Long Island briefs

ROCKY POINT

Street dedication

honors WWII vet

A Rocky Point street will be dedicated tomorrow in honor of longtime community resident Frank W. Celentano.

The late World War II veteran's name will appear on street signs at three intersections along King Road, said Frank Petrignani, a Town of Brookhaven Highway Department spokesman. King Road will keep its official name.

Signs honoring Celentano have been added where King Road intersects with Begonia Road, Broadway and Harding Street, Petrignani said.

Brookhaven Town officials and members of Celentano's family are scheduled to gather at 2 p.m. tomorrow for a dedication ceremony at King and Begonia roads. Celentano lived near the intersection for almost 50 years before he died last year. He was 90.

Celentano, a Marine who attained the rank of private first class, took part in battles on the South Pacific islands of Roi and Namur in the Marshall Islands. He lost a hand when a grenade exploded while he fought a Japanese soldier.

He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Navy Cross, the Marine Corps' second-highest honor for valor.

Despite missing a hand, he played handball and held jobs in which he laid bricks, moved furniture and painted walls. He and his late wife, Eileen, raised nine children and had more than 50 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

LAWRENCE

Mayor submits plans

to fix piers in Boston

Lawrence Village Mayor Martin Oliner and his companies have submitted plans to the city of Boston to rebuild two piers that Massachusetts officials say are badly in need of repairs, a spokeswoman for the Boston mayor's office said.

Oliner is the sole manager of two companies that own a pair of piers at the Charlestown Navy Yard that city and state officials say are in a dangerous state of disrepair. The Massachusetts attorney general on Aug. 1 filed a request for an injunction to order the piers to be fixed.

Oliner this week submitted replacement plans to Boston's Conservation Commission, the spokeswoman for Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said Wednesday. The plans have not yet been reviewed by city staff, the spokeswoman said.

The Conservation Commission could consider the plans at its Sept. 4 meeting if city staff determine them to be complete, the spokeswoman said. An earlier set of replacement plans submitted by Oliner were incomplete, city officials have said.

Oliner has said the replacement could cost up to $5 million.

Suffolk Superior Court Justice Elizabeth M. Fahey is still considering Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley's request for an injunction. Fahey issued an order on Aug. 8 that temporarily enforced the injunction until she makes a ruling.

Coakley also has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $10 million in civil penalties from Oliner and the two companies for violating the state's Waterways Act. The case is scheduled to resume in Superior Court on Sept. 9.

NASSAU COUNTY

More cash benefits

for local veterans

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced yesterday that his Veterans Service Agency has secured a record amount of cash benefits for local veterans, increasing the amount of cash awards to Nassau veterans from $929,921 in 2006 to $5 million in the first half of 2013.

"That's a pace to secure a record breaking $10 million for local veterans this year," Mangano said in a statement.

Mangano also reminded veterans that "the first step in filing a benefits claim for an injury or sickness as a result of military service is to enroll at the Veterans Affairs hospital nearest to their home."

Mangano added praise for his appointee, Veterans Service Agency Director Joseph Pascarella. "From the time Joe came on board, he and his staff have cared for our veterans better than has ever been done before," Mangano said in the statement.

Any veteran who is coping with a military service-related injury or illness, including PTSD and Agent Orange, might be eligible to receive a monthly cash benefit.

Pascarella said in the statement that the agency "is here to assist our veterans in filling out forms every day, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. We have all the information a veteran needs right here, in one place. No veteran will be turned away by us and there won't be any delays since our staff has the experience and knowledge to serve our veterans."

For more information, veterans can visit the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency at 2201 Hempstead Tpke., Building "Q," in East Meadow (along the entrance road of Nassau University Medical Center) or can call 516-572-6565. If transportation is needed, please call 516-572-6526.

SOUTHAMPTON

Hospital heart center

has groundbreaking

Southampton residents soon will have greater access to cardiovascular services, thanks to a new addition at Southampton Hospital.

The hospital broke ground last week on the new Audrey and Martin Gruss Heart and Stroke Center, named after the benefactors who donated $5 million for the facility.

"It is well-known that the over-50 age group has the highest probability of experiencing a stroke or heart attack. With many of us spending months or weekends year-round in Southampton and the East End, Martin and I felt it was important that our local hospital have the capability to conduct stroke and vascular distress intervention," said Audrey Gruss, president of the Audrey and Martin Gruss Foundation.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among all Americans, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It was the leading cause of death for Long Islanders in 2011, the last year for which data was available, according to the state Department of Health.

Construction on the state-of-the-art facility is slated to begin this fall.

When completed, the center will include an advanced endovascular surgical suite, a noninvasive cardiovascular suite and a stroke and heart simulation education center. The new facility will provide stroke treatment and carotid stents as needed without residents having to travel to central Long Island.

"This critically important initiative will undoubtedly save lives, and we are grateful for the Grusses' generosity and commitment to quality health care in our community," said Robert S. Chaloner, president and chief executive of Southampton Hospital.

