Smithtown High School East held their 101st graduation on Wednesday, June 22 at the school’s football field. About 400 graduates from the class of 2016 were honored during a ceremony that featured speeches by Principal Edwin Thompson, Superintendent James Grossane and students Benjamin Aaron Dolowich and Julia Esposito. The Senior Class Concert Choir sang The Star Spangled Banner to begin the ceremony and “With a Little Help From My Friends” as a tribute to parents in attendance, which is a tradition at the school.
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A member of the 2016 graduating class from Smithtown East receives a diploma from Principal Edwin Thompson during the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
File photo.
Members of the Smithtown East graduating class of 2016 and district administration flood the football field for the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
Members of the 2016 graduating class from Smithtown East toss their caps at the conclusion of the school’s commencement ceremony on June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
The Senior Class Concert Choir from the 2016 graduating class from Smithtown East sings “With a Little Help From My Friends” during the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
Smithtown East Senior Class President Julia Esposito gives a speech during the school’s commencement ceremony on June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
Smithtown East Senior Class President Julia Esposito takes a photo with her fellow members of the class of 2016 at the conclusion of her speech during the school’s commencement ceremony on June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
Benjamin Aaron Dolowich was selected by his peers in the class of 2016 as the Honor Speaker to deliver an address during the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
The Smithtown East graduating class of 2016 listens to a speech by Principal Edwin Thompson during their commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
Students posed with a bull, Smithtown East’s mascot, prior to heading on stage to receive their diploma during the school’s 2016 graduation ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
Smithtown East Principal Edwin Thompson speaks during the school’s graduation ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
The Senior Class Concert Choir from the 2016 graduating class from Smithtown East sings the national anthem during the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
Smithtown school district Superintendent James Grossane addresses the class of 2016 and those in attendance during East’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
A member of the 2016 graduating class from Smithtown East receives a diploma from Principal Edwin Thompson during the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
A member of the 2016 graduating class from Smithtown East receives a diploma from Principal Edwin Thompson during the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
A member of the 2016 graduating class from Smithtown East receives a diploma from Principal Edwin Thompson during the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
A member of the 2016 graduating class from Smithtown East receives a diploma from Principal Edwin Thompson during the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
A member of the 2016 graduating class from Smithtown East receives a diploma from Principal Edwin Thompson during the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
A member of the 2016 graduating class from Smithtown East receives a diploma from Principal Edwin Thompson during the school’s commencement ceremony June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
A quote from professional football coach Tony Dungy is displayed on a building overlooking Smithtown East’s football field, where the schools 2016 commencement ceremony took place June 22. Photo by Alex Petroski
Daniel Claxton gets over the bar. Photo from Kathie Borbet
Junior high jumper Daniel Claxton’s track and field career has already come full circle.
As a freshman at Smithtown East, he qualified to compete in the state championship, where he finished fifth in Division I and eighth overall, which includes public, Catholic and city schools. Last weekend, he was back at the state championship for the third time, but found himself back at the same Cicero-North Syracuse High School track he competed on two years ago.
“It felt pretty good to come back to this meet two years later,” he said. “The end of the season couldn’t have gone more perfect. It was a whole different story.”
Claxton finished first in Division I and second in the federation.
“You put your time in as a coach and to have the athletes who buy into the sport and are of that quality and come through every week is pretty amazing to see,” Smithtown East head coach Kathie Borbet said. “It makes you feel good as a coach to have some succeed that well.”
Liam Hendricks winds up to hurl the discus. Photo from Kathie Borbet
Teammate Liam Hendricks, a shot put and discus thrower who placed first in every dual meet and invitational in discus, placed third in Division I and sixth overall. Although capable of throwing 178 feet, which is the new school record he set this season — breaking his own previous marks — he threw 168 at the state tournament.
“You don’t always throw your best at the opportune time,” Borbet said. “But he was pretty close to the 178-mark all season. He had one throw that was just foul that would’ve been like a 180 throw. It just missed the mark.”
