This week in Huntington newsletter: Northport mayor, two new trustees look ahead

Happy Friday! I see we have a bunch more subscribers this week, so if you’re new to this newsletter, welcome! 

Last week I mentioned the distinction between a village and downtown, adding that Huntington has four villages. One of them, Northport, had an election last week, and its incumbent mayor, Donna Koch, won a second four-year term.

Koch, a former village clerk, told me she was "very humbled" to have been reelected. “The village is in a very good place and we want to continue that, while continuing to keep our historic, rich nature,” she said.

Her top priorities will be to ensure the Lewis Oliver Farm Sanctuary is preserved and to continue with stormwater abatement efforts, she said. I reported two years ago that the nonprofit that runs the farm sanctuary said it needed help.

Joining Koch on the five-member board will be two new trustees: James Izzo and Monica Zenyuh, who both ran unopposed.

Zenyuh, 52, a sixth-grade English teacher in the Harborfields school district, told me she's always been involved with the community, mostly through environmental initiatives. 

She said the idea to run was sparked by the community wrestling, sometimes contentiously, with whether to expand a basketball court in Cow Harbor Park. “In sitting in the meetings, I thought, 'I think I can make a difference if I was on the board,'” she said.

Zenyuh plans to use her education background to inform her neighbors. “I hope to educate the community about environmental issues, community service initiatives; I want to get Northport High School involved in community projects in the village,” she said.

Izzo, 69, is a longtime business owner in the village and former president of the chamber of commerce. Although he ran four years ago for a board seat and lost, he thought it was worth it to try again. He told me he hopes to use his business acumen to help address a perennial problem for many municipalities: parking and the high cost of adding more.

“Maybe there are ways to pay for it outside of the tax base,” he said. “Maybe we can go after some grants, or some outside funding.”

What do you think is the best way to serve your community? Tell me at deborah.morris@newsday.com.

A glimpse at Melville's future

I thought it was interesting that about 50 residents showed up at Town Hall last week to share their comments on the first application to build within the Melville Town Center Overlay District — and that their comments were basically split between those for and against the ambitious plan.

The Melville Crossing proposal, by Bethpage-based Steel Equities, calls for 400 housing units, a pool, clubhouse, parking and ground-floor retail space. The development would be at the northeast corner of Maxess Road and Corporate Center Drive. 

Supporters say the plan will offer much-needed affordable housing, while others are concerned about impact on quality-of-life issues and schools. The push to develop within the overlay district will be interesting to watch in the years to come. As for what's next regarding this plan: The town board has 90 days to approve the application.

How do you feel about the movement to build anew in Melville? Let me know at deborah.morris@newsday.com.

Elsewhere in town

• A Huntington teen is pursuing a Gold Award, the highest achievement attainable within the Girl Scouts. Chloe Donovan, a Huntington High School junior, teaches ballet to youth through free weekly lessons. My colleague Michael R. Ebert interviewed her recently.

• Baseball is back and so are the Mets. And with ongoing construction of a sports and entertainment district around Citi Field, officials recently announced expanded transportation options to get to the ballpark. Among them: buses from Walt Whitman Shops in Huntington Station. Check out my colleague Ben Dickson's story. 

• Watch out for deer: Newsday's Peter Gill wrote about the record-high number of deer collisions on Long Island and interviewed Lloyd Harbor Mayor Jean Thatcher about it. She called it "an extremely serious problem of public safety, public health and environmental degradation." 

• A Pakistani restaurant has opened in Huntington Station: the Frontier Karahi House. Check out Andi Berlin's story here.

• The Sunnyside Diner in Huntington has closed less than a year after it opened on New York Avenue. Former manager Lucio Alfaro talked to our Melissa Azofeifa about it earlier this week.

Things to do

Check out some things to do around town in the coming week.

Community paper-shredding

When: Tuesday, March 31, 1-3 p.m.
What: Paper-shredding service for residents to safely dispose of paper documents containing personal and sensitive information.

Where: Town of Huntington Senior Center, Flanagan Center parking lot, 423 Park Ave., Huntington

Information: Go to the town's Facebook page. 

Compass of Hope gathering

When: Tuesday, March 31, 6:30 p.m.

What: Compass of Hope was created, according to a release announcing the event, "to foster connection, compassion, and access to local mental health resources following several losses within the community."

Where: Congregational Church of Huntington, Centerport

Information: Free and open to the public; registration is not required. Contact Jennifer McNaughton at compassofhope2022@gmail.com for more.

Meet your newest town board member

When: Tuesday, March 31, 5-7 p.m. 

What: Councilwoman Jennifer Hebert begins “Let’s Talk, Huntington,” the first in a monthly community Q&A series with residents. The initiative is designed to create a welcoming space where residents can connect directly with their local government. 

Where: South Huntington Public Library, 145 Pigeon Hill Rd., Huntington Station

Information: For more, check here. 

Find more things to do at newsday.com/lifestyle.