Community Corner
Week in Review: Tree Trimmer Dies; Sonic's Plans Denied
Check out the top local headlines from the past week.
Tree Trimmer Killed in Nissequogue
A South Carolina tree trimmer was killed on Thursday, according to Suffolk County Police, after a broken limb struck him in the head in Nissequogue.
Police said the man – 36-year-old David Freberg, of York, S.C. – was attempting to trim a fallen tree in the woods around 12:15 p.m. behind 42 James Neck Rd. Freberg was employed by Patriot Tree Service.
Smithtown BZA Votes Down Sonic's Plans for Nesconset
Fast-food drive-in Sonic will not be one of several restaurants opening in near Smith Haven Mall.
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The Town of Smithtown's Board of Zoning Appeals voted 3-2 on Tuesday night to deny Serota Smith LLC a special exception permit to build a Sonic restaurant on the southeast corner of Middle Country Road and Alexander Avenue in Nesconset, across from Smith Haven Mall.
Smithtown Schools to Complete Full 180-Day Year
With word spreading of possible legislation allowing school districts to reduce the school year no more than 10 days due to Hurricane Sandy keeping kids at home, the Smithtown Central School District still plans to have kids in class for the full 180 day school year.
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If the legislation to approve a shortened school year would be passed, Superintendent Anthony Annunziatio said the district would have to discuss having a shortened school year from an instructional standpoint.
Eateries Suffer Irreparable Losses from Power Outages
Businesses are back to operating regularly now that power has been restored in Smithtown after Hurricane Sandy, but the two weeks without it caused irreparable damage to some, specifically in the food industry.
"We emptied out our whole store, there was nothing left," said Frank Mannino, owner of Mannino’s on Main Street.
Paving on Route 347 between Route 454 and Route 111 will resume Friday night, resulting in single-lane traffic, according to the New York State Department of Transportation.
The DOT expects paving to be finished by Nov. 30.
All paving will be done at night, according to the DOT, with Route 347 to be finished first, then Route 111 from Sherbrook Drive south to Hauppauge High School.
Peter Valenti opened Changes Salon roughly two years ago near Uncle Giuseppe's in the Village Center on Route 111, and in these two years he said the attention to providing the best products and services has garnered the salon much success. In addition to the products and services, the education Valenti provides to his staff on current products and trends and the personal attention his staff gives to the "guests" – never referred to as customers or clients – is what he feels are the greatest strengths of the salon.
Firefighters Deliver 26-Foot Box Truck of Supplies to Breezy Point
The St. James Fire District held a supplies drive Friday and Saturday for the Breezy Point Volunteer Fire Department and the Breezy Point community, which accrued enough donations to fill a 26-foot box truck.
Dan Jordan, 20 year member and former chairman of the St. James Fire District, was impressed by the generosity, which came from far and wide.
