The Huntington football team lines up against North Babylon. Photo from Huntington school district
Huntington’s football team never really got started last Saturday at North Babylon. The Blue Devils struggled throughout the Suffolk Division II quarterfinal round game, ultimately falling to the Bulldogs 36-7 before a crowd of 750.
Huntington’s vaunted ground game was ineffective for most of the contest. The Blue Devils were able to move the ball through their air attack, but were unable to mount sustained drives.
North Babylon (7-2) put the first points on the scoreboard on a 10-yard touchdown pass and later extended its lead to 14-0 before Huntington responded with a 36-yard touchdown from Blue Devils quarterback Will Wright to Jared Leake to cut the deficit to 14-7.
The Bulldogs scored again before halftime to extend their advantage to 22-7. The teams battled through a scoreless third quarter before North Babylon found the end zone two more times in the final frame.
“North Babylon is a well-coached team and they executed their game plan successfully,” Huntington head coach Steve Muller said. “They did what they had to do in order to win the game.”
Huntington (5-4) enjoyed a handful of big plays, but was never able to capitalize on any of them and gain any momentum. After their only touchdown of the game, the Blue Devils recovered a North Babylon fumble on the ensuing kickoff, but the team’s drive fell flat.
Play was stopped in the fourth quarter after some on-field fisticuffs, but when order was restored, both teams played hard until the final whistle.
The loss ended Huntington’s season. North Babylon will now advance to the county semi-finals, where the team will play No. 1 Newfield.
Uerda Zena colors before her heart procedure last week. Photo from Debbie Engelhardt
A 4-year-old girl from Kosovo is recovering after a life-saving heart operation on Long Island, thanks to the work of local volunteers.
Mom Barbara Zena comforts Uerda as she recovers from her heart procedure. Photo from Debbie Engelhardt
It took a village to support Uerda Zena. Rotary groups throughout Suffolk lent a hand to the girl and her mother, Barbara, through the Gift of Life program, which works to provide such stateside heart procedures to children from around the globe. Uerda’s Nov. 4 surgery to repair a hole in her heart the size of a nickel was a milestone effort that celebrated the Rotary program’s 40th anniversary.
The atrial septal defect closure performed on Uerda at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn will add 60 or more years to the little girl’s life, Port Jefferson Rotary member Debbie Engelhardt explained, but the surgery was not available in her home nation.
Engelhardt, who is also the director of the Comsewogue Public Library, said more than 19,000 children from dozens of countries have received life-saving surgeries since the Gift of Life program was born in Suffolk County four decades ago and expanded through Rotary International.
The medical team that took care of Uerda Zena, including Dr. Levchuck second from right, surrounds mom Barbara Zena. Photo from Debbie Engelhardt
Rotary groups in the county are still going strong with Gift of Life, which is doubling up its efforts by providing doctors and medical staff in other countries with equipment and training to perform the heart procedures themselves.
“It’s a unique, renowned and respected Rotary-run program,” Engelhardt said.
Dr. Sean Levchuck, the pediatric cardiologist who performed the life-saving procedure on Uerda at St. Francis, described it as minimally invasive. To close the nickel-sized hole, he fed a catheter “the size of a coffee stirrer” into a vein in her leg and up to her heart, where the catheter deployed a device that, once placed in the hole, expanded to plug it. The cardiologist had to position the device properly while Uerda’s heart was still beating, mostly using ultrasound imaging to guide him.
Barbara Zena and daughter Uerda have fun at Chuck E. Cheese. Photo from Joe DeVincent
The doctor said the procedure took between 45 minutes to an hour and required a team of nurses, an anesthesiologist and techs to assist with the imaging. The hospital donated the use of its facility and staff for the procedure.
Levchuck does about 15 of those procedures a year for Gift of Life, he said, with a fair number of the child recipients coming from Eastern European countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. He also sees kids from places like Haiti and Jamaica.
Just like in those other nations, the procedure to repair a hole in a child’s heart is not available in Kosovo, Levchuck said, because the hospitals don’t have the resources to train their staffs to do it. And the kids who are born with those defects are more prone to pneumonia or respiratory infections, which could also be difficult to treat in a developing nation.
“Problems in this country that are seemingly innocent take a whole new look” in places like Kosovo, the doctor said. But he is willing to help: “Keep ‘em coming. … It’s easy to donate time.”
In Uerda’s case, plenty of Long Islanders donated their time, with many people pitching in to make the girl’s medical procedure a reality. Sayville Rotarian Joe DeVincent wrote letters to get the girl a visa, and she and her mother are staying with a host family in Northport while here. DeVincent has also provided transportation to the Kosovan mother and daughter.
