Stealing From Cars

Mayor calls for greater police presence in the village

Continuing an alarming increase in criminal activity in the Massapequa area, eleven vehicles in Massapequa Park and an additional four in Massapequa were entered and items taken from inside.

The thefts occurred between 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday Jan. 23 and 11 a.m. on Jan. 25, although based on the police report, most of the thefts occurred during the evening hours of Jan. 23 and the early morning hours of Jan. 24.

Schools Hit By Cuomo Proposal

Adcock warns that state aid

could fall 8.7 percent

Massapequa schools would see an 8.7 percent decline in aid under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed state package released last week, according to district officials.

Massapequa Deputy Superintendent Alan Adcock at first thought his district would be receiving a slight increase in state aid. However, Adcock says that upon further evaluation, the governor’s proposal actually decreases the amount of state aid. This adds to other budget issues that Adcock has been warning of which could result in a $6 million budget shortfall for next year’s budget.

“This is a devastating general operating aid package to Nassau County and Massapequa in particular,” remarked Adcock.

Town: Upgrades To Parks Worth Cost

It may only be January, but the upcoming November election already appears to be on the mind of Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto. At a recent board meeting, the supervisor defended the decision to spend millions of dollars to upgrade town parks and facilities.

“Every level of government is suffering,” remarked Venditto about the fiscal woes faced by municipalities. “Having said that, in some municipalities the infrastructure has not been addressed. This [the renovations to town facilities] is going to protect our infrastructure and quality of life. Just remember that when fall comes around and people are shooting arrows at us.”

Catalytic Converter Thefts At LIRR Parking Lots

Toyotas Parked At LIRR Station

Are Being Targeted

Those who park their vehicles at the Massapequa railroad station should be concerned about whether their vehicle will be intact when they return to it. On January 11, the catalytic converter was stolen from a 2005 Toyota Sequoia that was parked at the Long Island Rail Road Massapequa Train Station. It marked the fourth time such a theft has occurred at the station since June and the second incident over a three-day interval.

These thefts continue an unsettling pattern in the area. Five cars that were parked at the Wantagh station between July and December had the catalytic converters stolen, as did a Hyundai Sonata that was parked at the LIRR station in Seaford during the week after Thanksgiving.

School Board Learns Of Special Education Updates

Members are updated on

proposals made last summer

A recent Massapequa school board meeting focused on unveiling updates in the district’s special education program.

The meeting served as an opportunity for educators and staff of the Special Education department to talk about improvements that have been made since their original proposal over the summer.

The first of five provisions made to the Special Education system was the redistribution of students among all elementary schools. For the past 20 years, students in Massapequa had to attend McKenna Elementary School in order to receive special education services. But with this new redistribution, students have now been integrated into all six elementary schools.

Boardwalk Empire’s Massapequa Connection

Executive producer of hit show grew up in Massapequa

Imagine spending your workdays surrounded by infamous gangsters who are always plotting, conniving and killing in order to expand their wealth, their power and their empire. Tim Van Patten does, and he enjoys every minute of it. Van Patten is the executive producer and director of the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire. In addition to his work on Boardwalk Empire, Van Patten has directed episodes of Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Touched by an Angel, and many other TV series. He is also remembered for having starred in The White Shadow, during which he got to work with legendary director Bruce Paltrow, who gave him his first break as a director.

“I feel like Peter Pan,” he says about his success in show business. “I’ve never grown tired of it.”

A Stroll In The Park…Sort Of

Walking track at Burns Park reopened

For the first time since Superstorm Sandy struck the area, a portion of Burns Park has been reopened. 

The park, situated on the coastline, was one of the hardest hit parks in the Town of Oyster Bay. In the aftermath of the storm, it was submerged under eight feet of water. About 11 weeks after the storm hit the area, the walking track, bicycle track and basketball courts have been reopened. 

Michael Venditto Vs. Joe Belesi?

GOP Proposed District Map Puts

Two Incumbents In Same District

It’s only a theoretical possibility, but if a Republican-drawn map for new legislative districts is adopted, Republican incumbents Michael Venditto and Joe Belesi could face each other in a Republican primary this year. The proposed map would place both Venditto and Belesi in the same district.

“There still a lot of speculation and it is still speculation at this point,” commented Venditto about the proposal. “It is not a given that either map proposed by the Republican or Democratic commission members will be the accepted map.”

Gassed On Sunrise

Car strikes restaurant causing a

gas leak and an evacuation

“You could smell the gas for blocks.”

That’s how Friendly’s Restaurant employee Steven Shapiro described the scene when Sunrise Highway was recently shut down because of an accident that occurred in the parking lot of Friendly’s on Dec. 31. According to witnesses, a green Toyota struck gas pipes outside of the restaurant, creating a hazardous situation as gas leaked out. Sunrise Highway was shut down and both businesses and homes in the vicinity were evacuated as crews worked to repair the damage. According to eyewitness Carl Oberle, an employee at Enterprise-Rent-A-Car, the vehicle struck the gas pipes below the shutoff valve, so the gas could not be turned off. Therefore, repair crews had to dig underneath the curb, outside of the restaurant, to get to the gas lines, in order to turn off the gas.

Looking Back At An Unsung Hero Of 2012

Details emerge of Altadonna’s heroic efforts during Superstorm Sandy

Sitting in the back of a metal dump truck near the shoreline of Long Island, during the brunt of Superstorm Sandy, was probably one of the most dangerous places anyone could be on the night of Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. Yet, that is exactly where Massapequa Park Mayor James Altadonna was that evening. The brutal winds were toppling trees and bringing down power lines, while water was filling the streets to a level of about five feet in height near the shore. Without regard for his own safety, the mayor along with Richard Muller, general highway supervisor for Massapequa, ventured out into the extremely perilous conditions in order to save residents trapped by the storms and in need of rescue.

Altadonna declined to speak about the events that evening saying only, “I was happy to be in a position where I could help.” However Muller spoke about those events and the story is one of heroic bravery. When we look back at 2012 and the many heroes who helped guide us through the storm, it certainly seems that the Massapequa Park mayor was one of the unsung heroes of that evening.