dining to continue applying yearly, Tobin said. There will be rules and regulations governing al fresco dining: Tables may be set up no earlier than a half-hour before service begins and outdoor dining must cease by 10 pm on weeknights and midnight on Friday and Saturday nights in the central business district. Tables, chairs and menu signs must be removed no later than a half-hour after outdoor dining ends for the night. In the neighborhood business district, outdoor dining must end by 9 pm weeknights and 10 pm weekends. The mayor, the village police and any code enforcement officers may halt sidewalk service at any time “due to violations of this resolution, threats to public safety, disorderly conduct, noise, disruption of other businesses’ operations or violations of other village codes or other laws or regulations,” according to the resolution. Resident Judy Gorevic is concerned about a rule requiring a 36-inch pedestrian right-of-way on sidewalks during sidewalk dining. “People can’t walk two abreast in 36 inches,” she complained. “And 36 inches is OK for someone with a walker, but a wheelchair needs 42 to 48 inches to turn around. And what about people with strollers? People walking dogs? With 36 inches, pedestrian traffic is impaired. You need to consider the flow of pedestrian traffic,” Gorevic said. All are welcome to the March 18 meeting.
MARCH 05, 2009 • TIMES OF NORTHPORT • PAGE A5
SPORTS Sachem knocks out Northport GIRLS’ HOOPS BY ROBERT LEUNER katsports@tbrnewspapers.com
Sachem East made all the right adjustments. The Flaming Arrows came back from a six-point half time deficit to overtake Northport, 58-42, in a girls’ Suffolk County Class AA basketball semifinal game played at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue on Feb. 28. Sachem will take on Copiague, a 58-49 upset win over North Babylon in the other semifinal game, for the Suffolk County championship this Friday. Sachem junior Kristen Doherty led all scorers with 31 points while Caitlyn Hopkins added 10 points and rebounds. Northport senior Leah Kepping finished with 17 points. Fellow senior Samantha Breidenbach chipped in with eight points and 15 rebounds. The Tigers powered their way to a sixpoint halftime lead behind Kepping and Breidenbach. The duo played a frenetic first half as the Tigers slipped past Sachem’s trap defense. But an early omen of things to come appeared in the first two minutes of play as senior Amanda Bender missed on two easy baskets underneath. After Northport led for most of the first quarter Sachem finally took the lead at 13-12 and 20-18 at the end of one. The Tigers then took over, limiting the Flaming Arrows to but four points and just one field goal in the second quarter. Northport opened the frame with a dominating 10-1 run as Kepping appeared to drive at will to the basket and Breidenbach was equally dominant off the glass. By the half the Tigers were up by six at 30-24 and appeared to be headed to their first Suffolk County title game in four years. But their first half effort may have exhausted the Tigers. Northport managed just 12 points the rest of the way. They opened the third quarter cold and became uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball. The combination led to a reversal of fortune for the Flaming Arrows. Sachem erased Northport’s six point lead behind a dominating 12-2 run, lifting them to a 36-32 lead. The Tigers scored just one more time in the quarter — a Kepping three-pointer — that cut the Sachem lead to three points at 38-35. Unfortunately, Kepping’s basket failed to ignite Northport’s offense and Sachem continued to pour it on. The Flaming Arrows opened the fourth quarter with a 10-2 run. Northport didn’t score until Kepping hit a free throw at the six minute mark. Unable to penetrate and cold from the outside, the Tigers frantically searched for an answer to their offensive woes. “They really clamped down on defense and I think that we were gasses out,” said Northport head coach Rich Castellano. “We tried to stay within our phi-
Photo by Dennis Whittam
Northport’s Leah Kepping scored 17 points in the Suffolk County semifinals against Sachem East on Feb. 28.