Uerda Zena and mom Barbara are all smiles while in the U.S. to repair the girl’s heart defect Photo from Joe DeVincent
The endeavor to save Uerda had an additional element of kids helping other kids — students at St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, one of whom is Levchuck’s son, raised funds to bring the girl to the United States from her home in the Kosovan capital, Pristina, where her mother works at a bakery and her father at a public works plant.
“They’re a fine group of students over there that championed a cause,” the doctor said about the St. Anthony’s kids. “When you see something like that, you really get a nice warm feeling about the future.”
Uerda will be staying stateside for a little while longer, and Rotarians are trying to show her a good time. She has already gone on a play date to Chuck E. Cheese and visited a children’s museum, DeVincent said, and this weekend she will go into New York City with her mother and some native Long Islanders to visit Times Square and Rockefeller Center.
“Uerda really enjoys being with her mother,” DeVincent said.
And she has more energy to do these things than before.
After a heart procedure, Uerda Zena is now healthier than ever. Photo from Joe DeVincent
“Her heart’s working better, her circulation’s better,” the Rotarian said. “The kid generally feels better than she has in her whole life. So this is a very happy story.”
Uerda will also appear at a Taste of Smithtown, an event in St. James on Nov. 17, where there will be food from restaurants along the North Shore. The 10th annual event will run from 6 to 9 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown on Middle Country Road and will benefit the Gift of Life program, along with the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry and the Smithtown Children’s Foundation.
The plan is for the Zenas to head home on Nov. 22, to be reunited with Uerda’s father and her 18-month-old brother.
“Her mother is in touch with her family in Europe through her cell phone and … Uerda has spoken to her brother over the cell phone,” DeVincent said. “She’s actually very maternal toward her younger brother.”
It is a happy ending for both the Kosovo family and Suffolk County Rotarians.
“When you’re doing something like this with an adorable 4-year-old child, it brings you tremendous satisfaction,” DeVincent said. “This is the best way to spread happiness, certainly for these children and their parents but also for yourself. Nothing that I do or have done in my life has brought me as much joy.”
Northport running back Rob Dosch makes his way upfield while he carries Sachem North defenders in the Tigers' 29-22 homecoming win over the Flaming Arrows on Sept. 19. Photo by Bill Landon
By Miguel Bustamante
Northport school district is enacting stricter rules for handling student-athletes with concussions.
School board members were informed of new procedures for kids returning to athletics after those injuries during their meeting on Nov. 5, using guidance from New York State regulations.
Northport running back Rob Dosch makes his way upfield while he carries Sachem North defenders in the Tigers’ 29-22 homecoming win over the Flaming Arrows on Sept. 19. Photo by Bill Landon
Paul Klimuszko, Northport-East Northport’s director of physical education, athletics and health, and Cynthia Fitzgerald, director of student support services, made a presentation to the board outlining the new procedures to follow if a student has a concussion.
“A concussion is an injury that changes the ways the cells in our brain function,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s important to understand that a concussion is a brain injury, and can occur in any sport.”
According to Fitzgerald, there are between 70 and 90 concussions in the district every year, including at the middle and high school levels.
The two administrators laid out the “return to play” regulations, which are used across the country and require students to complete a five-stage observational test before full re-entry into school-sponsored physical activities.
The five stages include light to moderate aerobic exercises observed by the school nurse and/or an athletic trainer; a non-contact gym class participation period; and a full-contact gym class participation period. A school district physician must clear the concussed students before he or she can be fully reintegrated into school athletics.
The presentation followed a previous district discussion about student safety in school athletics. That subject has been a hot topic over the last few years, but particularly since Tom Cutinella, a high school football player from Shoreham-Wading River, died after taking a big hit in a game against John Glenn High School in Elwood last year. School districts across Long Island have been making changes to their concussion responses following Cutinella’s death, and there have been new directions from the state on the matter.
Northport-East Northport Superintendent Robert Banzer. Photo by Victoria Espinoza
New York State’s Concussion Management and Awareness Act of 2011 requires local school boards to develop and promote concussion management policies. According to the act, children and adolescents are more susceptible to concussions and take longer than adults to fully recover.
“Therefore, it is imperative that any student suspected of having sustained a concussion be immediately removed from athletic activity … until evaluated and cleared to return to athletic activity by a physician,” the act said.
Northport school officials don’t take concussions lightly, Klimuszko said.
“The athletic office ensures that all coaches are educated in the nature and risk of concussions and concussion-related injuries.”
A young Kings Park man was killed in a motorcycle crash early Saturday morning when he collided with a minivan, whose driver was charged with driving without a license.
