Levy - Financial Disclosure Filing

Hauppauge, NY – A second leading state ethics authority today has concurred that Suffolk Executive Steve Levy satisfied the county’s local financial disclosure filing requirements by filing the New York State disclosure form – a form he is required by state law to file as a member of the Pine Barrens Commission.

According to Bruce Ginsberg, Executive Director and General Counsel of the New York State Public Integrity Commission:

Both General Municipal Law §§811((1)(b) and 812(1)(f) permit a local government official who is required by Public Officers Law §73-a to file an annual statement of financial disclosure with the Commission on Public Integrity  to satisfy a financial disclosure requirement imposed by a local government by timely filing the State financial disclosure form with the Commission and submitting a copy to the appropriate local government entity. 

Ginsberg echoed the opinion of Mark Davies, who served as Executive Director of the Temporary New York State Commission on Local Government Ethics at the time Suffolk adopted its local code that the county executive need only file a copy of his New York State financial disclosure report with the Suffolk County Board of Ethics. Levy is required by state law to file the state form as a sitting member of the Pine Barrens Commission, a state agency.

Good bye Fourth of July - Hello Summer!

      

Photos were taken at Sunken Meadow Beach at 7pm on July 5th.  The end of the three day, Fourth of July weekend.  There were hundreds of people walking the boardwalk, playing on the beach, flying kites, playing soccer and just enjoying the wonderful weather.

    

County Championships Embody Smithtown's Newly Formed Athletic Tradition

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIPS EMBODY SMITHTOWN’S NEWLY FORMED ATHLETIC TRADITION

Article and Photos by Lance Pauker

Smithtown is known for many things, historical splendor, excellent school systems, and…badminton?

Although many residents in the Town of Smithtown would be hard-pressed to explain the rules of this relatively obscure sport, badminton is quietly becoming one of the community’s sources of pride. The Town’s teams are an integral part of badminton at the interscholastic level, as Smithtown East, Smithtown West, and Commack are three of Suffolk County’s eight programs.

 Notably, Smithtown Badminton has cemented itself in immortality. In 2005, Smithtown High School defeated Miller Place High School, ending the Panthers astounding 504 game winning streak, a run which dated back to the program’s inception in 1973. The 22-year undefeated stretch is far and away the longest winning streak in sports history. 

In 2007, Smithtown continued the dismantling of the Panthers by earning its first ever league title, marking the first time Miller Place did not finish first in regular season play.

In 2008, the Smithtown West Girl’s team pushed the boundaries even further, displacing Miller Place from the Badminton throne when they earned the school’s first ever Badminton County Championship.  The Smithtown East Boys squad has since carried the torch, appearing in the county finals each of the past two years, highlighted by a 14-0 regular season in 2009.

On Wednesday May 26^th and Thursday May 27^th, Smithtown West hosted the annual individual county championships. With recent successes fresh in their minds, the players challenged themselves with the hope of winning individual awards.

With eight schools in attendance, a thriving concession stand, and a rather extroverted crowd, the scene in the Smithtown High School West Gymnasium was one of sheer enthusiasm, as fans darted between courts to observe multiple games being played simultaneously. After a rather lengthy first day of competition, each bracket (boy’s singles, boy’s doubles, girl’s singles, and girl’s doubles) was whittled down sixteen initial entries to only four.

Many consider Badminton a “backyard sport,” or an activity that can be lazily enjoyed at a summer barbeque, with participants pausing intermittently to snag a hot dog. Anyone who was in attendance for the boy’s singles championship would consider that assumption an insult to an extremely competitive sport.

After coasting through the season undefeated, Walt Whitman’s Matt Simone looked to cruise to the singles title. However, his road to county supremacy hit a major speed bump in the finals in the form of Smithtown West’s Justin Lin. Using a combination of rare power and incredible footwork, the sophomore  Lin outplayed Simone in the first round of the best-of-three  set, narrowly emerging victorious with a final score of 15-12.

As the match progressed however, the balmy gym seemed to gradually deflate Lin. After numerous water breaks, the thoroughly fatigued Lin was forced to temporarily pause the match due to cramping. Simone outlasted Lin and earned the boys singles crown. Despite losing after such a valiant effort, there is no doubt that the sophomore Lin will use this experience and have much success in the years to come.

On the doubles front, Smithtown proved their grit. After upsetting teammates Rich Ardizzone and Steve Kennedy in the earlier rounds of the tournament, the number two doubles squad headed by junior Derrick Ladeairous and junior Greg Mayer made an improbable run all the way to the championship. The closely contested championship match against Patchogue-Medford’s Andrew Quatrale and Chris Margolin went back and forth throughout, with the teams splitting the first two games. In the third game however, Ladeairous, the third year player, used his experience to take control of the game, hitting some beautifully placed shots to give the Bulls an early lead in the deciding match. Despite a rather furious late rally by Pat-Med, Ladeairous and Mayer were able to fend off the Raiders, en-route to capturing the Suffolk County Boys doubles championship crown.

On the female end, Commack’s doubles tandem of Carly Sadiker and Kelly Hall made it all the way to the finals, but were upended by a very talented Half Hallow Hills squad. Smithtown West senior Christina Fiore placed fourth in the Girls singles bracket, falling narrowly to Miller Place’s Liz Paturlaski.