STONY BROOK

Paving project

reroutes traffic today

A paving project on a section of Stony Brook Road is expected to reroute traffic today in Stony Brook.

Access to Stony Brook Road from State Route 25A will be blocked because of the project, a spokesman for the Brookhaven Town Highway Department said yesterday in a statement. The road is expected to reopen tomorrow.

There will be limited access to Stony Brook Road between State Route 347 and the South Drive entrance to Stony Brook University, the statement said.

HEMPSTEAD TOWN

Dates set for county

taxpayer assistance

Nassau County's Department of Assessment will present a taxpayer assistance outreach program in several communities in the Town of Hempstead.

Equipped with computers linked to the county's database, Department of Assessment staff will process property tax exemption applications on-site for senior citizens, people on disability, veterans, volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians.

The staff also will review home improvement exemptions, the Basic School Tax Relief (STAR) property tax exemption -- for residents who own a home, condominium or cooperative apartment with an annual household income of less than $500,000 -- and Enhanced STAR, for people 65 years or older with annual incomes of less than $81,900.

Taxpayers can pick up or drop off their applications. Exemption specialists will provide assistance and answer questions. The program will be offered from 1 to 3 p.m. on:

Tuesday, Sept. 3 at the Merrick Public Library, 2279 Merrick Ave.

Wednesday, Sept. 4 at the Elmont Public Library, 700 Hempstead Tpke.

Tuesday, Sept. 10 at the East Meadow Public Library, 1886 Front St.

Friday, Sept. 13 at the Wantagh Public Library, 3285 Park Ave.

Tuesday, Sept. 24 at the North Merrick Public Library, 1691 Meadowbrook Rd.

Friday, Sept. 27 at the Roosevelt Public Library, 27 West Fulton Ave.

For more information, contact the Department of Assessment Exemptions Division at 516-571-1500 or visit www.mynassauproperty.com.

BRENTWOOD

Athlete completes

Himalayas marathon

Silence greeted Craig Longobardi as he crossed the finish line of the most difficult and unforgettable marathon he'd ever attempted.

But that didn't matter much to him. On May 29, Longobardi, 35, completed the highest altitude marathon in the world, the Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon in the Himalayas.

"It was no Long Island marathon. There was no cheering crowd to greet us, but it felt amazing to finish," said Longobardi, of Brentwood. "The whole trip was surreal."

The Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon has been held annually since 2003 to honor the first successful ascent of Mount Everest by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary on May 29, 1953. This year's production included the 60k Extreme Everest Diamond Jubilee Ultramarathon, Longobardi's event, in addition to the half and full marathons to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the duo's climbing accomplishment.

From the starting line at the Everest Base Camp at the edge of Khumbu Icefall at 17,598 feet, the 134 participants raced uphill to 18,200 feet, then down the mountain to end at Namche Bazaar, at 11,306 feet.

For Longobardi, an experienced Ironman triathlete and avid mountain biker, the mostly downhill trek was just another challenge. He has coached triathlon teams and was assistant race director for the Long Island Triathlon series from 2001 to 2006.

Longobardi finished the ultramarathon in just under 15 hours, which put him in first place this year among Americans, fifth among international hikers, and 11th overall, according to the race website.

"At times, we couldn't even make out the path," said Longobardi, an aviation maintenance technician involved in search and rescue for the Coast Guard. "We hiked along four-foot wide trails, slippery crags, jagged rocks and suspension bridges. It was definitely an adventure."

But Longobardi is not satisfied yet. Next year, he hopes to be the first to summit Mount Everest and complete the marathon in the same day.

LONG BEACH

LI lifeguards win gold

in national contest

Long Beach lifeguard James Canner is used to rescuing swimmers, but on Aug. 10 he found himself playing the role of the helpless victim as he waded in the Pacific Ocean, 120 meters from the shore of Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Canner, 18, was not permitted to do anything more than kick his legs as he waited for fellow lifeguard Tim Cabasino to "rescue" him during the finals of the "landline" event at the 2013 United States Lifesaving Association National Lifeguard Championships.

Once there, Cabasino, 22, handed Canner a buoy, which was attached to a long rope that stretched to the beach. Then, Cabasino signaled their teammates -- Phil Cabasino, 25, Tim's brother, and PJ Gillespie, 24 -- who were on land, to pull them in.

The race didn't end when they reached the shore. Since the victim is not permitted to stand, Gillespie and the Cabasino brothers had to lift Canner and carry him across the finish line for the win.

The event was over within three minutes, but the pursuit of a gold medal in an open division national lifeguard tournament has been a long one for Long Beach.

Long Beach lifeguards have been competing in USLA events since the 1970s, but this is the first time they've ever finished first in an open event at nationals, Phil Cabasino said.

The team also won gold in the "rescue" race. In this event, Canner, the "victim," had to race out to a flag located 120 meters off shore. Once he hit the flag, Tim Cabasino could swim out to "save" him, but instead of getting pulled in by their teammates on land, Tim Cabasino had to single-handedly get Canner to shore.

On Tuesday night at City Hall, Long Beach officials presented team members with a proclamation to recognize their achievement.