Tom Schiavo, the phys. ed. teacher at North and Ellinport's coach, saw
the 14-year-old holding onto the fence and twitching. The teen showed the
symptoms of a seizure, but Schiavo was afraid it might be something worse. The coach explained what happened next: "Scott Stueber, a phys. ed. teacher at South,
ran in and got the AED, the defibrillator. He hooked [Alex] up while I ripped
his shirt off. I was just kind of holding Alex and making sure he didn't hurt
himself, because that's what sometimes happens with seizures. We hooked Alex up to the machine and the machine tells you what to do. It speaks, too, and it
said do not administer shock. Then Alex stopped breathing, so I had to
administer rescue breathing." Schiavo began giving Ellinport mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation, but then Ellinport clamped his teeth shut. Thankfully, Schiavo heard a
breath come from Ellinport as his chest began to rise. Schiavo and Stueber kept
the defibrillator on the young man until he began breathing on his own.
Stewart Manor hits the beat
Stewart Manor Elementary Faculty Advisor Carolyn Waldron has been using
Jr. Scholastic Magazine for the past 15 years for her sixth graders. Her
students have written to the magazine for various reasons, and she has even had a
number of Student Advisors to the magazine over the years. Students drew on
lessons in expository writing to write letters persuading Scholastic to choose
them as Kid Reporters. Students demonstrated that they have knowledge of what is
going on in the world.
The plan worked. Eight youngsters from Stewart Manor Elementary School
in Elmont are now fully credentialed Scholastic Kid Reporters, interviewing key players in the upcoming presidential election, including presidential hopeful John Kerry and former Democratic candidate John Edwards. The young journalists attended President George W. Bush's visit to Long Island, and were most recently featured on NBC's Today Show.
The Stewart Manor student reporters are eight of only nine chosen
statewide, 60 chosen nationwide. The Elmont Eight applied for their positions
through letters to Scholastic, demonstrating exceptional knowledge of national and
global events.
Homeless man burns self
Detectives from the Nassau County Arson Bomb Squad are reporting that a
54-year-old homeless man remains in critical condition with second and third
degree burn on over 90 percent of his body. The fire occurred on Wednesday,
April 7 at 11:20 p.m.
According to Det. Lt. Kevin Smith of the Nassau County Police, police believe that Kenneth Stokes had most likely fallen asleep while smoking a cigarette while in the alleyway at 491 Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont. Stokes was rushed to the Nassau University Medical Center Burn Unit. Smith said the cigarette may have lit his clothing ablaze while Stokes was falling asleep. People at the scene had put the fire out while someone called 911. The Nassau County Fire Marshal's office does not, at this time, believe the fire to be suspicious. Police were still investigating and have yet to determine if any type of
accelerant played a part in the tragedy.
Woman meet to discuss issues
They account for well more than half the world's population, and yet find themselves on the outside looking in on all sides of the globe. While the advancement of women's rights and issues has continued over the past century,
there is still much work left to be done.
That's why almost 200 attendees crowded into Donna and Marie's Restaurant
in Franklin Square in April to talk about educational and community issues as
they relate to the role of women. The forum, coordinated by the Herald's 2003
Person of the Year, Elsy Mecklembourg Guibert, an Elmont community activist
and health-care advocate, gathered a VIP speakers' forum for a community
discussion of the questions facing women in the 21st century. The keynote speaker,
Assemblyman Tom Alfano, joined noted Haitian artists Marie Alice Theard and
Jean-Max Calvin to focus on advancing health, cultural nourishment and
appreciation of women. "This was a great evening, where a lively discussion was held on books, art and issues that impact women and families," said Alfano, whose
remarks centered on "Equal Access to Health Care." Calvin, a First Prize
Laureate in France and a poet whose works include "La Pluie Et Ses Tamboures" ("The Rain and its Drums"); and Theard, a noted Haitian art critic, historian and
author of "Petits Histoires Insolites," shared their work and answered questions
from the audience, especially those dealing with their native Haiti.