The Suffolk County Police Department said Christopher Colella, 26, was riding a blue 2004 Suzuki GSX-R600 south on Indian Head Road in Commack when a 1999 Chevrolet Venture turned in front of him and he struck the vehicle.
The minivan had been making a left turn from the northbound side of Indian Head Road onto Somers Lane shortly before 7 a.m.
Colella was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The minivan’s driver, Marino Guillen, a 57-year-old Brentwood resident, was charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and was treated for minor injuries at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown.
Attorney information for the defendant was not immediately available.
Police impounded both vehicles for safety checks.
Detectives from the SCPD’s 4th Squad are investigating the crash.
The LaunchPad Huntington STEAM Innovation Conference will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 17. File photo by Rohma Abbas
LaunchPad Huntington is sponsoring a conversation between technology companies, educators and students in the hopes that it will spark creative collaborations and future Long Island-based jobs.
The conference will be both a showcase of emerging technologies and services and an in-depth panel discussion with education and industry leaders working to prepare students and adults for new employment opportunities.
The event, dubbed a STEAM Innovation Conference will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at LaunchPad’s Huntington office from 3:30 to 8 p.m.
Phil Rugile, director of LaunchPadHuntington, said the conference is meant to combine science and the arts, to “merge two different parts of the brain.”
“My hope is to get a conversation started in media, education and business communities,” he said. “We need people to start thinking outside the box.”
The event starts with a 90-minute opening for public school students to browse exhibits set up by technology companies. A solar energy company and a virtual reality company are some of the businesses that will showcase exhibits at the conference.
“The really important question on Long Island is how do we get the students and the employers together,” Rugile said. He said that the skillsets of someone with a great sense of creativity and technology are really needed at a local level.
Originally this conference was designed to target professors and their curricula to produce more innovative thinkers.
Following the exhibits, there will be a networking hour, complete with dinner and music, where businesses and educators are encouraged to bounce ideas off each other.
The final part of the conference is a discussion by a panel of experts. Kenneth White, manager of Office of Educational Programs at Brookhaven National Laboratory, will moderate the talk. Panelists will include Victoria Hong, associate chairperson and assistant professor for the St. Joseph’s College Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Andrew Grefig, director of curriculum and content at Teq and Nancy Richner, museum education director at the Hofstra University Museum.
“We’re constantly losing kids to Brooklyn and New York City,” Rugile said. “Let’s change the conversation. We need to provide opportunities.”
Tire mischief On Oct. 30 around 8:25 p.m. police arrested a 31-year-old man from Farmingville for criminal mischief. According to police, the man slashed the front and rear tires of a 2008 Nissan Frontier in a parking lot on Old Town Road in Port Jefferson Station. Police said the man was arrested at the scene.
Accidental arrest A 24-year-old man from Smithtown was arrested and charged with driving while ability impaired on Oct. 31. Police said he was driving a 2010 Acura TSX when he got into a car crash on the corner of East Broadway and Main Street in Port Jefferson around 11:45 a.m. Police said the man was under the influence of heroin prior to driving and was arrested at the scene at 12:23 p.m.
Drop box theft Suffolk County Police Department said a 19-year-old man from Rocky Point was charged with petit larceny. The man entered the Kohl’s at 346 Route 25A in Rocky Point on Oct. 24 around 3 p.m. and took cash from a drop box. The man was arrested a week later at the same location around 11:30 a.m.
Repeat suspension On Oct. 31 at 12:15 p.m. a 42-year-old woman from Selden was charged with operating a car with a suspended license. The woman was driving a 2003 Jeep Liberty when she got into a car crash near Middle County and Nicolls Road in Centereach. Police said her license was suspended and arrested the woman around 1:30 p.m. Police also said the woman had her license suspended 23 times on 11 different occasions.
False reports A 27-year-old man from Coram was arrested and charged with falsely reporting an incident. According to police, the man called the cops and falsely claimed he was robbed because he didn’t want them to know he bought drugs. The incident and arrest took place on Oct. 31 around 10:55 p.m.
Bobs burglary Police arrested a 53-year-old man from Setauket for burglary. Police said the man entered a residence on Bobs Lane in East Setauket and attempted to steal a scarf around 7:22 p.m. on Nov. 1. Police caught the man in the act and arrested him at 7:51 p.m.
Why’d you do that? A 31-year-old man from Shirley was arrested on Oct 28 around 7 p.m. and charged with harassment after he struck another man with his open hand at 101 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Police said they didn’t know why the man hit the other individual.
Trashed taillights According to police, an unknown person was in the Port Jefferson Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership parking lot at 5130 Nesconset Highway and damaged the taillights on three Dodge Ram vehicles and one Jeep Grand Cherokee. The incident happened on Oct. 31 around 1 a.m.