losophy of one basket at a time and when we were down 38-35 we needed a basket and didn’t get it.” The Tigers trimmed Sachem’s lead to five points at 45-40 but would come no closer. In fact, Northport scored just one more basket the rest of the way as Sachem ended the game on a 10-0 run. The season, however, wasn’t a complete loss for the Tigers. Northport fin-
ished the year with a superb 19-3 overall record, including a regular season League II title behind a perfect 14-0 mark. Castellano earned his 500th career coaching win on Jan. 20 with a 6834 victory over Walt Whitman. Castellano’s record now stands at 510-125. “I’m very upset,” Castellano said. “It’s tough to say goodbye and it was tough to watch. This group made it very easy
to coach them every day. People would jump up and down to be 19-3.” When asked if he believed his team should have won the game, Castellano quickly replied, “I think we should win every game,” which further underscores his “we don’t rebuild, we reload” philosophy. Reloading next year will be difficult as the Tigers lose seven seniors, including four of five starters.
A municipality with purpose Sometimes we wish the Suffolk County Legislature would focus more on repealing laws than passing them. For if zoning falls under each town’s purview and criminal and education law are the state’s domain, with what do the representatives of Suffolk — consisting of 10 townships, each governed by its own elected officials — concern themselves? Often we see the Legislature pass ‘feel-good’ measures; that is, rules that may not be enforced and don’t effectively address a problem but help people feel as if someone is doing something. But there are times the Legislature truly shines and reminds its constituents of its pioneering track record as a watchdog of our health and safety. True to its trend-setting reputation perpetuated by Legislator Jon Cooper’s (D-Lloyd Neck) groundbreaking ban on the hazardous dietary supplement ephedra, Suffolk became the first municipality in the nation this week to pass a bill, introduced by Legislator Steven Stern (D-Dix Hills), banning the sale of Bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is a synthetic estrogen found in hard plastics from which many baby bottles and “sippy” cups are made and is just one of many toxins with which children are bombarded regularly. Exposure to BPA cannot be construed as an unhealthy lifestyle choice, as the consumption of sodas and high-calorie meals might be. On the contrary, chemicals like BPA are omnipresent and many people are not even aware of the chemicals contained in their household products. In Stern’s words, “This legislation will help reduce unnecessary exposure to a substance linked with multiple health risks.” Scientific studies show BPA’s link to hyperactivity, learning disorders, disorders of the prostate and uterus, links to heart disease, abnormal liver function and diabetes and increased susceptibility to breast and prostate cancer, officials note. Ideally, with proper labeling as required by the FDA and enhanced public education, prohibitions of certain toxins won’t be necessary; everyone will just know enough to avoid them. Until then, we congratulate the county for doing its part in making BPA products unavailable in Suffolk, deterring their potential health risks and thereby compelling product developers, manufacturers and retailers to offer safe alternatives for young children and their families. We urge the Legislature to further educate our residents about this danger even as they take their bows.
