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Image provided by: Suffolk Cooperative Library System
BABYLON PUBLIC LIBRARY SOUTH SHORE L.I'S LARGEST CIRCULATION WEEKLY NEWSPAPER S erving t h e c o m m u n it y sin c e 1966 P r in t e d o n recycled paper W e b s it e : w w w . ba b y l o n b e a c o n . com E-MAIL ADDRESS: ACJNEWS@RCN.COM OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER Periodicals Postage Paid- Babylon Post Office, Babylon NY 11702 (USPS 03960-8000) FOR SUFFOLK COUNTY •TOWN OF BABYLON • VIT I ac : p n c o i dvi o u N i cel itV eek!/ •BABY •WEST ISLIP •COPIAGUE £ßP£-£ÖZIT AW NOTA a v a •NORTH BABY! 3AY TÌHVC 13 ViDIHiVd '3<tP/M V ! published eve fO G O w lO l Ltí \HV'T th 65 D Foun< Publishers, Carolyn and Alfred James I Pages Inside this week: • A r o u n d Town . . . Page 2 See Inside for >ol and Sports news Notices: Your R ight to Know: The Babylon Beacon is the hometown newspaper o f John Blake o f Deer Park | VOL44NO. 12 jMlfr THURSDAY, March25,2010 CFNTS In the News A More than 50 teachers face Suffolk Sports Hall o f Fame honors West Islip lacrosse The Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame recently a n n o u n c e d during a press conference their 2 0 1 0 S p r in g inductee class. In front of the media and local p o l i t i c i a n s , seven inductees were a n n o u n c e d along with the West Islip Boys Lacrosse Program. West Islip Head Varsity Coach Scott Craig was in attendance at the press conference to proudly accept the nomination. Coach Craig recognized “the collective effort of so many Coaches, players and parents.” Special recognition was given to Assistant Head Coach Bill Turri for his “years of commitment, dedication and loyalty to the West Islip Lacrosse Program.” In addition, Coach Craig went on to praise Coach Turri as “the mastermind o f West Islip’s great defense.” He added, “We could not be successful without the leadership o f our youth league past president D ennis DeVivo and current president Tom Federico... as well as the excellent coaching taking place on the little league level.” The induction ceremony will take place Thursday, May 6th at the West Lake Inn in Patchogue. Historical S ociety to dedicate p laque to first Black Professional Baseball team A plaqu e com m e m o r a tin g th e first know n Professional Black Baseball team will be dedicated Sun., April 18, at 1 p.m. at the northwest corner o f Argyle Park in Babylon Village (along Trolley Line R d ). That spot is the birthplace o f the Cuban Giants and where the Argyle Hotel once stood. The Cuban Giants w e r e ' formed in 1885. The commemoration of this team is spearheaded by the Mayor Ralph Scordino and the Village Board o f Trustees office and the Babylon Village Historical and Preservation Society. A reception at the Village museum (117 West Main St.) will follow the official dedication o f the plaque. There will be a display about the Cuban Giants at the museum, as well as a history o f baseball in the village in the years following the Cuban Giants. All are welcome. Local Libraries holding budget hearings next week: ...S ee P age 2 layoffs in Lindenhurst Schools D istrict m u st come up with $5,3M to retain p o sitions a n d balance budget f o r 2010-2011 by Lena Pennino Fifty-nine teachers in the Lindenhurst School District may lose their jobs unless there is another way to save or raise $5.3 million, according to school officials. Lindenhurst Superintendent o f Schools Richard Nathan attributed the possible job loss to an increase in costs, new State mandates and Governor David Patterson’s proposed cut o f $3.5 million in State aid at a meeting for faculty, parents, students and community members at Lindenhurst High School on March 10. Students and parents made emotional pleas to the school board on behalf o f their teachers who had become like family to them, they said. Some students said they taped up posters at school, started petitions and even posted a Facebook page that already has 600 “friends” who checked out the website. Sophomore Annibelys Reyes who is president of the debate club and a member o f student council, the science club, the environmental club and Characters in Action, said that she would give up her extracurricular activities to save her teachers’ jobs. “I would sacrifice something for teachers who got me where I am today,” she said. “W hy do they have to be punished? It’s n o t their fault the budget was cut.” Other students wondered if there were other places to cut, “Do we really need SmartBoards?” wondered Ryan Renerosado, an llth-grade student. She said chalkboards would be fine in classrooms, “Did Einstein need a SmartBoard?” She told the board that she cried when she heard news o f the cuts. W hile the superintendent presented a dire picture o f substantial tax increases for residents - up to a 12 percent in the tax rate - or substantial staff cuts, program losses and bloated class sizes, the board of education proposed a possible solution: a pay freeze for teachers. Other staff members have already accepted pay freezes including the district’s clerical and custodial em p loyees, aides and nurses, and the d istrict’s administrative staff recently accepted a one percent increase. Currently, the teachers union and the board of education are in negotiations, and other issues. (The teachers’ contract is up in June). Sources said that the teachers union had not presented the pay freeze option to teachers. But that evening - in an auditorium filled with teachers - the educators heard all about the proposal and weighed in on the subject after the m eeting. (Continued on page 3) Restaurateurs to reopen LaGrange Inn Community ; which had opposed alternate plan for pharmacy there, says this proposal is a recipe for success by Tiffany Elliott The West Islip landmark restaurant La Grange Inn is undergoing renovations and is scheduled to open again in April. News o f plans to reopen the restaurant were well-received by the comm u n ity which vehemently opposed a plan two years ago to use the site for a drug store, bank and retail sales and offices. \We th in k its a really terrific thing for the community,\ said Joe DeCarlo, chairman of the West Islip Association that formed the La Grange Task Force to offer alternative plans for the Inn's future. \Our original goal was to keep the building as a catering hall, so we're very happy. Now the community needs to support them by utilizing the restaurant.\ \The community is very pleased that La Grange will reopen as a catering hall.\ said S.C. Leg. Tom Barraga. who spearheaded the La Grange Task Force. \We’re also glad that we'll be able to continue to enjoy the historical significance o f the building.\ The new operators, who are leasing the property from ow n e r Rick O livieri, are D e n n is Garren of South Bellmore, Scott DiDonna o f South Merrick and Dave Rousso of New Jersey. They said they are well aware o f the controversy surrounding the site and its significance in the community. \We heard about the place from a resident and the more we visited, the more we understood the history and importance of the place,\ said co-owner and operator Garren. who has been in the catering business for more than 39 years. \It's a great business opportunity.\ The trio are in the process o f renovating the Inn, at 499 Montauk Highway, keeping the entire design intact while updating the dance floor and interior. The Inn will be eligible for the New York State Historical Registry after its renovation. In March 2008, the Town o f Islip voted down a W a lgreens proposal for the construction o f a pharmacy, drive-thru bank and office space, citing concerns about traffic congestion. Plans had called for building a 13,650-sq. ft. store on the west side o f the 2.47 acre property and moving the historical building (Continued on page 3)
