VETERANS DAY TRIBUTE: Heritage Park in Mount Sinai hosted a Parade of American Flags in honor of Veterans Day last Friday. The event included a tour of the flags and symbols, a planet walk and an observation of the sun with volunteers from the Custer Institute and Observatory. Above, coordinator of the event, Fred Drewes, took this photo of children enjoying a picnic lunch after the tour.
Despite original resistance from local officials, a rest stop is officially open for business on the Long Island Expressway in Dix Hills between exits 51 and 52 off the eastbound lanes.
The 15,200 square-foot Long Island Welcome Center features restrooms, a Taste NY food market and several information kiosks to inform travelers about local tourism spots. It’s the first rest stop of its kind on the Island.
Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills) and New York State Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R-Huntington Station) shared concerns last year with some of the details in the plan, including its proximity to residential areas, and the communication between local officials and the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D).
But Stern said he is pleased with the compromises that were made to put residents’ fears at ease.
“I’ve spoken to many area residents who said trucks idling all day and night was an ongoing and unacceptable concern,” the county legislator said in a phone interview.
According to a press release from the governor’s office, the residents have been heard. No tractor-trailer or bus parking is allowed at the welcome center, including the service road that supports the facility.
“This is an example of all levels of government working and coming together, which we can now see reflected in the final design of the welcome center,” Stern said. “This is a really important element that was encouraging to the residents.”
Trucks and buses have been redirected to recently renovated New York State Department of Transportation sites at exits 56 and 66.
Stern said the residents are still waiting to see the future of the rest stop and how it will be used, but they found the truck ban encouraging.
Lupinacci agreed the compromise with Dix Hills residents was a step in the right direction.
“I am pleased to learn that the New York State Department of Transportation has considered the concerns of local residents in the Dix Hills Area and compromised on the original plans of the Long Island Welcome Center,” he said in an email. “The welcome center, which has been drastically reduced in size from original blueprints and will not sell any alcoholic beverages, will offer local produce and regional goods to Long Island’s travelers. I will continue to listen to local stakeholders and welcome feedback from Dix Hills residents during the first few months of the welcome center’s operation.”
Cuomo said the welcome center is an important asset in encouraging tourism throughout New York.
“Tourism and agriculture are critical drivers of the Long Island economy and with the new welcome center, we are making smart investments to support these industries throughout the region,” he said in a statement. “With a Taste NY store to raise the profile of Long Island’s quality food and craft beverages, and interactive I Love NY kiosks to engage visitors and connect them with Long Island’s rich history and boundless recreational opportunities, this state-of-the-art center represents the very best that Long Island has to offer.”
The Taste NY Market will showcase a broad selection of fresh breakfast and lunch items, including soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts using ingredients sourced from Long Island growers, along with grab-and-go snacks and specialty local items for sale.
The welcome center will also be home to an outdoor farmers market open on Saturdays and Sundays through the season that will provide locally grown and produced foods to visitors.
As for the touch-screen I Love NY kiosks, they provide travelers the opportunity to learn more about the Long Island tourism region. An interactive map provides suggested destinations based on users’ interests, allowing them to browse regional attractions from historical sites to local wineries, and create an itinerary which they can take with them via email.
A Department of Motor Vehicles self-service kiosk will also be available for use, making it the first time a kiosk will be permanently located outside of a DMV office. Customers will have the opportunity to renew their vehicle registrations quickly and efficiently, as well as conduct other DMV transactions without having to visit a local office.
Huntington Town Supervisor Frank Petrone (D) said the new welcome center will help Huntington’s economy continue to grow.
“From world-class food to pristine beaches and beautiful parks, Long Island has long been a top destination for tourists,” Petrone said in a statement. “This new welcome center will play an important role in growing our economy by showcasing many of Long Island’s products and natural beauty to the thousands of travelers on the Long Island Expressway every day.”
By Guy Santostefano
For most, homeownership is a dream, and for many, it’s also a big challenge.
For some Long Islanders, owning a home seems financially out of reach, but that’s where Community Housing Innovations can help.
The cost of living continues to rise, while home and apartment rental costs make saving to buy a home nearly impossible. Lenders are now requiring larger down payments for many homebuyers — so a buyer seeking to land a modest $250,000 home on Long Island may need $25,000 cash up front, plus another $10,000 in closing costs. Saving $35,000 is not an easy task. But for those who qualify, help is available.
Community Housing Innovations is a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-sponsored agency that assists first-time buyers in meeting the challenges of homeownership. From homebuyer education classes to credit counseling, and down payment and closing cost assistance, the company’s staff have the ability, and most importantly, the financial resources to help buyers realize their dream.