OPINION Economic recovery must include the arts TO THE EDITOR: As Congress considers the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the arts and culture sector must be included. The arts are essential to the health and vitality of our communities. They enhance community development; spur urban renewal; attract new businesses; draw tourism dollars; and create an environment that attracts skilled, educated workers and builds a robust 21st century workforce. Nonprofit arts organizations are proud members of the business community — employing people locally, purchasing goods and services within the community, and involved in the marketing and promotion of their cities. In fact, there are more full-time jobs supported by the nonprofit arts than are in accounting, public safety officers, even lawyers and just slightly fewer than elementary school teachers. According to Americans for the Arts, a $50 million investment to the National Endowment for the Arts will provide critical funding to save 14,422 jobs from being lost in the U.S. economy. This is based on the ability of the NEA to leverage $7 in additional support through local, state and private donations, for every dollar in NEA support. There are approximately 100,000 nonprofit arts organizations, which spend $63.1 billion annually. Without an economic stimulus for the nonprofit arts industry, experts expect about 10 percent of these organizations (ranging from large arts institutions like museums and orchestras to small community-based organizations in suburban, urban and rural areas) to shut their doors in 2009 — a loss of 260,000 jobs. In a report released in mid-January, the National Governors Association stated, “Arts and culture are important to state economies. Arts and culture-related industries, also known as ‘creative industries’ provide direct economic benefits to states and communities: They create jobs, attract investments, generate tax revenues, and stimulate local economies through tourism and consumer purchases.” Then NEA Chairman Dana Gioia issued the following statement prior to his departure, “Arts
organizations have been hit enormously hard by the current recession. They’ve seen their support drop from corporations, foundations and municipalities. This infusion of funds will help sustain them, their staffs and the artists they employ. We are hopeful that Congress and the new administration will support this important investment.” Diana Cherryholmes Northport
‘Fresh eyes’ needed TO THE EDITOR: I have been a successful business owner for the last 28 years. I will continue to be successful, despite the current economic crises and I will continue to provide the same lever of service to my customers. I trimmed expenses without hurting services. How did I achieve this? I immediately set up a committee to evaluate replacement or consolidation of duties, when an employee left employment. I have continued to deliver the same services to my customers. I would like to see this very simply business concept applied by the school district. We will have numerous retirements due to a generous retirement incentive. These positions need to be analyzed. These are not business as usual times. Secondly, why is the board so in love with Ingerman Smith (legal counsel for the district for the last 38 years)? Isn’t it time to send out RFPs for our contract services? We need fresh eyes. The district extolled the benefit of “fresh eyes” when the superintendent was suspicious of improper practices in the business office. Why not get a “fresh look” from a new provider and perhaps same money in the process? If it was good to have fresh eyes then, it could be good now. These are challenging times and I don’t think the board’s “business as usual” thinking will help the district continue to provide the services to our children that we all want. Phil Fortuna Northport
Read more community letters at www.northshoreoflongisland.com
Eric Smouha, MD, FACS, Director
The Hearing and Balance Program • The Mount Sinai Medical Center Otitis media Vertigo Cholesteatoma Acoustic Neuroma Meniere’s Disease Cochlear Implantation Facial Nerve Disorders Otosclerosis & Stapedectomy Surgery 21823
Dr. Smouha specializes in pediatric and adult disorders of the ears, hearing and balance. Dr. Eric Smouha, an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology and Director of Otology and Neurotology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, is widely recognized as an expert in the treatment of ear problems and skull base surgery. His clinical interests include all aspects of ear disease, hearing and balance disorders, and skull base surgery. He has performed hundreds of surgical operations, has developed innovative techniques aimed at conserving function in cholesteatoma surgery, and has conducted basic research on hearing preservation surgery of the inner ear. Dr. Smouha is Board Certified and is listed in the Best Doctors in America® database.
Offices located in Long Island and Manhattan at: North Shore Medical Group 325 Park Avenue Huntington, NY 11743
The Mount Sinai Medical Center 5 East 98th Street, 8th Floor New York, NY 10029
Tel. 631–367–5218
Tel. 212–241–9410 ©21593
news on demand
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
northshoreoflongisland.com
©84164
PAGE A6 • TIMES OF NORTHPORT • MARCH 05, 2009
EDITORIAL
