Week in Review: Local Starts Nonprofit, Rails to Trails Rides Along

Parents, Public to Petition School Board to Change Board Minutes

A group of about 30 members of the Rocky Point community gathered in a back yard Thursday night to discuss keeping a closer eye on what's going in the Rocky Point School District, and started with a petition to call on the school board to amend minutes from the last school board meeting before officially adopting them.

While the minutes note the community sentiment surrounding Tapler's leave, members of the group that met on Thursday night said they feel "the minutes do not reflect what happened at the last meeting."

9/11 Memorial to Bear Victims' Names in Time for 12th Anniversary

The Rocky Point Fire Department is expecting to have the names of all of the victims of the 9/11 attacks etched in steel at their memorial in time for their remembrance service this year.

According to Commissioner Steve Temulty, the name of all 2,977 victims of the terrorist attacks – from those in the World Trade Center, to those on the ground who were killed by debris, to those at the Pentagon – is currently in the process of being etched into 18 plates of stainless steel, which is going to be placed along a concrete wall currently flying flags at the memorial, located on Route 25A right next to the Shoreham Co. house and fire district headquarters.

Security Cameras Possibly Coming to Children's Park

Councilwoman Jane Bonner said that after a reported arson at Children's Park in Sound Beach last week, security cameras could be coming to the park that one resident at Monday night's Sound Beach Civic Association meeting called "the worst park in all of Brookhaven."

Bellone Signs Rails to Trails Agreement with LIPA

The pre-construction planning for Rails to Trails - a proposed bike and jogging path running along the Long Island Power Authority transmission lines - is moving forward. 

Suffolk Executive Steve Bellone signed a 25-year agreement reached between the county legislature and LIPA on July 30 that will allow the county right-of-way to utilize the underused land to create a route for pedestrians and recreational activities such as jogging, biking and nature walks. 

Miller Place F.D.'s 'Extinguishers' Put Out the Competition

For the third time in the six years that they've been competing, Miller Place Fire Department's drill team – The Extinguishers – took home fire place in a statewide fire drill competition.

Held in upstate New York for the first time – it's typically held on Long Island – the squad, comprised of about 20 men and women in the fire department, earned 32 out of a possible 40 points in the eight-drill competition. Each drill – including foot races, hose handling, ladder climbing, and bucket brigade – earns up to five points.

Miller Place Man Spins Spinal Injury Into a Positive

When Joey Byrnes had a back injury January of 2011, he recalls working through the pain over the next few months during his job as an apprentice for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning company. And then in April, he could bear it no more.

Two surgeries and one postponed wedding later, Byrnes and his fiancé Alexis Friedman – Shoreham-Wading River graduates who currently live in Miller Place – have formed All Backed Together, a nonprofit that supports individuals with spinal injuries and is working to raise funds to support spinal research.

Feelings Mixed About New Red Light Camera in Mt. Sinai

Late last month residents noticed a new sign going up at the intersection of Route 25A and Coram-Mt. Sinai Road in Mt. Sinai. The sign warned that the traffic light there would be "photo enforced." This camera follows others in the area that have vexed many residents.

The Red Light Safety Program Frequently Asked Question page says that the cameras use a sensor to recognize vehicles that run the red light, taking a picture of the rear license plate as the vehicle passes. These cameras also record an eight second video clip of the infraction. 

Work Begins at Hibachi Restaurant

About two and a half months after gaining approval from the Town Planning Board, construction started this past week on a 5,000-square foot hibachi restaurant on Route 25A in Miller Place.

Located in the Dunkin' Donuts plaza at 725 Route 25A, Nishiki Hibachi and Sushi Japanese Restaurant will take the place of four former retail operations, including a carpet store, a kitchen and bath design shop, and a buy-and-sell shop.