RSS 2.0 FeedThursday, December 28, 2011, Bellmore Life
2011: a year in review
The who, what, where and when of '11.
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene made perhaps the biggest news in Bellmore in 2011, as it toppled trees across cars and onto homes to wreak widespread devastation throughout the community and neighboring towns.
Many streets were flooded waist-deep, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage to homes as a result.
With toppled trees everywhere landing on electric wires, thousands of homes in south Bellmore and communities across Nassau’s South Shore were also without heat or electricity for a week and more. County and town crews were unable to remove trees from the wires until the Long Island Power Authority crews inspected the extent of downed-wire damage first.
Bellmore Life joined Federal Emergency Management Agency agents who went door-to-door after the storm looking to assess damage to residences. The FEMA agents provided them with information on what the government could provide to help them get their shattered homes – and lives – back together.
The weather also made headlines a scant two weeks before Irene landed ashore. A sudden rain squall of 11 inches in only two hours flooded the neighborhoods around Mill Pond and Smith Pond, a pond the county has been working to dredge for years.
The storm flooded tens of basements even more than did Irene, and saturated the ground, contributing to the devastation left by Irene by moistening it so that trees could not hold steady against Irene’s whirling winds.
In early January two large snowstorms deposited over 10 inches of snow, guaranteeing the community would remain under a snowy blanket that was first laid in late December when a howling blizzard dumped over 20 inches the day after Christmas.
Crime increased
Crime played a role front-and-center in Bellmore this year. Bellmore Fire Department EMT Justin Angell escaped certain death after a gunman shot him on Bellmore Avenue, but missed vital organs. Bellmore Life reported exclusively on his harrowing minutes. The gunman, trapped in his vehicle after crashing it into a telephone pole, was killed by police.
Hasan Kaya, 49, was ambushed and killed at his home on East Meadow Avenue in North Bellmore by assailants still at large.
The Sumra family on Bellmore Avenue in North Bellmore were victims of a home invasion early one morning that put schools into lockdown as the robbers took to the streets to escape a police chase.
Shots were fired in Merrick while the driver of the getaway car was apprehended in Wantagh, and another on the Southern State Parkway on the way home to Brooklyn.
Nancy Bilano of North Bellmore was arrested for allegedly killing her husband and leaving him on a Wantagh State Parkway bike trail.
Martin Tretola and son Thomas were arrested for assault weapon sales.
Leonides Costifas of Bethpage received 45 years in prison for a Bellmore crime spree – and subsequent police dragnet – that left a 71-year-old Nassau Street man severely injured after robbing him and several others.
Schools feel pinch
The planned closing of Jacob Gunther Elementary School also played prominently on the Bellmore Life’s front pages for several weeks. Many angry residents are still blaming the school board for shortsightedness in not seeing or rectifying growing deficits.
The board countered that while the budget could hold the line on decreasing enrollment at Gunther – now in the mid-50% range – the 2% state tax cap and continued decreases in state and federal stimulus aid made it untenable to balance the budget without closing the school.
The board recently approved a resolution to permit residents to vote to decide if they want to greatly decrease or eliminate school bus service to save another $1 million.
Meanwhile, because of expected decreases in state and federal stimulus aid the Central High School District Board of Education attempted to put the issue of synthetic turf behind it by voting 6-2 in a straw poll to keep residents from voting on it.
Teachers and administrators in the CHSD forewent annual pay increases in an attempt to save jobs and class sizes.
The Central High School District was also hit with fines for lack of permits to work on asbestos.
North Bellmore’s Billy Dean saw his fortunes rise and fall as his new cabaret in Wantagh got variations to run the cabaret, only to see those variations taken from it when angry residents forced Hempstead Town to revisit the variances in a new hearing. Those variances were then denied at a second hearing.
Some protesters picketed Billy Dean’s in North Bellmore, claiming violations were occurring at that location. But a Town of Hempstead spokesman said the cabaret was being closely watched, and no violations had occurred as protesters claimed.
Regarding Town of Hempstead zoning variances, White Castle was denied by the state’s Supreme Court a permit to build its fast-food restaurant in Bellmore. The town in 2010 denied White Castle applications for variances to build.