Turnpike accident kills 3
Elmont came to a halt on a Tuesday afternoon in April when police say an
82-year-old man driving a Jeep slammed into a Oldsmobile Silhouette minivan
carrying five members of the Elmont Rangers youth soccer team and their coach,
killing the Jeep's driver and a 14-year-old boy instantly. A 13-year-old victim
was transported to Franklin Hospital Medical Center and pronounced dead soon
thereafter.
Police later identified the deceased boys as 14-year-old Jose Hernandez
and 13-year-old Ferman Bravo, both from Elmont. The driver of the minivan, John
Singh, and his 14-year-old son, who was sitting in the passenger seat, were
transported to South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside and are listed in
stable condition. A 12-year-old boy was taken to South Nassau and is listed
in guarded condition with a leg fracture and a possible internal injuries while
another 12-year-old was taken to Nassau University Medical Center with neck
and back injuries and is also in guarded condition.
A third car involved in the accident, a Chevy Blazer carrying a West
Hempstead woman and her 5-year-old daughter, had been stopped at the traffic light at the intersection of Hill Avenue and Hempstead Turnpike with Singh's
minivan stopped behind them at 4:55 p.m.
Police say the Jeep, driven by Vernon Ketcher of Elmont, was traveling
eastbound toward the intersection. According to Det. Lt. Kevin Smith of the
Nassau County Public Information Office, witnesses observed Ketcher "driving at
about 50 to 60 miles an hour and weaving in and out of traffic before reaching
the intersection." Smith said Ketcher may have fallen ill. The Jeep violently impacted into the minivan and then into the Blazer in front of it. The occupants of the Blazer, Cynthia Aponte and her daughter, were treated at the scene.
The Elmont and Franklin Square Fire Departments as well as Nassau County Police responded to the scene and had to saw the minivan's roof off in order to get
to the four boys trapped inside.
Former EMT charged
An anonymous tip to the Nassau County District Attorney's office has led
to the arrest of 43-year-old Edward Webster, a former Emergency Medical
Services treasurer for the Franklin Square Munson Fire Department, on charges that
he allegedly stole more than $6,000 from the volunteer company's expense
account.
District Attorney Denis Dillon announced the arrest of Webster and two
other fire officials, one from Syosset and the other from Great Neck, at a press
conference last Thursday in Mineola. "By abusing their positions for their
own personal enrichment," Dillon said, "these defendants have violated the trust
of their communities. Worse, their actions are a betrayal of the thousands of
dedicated volunteer firefighters throughout Nassau County who give of
themselves to protect us all." According to Dillon, Webster allegedly made an
undisclosed number of unauthorized withdrawals from department accounts between Aug. 16, 2000, and Nov. 13, 2001, totaling $6,222.59. "He used [the funds] to cover personal expenses," said Dillon, who has charged Webster with one count of third-degree grand larceny, a Class D felony punishable by up to 7 years in
prison.
Two percent cap approved
Last year, in the wake of the confusion caused by Nassau County's first
property reassessment in over half a century -- and the resulting shift of the
school tax burden away from commercial properties and onto the shoulders of
residents -- legislators in Albany passed a bill capping the relative amount of
the school tax burden that could be shifted to homeowners in a single year.
The value of residential properties soared with the last reassessment,
both in absolute dollar amounts and in proportion to the total value of all
Nassau County real estate. Commercial properties increased in value, but at a
slower rate. Without the cap, the disparity between the huge increase in
residential property values and the relatively modest increase in the value of
commercial properties would have shifted a much larger piece of the school tax pie
onto homeowners' plates. The only catch for residents was that the bill had to be
renewed on a year-by-year basis. Both houses of the state Legislature
overwhelmingly approved the renewal measure, sponsored in the Assembly by Tom Alfano (R-21st A.D.) and in the Senate by Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre). The legislation calls for a 2 percent cap on the tax shift any one of the four classes
of real property -- residential (class one), co-ops (class two), utilities
(class three) and commercial (class four) -- can incur within a given year.
Friends and family remember Calia
St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hempstead was filled to capacity
for the funeral of a man Msgr. Jim Lisante called "the Prince of Franklin
Square."