But throwing coach Mike Schilling, who joined the team just for this season since retiring after 41 years with Half Hollow Hills, said Hendricks was a bit nervous, adding he’s a really good thrower when he can keep calm.
“My job was not really to get him to set records, although he did, but it was more to get him to be able to compete consistently,” he said. His reputation preceded him. I knew who I was going to be able to coach this year and it was really good. He was there every day, he’s a hard worker, and he does all the things he’s supposed to be doing to get to where he is. He’s very talented.”
His team of throwers, including Dominik Oramas, Chris Perrier, Shaun DeGennaro and Kevin Murphy also helped the Bulls excel this season. Especially shot-putter Oramas, who won every dual meet and just missed going to states. The group never lost a meet, according to Schilling, and didn’t give up more than 10 points total the entire season, when throwers can garner a total of 18 points at each meet.
Claxton also finished first in all but one meet this season. According to high jump coach Kurt Margraf, new plyometric training was introduced to help him reach his goal of seven feet.
“When he hits for higher heights, you have to get your hips up at a certain points and kick your legs over,” Margraf said. “Your head has to be positioned in a certain way and your shins have to hit your chest at a certain point. It’s really technical.”
Although he didn’t reach 7 feet, he reached 6 feet and 11 inches this season, to break his own school record. He finished the state meet with a 6-foot-8 mark, so while Margraf said he may be a little disappointed knowing he could do better, he’s adapted well to his new training and he’s focused on continuing to strive for greater success.
“He was that determined back in his freshman year, when he wanted to reach 6 feet and ended up with a 6 foot-4 mark during the state tournament,” the coach said. “And it’s carried over without a doubt. He’s still determined, and that’s huge. He’s focused on getting the higher heights.”
Claxton is hoping to reach his target his senior season, and said his coaches have been providing him with ways to strengthen his body and mind to do it.
“It’s an honor to see my hard work pay off,” he said. “I will continue to strive for goals — ones I have set, others I haven’t set yet, and others I will try to break. The sky’s the limit.”
Kings park residents and their elected officials stand opposed to any plans to build a bridge or tunnel across Long Island Sound. File photo
By Phil Corso
North Shore boaters are making waves over a lack thereof.
Members of the Smithtown Bay Yacht Club and the Stony Brook Yacht Club have been kicking up sand for weeks with hopes that county and town officials would throw them a lifesaver and dredge the waters where the Stony Brook and Porpoise Channels merge on their way out into Smithtown Bay along the North Shore. And while there has been some support vocalized via elected leaders, action is still pending.
Members of both yacht clubs, though fierce competitors when the two cast off in interclub fishing contests, came together in the name of public safety this boating season when they penned a letter on June 2 to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D). Using urgent language, commodores for both groups, including Mike Kozyrski and Kevin Rooney of Smithtown and Denis Lynch of Stony Brook, asked for a quick dredging of the channel leading out to Smithtown Bay in the name of boater safety.
“At dead low tide, there is oftentimes less than a foot of water in the channel leading out into the Long Island Sound,” Kozyrski said. “Should a boater experience a serious medical emergency out on the water, the bay constable or other emergency personnel may be unable to transit the channel in order to assist them. In our opinion, this is a personal tragedy simply waiting to happen.”
Rooney, coordinator of the dredging project for the Smithtown Bay Yacht Club, said the low-tide and low-water situation has reached a “critical stage” due to the continued shifting of sand and bottom material into the channel.
“It is not an overstatement to say that the very lives of our members, their families and all other boaters are potentially in serious jeopardy due to inaction by various government agencies to prioritize and complete the necessary dredging of the Smithtown Bay channel,” he said. “The situation is dire. And it is totally unacceptable.”
In their letter, the commodores said the area in question was mostly limited to where Stony Brook and Porpoise Channels merged. Navigation buoys turn in a northwesterly direction there, leading into the bay and out into the Long Island Sound. If not dredged properly, the boaters argued that personnel could be unable to reach someone in need of assistance from the shorelines of Port Jefferson or Eaton’s Neck.
“By the time they arrive, it may be too late,” Lynch said.
