Huntington Local

Jack and Jayne Conner flank scholarship recipients Tom McBane, Tara Fogarty and Adam Lowenthal.

By Jim Hoops

Jeffrey Conner was the type of high school athlete that gave his all out on the field. He was a hard-nosed perfectionist who was always up for a new challenge. The thrill of competition and the company of his teammates provided him with many hours of enjoyment over his short life.

Well-liked and with a tight circle of friends, Conner’s death in a Jan. 19, 2006 car accident devastated classmates and family members alike. Struggling to make sense of a seemingly senseless tragedy, those closest to him organized the Jeffrey Conner Memorial Scholarship Fund, which since its inception has raised and awarded nearly $50,000 to student-athletes at his alma mater, Northport High School.

Conner played catcher on the Tigers’ varsity baseball team. As the squad’s field general and captain, he commanded the respect of those he played with. So the scholarships awarded each year in his name carry special meaning for the recipients, who submit application essays about their sports and lives that selection committee members spend hours scouring.

This year’s applicants were an outstanding group, according to those who read the essays. Conner’s parents, Jayne and Jack and older brother John, himself a Northport baseball alum, oversaw the selection process, which resulted in three awards of $4,000 each being presented to seniors Thomas McBane, Adam Lowenthal and Tara Ann Fogarty.

Continue reading "3 Northport seniors get Jeffrey Connor scholarships " »

An East Northport man armed with a knife was arrested Sunday after he held up a Larkfield Road supermarket, police said Monday.

For the details, click here.

Emily F. Franchina has been installed as president of the Nassau County Bar Association, based in Mineola.

The Huntington Bay resident is an elder law, wills, trusts and estates law attorney at Franchina & Giordana in Garden City.

She will be serving a one-year term.

Huntington’s representative in Congress, Steve Israel, leads the state’s congressional delegation in using social media tools; but he doesn’t keep as high a profile using the House floor as a forum. Click here for the details.

Richard P. Rogers at work.

By Susan Finkelstein

The Windmill Movie, Alexander Olch’s moving and provocative film about his mentor, respected filmmaker and teacher Richard P. Rogers, straddles the lines between documentary and fiction, life and art.

On Tuesday evening at 7:30, the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington will present a screening of the movie with a Q & A with Olch and a reception as part of its Real To Reel documentary film series.

Two-hundred hours of footage, dusty boxes of film, a broken editing computer: these were the pieces of filmmaker Richard P. Rogers’ daring attempt to make his own autobiography. He died in 2001, leaving a lifetime of filmed memories, including many in Wainscot on the East End of Long Island, until his student and protégé, Alexander Olch began making a movie out of the pieces.

Writing in his teacher’s voice, with Wallace Shawn and Bob Balaban, Olch crafts his own vision of his mentor’s life – stepping into his shoes and his past – to make a film that was impossible to make. An autobiography, that isn’t. A documentary that is fiction. A lifetime of questions, finally answered.

Starting in Wainscott, the film weaves Rogers' footage into a journey through childhood memories and a family background of privilege. Rogers' friend, actor and writer Wallace Shawn, joins in the process, as the film investigates the differences between documentary and fiction.

Admission is $9 for members and $12 otherwise. Tickets can be purchased online at www.CinemaArtsCentre.org or at the box office during theatre hours or by calling Brown Paper Tickets toll free at 1-800-838-3006.

Susan Finkelstein is the publicist for the Cinema Arts Centre.

CONNOLLY - James P., of East Northport on July 4, 2009 at the age of
81. Retired NYPD and WWII Veteran. Beloved husband of Margaret
(Peggy). Cherished father of Maureen & Peter Moloney, Annemarie &
Robert Alveari, James, Stephen and the late Peter and Thomas. Loving
Poppy of Katie & Lauren Moloney. Dear brother of Betty Connolly.
Reposing Tuesday 2-5 & 7-9pm, Commack Abbey Inc., 96 Commack Road,
Commack, NY. Mass of Christian Burial Wednesday 10am Christ the King
R.C. Church, Commack, NY. Interment L.I. National Cemetery. In lieu of
flowers, please make donations to Michael J. Fox Parkinsons Research
Foundation or Hospice House of Northport, NY.

KRIEGER - Barbara C., age 93, of Huntington Station, on July 5, 2009.
Beloved wife of the late Henry. Loving mother of Barbara (George)
Mayer, Carol (Ronald) Session, Joseph (Donna) Krieger, and the late
Henry. Cherished grandmother of 10 and great grandmother of 13.
Visitation Today and Tuesday 2-5 & 7-9pm at the A.L. Jacobsen Funeral
Home, Inc., 1380 New York Ave., Huntington Station. Mass of Christian
Burial Wednesday 9:30am at St. Elizabeth RC Church. Burial Calverton
National Cemetery.