On a windless Florida Sunday morning, as my wife and I returned from a two-mile trudge along the beach, Bizet’s Symphony in C was playing on WXEL, the public radio station that broadcasts out of Fort Lauderdale. Sunday morning — that reflective pause in the week’s activity we are conditioned to take — often draws the mind back through the years, and so it was again. I glanced at the radio, an expensive Bose with four-CD player, but what my mind’s eye saw was a cheap 1950s FM radio, in a garish case of orange plastic, that rested on a table in the Manhattan apartment I shared with my first wife. That long-ago day when I brought it home, the first piece it played happened to be this same soaring Bizet work. We lived then on East End Avenue, and across the street from our front door was Carl Schurz Park, a lovely retreat above FDR Drive and the East River. One summer evening we had gone to the park to hear a free concert — was it the New York Philharmonic? — and the Symphony in C was the featured piece, the first time I’d heard it. I remember that the orchestra was introduced by an impossibly handsome, handsome as any Kennedy, young Republican congressman named John V. Lindsay, who would go on to astonish everyone by getting elected mayor of the city. So that is what the Bizet did for me on this Florida Sunday, take me on a sudden leap backward over 50 years in time, from the sight of a sleek black Bose to the cheap orange box of a definitely low-fidelity radio at the very beginning of the transistor age. It isn’t easy here in South Florida to find a station
playing classical music. The FM airwaves are crowded with stations playing contemporary pop and rock and Latino music, and Evangelical Christian stations with thundering preachers and music that, while it may be spiritually inspiring, is so uninteresting melodically that it’s hard to listen to. There are some four dozen Evangelical stations throughout Florida. (The Christian radio ministers and commentators don’t seem to like our new president very much. I listened raptly one afternoon as a commentator named Janet Porter insisted “Mr. Obama” cannot legally serve as president, as he has never presented a valid birth certificate. “Where is the birth certificate? Where is the birth certificate?” she demanded again and again. She spoke also of a Democratic Party plot to make the FCC remove broadcast licenses of Christian radio stations, and of opposition to the president’s economic stimulus program because of his wicked insertion, since removed, of $200 million for condom distribution. I listened also to the Rev. Harold Camping, who predicts the world will end between May and October 2011. He’s been wrong before, but don’t scoff. Wall Street could yet prove him right.) Coming across the Symphony in C started me thinking of the shaky future facing classical radio stations. At the time when my orange radio was beaming Bizet on East End Avenue, New York City had at least five stations playing classical music around the clock. Now only WQXR, owned by the New York Times, remains, the others having gone over to more profitable conversions as rock or pop stations or, shudder, talk radio.
Signals Now only WQXR remains, the others having gone over to more profitable conversions as rock or pop stations or, shudder, talk radio. BY JOHN MCKINNEY vtimes@tbrnewspapers.com
How long WQXR will remain as a purely classical music outlet is a question. Earnings at The Times, whose daily pages are visibly vacant of advertising, are declining sharply. And its stock price is plummeting. As of last week, you could buy a share of the company for less than the price of the Sunday paper. It is hard to imagine what the greatest city in the world might be like without a single classical music station. (Or the New York Times.) Arch-rival Boston has three classical stations (and the Red Sox). Classical music manages to remain alive in such outposts as Seattle, Sioux Falls, Boise, Atlanta, even in Anchorage and, would you believe, Las Vegas. We shall learn what the future holds for Bizet and the rest.
Togetherness well worth the logistics Vacations are great. Getting back on track after vacation is the pits. I never met anyone who disagreed with either of those statements. As you might be surmising, I have recently returned from a wonderful trip with my children and grandchildren, and I find that I still walk too slowly, talk too slowly, and worst of all, think too slowly. It’s nicely symmetrical that it takes me five vacation days before I finally put down thoughts and responsibilities from the office, and it takes about the same amount of time to pick up the pieces and move forward again — as I try to hang onto that lovely vacation feeling. My family and I attempt this every year, and every year the logistical challenge becomes harder. We have to work out the schedules for my three sons, my three daughters-in-law and now all four of my grandchildren, who range from eighth grade to kindergarten. Thus far the prospect of finding some sunshine and warm beach are sufficient
incentive to tackle the logistics. I’ve been asked by a number of my friends how we manage to get away together — and survive. In theory it sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Surrounded by one’s grown children and grandchildren with no agenda other than to enjoy each other and hang out. Besides the scheduling considerations, there are a couple of important facts to be aware of. For example, while my three sons grew up together, my three daughters-in-law did not. This means that each one is entitled to privacy and to manage her family as she wishes. So in making our reservations, we always make sure that not only are there enough beds for everyone but also that there is enough separate space within which to function. Sharing is great when it is by choice. And having a quiet place to withdraw to at times is a necessity. Another fact is that not everyone wants to do the same activities at the same time
TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWSPAPERS We welcome letters, photographs, comments and story ideas. Send your items to PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733 or email to timesnpt@tbrnewspapers.com. Or drop by our news office at 67 Main Street, Northport. The opinions of our columnists are not necessarily those of the paper. Times Beacon Record Newspapers are published every Thursday. Address: PO Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733. Telephone: 631-751-7744 Web • www.northshoreoflongisland.com Contents copyright 2009.