Bellone, who has put his administration at the forefront of the fight to improve water quality on Long Island, expressed the importance of dredging earlier this year when his administration announced the completion of a project at Champlin Creek in the Town of Islip. A spokeswoman from his office said the Town of Brookhaven submitted a formal request this week before the county’s dredge project screening committee, which will consider making the area a part of the dredging program.
Earlier this month, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) requested that Suffolk County dredge more than a dozen spots across the town for the 2016-2017 dredging season, including the waters of Stony Brook.
“Dredging our waterways is essential for both the economic and ecologic health of our region,” said Romaine, who is a past member of the Suffolk County Dredge Project Screening Committee. “Keeping these channels safe, open and usable on a consistent basis is essential for the health of these waterways, and for boaters to safely enjoy during the summer months.”
The commodores said they hoped lawmakers would put the channel on a regular maintenance dredging schedule in order to allow unlimited access to the Long Island Sound for both boaters and emergency personnel. They, along with other activists across the North Shore, have started a grass roots lobbying campaign with the goal of expediting that kind of schedule.
“This is not about boater convenience,” Kozyrski said. “This is simply about the health and safety of all boaters from our two towns — something clearly needs to be done and we hope that our county and town officials feel the same sense of urgency that we do for the safety of our club members, friends and neighbors.”
Environmentalist Jan Porinchak explores Willow Pond. Photo from Carole Paquette
Naturalist Jan Christopher Porinchak will lead an in-depth exploration of the natural wonders of Caleb Smith State Park Preserve on Jericho Turnpike in Smithtown on Saturday, June 18, at 1:30 p.m. Reserve by calling 631-265-1054. The walk will take approximately two hours and is not recommended for children under ten years old. The event, sponsored by Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve, is free, however, the preserve’s parking fee of $8 will be in effect.
An avid naturalist and environmental advocate, Porinchak will lead participants on a walk through the many landscapes of the park, offering tips on identifying the various plants and animals that will be encountered.
A hike leader for the Long Island Sierra Club, he is also an art teacher at Jericho Middle School and an award-winning natural science illustrator.
For more information about Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve, their events and the park, go to: www.friendsofcalebsmith.org.
The Smithtown Town Board announced last week the Kings Park Farmers Market will be returning on June 5 and running through the fall. File photo
For a sixth year, Smithtown residents will be treated to something fresh, sweet, organic, savory and local.
The Kings Park Farmers Market, which was founded in 2010, is set to open for the 2016 season very soon. The Sunday market will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from June 5 to Nov. 20 in the municipal parking lot on the corner of Route 25A and Main Street in Kings Park across the street from the fire department. The market will offer certified organic vegetables and greens, Long Island corn, poultry, eggs, heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, squash, onions, cheese, milk, pasta, pickles, smoked pork, soaps, local fish, baked goods, gluten-free cookies, soy candles and more.
“We are excited to be back in Kings Park after a long off-season and we just enjoy reconnecting with our friends and customers who are all so loyal to the market,” Bernadette Martin, who organizes farmers markets across Long Island through her company Friends and Farmers Inc., said in an email Tuesday. Martin’s markets get the name LI Green Market.
One of the new vendors participating in the Sunday market this year that Martin is excited about is Crimson & Cove, a Nesconset-based line of organic herbs and spices. They join returning vendors Blue Duck Bakery, St. James Brewery, Salce Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegars, The Fink Family Farm and many more.
The market began years ago when Kings Park residents Ann Marie Nedell and civic association member Alyson Elish-Swartz each separately wanted a farmers market for Kings Park. Kings Park Civic Association President Sean Lehmann got Nedell and Elish-Swartz in contact with each other, and after some community crowd-sourcing they came up with logistical ideas for the market. When they met Martin, the idea turned into reality. Martin’s Friends and Farmers Inc. paired up with the Kings Park Civic Association to sponsor the market. Martin manages the market every Sunday.
“The Kings Park Civic Association is such a great partner on this project and bring wonderfully entertaining live music to the market weekly,” Martin said. “We will also be having more cooking demonstrations scheduled for this year as we launch our Know Real Food Campaign for 2016.”