The scene outside Whitman High School on graduation evening.

-- Pork or proper projects? We listed 70 special appropriations in the town.
-- A woman was crushed by a truck in East Northport.
-- An exhibit date was set for an an artist who died from ALS.
-- A former manager sues the Huntington Crescent Club.
-- We learned more about war veterans who received diplomas.
-- A big storm didn’t stop graduation at Whitman, above.
-- Young adults who are into museums started a social network.

Leslie Valentine & Favrile perform "Classical Music Under the Stars" tonight at the Huntington Summer Arts Festival.

Long Island mezzo-soprano Leslie Valentine, left, who has toured the United States, Great Britain and Japan, will perform work from Brahms, Mozart and Rachmaninoff, as well as lighter selections from operetta & musical theater.

The Huntington Summer Arts Festival is presented by the Town of Huntington, produced by the Huntington Arts Council and sponsored in part by the New York State Council on the Arts and the Suffolk County Office of Cultural Affairs. The Festival runs through August 16. Performances are free and open to the public at the Chapin Rainbow Stage in Huntington’s Heckscher Park. Bring a blanket! Tonight's performance begins at 8:30 p.m. For directions or more information, call the Festival Hotline at 631-271-8423 ext. 5, or visit www.huntingtonarts.org.

JOHNSON - Lily, (Acritani) 84, McDonough, GA. Formerly of East
Northport, NY. Died July 1, 2009. Beloved mother of Pat M. Burge, son
and Nancy Ann Ostrander, daughter. Loving grandmother of Keith, Kim,
Glen and Joy. great-grandmother of Kayla and Sierra. No services are
planned.

MARTINO - Michael, age 95 of Centerport on July 4, 2009. Beloved
father of Frances (Tom) Timchek and Paula (the late Frank) Martocci.
Loving grandfather of Elizabeth, Frank, Christine and Michele.
Cherished great grandfather of Caroline, Michael, Stephen, Alexandra,
Ella and Josephine. Dear uncle of many nieces and nephews. Visitation
M.A. Connell Funeral Home, 934 New York Ave., Huntington Station,
Sunday 2-5 & 7-9pm. Mass Our Lady Queen of Martyrs R.C. Church,
Centerport, Monday 10am. Burial Mt. St. Mary's Cemetery, Tuesday.

An armed female robbed a Madison National Bank branch in Melville on Friday morning, police said.

The woman entered the bank, at 859 Walt Whitman Road, at 8:38 a.m., pointed a handgun at the teller and demanded money, according to police, who said the woman then pointed the weapon at other bank employees and told them not to notify the police. The teller complied and gave the robber cash.

The woman left on foot and fled south on Walt Whitman Road. There were no customers in the bank at the time of the robbery and no one was injured.

The suspect is described as a white female between 20 and 30 years old, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall with a thin to medium build. She has light-colored eyes, with very light-colored skin and reddish-brown hair that was possibly dyed. She may have a mole or birthmark on the right side of her face. She was wearing jeans, a dark-colored sweatshirt with the word “Virginia” possibly written on the front and a Mets baseball cap.

Anyone with information concerning this robbery is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

Kuhn at work in his studio in February. Newsday Photo / Karen Wiles Stabile.

By Ray Saltini

The Art League of Long Island’s latest exhibit, “Mark Kuhn: The Lifeline Series”, will be showing at the League’s Jeanie Tengelsen Gallery, July 15 through August 16. The opening reception will take place Saturday, July 18, 4pm-6pm. The exhibit can be viewed Monday through Friday 9am – 4pm, and on Saturday and Sunday 11am through 4pm. The gallery is located at 107 East Deer Park Road in Dix Hills, NY. For more information call (631) 462-5400 or visit www.artleagueli.org.

Mark Kuhn’s passion for life and his art is reflected in “The Lifeline Series.” Facing the disabling and fatal effects of Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), Kuhn undertook the creation of “The Lifeline Series” with incredible strength and determination. It was his goal to present this exhibition at the Art League in July. Sadly, Kuhn passed away on March 4, but not before creating a series of drawings on paper as well as a dozen canvasses of bold, vibrant, figurative forms reminiscent of the sculpture projects he devoted himself to over the past 18 years.

Kuhn, who originally hailed from Minneapolis, made Huntington his home 19 years ago. It was during this era that he taught painting and drawing at the Art League and also turned to sculpture to express his artistic visions. Using a chain saw, Kuhn carved large-scale wooden sculptures of figurative forms. Unfortunately, as his disease progressed and his muscles weakened, he was no longer able to handle the heavy tools required for his sculpting projects.

Kuhn developed “The Lifeline Series” as the two-dimensional representation of his sculptural visions. Through sheer force of will and with extraordinary effort, he was able to continue painting to the very end, despite losing much of his motor abilities. The blaze of vivid colors and forms in his paintings reflect his persona as that of a passionate, intelligent, gregarious individual who loved life and the people around him. His “Lifeline Series” is a testimony to human character, strength and resilience.