Beat at a bar An unidentified man was taken to Mather Hospital on Nov. 1 around 12:30 a.m. after someone struck him at Schafer’s bar in Port Jefferson. Police didn’t specify where the victim was hit or why the suspect struck him.
Seven years of bad luck Police said someone shattered a mirror on Oct. 31 around 2 a.m. at a home near West Broadway in Port Jefferson.
iPad problems An unknown person broke the rear passenger window of a 2014 Infiniti and stole an iPad from the passenger seat on Oct. 30 around 6 p.m. The incident occurred in a residence’s driveway on Crystal Brook Hollow Road in Mount Sinai.
IRS request According to police, on Nov. 1 around 10 a.m. a Port Jefferson Station resident was near Nesconset Highway in Mount Sinai when he received a phone call from someone who identified himself or herself as being from the IRS. The caller demanded money from the resident.
Jewelry gone Police said an unknown person entered a residence on Nov. 1 on Henearly Drive in Miller Place and stole jewelry.
Purse problems On Oct. 30 around 11:50 a.m., a woman reported that someone stole her purse while she was putting groceries into her car in the Stop and Shop parking lot on Route 25A in East Setauket.
Dirty crime According to police, on Nov. 1 around 4 a.m., someone entered the backyard of a residence on Robinhood Lane in East Setauket. Police said the suspect destroyed the lawn with a dirt bike.
A spooky steal On Oct. 30 around 10:30 p.m., someone entered the locker room of the Halloween City at 2304 Nesconset Hwy. in Stony Brook, and stole an employee’s purse. The police didn’t know if the suspect also worked at the store.
A bleach outlook A 50-year-old man from Smithtown was arrested on Oct. 31 after police said he purchased a bottle of bleach and poured it on the floor at a 7-Eleven on 25A in Kings Park at 7 a.m. He was charged with third-degree criminal tampering.
Driveway mischief An unknown person stole a shotgun and a steel combo lock from the driveway of a residence on Southern Boulevard in Nesconset on Oct. 31 at 10 p.m.
Credit card confusion On Oct. 29 a 44-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested after police said she made purchases on someone else’s credit card. She was arrested on Wicks Road in Commack at 10:20 p.m. and charged with fourth-degree unlawful use and possession of a credit card.
Killed Kia A man reported that one of the tires of his 2008 Kia had been slashed on Oct. 31 at 1:40 p.m. while parked in the New York Community Bank parking lot in Nesconset.
Wrong items Police said a 30-year-old woman from Mastic was arrested on Oct. 28 at North Ocean Avenue in Ronkonkoma at 11:30 a.m. after police said she was found in possession of a knife switchblade, a hypodermic needle, Xanax and heroin. She was charged with three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Cashless in the classroom An unknown person stole cash from a classroom at Developmental Disabilities Inc. in Smithtown on Oct. 31 at 3 p.m.
iPhone iLost On Nov. 1 police arrested a 31-year-old man after they said he stole an iPhone 5 at 12:40 a.m. on Bennett Avenue in Smithtown. He was charged with petit larceny.
Drug driving A 21-year-old man from Nesconset was arrested after police said he was driving a 2009 Honda Civic on Middle Country Road in Nesconset while impaired by prescription drugs at 2:50 p.m. on Oct. 29. He was charged with first-degree operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.
Belgium blocks be gone An unknown person stole four Belgium blocks surrounding a resident’s mailbox on Everit Place in Smithtown on Oct. 28 at 1 p.m.
Cat burglar at Kohl’s On Oct. 29 a 23-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested after police said she stole assorted jewelry from Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack at 6:10 p.m. She was charged with petit larceny.
Five-sipper discount An unknown person stole a soda from a cooler at a register at Walmart in Commack and left the store without paying for it on Oct. 31 at 5:45 p.m.
Man killed in motorcycle collision Michael Awamy, 52 of Huntington, was killed after colliding with a car while riding a motorcycle on Oct. 30 at 4:15 p.m. He was driving a 2008 Kawasaki Ninja east on Jericho Turnpike when he hit a 2008 Nissan Sentra that was attempting to make a left turn on Sweet Hollow Road in Huntington. Awamy was transported to Huntington Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the Nissan Sentra was not injured.
Not using his head A 56-year-old man from Huntington was arrested after police said he struck another man in the head with a crowbar, causing lacerations that required medical attention on Oct. 31. He was arrested at 1 a.m. on 10th Avenue in Huntington Station and charged with assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon.
ID swiped Someone broke into a 2009 RAV4 parked in a High Street driveway in Huntington at 11 p.m. on Oct. 28 and took an ID card.