— and that applies even to such basics as eating. My middle son and his wife have the younger children, who tend to get up earliest and eat first. My youngest son and his wife do not have children, and when they are on vacation they like to sleep in. But somehow we manage to catch up with one another, even if it means one family’s lunch is another’s breakfast. Or not, and that’s OK too. Again, togetherness is prized when it is by choice, and we have no defined schedules once we arrive. The grandchildren dig in the sand, swim in the ocean and chase each other up and down the beach in high glee. The adults don fins and masks and snorkel over to a nearby reef, where the underwater world is incredibly peaceful and the fish are as outrageously colorful in the sea as birds are in the air. I can see why some people are “birders,” keeping life lists of what species they have seen and which they hope to get a glimpse of. Their marine counterparts buy cards de-
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Leah S. Dunaief GENERAL MANAGER Johness Kuisel EXECUTIVE EDITOR Lee Lutz EDITOR Patricia Proven LEISURE EDITOR Ellen Barcel SPORTS EDITOR Katherine Consorte ONLINE EDITOR Patricia Proven
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Alyssa Cutler EDITORIAL John Broven Jennifer Choi Joseph Darrow Michael Downer Arlene Gross Robert Leuner Elise Pearlman Lisa Steuer John Westermann Dave Willinger
Between you and me
We have to work out the schedules for my three sons, my three daughtersin-law and now all four of my grandchildren. picting local tropical fish, mark off which ones they have seen each day and are constantly on the lookout for the others. Fish, unlike birds, do not seem to scatter as you approach them but rather swim with you as you lazily kick along. Maybe they have been trained to look for a handout from the snorklers. One purple guy seemed to swim over to greet us each day. We named him “Pete,” as in, “For Pete’s sake, here he is again!” He had tiny teeth and a fetching smile and seemingly performed for us, fluttering his gills almost like wings and modeling his lithe body, showing us fi rst one side, then the other. We hated to leave him when we returned home, but
PHOTOGRAPHY John Griffin Robert O'Rourk Alan Pearlman Richard Podlesney ART AND PRODUCTION DIRECTOR David R. Leaman ART AND PRODUCTION Janet Fortuna Beth Heller Mason Wendy Mercier
BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF vtimes@tbrnewspapers.com
we’re sure he won’t lack for an admiring audience. My family gets together at other times in the year. We tend to have “ganged” birthdays, such as three in the third week of July and two and an anniversary during the third week of August. We also try to visit at holidays if the days fall close to a weekend and there’s enough time for everyone to make the trip. I love it whenever we are all together, but my favorite is the improbable reunion in the sun during winter that somehow we manage each year to pull off.