Grants earmarked for closing costs and down payments have averaged $25,000. Other programs offered through the nonprofit, in conjunction with the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, help a novice buyer arrange special savings accounts geared toward meeting down payment requirements.
“Being able to buy a home allows my children and I to have a sense of permanency and security.”
—Ru Jurow
Andrea Haughton, the director for home ownership at Community Housing innovations, reports that since 1997, 31 homes on Long Island have been purchased through the program, which has bases in Patchogue, Hempstead and White Plains.
For Ru Jurow, a graphic designer living in Farmingville, this program was critical.
A single mom, Jurow has been paying nearly $2,000 a month in rent and utilities for a small home in the Sachem school district.
“I wanted to stay in the same school district, as I have two teen children, both honors students,” she said. “And after 10 years in the same rental, we really needed more space and privacy for the kids.”
Jurow found a charming three bedroom, two bath home one mile from her current rental, and did a search on Google for grant programs for new homebuyers, coming across Community Housing Innovations’ website. She saw she met the requirements, and applied, receiving a $25,000 grant, which she said, must be split with 51 percent going toward renovations and upgrades, and 49 percent going toward closing and other costs.
“Being able to buy a home allows my children and I to have a sense of permanency and security,” Jurow said. “With the purchase of our own home, we can feel pride.”
According to Haughton, the grant is recorded on the home’s title as a second position lien for ten years. This encourages the owner to stay in the house and thus avoid paying penalties. Eligibility guidelines and other key information can be found on the organization’s website, www.chigrants.org, or by visiting their Patchogue offices.
“All three of us are incredibly excited,” Jurow said of her family beginning its new journey. “My daughter has been planning how she will get to decorate her own room and can’t wait to have big sleepover parties with her friends in the finished basement. My son is looking forward to having a work-out room in the basement and I am a huge baker and cannot wait to get into that kitchen and cook up a storm.”
The divisive and inflammatory nature of the 2016 presidential election has raised concerns across the country about Americans’ ability to “come together” now that the dust has begun to settle. One Suffolk County organization was concerned enough to send a letter to school districts with a warning for administrators and teachers.
“We are concerned for the safety and well-being of the students of Suffolk County as we know you are as well,” the letter dated Nov. 10 from leaders of the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission and Anti-Bias Task Force read. “We are reaching out to ensure that all school climates are one where students feel safe and supported physically, emotionally and academically.”
The Human Rights Commission has existed in Suffolk County since 1963 and it focuses on investigating claims of bias and discrimination. Rabbi Steven Moss has been the chairman of the organization for more than 20 years. He said they were compelled to write the letter in light of incidents, both local and across the country, that have been reported in the aftermath of Election Day.
“New York is, and will always be, a place of acceptance, inclusion and a bastion of hope for all people. We will never allow fear and intolerance to tear at the fabric of who we are.”
— Andrew Cuomo
“I’m sure [people] realize bullying has occurred before the election and will continue onward,” Moss said in a phone interview. He said most incidents reported to the commission thus far have involved elementary-level students making references to deporting classmates.
Moss said he believes incidents involving younger students can easily be traced back to conversations at home, and because of this the commission plans to send a similar letter to local Parent Teacher Associations in the hopes of spreading the conversation beyond classrooms.
At Northport High School swastikas were drawn in spray paint on the walls of a theater storage room this week, according to Suffolk County Police. Moss said it is important for school administrators to act decisively and harshly with incidents like these, even if they fall short of constituting a crime, and Northport-East Northport Superintendent Robert Banzer is taking the action seriously.
“Our primary objective as a school district is to educate our students in a safe and respectful environment,” Banzer said in an email. He added an investigation is ongoing. “The recent events in our high school have challenged us and make us realize that, although our students participate in many opportunities to build a respectful and safe environment, work remains. Our high school principal Dan Danbusky is meeting with the student leaders to generate ideas about how best to address not only the recent incident but to help the school community further enhance dignity, respect and acceptance for all.”
Banzer also said the administration plans to meet with local religious leaders to gather their input and insights and assess programs to help the district meet its goals of being a more inclusive school community.
Port Jefferson Village organized a peaceful vigil that was held Nov. 20 at the Village Center designed to show community support for “all segments of society,” according to a press release.
“In response to the fear and hurt felt by so many, Suffolk County needed the opportunity to show everyone our support and commitment to ensuring their freedoms, and to reassure them that they have a safe space here,” Cindy Morris, a Suffolk County resident and co-organizer of the event said in a statement.