The market is a popular spot for shoppers every year.
“Everyone in the community is really looking forward to another exciting year at the market,” a statement on the Kings Park Civic Association website said. “It has become the cornerstone of our town and really enhances the sense of community in our hamlet while vitalizing our downtown business area.”
For more information about the Kings Park Farmers Market visit www.ligreenmarket.org.
Smithtown high school students may soon be collectively rejoicing everywhere.
A committee assembled in 2015 to examine the pros and cons of moving back the start of the school day for ninth-through 12th-grade students provided an update to the board of education, district administration and the community on their findings at a meeting Tuesday.
The School Start Times Steering Committee is comprised of district administrators, parents, students and teachers. District Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Jennifer Bradshaw led the discussion Tuesday. Bradshaw said the committee watched a New York State School Boards Association webinar about the Glen Falls City School District’s shift to a later start time a few years ago and the drastically positive impacts it has had on student behavior. They also consulted with the district’s athletic director, guidance counselors, parents and principals from other schools who have made the change for their input on the impact of a later start time.
“We have an obligation to look at this for our students,” Bradshaw said. Currently Smithtown’s high schools start first period at 7:20 a.m. “Physiologically, biologically they’re not ready to learn.”
Bradshaw quoted a recent press release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that indicated two out of three high school students in the United States don’t get enough sleep.
Joanne Romanelli, a parent in the district who is on the start time committee and also works as a certified holistic health and wellness coach addressed the board during Tuesday’s meeting. She said that forcing teens to wake up as early as 6 a.m. creates a vicious cycle of stress, out-of-whack hormones and distorted sleeping patterns because their bodies cannot physically fall asleep before about 11:30 p.m.
“If you’re getting up earlier you’re feeling stress, you’re feeling tired, you’re not doing so well in school, you might be depressed or you have low serotonin,” Romanelli said. “There is more depression so now you’re feeling more stress. You’re having raised cortisol throughout the day. Raised cortisol makes you feel energized, it doesn’t make you feel sleepy. So now, you can’t go to sleep. So it causes more stress. It just cycles … A later start time is what’s best and it’s healthier for the students.”
School board members Louis Liguori and Joanne McEnroy said they’d like to see these updates fast-tracked from suggestions to a proposal and eventually a change because they’ve seen firsthand how difficult getting their teenagers out of bed really is.
“We pretty much have covered the gamut on all levels of educating children right down to nutritional changes that we have going on and [on a county and state level they’re] just not talking about, on a higher level, sleep deprivation or sleep patterns of our students,” Liguori said. “Who are we catering to? We’re not catering to the students at all by getting them up at 6 [a.m.].”
Some issues with pushing back the start of the high school day would include transportation, co-curricular athletics start times and changes to before and after care for elementary students if their times were affected.
Board member Jeremy Thode expressed concerns that if the high school day started later, kids would simply go to bed later and the problem would be shifted backward rather than alleviated.
“My concern as a parent and from an educational point of view is that we have some fool’s gold here in thinking they’re going to stay going to bed at 11 [p.m.] and now waking up at 9 [a.m.] or get up at 8 [a.m.], now they can stay up until 12 [a.m.], because kids are kids,” Thode said. “In an ideal world I think we’re talking about the right subject but there are some unintended consequences.”
Thode suggested that a next step could be to examine lateness patterns and grades for first and second period classes compared to the rest of the day for Smithtown high school students.
Bradshaw added she has been in contact with an organization called Start School Later Long Island, NY and that the best course of action may be for this to become a county or statewide discussion going forward. More discussion is likely to occur until the budget is adopted for the 2017-18 school year next spring.
Eric Powers holds a great horned owl. Photo from Carole Paquette
Eric Powers holds a great horned owl. Photo from Carole Paquette
Biologist and outdoorsman Eric Powers will conduct a birding walk at Caleb Smith State Park Preserve on Jericho Turnpike in Smithtown on Saturday, May 14, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Preregistration is required as space is limited. Call 631-265-1054.