Probation problems On Oct. 28, a 32-year-old Huntington woman was charged with fugitive arrest without a warrant. Cops said at 8 a.m. she was arrested at the 2nd Precinct and charged with both violating her probation and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Borrowing from Barrow Court An unknown person broke into a house on Barrow Court in Huntington and stole cash on Oct. 28 at 9:45 p.m.
Breaking a leg Police said a 51-year-old Huntington man stabbed a victim in the leg, causing wounds, on Oct. 31 at 4:15 a.m. on Railroad Street in Huntington Station. He was charged with assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon.
But I got a fake ID On Oct. 31, a 59-year-old Elmhurst man was arrested after police said he possessed a fake driver’s license and a fake credit card. He was charged with second-degree possessing a forged instrument and arrested at 5:22 p.m. at the 2nd Precinct.
Swiper is swiping in Fort Salonga A 21-year-old Brooklyn man was arrested on Oct. 30 at the 2nd Precinct after police said he entered a home on Fort Salonga Road through a window and stole electronics sometime between Sept. 16 and Sept. 18. He was charged with second- degree burglary.
Heroin on NY Ave. On Oct. 29, a 21-year-old Cold Spring Harbor woman was arrested after police said she was in possession of heroin on New York Avenue in Huntington at 10:30 a.m. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Gray skies ahead for a gray Chevy A 52-year-old Fort Salonga man was arrested on Oct. 28 at 9 a.m. on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington after police said he was driving a gray 2002 Chevy SUV with a suspended license. He was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
High times Police said a 28-year-old Huntington man was driving while ability impaired by drugs at midnight on Oct. 28. He was driving a 1995 Ford on East Pulaski Road in Huntington Station when cops said they pulled him over for driving at a high speed. He was charged with driving while ability impaired.
Faking it at Lord & Taylor Three unknown men entered a Lord & Taylor on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington and used a fraudulent credit card to make miscellaneous purchases on Oct. 30 at 2:00 p.m.
Lauren Kehoe leaps up for the spike in a game last season. File photo by Bill Landon
The Kings Park girls’ volleyball team continues to rule the volleyball scene.
Despite losing several key starters to graduation last year, like standout Amanda Gannon, and head coach Lizz Manly to maternity leave, the team has continued its winning ways. After dropping the first match of the season to Westhampton, 3-1, the girls have gone on a 15-match streak, only dropping the Kings Park Invitational to Wantagh, 2-1.
The No. 2-ranked Kingsmen hosted No. 7 Deer Park in the first round of the Class A playoffs on Tuesday, and shut down the competition, 3-0.
Stephanie Cornwell had 30 assists; Lauren Kloos had 10 kills, three aces, four digs and a block; and Lauren Kehoe had six blocks to lead Kings Park to victory.
With the shutout victory, the girls have now blanked 11 of the 16 teams they have faced.
Kings Park will host No. 3 Eastport-South Manor in the semifinals on Friday at 5 p.m.
This Kingsmen team will have the chance to continue Kings Park’s success streak that began four years ago, when the team won the Long Island Championship, which began a four-year streak of LIC wins. The team also made it to the state tournament as a result of those wins, but has yet to win that elusive title.
The Harborfields boys’ soccer team celebrates its semifinal win over Islip. Photo from Beth Bertossi
The Harborfields boy’s soccer team is moving on to the Suffolk County Class A finals after the No. 2-seeded Tornadoes defeated No. 3 Islip in the semifinals on Tuesday, 2-1.
Almost 20 minutes into the first half, midfielder Brian Root scored on a header off a direct free kick taken by midfielder Ben Barnes.
In the second half, Islip scored the equalizer with a goal from Connor Sharpe.
With three minutes left in regulation, midfielder Owen Lamerson scored with a cross into the top right corner, after receiving a cross pass at the 20-yard line.
Harborfields head coach Daniel Greening said this win was a total team effort.
“The boys played well and won the 50/50 balls, which really determined the course of the game,” Greening said in an email. “I think that was the difference between yesterday and when we played them last. This time, we challenged them and didn’t let them get as many chances to turn on us and go to goal. The boys adjusted really well and it was a pleasure to watch.”
Most of Harborfields’ student body came out to support the boys — packing the stands.
“I really think we beat Islip this time because of the pack of over 150 fans shouting and supporting us,” Lamerson said.
The team had a two-week break between winning the League V title and its first playoff game, and Root said it made the team a bit nervous going in, “but we knew what we had to do,” he said.
Root added that a pregame speech given by goalkeeper Will Merhige hyped the team up.
The last time Harborfields played Islip, the Tornadoes came up very short, losing by four goals.
“We played the ball to feet and we were calm and smart on the ball,” midfielder Gerard Espinoza, said.
