SCPD Investigating Two Vehicle Accident

Suffolk County Police Second Squad detectives are investigating a two-vehicle crash that seriously injured a motorcyclist this morning.  

Dennis Butler, 57, was operating his 1997 CMC motorcycle eastbound on Route 25 when the motorcycle struck a 2008 Jeep that was traveling in the opposite direction and attempting to make a left turn into a shopping center near Larkfield Road in East Northport at approximately 10 a.m.  

Butler, of 24 Eaton Place, Deer Park, sustained a serious leg injury and was airlifted via Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Medical Center. The driver of the Jeep, Demetra Koutoulas, 67, of 329 Old Indian Head Road, Kings Park, was not injured.  

Both vehicles were impounded for a safety check and the investigation is continuing.  

Detectives are asking anyone with information about this incident to contact the Second Squad at 631-854-8252or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.           

Bavarian Inn - Still There, Still Hazardous

By Erica Jackson

Bavarian Inn Sept. 1, 2010

At one time the Bavarian Inn in Lake Ronkonkoma was a must stop for soon-to-be brides and fiancés’ in their search for a perfect wedding reception location. It offered German cuisine at its finest. Smithtown High School’s German Club held its annual banquet there and it housed a restaurant that many local residents frequented. That is until four years ago when it was shut down by the Smithtown Fire Marshall.

The property, which had been a pinnacle of the community for many years, succumbed to the rising water table. The basement flooded with water that was dangerously making its way to electrical wiring.  A fire, reported the fire marshall, would be imminent. 

Waterlogged and boarded up, the property has sat delinquent since. Police have been  called to the site with reports of break-ins and drug use.  

However, if 12th district Suffolk County Legislator John M. Kennedy, Jr., who wed his wife, Leslie at the catering hall many years ago, has anything to do with it, the property will soon be transformed into a county park. 

For months now, Kennedy has been working to obtain funding and work out details to provide for a county purchase of the land that was once on the market for $1.2 million.  Last month, however, there was a breakthrough and Kennedy says he is much closer to bringing the deal to a close. 

“The message is that this a work in progress,” said Kennedy.

 

 

Late in September, Kennedy met with the owner of the property, Vincent Tramantano, and his attorney, John Zollo, of Smithtown, in an effort to put some information together for a grant application that would help garner the funds necessary to purchase the property. 

The grant, said Kennedy, would come in the form of $1.1 million from the New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO).  SEMO has preliminarily approved a letter of intent for funding for the purchase 

said Kennedy.

Details and information are still needed to complete the deal. The information is mostly related to nearly $2 million in debt that that property owners have accrued, including some $180,000 in back taxes.  

Many creditors, said Kennedy will be looking for some kind of payment.  That is where, according to Kennedy the sale gets messy.  But, he says everything can be worked out.  He said, “Once we have money from SEMO, we can sit down with the creditors and work on a settlement.”

Kennedy says an option to take the property for nonpayment of taxes was ruled out. He fears that if the county was to take the property on back-taxes, the creditors would cure on the taxes and ask for more money for the property.  Suffolk County has already started a foreclosure process, said Kennedy.

The final grant application was submitted to SEMO by a September 21 deadline.  “We are going to keep plugging away on this,” said Kennedy. 

Once the property is acquired,  the county will look to adjoin the Bavarian Inn property to the county’s Lake Ronkonkoma County Park.  The catering hall will be demolished, the asphalt parking lot removed, and old septic rings that are an environmental hazard will be dug up and removed.

Once finished, the site will feature boating ramps, benches, and a handicapped fishing pier.  “Anything passive can be placed there,” said Kennedy. 

The new park, will add to the beautification of the Lake Ronkonkoma area and it will coincide with other improvements being made to the area. Most recently 5th district Assemblywoman Ginny Fields obtained legislation that makes the 2-mile Lake Ronkonkoma waterway, which sits within three townships, Smithtown, lslip and Brookhaven, eligible for waterfront revitalization funding.

With funding, local civic groups hope to be able to create a unified park-setting, where park-goers could walk to and from each of the lake’s parks via a walking trail.  

Also working on improvements for the area is the Lake Ronkonkoma Advisory Board, which was created by a resolution of the Suffolk County Legislature.  Made up of of lawmakers and civic leaders, the board has been meeting on a regular basis to do its part to improve the blight of Lake Ronkonkoma.

