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Gentle D “We’ll •giv ental Car Serving Smithtown • St. JameS • neSconSet • commack • hauppauge • kingS park Fort e youSalonga something e to smile a We serv January 28, 2016 b o u t! ” ice t
Volume 28, No. 48
LI FESTYLE LONG ISL A ND
T I M E S
W INTER 2016
B E A C O N
R E C O R D
N E W S
M E D I A
HEALTH & FINANCE FORUMS FOR THE NEW YEAR S.M.A.R.T. GOAL SETTING TECHNIQUES
Smithtown survives weekend snowstorm
Carl P. Pal mblad D.D.S.
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2016
RESOLUTIONS
IMPROVING YOUR SELF(IE) COMPLIMENTARY
LIFESTYLE Magazine
ReSOLutiOnS iSSue avaiLaBLe nOw
the Smithtown Fire Department hits the streets during the nor’easter over the weekend. By phil corSo
Bagel bandit in cuffs
Suffolk County cops arrest man accused of burgling Commack store
Page a4
Snowfall totals were in the double digits by the end of the weekend, but that did not stop Smithtown’s emergency responders from doing their jobs effectively. The Smithtown Fire Department was out in full force over the weekend to confront the heavy snow, high winds and slippery and closed roads to answer calls for medical assistance. Ambulance crews working in coordination with engine
and rescue companies and the Suffolk County Police Department were able to handle all emergency calls, give patients initial treatment and get them to the hospital in a safe and timely manner, according to Jeff Bressler, spokesman for the Smithtown Fire Department. Bressler said the snow was a little bit more challenging than in other storms over recent years. “The snow was more intense, the visibility poorer and the slickness of the roads more dif-
ficult to drive on than in last year’s storms,” he said. “The Town of Smithtown Highway Department did an excellent job of clearing and treating the major roads throughout the storm.” Some of the biggest challenges that Bressler said needed to be addressed in order to protect patient care were the quick digging out of walks leading up to patients’ homes, the transfer of patients into ambulances without any decent ground traction on stretcher wheels and digging out
Photo from Jeff Bressler
ambulances trapped in snow. “As can be expected many of the local neighborhood roads were totally blocked by snow until the Highway Department was able to secure the main roads,” Bressler said. “This is where we found difficulty. Eventually, they were able to secure access to all roads throughout Smithtown.” Several medical calls were answered with a convoy of vehicles to assist: the ambulance, an engine or rescue truck and a fire district snow plow.
Smithtown responds to possible school closure By alex petroSki
With a possible deficit looming, the Smithtown Central School District board of education is moving closer to a decision on the fate of its eight elementary schools, following a public work session on Jan. 19 and a board meeting on Jan. 26. Discussions between the school board and the community were getting emotional this week. Superintendent James Grossane, with the help of Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Andrew Tobin, backed up his five rec-
ommendations to the school board from a November 2015 housing report with statistics at the work session on Jan. 19. “I can’t tell you that 2017-18 will be the deficit year, but it’s becoming more and more likely as we look out ahead that 201718, maybe 2018-19, if we don’t get those type of increases, we know our expenses are going to go up, we’re going to certainly be facing it at some point,” Tobin said during the work session. At the work session the board, along with Grossane, discussed the findings of the housing report that made five SCHOOLS continued on page a8
Photo by alex Petroski
housing committee member annmarie vinas addresses the school board at tuesday’s meeting.