Anthony Calia, 32, died after having spending eight days on life support
after suffering major injuries in a car crash on Easter Sunday. The owner and
proprietor of Carmela's Pizzeria and Restaurant, the family business founded
by his parents, Bart and Carmela, was remembered by friends and family as the
linchpin in everyone's life. "He was a true gentleman who lived life with zest," commented Lisante, who said Calia's mass. "If you had a friend in Anthony, you had a friend for life." Testimonials by his teachers at John Street School and H. Frank Carey High School described his unlimited potential, his caring heart, his interests -- ranging from soccer and wrestling to serving as his class treasurer and cars -- as well as his decision to stay with the family business after graduating at the top of his class at Hofstra University. "It was what he wanted to do," said Lisante. "He could have done anything in the world, but this is what he wanted." In addition to his parents and sister, Calia leaves behind his wife, Vincenza, his parents-in-law, Salvatore and Concetta DiMaggio, as well as friends too numerous to list.
Carey students laid to rest
Chapel C of the Elmont Funeral Home was hardly big enough to hold the
hundreds of mourners who came out last Friday night to remember 14-year-old Jose Hernandez and 13-year-old Ferman Bravo, best friends who were killed April 23 in a horrific three-car accident at the intersection of Hempstead Turnpike and
Hill Avenue.
The walls of the chapel were decorated with posters made by friends of
the teenage victims, giving members of the H. Frank Carey High School community
and the Elmont Youth Soccer League the opportunity to say one last goodbye to
their friends. "This is a terrible tragedy," said James Soviero, director of the Elmont Funeral Home. "Imagine if your child had a fatal accident. You never fully recover from it." Hernandez and Bravo, dressed in their Elmont Rangers jerseys, were sent to their native Mexico for burial, flown to the airport in Guadalajara Tuesday morning, said Soviero. From there they were to be taken to their tiny hometown of Romero de Guzman, near the city of Zamora in southwestern Mexico.
According to Detective Lt. Kevin Smith of the Nassau County Police Public
Information Office, witnesses observed driver Vernon Ketcher "driving at about 50 to 60 miles an hour and weaving in and out of traffic before reaching the intersection." Smith initially said that Ketcher might have fallen ill. But test revealed that he had a blood alcohol content of .17, more than twice the legal limit. The Jeep violently struck the minivan and then the Blazer in front of it. Police say Ketcher had twice been arrested for driving while intoxicated, once in 1982 and again in 1994. In the 1982 case, he pleaded down to driving while impaired and paid a $250 fine. In the 1994 case, which occurred after an accident in Rockville Centre, he pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and was fined $500 and sentenced to three years' probation.
Elmont woman killed in Kosovo
Three Americans, including a 48-year-old grandmother from Elmont, were
killed on April 17 during a bizarre shooting in Mitrovica, Kosovo. The United
Nations is investigating the incident and has not yet ruled out terrorism as a
motive.
Lynn Williams, a retired Riker's Island security guard, was buried after
a funeral Mass held at St. John's Baptist Church in Far Rockaway, Queens. "She
died doing what she wanted to do," said her son Joseph, who said his mother
retired from Rikers in January 2003 after 20 years. Williams was working for
CSC/DynCorp International, an independent contractor based in Reston, Va., which
provides correctional facility employees for the U.N. peacekeeping mission in
the war-torn former Yugoslavia. According to a statement from DynCorp, the
U.N.'s Central Criminal Investigations Unit continues to look into the attack,
which allegedly began when a Jordanian police officer, Sgt. Major Ahmed Mustafa
Ibrahim Ali, and four other members of his peacekeeping unit opened fire on
the three-car caravan carrying Williams and the officers she was training as
they were passing through the gates of the North Mitrovica Detention Center.
Ross returns to VSN
He is an internationally-known art museum director and curator, yet, at
55, he has never had to apply for a job. David A. Ross, a North High School
graduate from the Class of 1967, returned to his alma mater last Friday to become
the eighth recipient of the school's Distinguished Alumni Award.