Moss said he is hoping much of the inflammatory conversation during the election season, especially from the campaign of President-elect Donald Trump (R), was rhetoric designed to dominate news cycles and spike polling numbers and eventually it will die down.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) shared many of the same concerns as Moss and the Human Rights Commission. He announced several actions Nov. 20 to protect civil rights and combat hate crimes in the state, including the creation of a State Police unit to investigate such crimes. He also plans to advance legislation that would expand protections of the state’s human rights law to all students, and to establish a legal defense fund to ensure immigrants have access to representation regardless of status.
“New York is, and will always be, a place of acceptance, inclusion and a bastion of hope for all people,” Cuomo said in a statement. “We will never allow fear and intolerance to tear at the fabric of who we are.”
The commission’s letter also called on school districts to share programs they already had in place designed to promote unity and togetherness. Some of those include a Gay/Straight Alliance, the Anti-Defamation League’s No Place for Hate campaign, the No One Sits Alone Campaign and suicide awareness and prevention programs, to name a few.
Banzer indicated Northport has several programs aimed at promoting inclusive school communities through unity and respect, and the district plans to continue that effort going forward.
Those who have experienced incidents of hate or discrimination are encouraged to reach out to the Human Rights Commission by calling 631-853-5480 or emailing [email protected].
Additional reporting contributed by Victoria Espinoza.
Whether you plunged or supported a plunger, Long Islanders flocked to Mount Sinai’s Cedar Beach Nov. 19, dressing up and gathering together with teams to jump in and out of the cold waters as part of the Town of Brookhaven’s seventh annual Polar Plunge.
By registering to plunge, applicants raised money for the athletes of Special Olympics New York.
Special Olympics New York has 67,162 athletes training and competing year-round in 22 Olympics-style sports. Athletes and their families or caregivers are never charged to participate. It costs $400 to support training and competition for one athlete for one sports season.
The Suffolk County Police Department wants to help small businesses thrive and stay safe.
On Wednesday, Nov. 2, the Suffolk County Legislature brought its business forum “Charting the Course” to LaunchPad Huntington, where local business owners engaged with elected officials, key government agencies and neighboring business professionals in order to gain valuable information and address any challenges they might be facing.
Among the panel of speakers was SCPD Commissioner Timothy D. Sini, who said he hopes to establish a partnership between law enforcement and the private sector through a series of new programs and services. For businesses to do well in the community, he said, the community needs to be safe and people need to feel safe.
The department recently rolled out a program called SCPD Shield, which serves as a partnership between the police department and local businesses, community organizations, houses of worship and schools.
SCPD Shield is an information-sharing and civilian training program that narrows in on particular locations or individuals that might be causing issues in the community, in terms of crime or quality of life. For example, if there’s a specific location that’s been a hotbed for violence, the police department will then partner with the town and county to take an all-comprehensive approach to fix the problem directly.
An extension of NYPD Shield, this localized program trains businesses on how to reduce the likelihood of being victimized by street crime, terrorism and active shooter scenarios. It offers innovative training opportunities and information regarding crime patterns and trends in the area, with a large focus on what is undoubtedly a business’s worst nightmare: burglaries.
“We need to make sure that we’re constantly putting facts out there so that people are educated about what’s happening. If everyone has a stake in succeeding, everyone’s working towards a common goal.”
—Tim Sini
Sini encouraged all business owners in the room to go to the website, sign up and join the partnership. He said businesses are key when it comes to increasing public safety and enhancing quality of life.
“Businesses are the best partners for the police department because we all have a true stake in the safety of our community,” Sini said at the event. “We need to make sure that we’re constantly putting facts out there so that people are educated about what’s happening. If everyone has a stake in succeeding, everyone’s working towards a common goal.”
The police department will also be offering a variety of video surveillance services, one of which will plug a business’s security camera feed directly into their headquarters, so if there is an emergency situation, the department’s communications staff will be able to press a button and see exactly what’s happening at a given location, or in the vicinity of that location.
The police commissioner said sharing video surveillance will be critical when it comes to giving intelligence to officers responding to a scene and, of course, solving crimes quickly.
When it comes to video surveillance in general, Sini said that it’s important to have a setup that’s of good quality, a point that might seem obvious, but one that a lot of business owners overlook.
“Oftentimes, businesses will get very excited and say ‘I have video’ and we’ll look at the video, and the only thing we can tell is that, ‘yes, someone was in the store,’” he said. “We can’t tell what the person is doing, can’t tell the identity of the person or their race or gender because the video is so poor. So we can give tips as to what kinds of video surveillance to buy, and where to place it in your location.”
Robert Anthony Moore, director of security at Astoria Bank in Huntington and former police officer, expanded on the importance of practical security strategies.