Ironically, the Bellmore Preservation Group was behind the town’s denial of White Castle as much as it was behind the building of Arby’s, the first fast-food restaurant in Bellmore in many years.
The group, comprising over 100 residents, asked the franchise owner of Arby’s to work with the residents to address their concerns. Arby’s owner met with residents, allaying those concerns by providing noise buffers and beautification of the surrounding areas.
The BPG also threw its support toward a public hearing for the Stevens house, an old Bellmore home built in Old-World style, to turn it into a county museum rather than face the wrecking ball.
Eileen Casazza, in return, received Nassau County’s 2011 Trailblazer of the Millennium Award for her work in BPG as its vice-president.
Madeline Grace Abreu became Bellmore’s First Baby of the Year, being born on January 3. Ruth Saylor was announced as Bellmore Life’s Mother of the Year. Matthew Green was Bellmore Life’s Father of the Year.
In 2011 residents in North Bellmore formed North Bellmore Residents Against Cell Towers to oppose the latest cell tower proposal from Crown Communications. The company wished to build a cell tower – making it the fifth in North Bellmore – along the Southern State Parkway at Bellmore Road.
Crown later withdrew its application, citing opposition.
The longtime Friday Night Car Show finally got a new owner: a joint venture between the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores and the Town of Hempstead. The partnership ensures that the car show is well managed, clean and safe to visit.
Economic slowdown?
While the recession hit the county hard, forcing the Nassau Interim Finance Authority to take over the county’s finances – and the county threw tax certiori repayment responsibilities onto local school districts to get the responsibility of payments off the county’s back. The Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores saw an uptick in membership, providing hopeful signs that some local businesses are in fact thriving in Bellmore.
Clearwater Charlie’s opened, as did Red Door, and both joined the chamber.
Living Legends and Got Cupcakes? joined, as did Bellmore Village Chiropractic and Wellness and Green Energy Solutions.
Wellbuilt Solar joined the chamber, and Across the Universe opened its doors, holding a rockfest for charity this Holiday season.
Choice Flooring, Home Decor Consultants and Fioro Tile Showrooms joined, as did Train for a Game, Lori-Girl Creations and Republic Lighting.
Chiromom also joined the chamber this year.
Bellmore authors
Mike Wiener of Bellmore wrote “The Scar,” Sheldon and Al Hirsh wrote the book “The Beauty of Short Hops,” Pastor Brian McMillan wrote “Design” on Centerpoint Church’s meteoric rise, and Vincent N. Scialo wrote the spiritual book “Journey Every Step Un-Sure.”
In other news
Mallory Parker of Kennedy High School assisted children in Lesotho, Africa; John Jeffrey became the new pastor at St. Mark the Evangelist Church; Louis Cotrone of Holy Trinity signed a letter of intent to play for Marist College, a Division 1 team; Nick Nanos received a certificate for traditional Chinese medical psychiatry; Cara Feldman of Kennedy signed with University of Northern Colorado’s women’s cross county and track teams; seventh-grader Caolan Joy raised $1,100 for St. Baldrick’s; Park Avenue students planted a garden; St. Mark the Evangelist blessed its new organic garden; Centerpoint Church raised $10,000 for African children; Bellmore producer Jody Girgenti opened her new film, “Harvest Dinner,” at Malverne Cinema; new comedy club Behind Bars opens on Merrick Road; the three CHSD high schools all had commencement exercises at NYCB theater in Westbury for the first time; Bellmore residents Susan and Robert Cirigliano’s hope of a national drop-side curb ban was passed; the Bellmore Striders broke a record during a July 4 run with 721 entrants; North Bellmore Fire Department got steel from World Trade Center, and erected it at Firemen’s Plaza; a Newsday truck slammed into the post office, causing significant damage; the Bellmore Jewish Center welcomed Rabbi Raphael Ostrovsky; Robin Karp, assistant to Town Councilman Gary Hudes, retired; Calhoun students froze at a football game during a fall rain; and Joe Bianca, Calhoun football coach, pushed for improved football helmet standards.
These are but a few of the events that became the news of Bellmore in 2011. May we all live in interesting times.
And may you be more prosperous in 2012 – and at peace.