Like past honorees, including rocket scientist Dr. Mark Salita, inventor
Dr. Lawrence Minkoff, novelist Alice Hoffman, and teen magazine editor Atoosa
Behnegar Rubenstein, Ross' message was simple: It can happen to you. "I wasn't
all that distinguished when I was a student here nor was I easily
distinguishable from among my fellow students," Ross explained.
Nelle Marple Snediker, 108, dies
In 1895, President Grover Cleveland was in the midst of his second
administration, George Eastman patented his first hand-held Kodak camera and H.G.
Wells published "The Time Machine." Among those born that year were Babe Ruth, Rudolph Valentino, Buster Keaton and, in a little town in the northern
panhandle of West Virginia, a girl named Nelle Marple.
One hundred eight years later, only six weeks shy of her 109th birthday, the longtime Franklin Square resident died of congestive heart failure April 22 at the Garden Care Nursing Home. Nelle Marple Snediker was born in Sherrard, W.Va., the first of Milton and Lydia Marple's four children. Her mother died young, leaving Nelle to care for her younger brothers, Elmer and Stanley, and her baby sister, Alta. In 1917, Nelle married Raymond Snediker of Jamaica, Queens, and soon afterward moved to New York. The Snediker family moved to Franklin Square in 1929, becoming a vital part of the community. They joined the Ascension Lutheran Church, where Raymond served as an usher and treasurer and Nelle joined the Ladies' Aid Society and the Women's Missionary Society.
Throughout her life, Nelle bore witness to many historical events. In the early
morning of May 20, 1927, she watched Charles Lindbergh take off from the muddy
runway of Roosevelt Field in the Spirit of St. Louis as he began his solo trans-Atlantic flight to Paris. "She was holding my little sister in one hand," recalled her daughter Audrey, "and waving to him with the other."
"She was such a simple, nice woman," said Audrey. "We never had much
money, but she was so optimistic about tomorrow, no matter what happened. She
would always say, 'With all its heartaches and problems, life was still pretty wonderful.'"
Girl killed in hit and run
Gathered along Hempstead Turnpike near a utility pole covered with
photos, balloons and messages expressing their loss, friends of 14-year-old Jessica
Savarese gathered to talk about the young woman everyone called "Jayy Sav."
"She was just such a fun person to hang with," said her friend Evan, a
classmate in ninth grade at H. Frank Carey High School. "She just loved hanging
with her friends." Friends were anxious to talk about Savarese, who was only a
few weeks away from her 15th birthday when she was killed by a hit-and-run
driver last Friday night. Word of the accident spread quickly among Savarese's
friends, who began gathering at the spot almost immediately to console one
another. "We just needed somewhere to go and something to do," a girl who declined to give her name said on Saturday.
Nassau County Police Homicide Squad detectives said that Savarese, a West Hempstead resident, was crossing Hempstead Turnpike near the intersection of Claflin Boulevard at 10:54 p.m. Friday night when she was struck by a car
traveling westbound. She was transported to Winthrop University Hospital, and
pronounced dead at 11:17 p.m. One of her best friends, Tiffany Zinnanti, 15, was
at the makeshift memorial Saturday afternoon. Zinnanti said she and another
girl were with Jessica the night before. They had just finished eating at Ameche's Restaurant and were crossing the turnpike when Jessica ran ahead. "We were at the corner [by the Silver Star Diner] and she tried to make it across," said Zinnanti. "It happened so fast." Zinnanti immediately called 911 on her cell phone. She said Jessica didn't move after she was hit. No arrests were made.
Voter apathy? Hardly
Who says every vote doesn't count? Voters in Franklin Square and Elmont
came out in slightly below average numbers Tuesday to decide on the 2004-05
budgets and a slew of contested board seats. As of Wednesday morning, it appears that while both elementary school budgets have passed, voters in the
Sewanhaka Central High School District have, by a wide margin, rejected the
$119,145,556 budget proposal by a preliminary count of 2,892 opposed to 2,495 votes in favor.