The free event is part of the 2016 Lecture Series sponsored by the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve, and will involve walking about two miles. Walkers are urged to wear sensible footwear and bring binoculars and a camera with a telephoto lens, if they are able.
Having extensively explored the historic Caleb Smith park, “Ranger Eric” — as students know him — will lead attendees to some of his favorite locations to see birds and other wildlife, as well as highlighting plants and freshwater springs, the lifeblood of the park. Ranger Eric suggests bringing any bird feather you would like to share with the group.
See more of Ranger Eric on his new television show “Off the Trail” at www.myNHTV.com. For more information, visit his website at www.YC2N.com.
For more information about Friends activities and events, visit www.friendsofcalebsmith.org.
Election night for the Smithtown board of education is approaching quickly.
The Suffolk Region PTA introduced Smithtown residents to five board of education candidates at the district’s Meet the Candidates night Wednesday, May 4, at the district headquarters on New York Avenue.
The terms of Smithtown school board trustees Theresa Knox and Louis Liguori conclude this year. Knox, who served on the board from 2000 to 2006 then again from 2007 to the present, will run for another term; Liguori was first elected in 2006 and will not seek a fourth term.
Michael Saidens photo by Alex Petroski
Elementary school principal Michael Saidens with director of finance of a Fortune 500-associated company, Robert Montana, and retired resident and active school community member Robert Foster will run for Liguori’s seat. Carpenter and father of four Accompsett Elementary students, Daniel Lynch, will challenge Knox.
During last week’s event, the candidates were allotted a three-minute opening statement, two-minute closing statement and one-minute responses to several questions provided by audience members.
Knox has been a Smithtown resident since 1987. Her three children attended Smithtown schools. She attended Stony Brook University and later worked for Citibank on Wall Street. She served as the PTA president at Nesconset Elementary School in 1990 and held a similar position in Smithtown High School in 1998. She said as a board member she’s served on every board of education committee possible, and has focused on college scholarships during her time on the board.
“College scholarship has become a mission,” Knox said May 4. “Any of you who know me for more than 20 minutes know that is my mission.”
Theresa Knox photo by Alex Petroski
Knox voted for the closure of Branch Brook Elementary School earlier in 2016, though she called it one of the hardest decisions she’s ever had to make. Knox explained why she’s running again, despite the fact that her friends think she’s crazy, she said.
“I think it’s the best place for me to use my talents to make a positive impact on the community,” Knox said.
Knox’s competitor, Lynch, said he is a lifelong resident of Smithtown. He grew up in Nesconset and attended multiple Smithtown schools, including High School West. He said after he graduated high school he put his passion for construction and talent working with his hands toward a career building homes for several different companies. Today he holds a leadership role with the Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters union. He and his wife rented their first apartment in St. James, though they now live with their four sons in Smithtown.
“I want to be involved and address the issues that face my children today and all of your children as well,” he said about his reasons for running. “I offer perspective and an open mind, and I understand that I may be the new kid on the block but if elected I will absolutely commit to understanding and addressing all of these issues.”
Robert Foster photo by Alex Petroski
Foster has lived in Smithtown for 27 years. His two children also attended Smithtown schools and have gone on to successful business careers after college, he said. Foster attended the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University, and then went on to the military after graduation. He spent a long career in marketing and sales and has since retired. He was a member of the last housing committee conducted in 2015, which ultimately provided data used in the decision to close Branch Brook. He has been an adviser to robotics teams in the district and has attended school board meetings for the past seven years.
“By not having children in the district, I really care about all 9,000 students,” Foster said. “They need a quality education. A quality education can only come from a district that is in balance financially. Unfortunately this district is starting to get unbalanced.”
Foster said a lack of too many other obligations, like a job or a family to raise, makes him an ideal candidate.
“I have time to spend on what is a very complicated job being on the school board,” he said.
Robert Montana photo by Alex Petroski
Montana also grew up in Smithtown. He currently has two children in the district, including one at Branch Brook. He is currently a financial analyst at Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services, where he is responsible for budgeting and financial planning. Montana said his business background would serve him well during Smithtown’s tough financial times which might lie ahead.