Ray Saltini is Development Director for the Art League of Long Island.

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To read a Newsday article about Mark Kuhn's work and see video of him, click here.

Daniel R. Levy, president and chief financial officer of Melville-based North Ridge Securities Corp. and North Shore Capital Management Corp., has been named Person of the Year by the Pat Covelli Foundation, a Queens-based charity that benefits kidney and diabetes research groups.

Levy, a resident of Dix Hills, is a member of the foundation’s board of directors and has served as an honorary board member of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Suffolk County.

By Deborah S. Morris
deborah.morris @newsday.com

The private Huntington Crescent Club has been hit with a $4 million lawsuit in which a woman who worked there as a banquet manager charges discrimination and harassment.

Mary Bonsignore, 55, of Centerport says in the lawsuit, filed in Brooklyn federal court last week, that she was subjected to repeated discrimination based on her gender and age. She said the actions began when she started working at the club, in 2006. The lawsuit says she quit last year.

In the suit, Bonsignore said she had complained of finding items on her desk including a pig’s head, melted chocolate Tootsie rolls signifying human waste, flower vases filled with urine and tea bags suggesting a derogatory term for a sex act.

The suit alleges that the club allowed a hostile work environment and that the conduct “involved threatening and intimidating Bonsignore.” Further, it says she was humiliated in front of club members and guests.

Continue reading "Ex-manager sues Huntington Crescent Club for $4M" »

The Red Hot Mamas, one of several dance groups performing Friday.

FRIDAY

Greenlawn
The Hearing Loss Association of America: Huntington Chapter (formerly SHHH) meets at 7 p.m. the first Friday of the month, 7 p.m., July 3, Harborfields Library, 31 Broadway, free, library is equipped with an audio loop, 631-549-3901.

Huntington
-- Brasil Guitar Duo in Concert: Brasil Guitar Duo in concert, 8 p.m., Sky Room, Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., $25, cinemaartscentre.org, 800-838-3006.
-- First Fridays: First Friday of every month enjoy exhibits and musical entertainment, this month features Jazz Gutiar & Flute with Tony Romano and Michel Gentile, 7-8:30 p.m., Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave. at Route 25A, free admission after 5 p.m. includes light refreshments at 7 p.m., heckscher.org, 631-351-3250.
-- -- Long Island Dance Consortium at the Huntington Arts Festival. The goal of LIDC to keep dance “alive and kicking” on Long Island. Tonight’s performers will include The Red Hot Mamas, American Dance Theatre of Long Island, Dance Theatre Company and Variations. 8:30 p.m., Heckscher Park, Chapin Rainbow Stage, Prime Avenue and Route 25A, free, bring a blanket, huntingtonarts.org, 631-271-8423, ext. 5.

Huntington Station
Open Studio: Artists in the Attic host a reception, open studio event, musical guests, 5-8 p.m., Yankee Peddler Antiques, 1038 New York Ave., Free, 631-271-5817.

SATURDAY

Huntington
-- BelO Concert: Haitian singer, left, and band perform jazz, worldbeat, rock, raggae, soul, in Huntington Summer Arts Festival; opening act Stoosh, 8:30 p.m., Heckscher Park, Chapin Rainbow Stage, Prime Avenue and Route 25A, free, bring a blanket, huntingtonarts.org, 631-271-8423, ext. 5.
-- Family Activity Center at The Heckscher with Huey: Huey, a children’s mascot, invites families and friends to experience an exciting art activity in the Museum galleries, 1-4 p.m., Heckscher Museum of Art, 2 Prime Ave. at Route 25A, general admission fees apply, heckscher.org, 631-351-3250.
-- Summer Camp Cinema: Double feature of “Aliens,” rated R and “Predator,” rated R, 11 p.m., Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., $12, summercampcinema.org, 631-423-7611.

Continue reading "Things to do in town this weekend" »

The Centerport Garden Club planted a rose bush on the grounds of the Vanderbilt Museum on Saturday in memory of Ladis Bonchonsky, a long-time member who died in November.

Her son, Michael Bonchonsky, right prepared the plant as his daughters Chloe and Juliette stood by with a plant marker. With them is the garden club president, Sandra Mazoyer.

Ladis Bonchonsky of Greenlawn was instrumental in first establishing the Huntington Beautification Council's program to adorn drab lampposts with hanging flower baskets. She was also a member of East Northport Evening Home Makers Unit. Her husband, Michael, at left, attended the Saturday event.

By Michael Ebert
michael.ebert @newsday.com

Look out, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Chestnut Hill Elementary School recently staged “the greatest show in Dix Hills,” school officials said.

