Long Island briefs

NASSAU COUNTY

Comptroller gives away holiday turkeys

Smiles abounded at the Hempstead Hispanic Civic Association Monday afternoon after Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos continued his Thanksgiving Turkey giveaway, leaving 15 of them with members of the association on North Main Street.

"I've done this before." said Maragos, who began his giveaway Saturday, "but this year I wanted it to be more personal."

Last Saturday, Maragos gave away 20 turkeys at Gateway Youth Outreach in Elmont, and Monday night he will give away 15 turkeys to the Boys and Girls Club of Hempstead. Wednesday, he said, he is giving 15 turkeys each to the Long Island Council of Churches and the Martin Luther King Center in Long Beach, as well as 30 turkeys to the Long Island Hispanic Pastoral Association.

Maragos praised the Stop & Shop supermarket in Carle Place, which he said charged him a low 59 cents a pound for the turkeys, which cost him $1,300.

"I feel blessed to be able to help those less fortunate enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner with their family. I encourage others to do the same," Maragos said.

HEMPSTEAD

Seminar will train attendees in Narcan

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano will host a free Lifesaving Overdose Prevention Seminar for residents at this year's Long Island Youth Safety Coalition conference. Attendees will learn when and how to administer the lifesaving antidote Narcan, and how to access help for those living with addiction. Trainees age 18 or older will receive a free Narcan kit at the end of the training.

"Nassau County is proud to partner with the Long Island Youth Safety Coalition to offer a free Lifesaving Overdose Prevention Seminar to help save young lives and give those with addiction another chance at recovery," Mangano said in a news release.

The seminar takes place on Dec. 11 at 3 p.m. at Hofstra University's Sondra and David S. Mack Student Center, located on the North Campus. It is offered in conjunction with the Long Island Youth Safety Coalition's 2015 Conference: The Danger Zone -- Keeping Our Youth Safe. For more information on the Youth Safety Conference, call 516-463-5750.

Heroin and prescription painkillers accounted for 190 deaths last year in Nassau County. A 2006 state law allows citizens to administer Narcan in an attempt to save a life, without the saver being at risk of being held liable. Narcan is administered through a nasal spray, and is provided at no charge to trainees over the age of 18. Nassau County behavioral health officials have trained more than 5,800 citizens since becoming state-certified as an overdose prevention program in October 2012.

The seminar schedule is available at www.nassaucountyny.gov/overdose. To RSVP and reserve your free Narcan kit, email elaikin@nassaucountyny.gov or call 516-571-6105.

NORTHPORT

DeChiaro finalist for 'Team Mom of Year'

Michele DeChiaro, 40, of Northport is representing the Northport Football Youth Club as a finalist for the 2015 National Team Mom of the Year Award.

The contest is presented by USA Football and the walk-in medical center MinuteClinic and seeks to represent the millions of moms who support football programs across the country. Over 1,500 women were nominated by their leagues or high schools and DeChiaro was recently named one of 10 finalists.

"I was waiting until Monday morning, checking my email like a crazy person," said the mother of four. "Then when I found out, I was so excited."

DeChiaro is the team mom for the entire league of 14 teams. As a team mom, she is responsible for selecting and ordering uniforms for the league, organizing team pictures, assisting in fundraising efforts and helping to plan parties and events. She has created a Friday night fitness class for the teams' parents and has brought oranges for her son's team at halftime.

The league has about 275 kids playing and DeChiaro became the league mom last year to open up communication with other team moms.

"She has a great personality," said Joseph Fortuna, president of the Northport Football Youth Club. "She's there to support everyone. It's all about community and she continues that even outside of football."

The winner of the contest will receive a $5,000 equipment grant for her league, a $500 gift spa certificate and a Team Mom jersey. The winner will be announced Dec. 16.

In regards to possibly winning the grand prize, DeChiaro is excited for the opportunity it could provide for the Northport football community.

"It would be awesome," DeChiaro said. "To show everyone that football is family. I think it's great."

