Long Island briefs

BROOKHAVENHearing on tax relief for Sandy victims

A law that would allow Brookhaven Town residents to seek reduced assessments on properties damaged by superstorm Sandy is scheduled for a public hearing tomorrow.

The town is weighing whether to adopt a state law passed earlier this year that enables taxing jurisdictions to extend tax relief to property owners affected by the October 2012 storm.

The public hearing is one of seven scheduled at a meeting of the town board, at 5 p.m. at Brookhaven Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill, Farmingville.

The board also plans to hold a hearing on its proposal to require annual registration of vacant properties. Other hearings are expected to address development proposals such as a planned Chick-fil-A fast-food restaurant in Port Jefferson Station, a gas station in North Bellport and athletic fields in Holtsville.

NORTHPORTRules for bamboo

to be discussed

There are two public hearings at tomorrow's Northport Village trustees meeting, regarding proposed legislation on bamboo and license requirements for telecommunications systems.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the Village Hall, 224 Main St.

The purpose of the bamboo resolution is to "preserve and protect private and public property from the damaging spread of certain running bamboo grasses, protect indigenous plant materials from the invasive spread of running bamboo and maintain the general welfare of the residents," village documents show.

The proposed telecommunications law says no one can construct or operate a telecommunications system or be granted a permit, approval or authorization to construct a system without having been issued a license by the board to use a public right of way.

amagansettHand-built wooden boat to be raffled off

An East End nonprofit is preparing to raffle off a hand-built boat made from the white oak and black locust that a year ago was still growing around a pond near the public school in Springs.

The East End Classic Boat Society is dedicated to maintaining the tradition of hand-building boats, and the annual open house and raffle is an important fundraiser for the group.

The overgrown wooded area near Pussy's Pond was cut down to provide lumber to rebuild a foot bridge that had been popular with students, but was too badly decayed by years of neglect to be repaired.

A 13-foot section of white oak was saved and milled while 235 feet of black locust was also cut to provide materials to build the boat.

"We also cut the sassafras for the seats," said Ray Hartjen, president of the East End Classic Boat Society, which is holding the raffle at its open house on Dec. 7 in Amagansett. "All the seats are book matched . . . you can see the grain pattern in reverse order, like when you open a book."

The not-for-profit has a $20,000 annual budget, half of which goes to cover insurance, Hartjen said.

The boat shop at 301 Bluff Rd. in Amagansett is behind the East Hampton Town Marine Museum, and is open year-round on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Raffle tickets cost $5 apiece or $20 for a book of five, and are sold there.

"Someone came in last year on Friday and bought five tickets . . . darn if one didn't get pulled the next day. And, he didn't want the boat," Hartjen said. The winner donated it back to the society, which sold it to a man in Montauk for $12,000. "That was half our budget," Hartjen said.

BROOKHAVEN

Board vote on $30M in capital expenses

The Brookhaven Town Board is expected to vote tomorrow on more than $30 million in capital spending, paying for property, machinery and equipment for construction and draining projects.

The largest portion of the capital improvement plan, announced at Tuesday's work session meeting, should be $11.5 million for open space preservation and drainage.

Another $4.4 million is expected to pay for improvements to parks and recreation, while $4 million may pay for improvements to the town landfill.

And $3.7 million may be allocated for constructing and revamping town-owned buildings and improving heating, cooling, electrical and plumbing systems, according to town officials. The remaining $6.4 million would pay for other improvements throughout town.

Last month, the municipality approved $53.5 million in its capital budget. That included $10 million for open space acquisitions, with $6 million for purchases in the Carmans River watershed.

FREEPORT /

OLD WESTBURY$300G to be given

to Literacy Nassau

The John and Janet Korn-reich Charitable Foundation will donate $300,000 to Literacy Nassau, a Freeport-based not-for-profit that provides tutoring for illiterate adults.

John Kornreich, trustee of the Old Westbury-based foundation, said in a statement that the charity donated to Literacy Nassau because of its commitment to fostering language skills in Nassau County.

"We are impressed with the literacy mission, Nassau County localism, efficient economics, and strong leadership -- and that's why we're making this significant commitment to Literacy Nassau," the statement said.

The literacy agency will use the donation to reduce its waiting list and serve more students, said Literacy Nassau's executive director Karen Micciche.

"Our free services target those who are hardest to reach, those who can't easily assimilate into a large group classroom setting," Micciche said.

Literacy Nassau is also looking to add more tutors, Micciche said. Becoming a tutor involves completing a workshop program, she said. Information is available at www.literacynassau.org.

HEMPSTEADWal-Mart gives $75G to nutrition network

Hempstead's Interfaith Nutrition Network, a nonprofit that operates soup kitchens throughout Long Island, recently received $75,000 from Wal-Mart to aid with supplying food during the holidays.