In Boys singles, Smithtown East’s Eric Hirschfield placed fourth, losing to Miller Place’s Jesse Dietrichson by a score of 15-13, 15-3.

Stop Red Light Running - Or Be Prepared to Pay

It’s here! The first of 50 red light cameras has been installed and it is located at the intersection of CR93 and the Long Island Expressway South Service Road.  Starting June 15 if you get caught red light running at this site you will hear from Suffolk County. Currently there is a thirty day grace period that ends on July 15. During this thirty day grace period if you violate the law you will receive a warning but will not receive a violation or a fine.  After July 15 it will cost you $50.

The system works when photo enforcement cameras connected to the traffic signal and sensors on the intersection stop lines are triggered by a vehicle entering the intersection above a minimum speed while the light is red. Thus vehicles entering the intersection on yellow, or those that were in the intersection waiting to make a left-hand turn when the light changed, will not be captured.

 An 8-second video of the violation is recorded along with two photo captures that identify date, time, vehicle speed and time the light has been red. The cameras photograph the car only from the rear to capture the license plate.

 After the violations are reviewed by trained county technicians, a citation is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle. Included in the citation will be a specialized web address and PIN number where the violator can view the infraction and make an on-line payment. Fines will be deposited into the county’s road fund as revenue to offset taxes.

It is anticipated that all 50 cameras will be installed and operational by the end of summer.

New to Dealer’s Row: Subaru

By Erica Jackson

The family-owned Competition Automotive Group has just added Subaru to its fleet of dealerships,  Located at 463 Middle Country Road in St. James, the new Subaru dealership is expected to drive up the 47-year-old company’s sales, despite the state of the economy.

 

The new dealership, which has been open for three months, will officially open tomorrow with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  Its opening will be celebrated throughout the weekend, offering “great deals,” said Vincent Moscardino, general manager of the new Subaru dealership.  “WALK FM will be here and so will the SPCA mobile so you can shop for a car and a pet,” said Moscardino.

 

So far, the brand has already exceeded expectations and while the economy remains stagnant, Moscardino said, people are still shopping with Competition Automotive Group.  Subaru is a great product,” said Moscardino.  “It is becoming the car of choice among outdoor enthusiasts and educated consumers.”

 

Part of the allure, said Moscardino, is the brand’s competitive pricing and aggressive leasing opportunities.  The brand is also, said Moscardino, known for its 5-star crash-test rating and its symmetrical all-wheel drive, which is great for North East winter weather.

 

Among the Subaru featured models are the Forester, Tribeca, Legacy and Outback. They range in price from $17,995 to $35,000. “This is the only brand that grew last year,” said Nancy Buzzetta, vice president of Competition Automotive Group. “Subaru has done a fantastic job, releasing the right product at the right time.” In fact, Buzzetta said Subaru sales increased 35 percent last year alone.  “It is a top rated car,” said Buzzetta.  “and it is the only top rated car for safety by the Insurance Institute for Safety.”

 

The brand, said Buzzetta is a “great complement” to the company’s other brands in Smithtown.  Competition will now not only offer high-end brands, such as Mercedes and BMW, but now “a practical vehicle for an economically sound buyer,” said Buzzetta.

Buzzetta does not anticipate competition among the companies dealerships, but instead expects cross-shopping.  For example, Mercedes customers will look to purchase Subarus as second family cars.  Just recently Buzzetta said she had a customer who purchased a Mercedes for himself, but a Subaru for his daughter, who is heading off to college in the fall.

 

Aside from the Subaru product virtually selling itself, customers are extremely loyal to Competition Automotive Group, said John Cornwell, special programs manager for Competition Automotive Group. This, he said, will also help rev up sales.  He said, “Competition is reputable and known for its integrity. It is not a real hit and run dealership.  It has a great following.”

 

Cornwell went on to say that the company’s staff has extreme longevity.  “That is a good sign of any company. It shows stability. It is a real tribute to the company’s owners. Everything comes down from the top.”

 

“We always say our first sale is the start of a relationship,” said Buzzetta.  “We want our customers to be our customers forever.  This has helped us build deep roots that keep us anchored in a story economy.”

 

The company also, said Cornwell, participates in numerous community charities. In fact, this summer alone, Cornwell said Competition will be donating some 23 cars.

According to Cornwell, Competition acquired the Subaru dealership from the former Subaru dealership of Port Jefferson and moved it back to Jericho Turnpike where Moscardino says it will “have better exposure.”

 

“There is a real advantage to having the dealership on car row where people are out shopping for cars,” said Cornwell. Presently, according to Frank DeRubies, planning director for the Town of Smithtown, there are between 26 and 34 dealerships operating in the area with only three lots vacant.

 

The small area, known to locals as dealer’s row, holds, said DeRubies, “the largest concentration of dealerships on Long Island.”

 

Talking history of the area, DeRubies, said the area became attractive to dealerships in 1980s because of the price of the lots and their shape.  “They are bowling ally lots, one hundred to two hundred feet wide, and depths from a thousand feet to five thousand feet, perfect for storing cars,” said DeRubies.

 

DeRubies says the lots were originally carved out between the 1890s and 1940s when when lots could be subdivided simply by filing a map with the county.  “There were no laws regarding subdivisions at the time,” said DeRubies.

For more information, visit Competition Automotive Group at http://www.competition-auto.com/