SmithtownMatters.com attempted to contact Zollo, however, calls went unreturned.  In addition, calls were made to Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy’s office regarding the back taxes owed on the Bavarian Inn, however, no calls were returned as of press time.  

Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro Lodge Honors Vigliante Family

         On September 19, 2010, the  Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro Lodge, Order of the Sons of Italy in America honored the Vigliante family of Smithtown who own and operate the Branch Funeral Home. The festive event was well attended by many members, friends, and officials from the Grand Lodge and other local lodges.  A fine dinner brunch was served in a beautiful sun-filled room and everyone enjoyed dancing the afternoon away.

 Many awards and proclamations were presented,  Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy was on hand to give a special proclamation to the Vigliante family.

Henry and Loretta Vigliante were both born in Brooklyn and were married in 1969. In 1974, they came to Smithtown. Since that time, they have dedicated themselves to their business and their community.  They are active members of St. Patrick’s R.C. Church and Sts. Phillip and James R.C.Church. Henry is a Paul Harris Fellow with the Smithtown Rotary, a member of the Smithtown Historical Society and a Fourth Degree in the Knights of Columbus.  Sharing the honors were their children, Craig, Mark, John, Thomas, Paul and Lauren, each individually having highly impressive business, medical, service and volunteer backgrounds. Mark owns M&V Limousine Service. Among the family’s charitable, service and business commitments are; Smithtown Elks, Smithtown Rotary, Smithtown Sunrise Rotary, Knights of Columbus, Order Sons of Italy, Smithtown Senior Resource Alliance, Smithtown Fire Department, and local Chambers of Commerce.

 ”The Vigliante Family is proud to be the 2010 honorees of the Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro Lodge  Sons of Italy and are thankful to all who made this event so meaningful.”

Foster's Grille - Want A Serious Burger

If you are in the mood for burgers than you just might want to get in your car and head directly to Foster’s Grille in Nesconset.  Open for a year Foster’s Grille has built up a strong base of repeat customers as well as new comers who stop by after learning of Foster’s by word of mouth. Many like myself, drive past and decide to check it out.  Foster’s is located on Smithtown Blvd., north of the Ace Hardware shopping center.  

On a recent visit my order included the purchase of a burger with cheese, jalapeño’s and ketchup. The order came with fries. I would not normally go out for a burger but I can tell you that I was glad I did.  It was wonderful, it was cooked the way I like  (medium) and I confess to eating the whole burger, which was substantial.  Eating the burger did not leave much room for fries, which I passed on to my son. He enjoyed them on top of his order of a burger with cheese, bacon, tomato, ketchup, mayonnaise and chili fries.  In addition to his order he had a coke and a strawberry milk shake.  I had water. (Did I mention he is seventeen)? 

My son is not new to Foster’s Grille and chooses to go there whenever he is in the mood for a burger. According to my son it’s a no brainer if the burgers at Foster’s are the best, (his opinion) why go elsewhere.

But, Foster’s is not just burgers they have wings that are above average in size and Sandwich’s that are so memorable that there is a couple that comes from Queens to enjoy them (I heard this straight from the owners wife Teri).  Why? What makes Foster’s food so delicious?  It’s the freshness of the food. Foster’s receives deliveries of fresh bread and meat everyday.  The food is not soaked in lard, no peanut oil, it’s fresh and it is charbroiled and it is quite good.

If you need more of a reason to go to Foster’s than you should know that they host an Old Car and Music night every Thursday.  The Thursday, I visited there was a guitarist named Bobby who played “70’s” music.

On the night I frequented Foster’s I was surprised by the number of people in the restaurant.  There were families, seniors and singles.  The food is a little pricey and you do have to fill out an order sheet and place your order yourself but there is staff to bring the food to the table. And there is a value in knowing that you are getting fresh food in a clean environment.  Go on a Thursday and you may even enjoy some music with your food. 

Six Commack High School Students Recognized For Academic Accomplishment

(photo B. Lentsh)Six Commack High School seniors are among the nation’s 34,000 students designated as commended students in the 2011 The National Merit® Scholarship Program. Commended students place among the top 5 percent of more than 1.4 million students who entered the 2011 competition by taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Congratulations to: Danny Abrams, Scott Aronin, Sarah Corey, Edward Huang*, Jamie Keller, Joshua Krongelb, Christina Misoulis, Asli Sinar for being honored for their outstanding performance and academic promise. (*not in photo)