“I think that experience will be an asset to the board and to the school district,” he said. “My main issue is the declining enrollment. It definitely directly affects my family because we are Branch Brook people so we’re facing a school closing in the next year. I just want to be a part of the decision-making process.”
Montana and Foster both suggested that the school board going forward looks for a way to reduce contracted commitments to teachers in the district, which is an expense that accounts for the vast majority of the district’s budget.
Daniel Lynch photo by Alex Petroski
Saidens is currently the principal at Tamarac Elementary School in the Sachem School District. Sachem is encountering a financial crisis of their own, with multiple schools set to close in the coming years. Saidens, the Smithtown resident who also taught elementary school in the district and sends his 6-year-old son to Tackan Elementary School, said his perspective witnessing the financial stress in Sachem could be helpful for Smithtown. He has a business management degree from Clemson University to go along with his education background.
“The No. 1 issue that makes me want to run for the board of education is helping to ensure that students are getting the best practices in our classrooms,” Saidens said. “Another concern that I have is making sure Long Island, specifically Smithtown, starts getting what they deserve. The amount of money that we send from this community up to Albany and the return that we get back isn’t equitable, and Smithtown needs their fair share.”
The 2016 Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame induction class was honored at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Hauppauge. Photo by Alex Petroski
By Alex Petroski
Greatness in the world of athletics was on display to be celebrated Friday night. Members of the 27th class of the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame were inducted at a ceremony held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Hauppauge. They will join past inductees like Boomer Esiason and Craig Biggio in the pantheon of impactful Suffolk sports figures.
“Each year we induct the very best of Suffolk County,” Master of Ceremonies and 1999 Hall of Fame inductee David Weiss said to kick off the evening. “These are men and women on and off the playing field who had a positive and lasting impact, and have left a legacy for all of Suffolk County.”
Among the inductees were Northport star lacrosse player Jill Byers; Setauket resident and 27-year New York Jets beat reporter, Rich Cimini; legendary Harborfields football coach and Smithtown football star, Tom Combs; the first varsity boys’ basketball coach at Comsewogue, Frank Romeo; and Deer Park three-sport standout and football All-American at Stony Brook University, Chuck Downey. Richie LoNigro, owner of Port Jefferson Sporting Goods, which has been open since 1973, was also honored with a special recognition award.
Byers graduated from Northport in 2005. She is the only athlete to be named All-Long Island team in three sports during her high school career, playing basketball, soccer and lacrosse. She was a two-time All-American in lacrosse during high school, and also received the distinction four times during her career at the University of Notre Dame. She also competed on the United States women’s lacrosse national team.
“African proverb states that it takes a village to raise a child,” Byers said during the ceremony Friday. She credited, among others, her three older brothers for her success, stating that they never let her win at anything. “Thank you to my village for giving me the opportunity to represent you here tonight.”
Setauket resident Rich Cimini was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a beat reporter for the New York Jets. Photo by Alex Petroski
Cimini is the longest tenured Jets beat reporter in team history, working for the Daily News, Newsday and for the past six years, ESPN. He has received awards from the Associated Press and the Pro Football Writers of America for his work over the years.
He joked that he didn’t feel like he belonged in a class with people who accomplished so much on the field, being that his accomplishments took place entirely in the press box.
“I feel like the nerd who got invited to the cool kids party,” Cimini said.
He mentioned his supportive parents and his understanding wife of 25 years, who is okay with planning their lives yearly around the NFL schedule.
“She’s the real hall of famer in our family,” Cimini said of his wife Michelle, who is actually a lifelong New York Giants season ticket holder.
Tom Combs has been the athletic director in the Patchogue-Medford school district since 2003. Before that, he played Division II football at Ashland University in Ohio following his four years at Smithtown. He became the head football coach at Harborfields in 1990, where he won five county championships and two Long Island Championships over a 13-year run.
“I am humbled by the talent and accomplishments of this class,” Combs said. “I’m just very honored and blessed to be up here.”