Espinoza also said his team played to its opponent’s weaknesses.
“We knew they were quick, so we passed with two to three touches max, and capitalized on their weaknesses, which were free kicks and corner kicks,” he said.
Root echoed the sentiment that the Tornadoes played much quicker this time around.
“We benefited from our fans,” Root said. “The fact that it was the last home game for the seniors made the game a lot more emotional. This game really demonstrated that we have what it takes to move further.”
Lamerson said he feels confident going forward.
“This team will accept nothing but a state title,” he said.
The Tornadoes will host No. 5 Amityville today at Dowling College at 4 p.m.
But county Legislator Sarah Anker has just one-vote lead; longtime Smithtown board member ousted; and all local boards maintain huge majorities
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Legislator Sarah Anker are all smiles on Election Day. Photo by Rohma Abbas
The incumbents won big on Suffolk County’s North Shore this Election Day, with only a couple real upsets at the county and town levels.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) handily won a second term at the helm against his Republican challenger, lawyer Jim O’Connor, with 57 percent of the vote.
Bellone thanked many people for his victory and also thanked his opponent for a “good race.”
Steve Bellone gives a speech after being re-elected Suffolk County executive. Photo by Rohma Abbas
“Tonight the people of Suffolk County delivered a mandate: to advance the issues we talked about in this campaign,” he said, at the Democratic Election Night headquarters in Hauppauge. “To continue the reform government so that we can protect taxpayers, make government more efficient and effective. To reverse the decades of decline that we have seen in water quality so that we can protect this precious natural resource for ourselves and future generations.”
He vowed that he would work hard for the voters.
“To the people of Suffolk County: I want to thank you for the confidence you placed in me and this incredible team of legislators. I can guarantee you we will repay that confidence by working hard every single day to make progress on the issues that matter to you and to you families. We may celebrate a little bit tonight but that work begins tomorrow.”
Though Bellone was the clear winner early on, O’Connor said he was proud of his campaign.
“I think we talked about the issues that need to be talked about here on Long Island,” he said.
Despite the results, the challenger enjoyed himself: “I love this. … In America we run for office, we put our ideas forward and we let the people decide.”
Steve Tricarico, Legislator Sarah Anker’s Republican challenger, feels confident about a win on Election Day. Photo by Giselle Barkley
In the Suffolk County Legislature, incumbents from Brookhaven, Smithtown and Huntington towns won re-election, one of them by a razor-thin margin: Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), who represents the 6th District, was leading her challenger by just one vote after the polls closed. It was not immediately clear if absentee ballots would tilt the scales in the favor of Republican candidate Steve Tricarico, a Brookhaven Town deputy highway superintendent. But Anker said Tuesday night that she felt “cautiously optimistic.”
Tricarico felt the same way.
“I’m feeling very confident,” he said before results were in. “This shows … that people are looking for a change. That’s what I’ve been offering.”
According to Tricarico, Republican absentee ballots outnumbered those of the Democrats, which he said boosts his confidence.
But Suffolk County Democratic Party Chairman Rich Schaffer was calling it in the other direction: “Sarah Anker — mark my words — in about two weeks will be a newly re-elected legislator.”
Anker said her election demonstrates that each vote counts. Asked what could have led to such a close race, the legislator said she’s got the political cards stacked against her as a Democrat representing a largely Republican district.
Legislator Kara Hahn and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone embrace after both are re-elected. Photo by Rohma Abbas
“Most political strategists have never understood how I won it the past three times, much less this fourth time,” she said. “But I feel it’s because the people appreciate what I do. They’re looking for leadership.”
From there, it was smooth sailing. Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), the 5th District legislator, beat Republican challenger Donna Cumella, of Port Jefferson Station, with 63 percent of the vote. In the 13th, Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) beat Kings Park Democrat Rich Macellaro with more than 70 percent of the total.
In Huntington, Legislator Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills) won his final term in the 16th District against Republican attorney Tom McNally with 60 percent of the vote.
“We understand what’s on the minds of our constituents, we listen to our constituents, and we deliver for our constituents,” Stern said.
Also, Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport) took the 18th District against his challenger from the right, Grant Lally, after garnering 56 percent of the votes.
“It’s exhilarating,” a joyous Spencer said. “It’s really is. After two years of hard work and six-month campaign, to really have the people recognize I’m giving my heart and soul to try to support us means a lot to me.”
Doc Spencer celebrates a win on Election Day. Photo by Rohma Abbas
Despite her loss, Cumella stayed positive and said she wouldn’t let this year’s election deter her from running for the same position in the future. She said she is now “a little bit more educated with the political arena.”