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kathryn Mandracchia ADVERTISING Mary Chirichella Robin Lemkin Barbara Newman Elizabeth Reuter Laura Satchwill Nancy Solomon Ted Taylor Lynn Tunney Minnie Yancey
CLASSIFIEDS DIRECTOR Ellen Segal BUSINESS MANAGER Sheila Murray CREDIT MANAGER Diane Wattecamps CIRCULATION MANAGER Alyssa Cutler BUSINESS OFFICE Sandi Gross Meg Malangone SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Terri Caruso
MARCH 05, 2009 • TIMES OF NORTHPORT • PAGE A7
On the airwaves, classical music struggles to survive
PAGE A8 • TIMES OF NORTHPORT • MARCH 05, 2009
Back from building in Nicaragua Students to back in April Families in a remote Nicaraguan village were recipients of homes that Students for 60,000 helped build last month. One of the families is pictured at left, mixed in with 10 students and 2 chaperones. Below, the partially completed second house — of three total — that the Northport High School-based nonprofit organization constructed during their February visit. In the background, the family’s original “house” can be seen. The trip spanned from Feb. 11 to 19. Forty students and 12 chaperones went and were split into four groups. While there, they also built a school dining hall and gave lessons in local schools pertaining to music, health education and the importance of education. All four groups also participated in the group’s bio-intensive farming projects, through which it has invested in helping to increase crop productivity in Nuevo Amanacer, one of the communities it assists. Courtesy Tyler Logigian
-PROUDIt’s kind of hard to find too many things to get excited about these days. Everything is pretty tough both business-wise and personally for lots of people in our community and around the world. Of course, it would be nice if the media would stop pounding everyone over the head with negative news over and over again. It’s becoming a selffulfilling prophecy. But we felt pretty good the other day when, after announcing some pretty tough financial results for the end of the year, Ford still sees no need to ask for government loans. In fact the CEO of Ford Motor Company said “Right now, I think with everything planned in the fiscal and monetary policy, I am very comfortable that we are going to start to turn things around through the second half of the year.” This doesn’t mean that Ford isn’t using lines of credit. But they have done it the old-fashioned way; they went out to banks and found financing. Ford is doing it! Ford is finding a way to make it through these hard times. This is the type of auto manufacturer that wants people to feel confident when buying one of their products.
Census Bureau coming to town From April through July, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau will be conducting address canvassing in preparation for the 2010 census. Northport Police Chief Eric Bruckenthal said, “If you encounter an individual who alleges that they work for the Census Bureau and you are suspicious, you can contact the department at 2617500 and we will verify their credentials for you.” Census workers should typically approach you during “normal” business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 to 5 pm.
With all that being said, Ford is putting out GREAT vehicles! Our new Ford vehicles are safe (more top safety-rated vehicles than any other manufacturer), high quality (now in a virtual tie with Toyota and Honda), good looking and fun to drive. In fact, Ford GAINED market share in the last three months of 2008. And there’s a lot more coming soon! Ford has said that, despite the economic challenges out there, they’re not pulling back on the most important thing of all; product.
Snowfall eats up village’s green Monday’s snowstorm cost the village $15,000 to $20,000 in plowing, Mayor George Doll said Tuesday. “We used up almost half of our 2009-10 snow budget in that one storm,” he said grimly. Trustee Tom Kehoe added, “This is the first week of the first month of our new budget.”
We are proud to be a Ford dealer and we feel fortunate to be part of such a great community! The entire Ford network is pulling together to bring the best products and services to you, our customer.
— KAREN FORMAN
Charity book drive
If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, I hope you at least stop by and check out all of our award winning Ford line up. Thank you for your time and attention! We hope to see you soon! ©83772
-The RAMP Ford Family
631.473.1550 4869 Nesconset Highway • Port Jefferson Sta. www.rampford.com Family Owned & Operated For Over 64 Years
Huntington Station’s Helping Hand Rescue Mission has been providing “help and hope” to the surrounding community since 1965. James LaMantia of LaMantia Gallery plans to give the mission a muchneeded boost by hosting a book drive at an open house March 14, from 7 to 9 pm. All are invited to attend. LaMantia, a member of Northport Rotary, said Rotarians who have been reading with children at the mission as a part of a literacy program have found that the library is in dire need of replenishment. “The library is depleted and the books are old,” LaMantia said, adding that he is calling for the donation of both new books and books in good condition. Coffee and dessert will be served. LaMantia Gallery is located at 127 Main St., Northport. RSVP at 754-8414.