Long Island briefs

HUNTINGTON TOWN

Search-warrant revisions eyed

A policy change proposed for Huntington Town would target suspected illegal apartment operators by giving residents less notice when the town wants to get a search warrant for their property.

Town code currently says officials can apply for a search warrant to do an inspection of a property when the "owner refuses, or fails, after due notice by certified mail" to allow the inspection and there is reasonable cause to believe that there has been a violation.

The proposed amendment aims to remove the certified mail requirement. Town attorney Cindy Elan-Mangano said at the August town board meeting that 99 percent of the town's search warrants involve suspected illegal apartments.

Elan-Mangano said there have been "too many incidences" where once the property owner gets the notice, he or she then removes the tenants, removes/fixes the violations, and allows the inspection. But, once the check is done, they go back to operating illegal apartments, she said.

Illegal apartments can be "dangerous, overcrowded and unsanitary," she said.

"The town has an interest in making sure our residents live in safe and sanitary conditions," Elan-Mangano said.

The town board held a public hearing on the proposal at its August meeting. One woman spoke, questioning the constitutionality of the proposal.

SUFFOLK COUNTY

Libertarians pitch candidate for DA

Libertarians have put up their own candidate for Suffolk County district attorney.

Although Libertarians are not a formally recognized statewide party, the group has filed petitions to gain an independent ballot line to run Christopher Garvey of Amityville for district attorney.

Parties need to get 50,000 votes in a gubernatorial election to be recognized as an official party.

The same group also is running Michael Houze of Huntington Station for county sheriff and Gene Farmer of Centereach for county treasurer.

In Huntington, the Libertarians also filed petitions to run the Republican slate of Eugene Cook for town supervisor, and Joshua Price and Mark Mayoka for town board. Countering that move, Huntington Democratic Supervisor Frank Petrone and his town board slate have filed petitions for a "Stop the LIPA Tax Hike" ballot line.

And in Babylon, Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer has filed petitions for a separate ballot line for his slate under the name "The Schaffer Team."

Not to be outdone, Linda Kabot, Republican Southampton supervisor candidate, also has filed for an independent ballot line for her slate under the name "Southampton Now." Kabot earlier petitioned to wage a write-in primary to get the Conservative line in a race where there is no party nominee, but any potential candidate can now compete.

Each group is required to have 1,500 eligible signatures to qualify for the ballot.

EAST HAMPTON TOWN

Town eyes wastewater treatment options

After more than a year of debate over what to do with East Hampton's now-closed scavenger waste treatment plant -- it currently is used only as a holding tank for sewage trucks -- the town will start a comprehensive review of its wastewater treatment options and costs, beginning with a public meeting Monday at 1 p.m. in Town Hall to discuss the scope of the $200,000 study.

Expected to take six to nine months to complete, the study is designed to come up with an action plan outlying how to cope with the growing need for sewage treatment services that have overwhelmed existing treatment facilities, from private cesspools to the municipal sewage treatment plant.

"We have businesses that have to be pumped out four times a year . . . that's expensive," said town environmental protection director Kimberly Shaw.

The study will look at three related areas -- wastewater management, scavenger waste management and water quality monitoring. Once those broad goals are dealt with, further studies are expected to deal with specific engineering issues such as the possible repair and expansion of the town's scavenger waste treatment plant.

That plant on Springs-Fireplace Road was designed to treat 45,000 gallons of scavenger waste a day, but was closed in late 2011 because it failed to meet state environmental standards. Last October, the town board voted to spend more than $200,000 to remove more than a decade's accumulation of dried sludge and scum in its treatment beds, which created pollution problems when they flooded because of a heavy rain.

The town board last year looked at the possibility of turning the plant over to a private operator, but balked at the concept when one private operator said it would take over the plant only if it could expand the plant's capacity to justify the expense of repairs and upgrades.

At Monday's meeting, Pio Lombardo, a principal of Lombardo Associates, will give a presentation on wastewater and scavenger waste issues, while Kevin Phillips and Stephanie Davis of the FPM Group will talk about proposed water quality monitoring.

SOUTHAMPTON TOWN

$10,000 set aside to help fight pollution

Southampton Town has become the latest East End government to join an effort to fight pollution in the Peconic Estuary system.

Southampton last week allocated $10,000 to join the Peconic Estuary Protection Committee. Brookhaven, Southold, Shelter Island and East Hampton towns have passed similar resolutions. Riverhead Town and several villages on the banks of the Peconic Estuary, as well as Suffolk County, are being asked to enter into the intermuncipal agreement.

Funded by yearly contributions from municipalities, the group aims to fund water quality research in the Peconic Estuary, restore surrounding tidal wetland, and control and reduce pollution in the area.

Local governments and environmentalists have recently been emphasizing nitrogen that seeps out of aging septic systems in the area.

The Southampton money comes from a stormwater management plan.