In Elmont's board races, incumbent Robert Nori won re-election over
challenger Patrick Nicolosi by a 971 to 929 margin. Challenger Pamela Monteverde
defeated four-term incumbent Carl Termini by a 1,013 to 910 margin. The third
seat, however, remains too-close-to-call at the posting of this report. The numbers had incumbent Lorraine Ferrigno holding on to a one-vote lead over challenger Elsy Mecklembourg Guibert, 973 to 972. Also running a razor-thin margin was the $25.7 million Franklin Square Elementary School District budget, which passed by a seven-vote margin, 786 to 779. In the open board seat, John Randazzo defeated Alan Lahti, 1040 to 346, and incumbent Joseph Armocida defeated challenger Margaret Murphy, 754 to 600. The Elmont Elementary School Budget of $54.97 million passed with some breathing room, 935 votes in favor to 817 votes opposed. In Valley Stream #13, the double-digit increase in the tax levy appears to have paved the way for a 1,077 to 1,030 defeat. Also failing was the district's transportation proposal, 1,085 to 1,064. The Valley Stream Central High School District budget of $75.99 million, however, has passed, 2,046 in favor to 1,823 opposed.
Take it to the bank!
It brought the first credit card to the world and revolutionized the concept of community banking. Now, the 74-year-old building at the corner of James Street and Hempstead Turnpike that served as the Franklin National Bank's headquarters for 30 years is officially a Town of Hempstead landmark.
The new status helps protects the building from an uncertain future. "The
Franklin National Bank is one of the most important institutions in the development of 20th century Long Island," said Councilman Jim Darcy at the May 11 town board meeting. "The bank was a powerful stimulus to the region's suburban growth and commercial development, and it is only appropriate we recognize this rich history."
According to Dr. Paul Van Wie's "The Way It Was, a Story of Old Franklin
Square," about one quarter of all homes built in Nassau County between 1934
and 1970 were financed by the bank. The bank's influence grew with each
innovation, including owning its own parking lot, walk-up and later drive-up window
service and a purchase club that helped customers save for big-ticket items like
cars and the newest contraption, called television.
Oddly enough, it was one of the bank's failed programs that is perhaps
best remembered today. In 1952, the bank gave customers the opportunity to
purchase items from local merchants without a cash transaction. Instead, they would
use a special card, with which the merchant would create a purchase slip. The
bank would buy the slip from the merchant and would then receive payments
from the customer. The "credit card" ended up being ahead of its time, and the
bank sold the business off a few years later.
Also granted landmark status at the May 11 meeting was the Schonlein-Mott House on Madison Avenue. Built in 1905, the Edwardian house became one of the first homes on Long Island designed as a suburban residence instead of the usual farmhouse.
Hunt for driver continues
In the three weeks since 14-year-old Jessica Savarese was killed by a
hit-and-run driver as she crossed Hempstead Turnpike near Claflin Boulevard in
Franklin Square, police said they have had some leads, but none have yet led to
a suspect.
Paul Kosowski of the Nassau County Civic Association, a friend of
Jessica's father, Tony, has used the organization's resources to start a grass-roots
campaign to help solve the crime. "We've already had a lot of people,
including students at Carey High School, visit our Web site and help post fliers,"
said Kosowski. "What we need now is action." Kosowski said the family has raised
money in order to set up a reward for information leading to an arrest in the
case. The website, www.nassaucivic.com, hosts a link to the most updated
information available on the case, which can be copied and printed as a flier.
"We're just asking that anyone who knows anything please step forward if you
have any information, even if you feel it might not be relevant," said
Kosowski. "Your information just may solve this case and help the grieving family
come to grips with their tragic loss."
Welcome home, soldier!
It isn't every day that Dutch Broadway School in Elmont gets a visit from
a soldier coming home from Iraq. Nor is the school often visited by a Grammy-winning choir singer. But when one man fits both bills, and is an alumnus to
boot, that's special.
U.S. Army Specialist Abraham Morales has come a long way from his boyhood home on Newburgh Street. For the past year, he has been halfway around the world, serving his country in the 719th Transportation Division, driving convoys from his home base in Kuwait into many locations in Iraq. "It gets up to
about 140 degrees in the shade over there," Morales told students in the Dutch
Broadway library. "I lost about 10 pounds while I was over there, but gained it
all back after one night of my mom's cooking."