About her victory over that Republican, Hahn said, “I’m really gratified by the confidence the community has shown in me and I very much appreciate it and I plan to work just as hard as I’ve worked in the last four years.”
Tom Muratore (R-Ronkonkoma), the 4th District legislator, and the 12th District’s Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) were effectively unopposed for re-election and secured their next terms.
“I’m ecstatic,” Muratore said. “Maybe we can bring some of our ideas to the table … We’re about doing the right things to people.”
Supervisor Ed Romaine celebrates his re-election as the head of Brookhaven Town. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Kennedy said she did not spend time campaigning and was pleased with the outcome.
“I want to go home and go to bed so I can wake up tomorrow ready to vote on the Operating Budget Committee board,” she said.
Brookhaven Town saw its supervisor, Ed Romaine (R), and its highway superintendent, Dan Losquadro (R), re-elected easily — Romaine won 72 percent of the votes against Democratic challenger Douglas Dittko and Losquadro beat out his own Democratic opponent, Jason Kontzamanys, with 69 percent of the voters’ support.
Romaine called his landslide victory “encouraging” and Losquadro said, “I really feel that this is a validation of the work that we’ve been doing in the town.”
“It’s such a big department, and really, for the fundamental services that people expect from their tax dollars are that their roads are safe, cleared of snow and debris, and I’m very excited to be given the opportunity to continue to do that work.”
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and Brookhaven Councilwoman Valerie Cartright go in for a kiss after both win re-election. Photo by Rohma Abbas
The three incumbents running for re-election to the Brookhaven Town Board on the North Shore were returned to their seats. Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) beat Republican challenger Ed Garboski, the president of the Port Jefferson Station/Terryville Civic Association. She had 56 percent of the vote to his 44 percent.
“I worked really hard,” she said Tuesday night. “The community came together.”
She has no small task ahead of her. If all of the election results stand, she will be the only Democrat on the Town Board next year, after her effectively unopposed North Shore colleagues Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) and Councilman Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) won re-election, as did South Shore Republican Councilmen Dan Panico and Neil Foley. But Cartright’s lone Democratic colleague, Councilwoman Connie Kepert, was ousted by Republican challenger Michael Loguercio Jr.
“I’m kind of speechless, which isn’t normally the case for me,” Bonner said about winning by a large margin. “I’m super, super excited to get started, move forward. I can’t wait to get to work tomorrow.”
LaValle called his own win an “honor.”
Over in Huntington, town board incumbents Gene Cook (I) and Susan Berland (D) were returned to the board after a four-way race with 27 percent and 24 percent of the vote, respectively. Democratic challenger Keith Barrett and Republican challenger Jennifer Thompson fell short, each garnering about 22 percent of the vote.
“I can’t wait until tomorrow,” Cook said Tuesday night. “I felt good throughout today because I’m always honest and I think I’ve shown that in the last four years.”
Councilmen Ed Wehrheim and Bob Creighton discuss the Smithtown board election results. Photo by Phil Corso
Berland said she was “proud and humbled” to be re-elected.
“I just want to keep doing good things for the people of the town and making the town the best place it can possibly be,” she said.
Smithtown Town Board experienced a bit of an upset. Councilman Ed Wehrheim (R) was re-elected to one of two board seats, after receiving 31 percent of the vote, but his colleague Bob Creighton (R) was unable to battle back after losing a Republican primary to newcomer Lisa Inzerillo.
Inzerillo was elected Tuesday night with 28 percent of the vote, as compared to Creighton’s 20 percent. The latter total was even lower than that of the lone Democratic candidate for Town Board, who lost after garnering just 22 percent of the vote.
Inzerillo held a private gathering at her home Tuesday night and did not respond to requests seeking comment, but took to her Facebook page to thank her team.
Larry Vetter says the people have spoken in choosing not to elect him. Photo by Kevin Redding
“I am grateful beyond words for all of the support I received from residents,” she said. “It is very humbling to know my grassroots campaign was successful. I look forward to working with the new town board and working for the residents that elected me.”
Wehrheim, who frequently works with Creighton on town projects, called Inzerillo’s win “a loss for Smithtown” and called his own victory “bittersweet” as he prepared to work with the newcomer. Creighton apologized to his room of supporters Tuesday night, adding that he was “sorry things didn’t work out.”
About his defeat, Vetter said, “The message is clear: The town didn’t want me. … Apparently the town is satisfied with what they have.”
Earlier in the night he had said, “If I lose and it’s tight, I might try again. If I get clobbered, I’m not gonna do it again.”
Rohma Abbas, Giselle Barkley, Phil Corso, Victoria Espinoza, Desirée Keegan, Kevin Redding and Eric Santiago contributed reporting.