EAST HAMPTON VILLAGE

Eight children to get $750 each for college

Eight children of East Hampton Village employees have gotten a pleasant surprise gift as the new college season approaches -- each is getting $750 tuition aid grants.

The gift was approved last week by the East Hampton Village board.

After the unanimous vote, Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. said no taxpayer money was involved in the gift. It was, he said, a donation made by an anonymous village resident who "wanted to do something" for his village.

WANTAGH

Free skin cancer screening offered

State Sen. Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. (R-Merrick), in collaboration with the Colette Coyne Melanoma Awareness Campaign, will sponsor a free skin cancer screening program Thursday in Wantagh.

The event will be held from noon to 3:30 p.m. at the Wantagh Park Pool, 1 King Rd. in Wantagh.

Skin cancer screenings will be conducted by trained dermatologists, including Dr. Jeff Ellis and Dr. Amy Slear from Belaray Dermatology, Dr. Steve McClain of McClain Labs, and doctors from Stony Brook Dermatology.

Residents will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointments are required. For more information, call Fuschillo's office at 516-882-0630.

ISLIP TOWN

Prep course for hurricane season

With hurricane season looming, Islip Town will host a free hurricane preparedness forum on Aug. 28 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at 199 Lowell Ave. in Central Islip. The forum is co-sponsored by the food service company Sysco Long Island and is open to the public.

Government and emergency service officials will be on hand to talk about preparations as well as storm forecasts for the town. Attending agencies include the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, LIPA and National Grid, and representatives from the Islip Planning Department will talk about flood areas in the town and possible evacuation plans. County emergency officials and Red Cross representatives will also be at the forum.

"While we cannot control weather, we can control our preparation and response to it," Councilwoman Trish Bergin Weichbrodt said in a news release. "Nearly 9,000 Islip residents were asked to evacuate leading up to Super Storm Sandy, and no part of the Town was untouched by its devastation. We strongly recommend residents to attend this most worthwhile event to learn how to prepare and protect themselves and their property before a storm hits and not after."

EAST NORTHPORT

Boy fundraises for ill cousin he's not met

Alex Caren has already raised $2,100 this month on behalf of his third cousin's battle with cystic fibrosis, and the 12-year-old hasn't even met her yet.

As part of his "good deed" project for his bar mitzvah on Nov. 30, Alex is raising funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in honor of 13-year-old Courtney Starr, of Jacksonville, Fla., who was diagnosed at birth with the chronic disease of the lungs and digestive system.

"I wanted to give back to my family so I thought it would be a good idea to help find a cure for my cousin," said Alex, of East Northport.

Alex said funds raised at Lazerland in Commack on Aug. 11 will go directly to the foundation to help fund research. From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., all of Lazerland's revenue -- $1,500 -- went to the foundation.

Courtney's father Steve Starr, 39, has raised nearly $50,000 for the foundation.

"We're not only raising awareness in Jacksonville, but also in New York," he said. "That's the key to educating people and funding new drugs to stop the progression of the deadly illness."

Starr said Courtney's mother had complications during her pregnancy that triggered the disease, which causes the body to develop a thick mucus that makes breathing difficult. If the mucus clumps, it can lead to bacterial infections, Starr said, adding that his daughter takes 50 pills a day and is hospitalized twice a year.

Alex's mother Sue said though great strides have been made with cystic fibrosis, the average life expectancy is only 37 years, so her family wants to do what it can.

Starr said his family is going to Alex's bar mitzvah in November. He's excited for his daughter to meet her cousin for the first time.

WANTAGH

Woofstock festival promotes adoptions

Dolores Stormo of Oceanside started her career in the music industry working at Colombia Records and EMI Records. She loved being in the entertainment business until a part-time volunteer stint at Bideawee Animal Shelter made her realize her true passion -- helping abandoned animals.

"I made a career change," said Stormo, who began working as the volunteer coordinator for the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in 2011, after Bideawee Animal Shelter in Wantagh closed.

Stormo was able to combine her passions and celebrate her love for music and animals on Saturday at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter's inaugural Free Love Woofstock and Newpurrt Festival.

Organized to promote the shelter's Summer of Love Pet Adoption program, which waives all adoption fees between June and September, Woofstock fell on the anniversary of the final day of 1969's Woodstock, as well as National Adopt a Black Cat Day.

"Our busiest time for animals coming into the shelter sadly is summer," said assistant shelter director Stacie DaBolt, of East Meadow. "It's also kitten season, when litters are born almost every day."

Visitors were treated to live music, giveaways and entertainment. More than 30 volunteers were present, offering basic dog training, conducting agility demonstrations, answering questions and introducing guests to the shelter's furry residents. There are about 150 dogs and 80 cats currently living in the shelter.

Kandace Westhoff of Bethpage is fostering her third dog from the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter, a rescue named Ms. Maude.

"I have dogs of my own that I've rescued from shelters, and I'd love to adopt more, but I can't bring them all home," Westhoff said. "Fostering gives me the opportunity to take a dog out of the shelter, love it and become an advocate for it."