Long Island briefs

GARDEN CITY

Children's museum gets $150G donation

The Long Island Children's Museum has received a $150,000 donation from the John and Janet Kornreich Charitable Foundation to support the museum's efforts to educate underserved children and families in the community.

The Garden City-based museum's community access program provides free admission and resources to children and families who may not be able to pay to visit the 40,000-square-foot museum. The grant from the Old Westbury-based nonprofit will support programming with education and child advocacy groups for three years, museum officials said.

"The Foundation's long-standing support of the museum speaks volumes about their commitment to Long Island and their desire to ensure that all children in our community have access to the range of enrichment experiences offered through . . . interactive exhibits and dynamic workshops and performances," museum president Suzanne LeBlanc said in a statement.

Among the groups the donation will assist are school districts surrounding the museum, including Hempstead, Uniondale and Westbury, as well as the Bethany House in Roosevelt, Regina Residence in Merrick, Friedberg JCC of Long Beach, Sunrise Day Camp in Wyandanch and the Henry Viscardi School in Albertson, officials said.

KISMET

Wine store owner seeks support for bar

A Kismet wine store owner seeking to build a bar has the support of his neighbors, but that support only extends to him.

Jake Perdie, former manager of Jamesport Vineyards on the North Fork, wants to build a small wine bar in his Beach and Vine wine store on Pine Street, next to a 20-unit condo building, and is seeking the appropriate zoning change and special permits.

Perdie said at an Islip Town Board meeting last week that the bar would be limited to "flights, tastings, and glasses of wine and beer only," with an emphasis on "providing education about the growth of our local wine industry and craft beers." Since the store is only 200 square feet, the bar will have 25 seats outside, with table service and no live music, Perdie said. Cheese, dried meats and olives would be the only food served.

A handful of condo residents and neighbors voiced reserved enthusiasm but also some concerns about future use of the special permit, which allows for a bar, tavern or nightclub.

"This is not against Jake. He's a very nice neighbor and a nice kid," said resident Don Baker. "We're just afraid of this change to business."

Others said once the zoning change is in place, a true nightclub could open in the future.

"We're interested in seeing him [Perdie] succeed and try to help him get what he wants and get what the community wants," said Kismet resident Sam Wood. "It just seems to me there's got to be a plan B for some kind of temporary special permit."

Board chairman John Schettino said he was concerned about the outdoor nature of the bar given its proximity to the condos, and wondered if customers also would be standing in the bar. "Could you fit 100 people back there?" Schettino asked.

"I don't think you could fit 100," Perdie said, and noted he intended only table service.

The planning board, citing concerns that not all residents received notice of the meeting, adjourned the hearing to take additional comments.

NORTH HEMPSTEAD

Board to vote on solar station at landfills

The North Hempstead town board will hold a special meeting tonight to vote on allowing a private company to install solar panels on the town's two Port Washington landfills.

The board will consider leasing the two landfills to SunEdison Government Solutions LLC, which would construct two 2-megawatt solar energy-generating plants on the sites.

An informal public meeting on the plan held last week in Port Washington last week drew dozens of nearby residents, many of whom expressed concerns about the proposal.

If the board votes to approve the plan, the company will apply to be included in PSEG Long Island's solar energy purchasing program, which has an application deadline of Jan. 31. The utility will purchase 100 megawatts of solar power under the plan.

Tonight's meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at North Hempstead Town Hall, 220 Plandome Rd. in Manhasset.

NASSAU COUNTY

Grant to help group explore options to jail

The Hempstead-based Leadership Training Institute has received a $300,000 state grant to operate a program with the Nassau County Correctional Center for alternatives to jail.

The institute, a nonprofit agency with youth as its primary focus, will use the grant from the state Division of Criminal Justice Services to provide behavioral programming and evidence-based services to 135 jail inmates -- men and women ages 16-24 -- at the site and after their release. The program will integrate employment and, for those without a high school diploma, General Educational Development preparation.

Institute executive director Mel Jackson said the program will have classes of 15 inmates, "who will have been extensively prescreened and are expected to work very hard to change the thinking process that got them there."

Nassau Sheriff Michael J. Sposato, who is responsible for the correctional facility, called the program vital.

"The Nassau County Sheriff's Department has partnered with LTI in the past and believes this significant project will have long-term benefits for the offenders, their families and their communities."

The Nassau Education and Assistance Corp., and the Suffolk EAC Inc, also received grants of $225,000 and $250,000, respectively, for programs to help nonviolent drug offenders receive treatment instead of jail.

BROOKHAVEN TOWN

Single-stream recycling effort underway

A record amount of paper, plastic and other recyclables was collected by the Town of Brookhaven in the first week of its single-stream recycling program, officials announced.