“I want to talk about support activities because that’s really where you have the greatest personal impact and the greatest responsibility in what you can do and choose to do,” Moore said. “As business people, we have to ask … What is the problem that we’re facing?”
Moore said all criminals have three needs when it comes to committing their crimes; they need to be invisible, they need to be anonymous, and they need to see an opportunity to strike at a location.
Lighting inside a store is a simple and cost-effective way to reduce invisibility, in the daytime and especially at night. If a business owner can’t see into his or her business, they are increasing the invisibility of the bad guys and the risk that something could happen, said Moore.
When it comes to anonymity, he explained that if a criminal walks into a store and sees themselves on a big monitor upon entering, it considerably reduces the likelihood that they will try anything. According to Moore, it doesn’t even need to have a recording system attached to it to be effective. Just the fact that they see themselves has a deterring effect.
Sini ended by saying that he wants local businesses to be successful and safe.
“We think, at Suffolk County Police Department, the police should play a vital role in that process and objective.”
Northport High School students braved the cold Nov. 7 to raise money for the homeless.
Shelter the Homeless and Needy This Year is an annual event hosted by the school, designed to raise funds for both shelters and food pantries in the area. The event is organized by Students for 60,000, a humanitarian group based out of the high school.
The event requires every student participant to spend from dusk to dawn camping in cardboard boxes outdoors to simulate the experience of being homeless. Guest speakers from the food pantries SHANTY share stories and inform students about the efforts of their organization at the event.
Emily Cerrito, co-chair of SHANTY, said the event is more than 20 years old and is very popular among students.
“Everybody comes together and learns about the cause and, especially when the guest speakers come, you really get to learn what we’re here for,” she said. “Everyone gets the experience of being homeless, to know exactly what they’re working for.”
According to Cerrito, each participant is required to raise a minimum of $100, but many students go above and beyond that amount, with different methods of raising funds. The co-chair said about 90 students signed up for the event, so SHANTY raised at least $9,000, but she expects it will be much higher than that.
“I had a bake sale that I do every year,” she said. “I camp downtown and hand out flyers and tell everyone about the event and about the club in general.”
She said others ask relatives, stand outside businesses and have events of their own to raise the funds they need.
Isabella Allocco, a Northport High School student, said she reached out to her community for donations as well.
“I went to my friends, neighbors, coworkers and parents and told them why I was fundraising,” she said. “Every small donation eventually added up to well more than I needed.”
Brianna Lenna, another student, said she thinks the event is important because it helps classmates put themselves in the shoes of the homeless.
“When we see them on the streets we don’t actually know what they’re going through at all,” she said. “And to experience something like this in the freezing cold, it just shows us how hard their [life] is.”
Student Nicole Lenna echoed the sentiment.
“I feel badly for them,” she said. “I feel like they need to be treated like actual people.”
According to Cerrito, the group raised more than $21,000 in total last year, which they distributed to food pantries including Island Harvest and The Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry in Northport. The members of Students for 60,000 vote where they want to send the money and how much each organization then gets. Island Harvest received $7,000, and the Ecumenical Lay Council Food Pantry got about $14,000.
All Souls Church, located at 61 Main St., Stony Brook, will present a Saturdays at Six Concert on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. The Anima Brass Quintet will present a concert titled Brass Landscapes. Featured musicians will be John-Thomas Burson, Tom Pang, Austin Sposato, Michael B. Lockwood and Jeff Smith. Young artist Ava Reilly will perform a violin solo to open the program. There will be a 15-minute intermission and refreshments will be served. All are welcome and admission is free. A can of food donation is appreciated for the St. Cuthbert’s Food Pantry. For more information call 631-655-7798.
RIBBON CUTTING Senator Ken Lavalle (R-Port Jefferson) joined East Wind owner Ken Barra (center with scissor) for an official ribbon cutting ceremony in Wading River to celebrate East Wind’s latest expansion, The Shoppes, on Oct. 28. The Shoppes will feature 28 specialty retail and boutique shops including The Crushed Olive, The Painted Canvas, North Fork Bridal, Little Miss Sew It All and Solntse Hot Yoga, an ice cream parlor, an indoor carousel and a pizza restaurant.
“This is a totally different concept — this is a very ma-and-pa situation,” said Barra. “I’ve seen people now that I haven’t seen in three years, five years, 10 years strolling along, having a cup of coffee. Neighbors are meeting neighbors.” Barra was presented with proclamations from the office of Town of Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter (R), County Executive Steve Bellone (D), Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) and Assemblyman Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) at the event. For more information, call 631-929-3500.
