Week in Review: Tattoo Convention; Deli Gets Sign, Awning

When it comes to meeting state Education Department academic goals, the Smithtown Central School District is largely holding steady despite tightening school budgets and new state mandates, with slight dips in scores from fifth grade and up.

That’s according to a report revealing English and math test scores for elementary and middle school students recently released by the state’s education department. 

The Suffolk County Department of Health Services announced Thursday that 46 mosquito samples tested positive for West Nile virus throughout Suffolk County, including two in Nesconset.

With Friday's announcement, SCDHS has confirmed 125 mosquito samples and 13 birds have tested positive for West Nile Virus this year.  

The Smithtown Central School Districts’s Annual Professional Performance Review agreement with the Smithtown Teachers Association was unanimously approved by the Board of Education. 

According to a Times of Smithtown report, the approval came roughly three weeks after the state’s July 1 deadline.

Although a stop work order issued in June temporarily derailed work on the soon-to-be deli taking over the former home to , the work at Nino's Delicatessen has continued with the addition of a sign and awning.

The stop work order was issued by the Town of Smithtown for work done on the building's exterior because of a variance that was needed to install a window on the east side of the building, according to deli owner Anthony Garofalo. That window has since been installed.

Following a car crash in July that sent him, his wife and his daughter careening into the back of a 7-Eleven on Motor Parkway, a Westbury man now faces felony aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree manslaughter, and DWI charges under Leandra's Law after his 10-month-old daughter died of brain injuries last week.

The closing of Creative Playthings on Middle Country Road in Smithtown left a vacancy in a shopping center with two other thriving, open businesses.

The former home to Creative Playthings is surrounded by Bullseye Wholesale Beverage and . While the Smithtown location is closed, there is currently an open location in Hauppauge, located at 740 Old Willets Path.

Thousands of tattoo fans got tattooed, pierced and purchased tattoo paraphernalia at the Nassau Coliseum convention center this past weekend for the  tattoo convention, the first convention on Long Island hosted by Tattoo Lou's owner Lou Rubino.

“Artists were very happy and many have told me it was the best convention they have worked at in many years,” said Rubino. “They were asking about pre-booking for next year.”