The Department of Waste Management received almost 1,171 tons of recyclables from carters on Jan. 8 and 9. The amount was almost three times the 2013 average weekly collection of 436 tons, town officials said in a news release.

The previous weekly record was 780.55 tons collected on Jan. 26, 2011.

Brookhaven changed its recycling program this month to collect paper and plastics together. Previously, residents could not combine plastics and paper for pickup.

Officials have said the town expects to earn about $125 for each additional ton of collected recyclables, through selling the material and paying less to dispose of it.

Brookhaven officials cited studies that showed communities with single-stream recycling collect 20 percent to 30 percent more material than those without the program.

The town also expects to earn more revenue by accepting material from municipalities that cannot process single-stream recyclables, officials said.

FARMINGDALE

Parking violators face higher fines

The Village of Farmingdale has raised fines for delinquent parking violations.

Fines to motorists who fail to pay tickets after 60 days will increase by as much as $100, depending on the violation.

Farmingdale village administrator Brian Harty said they've had problems with people not paying their fines, which eventually leads to court action. The higher delinquent fines are intended to be an incentive to get people to pay their tickets sooner.

"It costs them less to pay earlier," Harty said. "We're hopeful people will pay their fine on time -- it makes everybody's life a lot easier."

A $25 fine for violations such as parking in the wrong direction in a municipal parking lot or parking across multiple parking spaces increases to $50 after 30 days and will now go to $100 after 60 days. A $50 fine for parking in spaces marked "no parking" or "no stopping" or exceeding a timed parking limit goes up to $100 after 30 days and will now go up to $250 after 60 days.

Harty said the village's recently introduced online payment system has made paying tickets more convenient.

PLAINVIEW

8-year-old vows to return after NFL loss

Sebastian Lippman, 8, of Plainview, came up short in the national NFL Punt, Pass and Kick competition Saturday.

After two attempts at delivering his longest and most accurate combined punt, pass and kick at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo., the second-grader at Pasadena Elementary School in Plainview didn't win. He was ranked first in his division going into the event.

"He didn't perform as well as he did in the past," said Sebastian's father, Lon Lippman.

Sebastian, who had beat kids from across the New York tri-state area in December to represent the New York Jets in the national championship, lost to Marco Damiani, 7, of Cambridge, Wis., who was playing on behalf of the Green Bay Packers.

"He put up tremendous scores," Lon Lippman said of Damiani, whose winning kick sailed more than 82 feet. He threw the ball 65 feet and punted it more than 60 feet. Sebastian's scores were not available.

"After I lost, my heart was broken," Sebastian said.

Although disappointed with his performance, Sebastian said the experience was exciting. He said he went dog sledding during a snowstorm with his father and younger brother, Landon, 5, and met Denver Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe at a reception for all the competition finalists.

He also participated in a passing exhibition held on the field before the start of Sunday's divisional playoff game between the Broncos and the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver.

"I still had fun," Sebastian said, adding that he's already looking ahead to next year's competition. "Next time, I can do better."

BETHPAGE

Student's dance routine honors mom

Bethpage High School junior Anna Lisa drew the spotlight in the final moments of the Bethpage Golden Girls' dance routine at Sunday's Long Island Kickline Association competition.

Every other member of the varsity kickline team had stopped dancing, placed hands over their hearts and turned to face Lisa, who was smiling as she held up a black cloth with the word "Mom" written on it.

The prop was to honor Anna's mother, Diane Lisa, who died in May of lung cancer. Throughout the dance routine, each girl took turns holding up the name of a loved one who had battled cancer.

"The people you're dancing for, you feel almost like they're in the room with you, watching," said Anna, 16, of Bethpage. "It's very special."

Coach Jeanne Novelli said she had been considering the idea of choreographing a cancer-themed routine for years. Her father, Toby Novelli, died in August 2005 after fighting the disease.

Novelli said she went into competition at Uniondale High School knowing the routine probably wouldn't win because the choreography -- which combines elements of pom, jazz, kick and hip hop -- defies some of the association's rules.

For instance, pompoms are not permitted in "dance" routines, Novelli said, but the Golden Girls use them throughout their performance, at one point forming two pink breast cancer awareness ribbons from them.

The Bethpage team placed third.

"For us, this year and this routine specifically is not about a trophy," Novelli said. "We're dancing for people who are still here and for those we lost, in honor of the fight they put up."

Novelli said she's been approached by audience members who have been moved by the routine, which is set to upbeat music including a remixed version of "I'll Stand By You" and "Survivor" by Destiny's Child.

"There's hope in it," Lisa said.