The money is part of $1 million donated to pantries across the state by the retail store chain, according to a news release from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

"As New Yorkers gather with families across New York for Thanksgiving, it is also a time to celebrate the spirit of giving and lend a hand to those less fortunate," Cuomo said.

He said the donation would "provide a major boost to the work of New York's food banks and local charities to help even more New Yorkers put food on their tables during this holiday season."

Julie Murphy, a Wal-Mart senior vice president, said, "Together with many hunger relief organizations throughout the state, we're working to make this Thanksgiving a little brighter for many."

Officials with the Interfaith Nutrition Network were not available for comment Wednesday and their offices were closed over the holiday weekend.

The nonprofit operates 19 soup kitchens and feeds some 7,500 people a week, according to its website. The organization also runs three emergency housing shelters in Nassau.

SYOSSETMom: I got an early lesson from tiger cub

"Always a mom . . ."

That's how Syosset's Mary Ellen Walsh began her recent Throwback Thursday post on Facebook while sharing a picture of her feeding Tasha, an 8-month-old Bengal tiger from Jack Hanna's Columbus Zoo.

Walsh, a media professional who has contributed to Newsday in the past, was working in New Jersey at the Garden State Cat Show and Expo in 1993 in a public relations role for cat food manufacturer Sheba. A pair of Bengal tigers were at the Sheba booth to spur attention. Before Walsh knew it she got an unexpected offer from one of the handlers, Andy Lightfoot.

"He was like, 'Would you like to feed her?' And I was like, 'She's going to eat me.' "

But Walsh ended up being "fascinated" with the cat's generally docile nature.

"You would think that wild cat would be eating a slab of meat," Walsh said. "But she needed that bottle, needed that nurturing. She needed her mom."

Walsh subsequently had three children, and says appeasing Tasha was good training.

"My kids are just as wild," she joked.

What "Throwback Thursday" memory are you about to share on social media? Newsday wants to know. Email litowns@newsday.com or share your item on social media with the hashtag #NewsdayTBT and you just might end up in our Long Island Now blog.COMMACKKitten rescued

from drainage pipe

An 8-week-old kitten was rescued from a drainage pipe behind a strip mall in Commack early Wednesday morning after its cries were heard through the pouring rain.

The tiger-striped tabby was rescued about 1:30 a.m. behind Bagel Basket Cafe on Commack Road by two employees of Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Services in Farmingdale after a four-hour effort at the scene.

General manager Mike Fisher said the company's dispatch was called at about 7:30 p.m. from someone who heard cries from the well.

Fisher said excavation supervisor Mike Katulis and salesman Jaime Santiesteban volunteered their time for the job.

"These guys are heroes," said Fisher, of Levittown. "They were off the clock at 5 p.m., but I asked them to head to Commack and try and help and they ended up spending four hours in poor weather conditions until rescuing the kitten at 1:30 a.m."

The kitten was eventually located through a camera that was snaked down the 100-foot pipe and pulled to safety with a net.

Dori Scofield, vice president of Guardians of Rescue, a Smithtown nonprofit that aids animals in distress, arrived at 10 p.m. and stayed until the kitten was rescued.

The kitten, which has been named Rooter in honor of her rescuers, will be vaccinated and ready for adoption by next week, Scofield said.

For now, Rooter is staying with a Guardians of Rescue volunteer.

"I'm so happy she got out alive," Scofield said. "It was quite an effort and we couldn't have done it without the guys from Roto-Rooter. If it wasn't for them, she would still be in there. She's a lucky girl."

GARDEN CITYFitness complex at

Fortunoff's site OKd

The Hempstead Town Board of Appeals has unanimously granted special exceptions and variances that would make way for a family-geared fitness complex on the site of the former Fortunoff's Clearance Center property in Garden City.

The redevelopment project is a joint venture between two real estate developers, the Garden City-based Engel Burman Group and Woodmere-based Basser-Kaufman, which bought the property six months ago. The two will sign a long-term lease with Life Time Fitness, a Chanhassen, Minn.-based operator of 106 fitness centers in the United States and Canada, including the Life Time Athletic center on Robbins Lane in Syosset.

The appeals board approval on Nov. 20 -- the same day as the uneventful public hearing -- will allow the construction of a three-story fitness complex and four-story parking garage, on 750 Zeckendorf Blvd. in Garden City. The 7.68-acre parcel, next door to Lowe's, has been vacant for 10 years after Fortunoff closed its doors.

The plan calls for demolishing the existing 187,000-square-foot structure and constructing a 130,000-square-foot building with an expected opening date in spring 2015. The site, close to the Roosevelt Field mall and the Meadowbrook State Parkway, would have 669 parking spaces, more than the 651 required.

The members-only facility would feature weightlifting and cardio equipment, fitness classes, a children's recreation area, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an indoor basketball court, a restaurant, an outdoor cafe, and a spa and salon.