The off-the-wall act — which stemmed from the school’s physical education curriculum — required 130 fifth-graders to spend a week training with circus performers from Cirque du Jour, a Connecticut-based circus school. Kids then developed their own ideas for solo and group routines, which included everything from spinning saucers to human pyramids.

“The school turned into a regular circus,” said assistant principal Deborah Forsyth. “It’s a great way to showcase the talent of kids while letting them learn nonacademic skills.”

As a culminating event, students staged two shows for Chestnut Hill classmates and a larger show at Half Hollow Hills High School East that attracted 400 community members. Other circus acts, Forsyth said, included clowning and basic acrobatics.

Compiled by Gene Sullivan
gene.sullivan@newsday.com

Huntington’s Zoning Board of Appeals has scheduled a public hearing for Thursday evening at 6 on these applications:

CENTERPORT: Dominick Palumbo requests accessory structure and steep slope relief to: erect two-car garage in front yard; remove existing retaining wall and replace with 7-foot retaining wall less than 10 feet from rear and side; and erect new two-story dwelling, on north side of Taft Crescent, east of Harrison Drive.

DIX HILLS: Elena and Frank Marino request front-yard relief to legalize front portico, which extends above first story and encroaches into front yard, on the north side of Darius Court, east of Deer Park Avenue.

DIX HILLS: Sal and Ariana Bisulca request front-yard variance to legalize: detached shed located in the long street side yard; below-ground pool with equipment too close to property line; and rear addition and front portico with raised terrace, on northwest corner of Cedar Crest Drive and Katonah Place.

DIX HILLS: Theresa Farina requests legalization of a shed too close to property line, on south side of Dix Highway, east of Thornwood Drive.

EAST NORTHPORT: Kathleen Giarraputo requests side-yard variance to erect 16x25-foot attached garage with storage, on west side of Caravan Drive, north of Clay Pitts Road.

HUNTINGTON: SCO Family of Services requests a special-use permit to convert existing partial 1-, 2- and 3-story vacant building, formerly convent housing, to a special needs school with seven classrooms and housing for 36 students, on the southwest corner of Burr’s Lane and Soulagnet Court.

HUNTINGTON: Thomas and Ann Daly request side-yard variance to legalize enclosure of outside cellar entrance, on the southwest corner of Birch Street and Tulip Avenue.

MELVILLE: John and Diane Vilardi request front-yard variance to extend existing garage, on north side of Louis Drive, east of Mary Lane.

MELVILLE: Walter Marino request frontage and lot width variance in order to request a lot change for Tax Lot 035, on the east side of Frostfield Place, north of Roe Place.

MELVILLE: Thomas Murawski request a front yard variance to erect a roofed front porch, on the south side of Alderfield Lane, east of New York Avenue.

A landscaping truck overturned Thursday morning on Veterans Memorial Highway at Harned Road in Commack around 7:30, leaving a mess of grass that fell out of the truck. The driver and a passenger were taken to a local hospital with bruises, but the injuries were considered non-life threatening. Suffolk police Motor Carrier Safety Unit officers were investigating the crash. Photo by James Carbone

Charlie Armstrong; Bob Santo, commander; Allen Schwartz, editor – The Greenlawn Bugle Post 1244; Legis. Steve Stern; Dennis Madden, 1st vice commander; and Allen Shaw, public affairs officer.

By Nancy P. Jacobsen

Suffolk County Legis. Steve Stern (D-Huntington) recently presented the Greenlawn American Legion Post 1244 with a proclamation for being awarded 1st Place in the New York American Legion Press Association’s Best Paper Contest 2009.

The “Greenlawn Bugle” is the official newsletter of the Greenlawn American Legion Post 1244 and this year marks its 10th Commemorative Edition. Every member of the post shares this honor because it is their support, participation and wonderful experiences that makes this publication such a success. The Greenlawn American Legion Post 1244 is one of only three American Legion Posts in the Town of Huntington.

The post consists of a majority of WW II and Korean War veterans and draws from throughout the Town of Huntington. “I am proud to have been able to have secured funding for this vitally important organization. This legislative grant will assist the Greenlawn American Legion Post 1244 with publishing and mailing “The Greenlawn Bugle” to all members, veterans, as well as community groups so that they may be aware of all the support this outstanding organization gives to communities throughout the Town of Huntington and Suffolk County,” Stern said.

Nancy P. Jacobsen is a legislative aide to Stern.

An officer with a Suffolk County Police motor carrier safety unit in Fort Salonga writes a summons to a landscaping truck in a parking lot on the corner of Cheese and Bread Hollow Road and Route 25A as part of crackdown on unsafe trucks after a crash nearby on Monday that left a woman dead after a garbage truck fell on top of her car. The truck above was cited for having fuel unsecured; driver was unlicensed; driver went through stop sign; no signal light; and no brake-away system, between truck and trailer. Photo by James Carbone

For a story on the inspections, click here.