The welcome-home event was hosted by Assemblyman Tom Alfano, who made double use of the question-and-answer session by presenting Morales with the third annual Hispanic American Community Service Award for the 21st Assembly District. "I can't describe how proud I am of this young man," said Alfano. "Young people like Abraham who leave their homes, family and community to serve their country are the heart and soul of our great country." Joining the crowd was
the Morales family, which by itself constitutes a crowd. Abraham is the fourth of 10 children born to Rosa and Rosalio Morales, who have been in Elmont since 1978. Two of Abraham's younger siblings still attend Dutch Broadway. "We were
nervous," confessed his mother when asked how she felt when Abraham and his
unit, stationed in Harlem, were scheduled to ship out. "But at the same time I
was secure knowing that he knew his job so well."
VSN vandalism
It may have been intended as a senior prank, but police estimate the
damage to Valley Stream North High School in Franklin Square to be in excess of
$50,000.
Twenty North High School students -- 19 seniors and one junior -- and one
alumnus were arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead in May, each
charged with second-degree criminal mischief and fifth-degree conspiracy. "We're
very disappointed with the behavior of the students who might have been
involved," said Dr. Marc F. Bernstein, high school superintendent. "They showed
total disrespect for the school and community. This is not a prank. This is
vandalism."
According to police, at about 2 a.m. on a Thursday morning, the suspected
group of 21 young men and women allegedly used squeegees to apply tar to at
least 20 of the school's windows. In addition, the group is accused of breaking
two security cameras, damaging the school's lawn sign and sealing several
door locks and hinges using foam insulation. Bernstein said he learned about the
incident in a 5 a.m. phone call from the school's principal, Dr. Thomas Troisi. Bernstein said a school security guard had discovered the mess shortly after 3 a.m. The guard also spotted a car at the scene -- the students allegedly parked their cars on the street. The security guard wrote down the license plate of the vehicle he saw and called police and school officials. By 7 a.m., 21 suspects were in police custody at the Fifth Precinct Station house in Elmont. Arrested and charged were five Malverne residents, seven from Valley Stream, six from Franklin Square, two from Elmont and one from Freeport.
JUNE
Foiled again!
Many racing fans compared Smarty Jones to Rocky Balboa, the main
character in Sylvester Stallone's 1978 Oscar-winning film about a fictional
down-on-his-luck boxer with one improbable shot at the title. Both were from
Philadelphia, had humble pedigrees and overcame plenty of adversity to get to the top of the mountain.
In the end, though, they shared one more thing in common: both lost. And
unlike Rocky, there are no sequels in the quest for the Triple Crown.
A record-smashing 120,139 people came out to Belmont Park last Saturday
despite the fear of a repeat of last year's rain-soaked event. The crowd not
only surpassed 2002's attendance of 103,222, but also set the record for
attendance at a sporting event in New York state. "We knew it would be crowded," said racing fan Tim Morris. "But this is just nuts."
Heading into the stretch, the previously undefeated Smarty Jones looked
like he was in the clear. Jockey Stewart Elliott opened up a 3 1/2-length edge
over Rock Hard Ten, Eddington and 36-to-1 longshot Birdstone. The crowd went
crazy, chanting the Philadelphia Flyers' catch phrase, "Go Smarty go!"
But as they settled into the stretch, everyone seemed to run out of gas
except Birdstone. Jockey Edgar Prado seized his opportunity in the last 400 yards
and steadily closed the gap. By the time Elliott saw him, Smarty was just about
sunk.
"The mile and a half just got to him," Elliott said after the race. "He
never got a break the entire race. I looked over and I saw Birdstone running
and I figured I might be in trouble. He was running pretty strong."
Birdstone pulled ahead in the last 100 yards and pulled off a one-length
upset, the closest a horse has come to a Triple Crown since Touch Gold shocked
Silver Charm by 3/4 of a length in 1997.
A $2 bet on Birdstone, the number four horse, paid $74. An exacta with
Smarty Jones paid off $139, while Royal Assault, another longshot, came in third
and rounded off the $1,589 trifecta. Birdstone's time was 2:27.5, more than
three seconds off Secretariat's 1973 record.