Follow #TBRVotes on Twitter for up-to-the-minute posts on the election.
Suffolk County Executive Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, a Democrat, was running for re-election against Republican challenger Jim O’Connor. With 1,047 of 1,052 election districts reporting, Bellone was leading 57 percent to 43 percent.
4th Legislative District Legislator Tom Muratore, a Republican, was looking for a fourth term against absentee Democratic challenger Jonathan D. Rockfeld. With all election districts reporting, Muratore had 74 percent of the vote.
5th Legislative District Kara Hahn, the Democratic incumbent, was facing off against Republican challenger Donna Cumella. With 53 of 54 election districts reporting, Hahn had 63 percent of the vote to Cumella’s 37 percent.
6th Legislative District Legislator Sarah Anker (D) faces a challenge from Republican Steve Tricarico, a Brookhaven Town deputy highway superintendent, in her quest for a third term. With all election districts reporting, Anker had 49.99 percent of the vote to Tricarico’s 49.98 percent. They are just one vote apart. Anker described her feelings as “cautiously optimistic.”
12th Legislative District Leslie Kennedy, a Republican, was largely unopposed for re-election, against absentee Democratic challenger Adam Halpern. With 62 of 63 election districts reporting, Kennedy had 70 percent of the vote.
13th Legislative District Legislator Rob Trotta (R) was running for another term in the Legislature against a familiar face, Kings Park Democrat Rich Macellaro. With 64 of 65 election districts reporting, Trotta had 71 percent of the vote.
16th Legislative District Steve Stern, a Democratic legislator, wanted to win his final term in office against Republican attorney Tom McNally. With all election districts reporting, Stern won with 60 percent of the vote to McNally’s 40 percent.
18th Legislative District Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D) was vying for a third term against Republican challenger Grant Lally. With all election districts reporting, Spencer won with 56 percent of the vote to Lally’s 44 percent.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) was running for re-election against Democratic challenger Douglas Dittko. With 294 of 296 election districts reporting, Romaine had 72 percent of the vote.
Brookhaven Town Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro, the Republican incumbent, was in a race for another term against Democratic challenger Jason Kontzamanys. With 294 of 296 election districts reporting, Losquadro had 69 percent of the vote.
Brookhaven Town, 1st Council District Councilwoman Valerie Cartright, a Democrat from Port Jefferson Station, was facing off against Port Jefferson Station civic leader Ed Garboski, a Republican, in the race for town board.
With all election districts reporting, Cartright won with 56 percent of the vote.
She said, “I worked really hard. The community came together.”
If all election results stand, Cartright will be the only Democrat on the town board next year — her one Conservative and four Republican colleagues won re-election and her only Democratic colleague was ousted by a Republican.
Brookhaven Town, 2nd Council District Jane Bonner, the Conservative councilwoman, was running against an absentee challenger, Democrat Andrew Berger, in her quest for a fifth term on the town board. With 46 of 47 election districts reporting, Bonner had 69 percent of the vote.
Brookhaven Town, 3rd Council District Kevin LaValle (R) was hoping to win another term as a town councilman against absentee Democratic challenger Christian DeGeorge. With 50 of 51 election districts reporting, LaValle had 74 percent of the vote.
Huntington Town Board Incumbents Susan Berland (D) and Gene Cook (I) were running for new terms on the town board against Democratic challenger Keith Barrett, the town’s deputy director of general services, and Republican challenger Jennifer Thompson, a Northport school board trustee. In this race, the two candidates with the highest vote counts win seats. With all election districts reporting, Cook was on top with 27 percent of the vote to Berland’s 24 percent, Barrett’s 22 percent and Thompson’s 22 percent. Conservative Michael Helfer had 5 percent of the vote.
Cook said, “I can’t wait till tomorrow. … I felt good throughout today because I’m always honest and I think I’ve shown that in the last four years.”
Smithtown Town Board Councilmen Bob Creighton and Ed Wehrheim, both Republicans, faced challenges from Republican Lisa Inzerillo, who beat out Creighton in a Republican primary in September, and Democrat Larry Vetter. The two candidates with the most votes win seats on the town board in this race. With all 92 election districts reporting, Wehrheim took the lead with 31 percent of the vote, followed by Inzerillo (28 percent), Vetter (22 percent) and Creighton (20 percent).
Wehrheim, who frequently works with Creighton on town projects, called Inzerillo’s win “a loss for Smithtown” and called his own victory “bittersweet” as he prepared to work with the newcomer.
Vetter said, “The message is clear: The town didn’t want me. … Apparently the town is satisfied with what they have.” Earlier in the night he had said, “If I lose and it’s tight, I might try again. If I get clobbered, I’m not gonna do it again.”
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