By Ed Blair
One was a Broadway star who flew as Peter Pan, vowed to “wash that man right out of my hair” in South Pacific, and frolicked with the Von Trapp children in “The Sound of Music.” The other was a sweet southern singer and popular TV hostess who urged viewers to “See the USA in your Chevrolet.”
Audiences will have the opportunity to learn about the lives of two legendary stars while enjoying musical highlights from the iconic ladies’ careers, as The Ward Melville Heritage Organization presents “Holiday Wishes from Mary Martin & Dinah Shore” at its Educational & Cultural Center in Stony Brook Village. Actors will portray the duo in a beautifully decorated seasonal setting through Jan. 11. The event, presented by St. George Living History Productions, is followed by a high-tea luncheon featuring finger sandwiches and delectable desserts.
As a girl, Mary Martin took an early interest in performing. She channeled her creative impulses by teaching dance, opening her own studio in Mineral Wells, Texas. Fate intervened, however, and when her dance studio burned down, Martin decided to leave Texas and take her shot at making it in Hollywood.
After a number of auditions proved fruitless, Martin got her break when she caught the eye of Oscar Hammerstein, who thought her voice could play on Broadway. She became an overnight sensation in her stage debut in 1938, when the 25-year-old won audiences over with her poignant rendition of “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” in Cole Porter’s “Leave It to Me!” Martin followed up with a Tony Award for her role in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” The classic song from the show, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair,” was actually written at her suggestion, and Martin dutifully washed her hair on stage every night during the run — eight times a week.
The now-famous star added Tony Awards for her performances in the title role in “Peter Pan” and as Maria in “The Sound of Music.” She also starred in “Annie Get Your Gun” and played opposite Robert Preston in “I Do! I Do!” Martin made media history, when, on March 7, 1955, NBC broadcast a live presentation of “Peter Pan.” The musical, with nearly all of the show’s original cast, was the first full-length Broadway production to air on color TV. The show attracted a then-record audience of 65 million viewers, the highest ever up to that time for a single television program. Martin won an Emmy Award for her performance. Mary Martin died in 1990 at the age of 77. There are two stars bearing her name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
As a student at Vanderbilt University, Tennessee native Dinah Shore began her career by performing her own short program on a Nashville radio station. After graduation in 1938, she moved to New York City, where she landed a job as a singer on WNEW. Her career progressed slowly, but she scored a few hits and became more well known during the World War II years, when she traveled with the USO, performing for the troops. “I’ll Walk Alone,” “I Love You for Sentimental Reasons” and “Buttons and Bows” were all major hits that catapulted her to stardom.
Shore appeared in a few films, but she made her impact on television as TV sets became standard features in homes across the nation in the early 1950s. Her variety show made its debut in 1951. It evolved into “The Dinah Shore Chevy Show” in 1956, which became a mainstay through 1963. Shore’s warmth and engaging personality appealed to TV audiences, and she followed her earlier successes by hosting popular talk shows — “Dinah’s Place,” “Dinah!” and “Dinah and Friends.” Along the way, she accumulated 10 Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award and a Golden Globe Award.
Shore also had a passion for golf. She founded the Colgate/Dinah Shore Winner’s Circle Golf Championship and sponsored the Dinah Shore Classic for a number of years, earning her an honorary membership in the Ladies Professional Golf Association Hall of Fame. Three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame honor Dinah Shore, who died in 1994 at the age of 77.
What led writer/director Sal St. George to pair Martin and Shore in his production? “Mary did a special with Noel Coward in 1955, and that inspired me to ponder what a collaboration between her and Dinah would be like,” he explained. “It is a nostalgic part of the Golden Age of television of the 1960s when ‘Specials’ or ‘Spectaculars’ were well produced and had legitimate star quality. This is also Dinah’s 100th birthday year, so we took this opportunity to celebrate her life.”
St. George added, “This is also our 15th year presenting programs for WMHO. We wanted to make this show different and more glamorous than ever before. Consequently, we thought about adding a second celebrity guest. We have never had two high profile women together on the stage. This is the perfect holiday show for the family — great tunes from the Broadway songbook, plenty of good old-fashioned comedy and dazzling costumes — plus an appearance by Peter Pan. Who can ask for more!”
The WMHO Educational & Cultural Center, 97P Main St., Stony Brook will host “Holiday Wishes from Mary Martin & Dinah Shore” through Jan. 11. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday shows are at 11:30 a.m.; Sunday shows at 12:30 p.m. The high-tea luncheon performance, catered by Crazy Beans, is sponsored in part by the Roosevelt Investment Group Inc. General admission is $50; seniors 60 and over $48; groups of 20 or more $45. Advance reservations are required by calling 631-689-5888. For more information, visit www.wmho.org.
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