BROOKHAVEN

Officials warn over deep-frying turkeys

Brookhaven Town officials are warning against deep-frying Thanksgiving Day turkeys.

Officials say some residents are frying turkeys in portable deep fryers. Last week, officials gave a demonstration showing the dangers associated with using hot oil to cook the turkeys.

Nationwide, deep-fryer fires are annually responsible for five deaths, 60 injuries, and more than $15 million in property damages, according to the National Fire Prevention Association, town officials said.

"The improper use of turkey fryers can lead to personal injury and the destruction of property," Town Supervisor Edward P. Romaine said in a statement. "We want to make sure that everyone has a safe and happy holiday season."

Propane-fired turkey fryers must be used outdoors and turkeys must be thawed before cooking otherwise it can cause oil to splatter, potentially causing a fire or burning someone, town officials said.

In deep frying, cooking oil is combustible and should be heated no higher than 350 degrees.

Brookhaven will accept waste oil used from those who deep-fry their turkeys. The oil, which will be collected at the town landfill site, will be recycled and used to produce eco-friendly biodiesel fuel, which reduces carbon monoxide emissions, town officials said.

Town officials accepted more than 350 gallons of used oil after Thanksgiving last year.

The Brookhaven Town landfill is located at 350 Horseblock Rd.

It is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon.

HUNTINGTON STATION

Winter clothing drive targets children

A winter clothing drive is currently being held in Huntington Station.

The event is sponsored by Legis. Lou D'Amaro (D-North Babylon) and will run through Dec. 8. Residents are asked to bring their gently used or new coats, sweaters, sweatshirts and blankets to D'Amaro's Huntington Station office.

All sizes of warm clothing are needed, particularly children's sizes from infant to young adult. The donation drive benefits "Every Child's Dream," a nonprofit based in Sayville.

D'Amaro's office is located at 130 W. Jericho Tpke., Huntington Station, and donations may be dropped off Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For those who seeking to make a monetary donation, checks made out to "Every Child's Dream" will be accepted as well.

For more information, contact D'Amaro's office at 631-854-4433.

ISLIP

Town sets holiday hours for taxes

The town will hold special hours for tax payments during the holidays.

The office of Alexis Weik, Islip receiver of taxes, is normally open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

On Dec. 31, the office, at 40 Nassau Ave. in Islip, will be open from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The office will be closed on Dec. 24, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

"One evening in January has been set aside for those residents who are unable to pay in person during our regular 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. business hours," Weik said in a news release.

Residents can also pay taxes online through the Islip Town website at www.townofislip-ny.gov, or by mailing their tax payments. All payments must be postmarked by Jan. 11 to avoid penalty.

For more information, contact the town at 631-224-5580.

HUNTINGTON

Petrone gives talk at 'State of Towns'

Town Supervisor Frank Petrone participated in the annual "State of the Towns" panel at the 2015 Smart Growth Summit held by Vision Long Island last week in Melville.

Petrone was one of several town supervisors, village mayors and other officials, including Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano, who addressed the audience at the panel.

"The day was fruitful," Petrone said. "The essence of it is when you hear what other groups are doing, other towns are doing, other villages. The bottom line is we are all feeling the same growing pains whether from a political perspective, financial perspective or governmental operation perspective."

Petrone said he spoke about the major challenge of dealing with the limitations of the state tax cap and about his suggestion that initiatives that are the result of referendums, such as open space bond acts and the creation of parking district to float a bond to build a parking structure, be exempted from the cap.

He said the town has been in contact with state legislators about considering such an exemption.

Petrone listed some of the town's smart-growth-related accomplishments over the past year, including completing the Gateway Plan, the environmental impact statement for four proposed Huntington Station projects; getting Suffolk County to include in the 2016 county budget $1 million in planning funds to extend sewers to Huntington Station; issuing a request for proposals for a parking garage in Huntington village; and continuing public input sessions as a precursor to a development plan for the Melville employment center.

"It's always important to share; when you share you also gain information and learn what other people are doing," Petrone said.