Combs has two daughters who followed in his footsteps and became teachers and coaches.. He thanked his family, friends and players for helping him to achieve the successes that led to his induction.
“Being a football coach is always something I wanted to do,” he said, adding that his players earning scholarships to attend college and play football was always important to him. “That’s what I’m always proud of as a coach.”
In 1968, Frank Romeo became the first varsity basketball coach at Comsewogue. During a 24-year span, Romeo led Comsewogue to eight league titles, one large school Section XI title and 15 straight playoff appearances. From 1987 to 1990, Romeo’s record was 62-5. He left Comsewogue to become the head basketball coach at Suffolk County Community College in 1992, where he made the playoffs in all of his seven seasons there.
Romeo used the word “we” repeatedly about his spot in the Hall of Fame.
“For all of my former players at Comsewogue and at Suffolk Community College — they were the main ingredient in the term ‘we,’” he said. “They did the playing and they made the sacrifices. Some years we were good enough to win championships and other years we played just as hard and we didn’t win championships. They can now be assured that they made their mark in Suffolk County. They got us to the Hall of Fame.”
Frank Romeo was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as varsity basketball coach at Comsewogue High School and Suffolk County Community College. Photo by Alex Petroski
Chuck Downey was a standout wrestler, football player and lacrosse player during his years at Deer Park. He was a part of Stony Brook University’s first football team in 1984, where he still holds nearly 30 school records and 12 NCAA records. He was a three-time All-American while at Stony Brook, which earned him a professional contract with the National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles. That marked the first time a Stony Brook athlete signed a professional sports contract. Downey has since followed in the footsteps of his father Raymond, an FDNY Battalion Chief. His father died in the line of duty on Sept. 11, 2001.
Weiss gave Downey a memorable introduction.
“What a great way to end a wonderful evening with an inductee who epitomizes the word hero from a family of heroes,” Weiss said of the last member to be announced.
Downey joked that he’d rather be in a burning building then standing in front of a room full of people to speak.
“I’m truly honored and deeply grateful to be up here tonight along with these other amazing athletes,” he said.
Many of Richie LoNigro’s 12 children, 25 grandchildren and five great grandchildren were present to honor the man who has become a fixture in Port Jefferson.
“I own a business that makes trophies and trophies are things that we’re all very proud of. I brought my trophies with me tonight and they’re all sitting out there in the audience,” he said, talking about his family. “These are my trophies and awards, and I take them with me wherever I go.”
The waste is hazardous, but the accomplishment is healthy.
The Town of Smithtown marked a major milestone this week as it wrapped up its regular household hazardous waste collection event on April 23, clocking in a new record of more than 76 tons of hazardous materials being sent to safe disposal sites.
The event was held with help from Radiac Research Corporation in Brooklyn, which won the contract for the specialized and regulated event through a competitive bidding process, town officials said. Smithtown Supervisor Pat Vecchio (R) said the town paid $15,694 to run the event, but will be reimbursed one-half the cost by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
“The success of our household hazardous waste collection program continues to grow,” Vecchio said. “Participating in a household hazardous waste collection event allows people to clean out their garages and basements, and safely dispose of old chemicals. It also heightens awareness that not everything offered for sale is a good thing to buy and use around our homes and families.”
By the end of the April 23 event, Smithtown tallied 716 families participating, resulting in 152,905 pounds of household hazardous material being collected. The most notable items, the town said, included decades-old bottles of long banned pesticides. Additional materials included oil-based paints, gasoline, paint thinners, waste gases, degreaser, solvents, flammable solids, liquid and solid oxiders, acids, corrosives, miscellaneous toxic liquids and solids, lacquers and various toxic compounds.
The town holds events like this annually to help ensure safe and proper disposal of such hazardous materials. If disposed of improperly, they can be damaging to the environment or to human health.
Smithtown has been regularly hosting such events to residents since 2009. Over time, the town said, the amount of material collected has increased more than tenfold.
“We should all try to minimize or avoid buying toxic products in the first place,” Vecchio said.
The next Smithtown hazardous waste collection event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Municipal Services Facility located at 85 Old Northport Road in Kings Park.
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