Long Island Now
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Nicholas Spangler
Along with my colleague Denise Bonilla, I cover the town of Babylon. My stories and coverage will have an emphasis on issues and developments involving Republic Airport and the incorporated villages of Amityville and Babylon. Story tips are welcome.
631-843-3023Day 1 in Bayville: Exploring Bayville and meeting its characters
Photo credit: Tara Conry
Good morning and greetings from Bayville!
Today kicks off Newsday’s five-day “Town Focus” in the waterfront village of Bayville. Although Bayville may be small — only 1.5 square miles in size and home to roughly 6,600 residents — there is plenty to see and do here, and there are quite a few characters.
I met one of Bayville’s biggest characters Saturday night. Jackie “The Jokeman” Martling...
Read more »Bayville is heaven on earth for Jackie 'The Jokeman' Martling
Photo credit: Tara Conry
Jackie “The Jokeman” Martling, 65, is a stand-up comedian, radio host, actor and a former writer and radio personality for “The Howard Stern Show.” Martling, a native of East Norwich and a graduate of Oyster Bay High School, has lived in Bayville since 1976. Today he hosts his own radio show, “Jackie’s Joke Hunt,” on Sirius XM Howard 101, performs live and can be seen in the new mobster film, “Send...
Read more »Mark Bonilla misconduct trial resumes
Photo credit: Howard Schnapp
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Read more »Town of Huntington adopts tighter noise law
Photo credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Tighter noise limits are in effect in the town of Huntington.
The town board adopted new limits that have tightened the definitions of noise at property lines, changed the designation of to whom a sound-device permit is issued, made it easier to prosecute violators of the code, and increased the penalties.
“I think we got rid of some loopholes in the law that will help our code enforcement,...
Read more »Annual St. Rocco Festival in Oyster Bay draws about 50,000
Photo credit: Tara Conry
Walking around the St. Rocco Festival in Oyster Bay Sunday night was a vastly different experience for native Tracey McIntyre than it was 20 years ago.
As a teenager, McIntyre, her twin sister, Tricia, and their friends would attend every single night of the five-day festival that takes place at Fireman’s Field on Shore Avenue. They’d ride the amusement rides, play the carnival games and enjoy...
Read more »Reggae beats and tie dye bring younger audience to Vanderbilt Museum
Photo credit: Amy Onorato
As the sun beat down, Luana Halili, 33, of North Bellmore, rocked steadily to the calypso beat of the reggae tune drifting through the hilly, open lawns of the Vanderbilt Museum.
“It’s a beautiful day, we love each other, we love summer, that’s why we’re here,” Halili said. “We decorate the world; we’re painting, in a way, by dancing.”
On Sunday, the Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport hosted...
Read more »Coming up: Town Focus in Bayville
Photo credit: Tara Conry
Sandy beaches, stunning views of the Long Island Sound, and an amusement park. This is how I will be spending the next week. No, I won’t be cashing in any vacations days, but rather I’ll be working in a place just about 30 minutes from Newsday’s Melville office: Bayville.
The village of Bayville is only 1.5 square miles and it’s almost completely surrounded by water, so as you can imagine...
Read more »Town of Babylon to hold groundbreaking ceremony for Wyandanch Rising
Photo credit: Handout
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held Tuesday for the first phase of development in the Town of Babylon’s Wyandanch revitalization project.
The groundbreaking will start at noon just north of the Long Island Rail Road station, at the site where two apartment buildings will be constructed. The event will feature music and activities as well as speeches from federal, state and local officials.
Master...
Read more »West Shore Road to be closed on eight nights in July
Photo credit: Ana Rico
West Shore Road in Mill Neck, a key North Shore access road being rebuilt after damage from superstorm Sandy, is scheduled to be closed on eight nights this month.
On Tuesday, the entire road is to be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., Nassau County officials said. The southern third, from Cleft Road to the Long Island Rail Road trestle, is to be closed next Wednesday and Thursday nights, and...
Read more »Parking permits to be enforced at Oceanside LIRR station
Photo credit: Brittany Wait
The Town of Hempstead will resume enforcing parking permits at the Oceanside Long Island Rail Road station beginning Aug. 1.
New one-year permits for $3 each are on sale for the period effective Aug. 1 to July 31, 2014. Permits will be enforced in parking lots O6, O7, O8, O10 and O11.
“As a measure to accommodate residents, many of whom lost vehicles to floodwaters during Hurricane Sandy,...
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