Commack Accident At Indian Head Rd. And Jericho Tpke.

Sometime around 6:15pm Wednesday evening, a truck making a turn at the intersection of Jericho Tpke. and Indian Head Rd. in Commack experienced a tire blowout and flipped on its side. According to people at the scene of the incident the driver was not seriously injured but was shaken up. One person who wanted to remain anonomous stated, “It was a freak accident.  Thank God no one was killed, or injured.  The driver wasn’t speeding, it was just a freak accident.”

police finishing up at the scene of accident on Jericho and Indian Head Rd.The police were still at the scene at 11pm although the road blocks were being removed and traffic was once again being permitted to head north on Indian Head Rd. 

Altshuler Campaign Announces The Endorsement Of US Chamber Of Commerce

Middle Island, May 21, 2012 – Self-made businessman and Republican congressional candidate Randy Altschuler has earned the endorsement of the United States Chamber of Commerce as the candidate best equipped to foster job creation and economic growth in Eastern Suffolk County, his campaign announced today.            

Altschuler recently outlined a specific 10-point plan to revitalize the local economy and bring jobs back to Eastern Suffolk County.  www.Randy2012.com/jobsplan/            

“On behalf of the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region, I am pleased to inform you that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors has endorsed your candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives,” wrote Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue in a letter to Altschuler.  “Your record of support on pro-business issues earned this endorsement.  We believe that your election to the U.S. House of Representatives will help produce sustained economic growth, help create more jobs, and get our country back on track.  The Chamber will be in direct contact with our members in your state promoting you as our candidate of choice.”

Altschuler said the endorsement underscored his campaign’s central theme – that his experience as a self-made businessman who came from humble beginnings to build two American companies from the ground up and create more than a thousand American jobs – sets him apart from his opponent, career bureaucrat turned politician Tim Bishop.     

“Since I released my 10-point jobs earlier this month, countless people have come up to me at events and thanked me for being the only candidate in this race talking about the critical economic and fiscal issues facing Suffolk County taxpayers and small business owners,” said Altschuler.  “I am honored to be endorsed by the leading pro-jobs organizations in the United States and I encourage everyone to visit my web site at www.Randy2012.com and read my jobs plan for themselves and contact me with their feedback.”

SCPD Investigating Death of Smithtown Man Hit By MV Today

Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed a pedestrian in Smithtown early this morning.

Randy Feliciano was driving a 2003 Toyota Highlander westbound in the left lane of Route 25, just west of Morewood Road, in Smithtown when his vehicle struck Salvatore Prianti at 4:40 a.m.

Prianti, 87, of Smithtown, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. Feliciano, 50, of Smithtown, was uninjured.

The Toyota was impounded for a safety check and the investigation is continuing. Detectives are asking anyone with information on this crash to call the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.

Blown Transformer Leaves Some At Village Commons Shopping Center Without Electricity

Around 1:30pm Saturday, patrons at the Baja Grill in the Village Commons Shopping Center were evacuated from the popular eatery after hearing three loud bangs.  The restaurant manager announced the evacuation and urged everyone to move calmly and quickly out of the building. There was an orderly evacuation, no panic but lots of curiosity as to what caused the noise and the loss of electricity.

It didn’t take long to determine that the cause of the blackout was a blown transformer.  The transformer was located underground in the back of the shopping center.   A small fire developed, which was extinguished by the Smithtown Fire Department.  According to Town of Smithtown Senior Fire Marshal, Nicholas Kefalos, everything was under control and there was no cause for alarm.   

End of Story?  Not exactly.

Between Citibank and Ace Hardware businesses were left without electricity.  Some closed their doors and waited for the return of electricity. Three food venues were impacted by the loss of electricity.  The Baja Grill, Manninos and Main Street Meats & Catering.

The business of food has a critical dependence on electricity.   The preparation of food, cooking and the refrigeration of uncooked and prepared food are all electric dependent.   

While Manninos had a refrigerated truck at their disposal MAIN STREET Meats & Catering did not.  “The loss of electricity means we will lose a lot of our refrigerated stock.  There is not much we can do.  Insurance will cover some of our loss but that will take a long time.  This is a big loss for us.  I hope that the transformer can be replaced quickly but I just don’t see that it will happen quick enough to save the food in my store.” Ben Shor, Owner of MAIN STREET Meats & Catering.

LIPA was working to identify the model of the transformer with the hope that they would be able to replace it quickly.  For Ben Shor it can’t happen quick enough.

Update on Sunday, May 20, 2012 at 8:33AM by .

MAIN STREET Meats & Catering is back to full power.  Power was restored last evening around midnight . A LIPA generator allowed them to maintain adequate refrigeration throughout the event.  

Are You A Ham Wannabe? Annual Field Day Contest June 23 -24

Local Radio Amateurs demonstrate emergency preparedness during the annual U.S. and Canada Field Day contest 

by Fred Kruger, K2LDC

Amateur Radio Field Day 2012 is quickly approaching!  Each year, on the fourth full weekend in June (this year:June 23-24), radio amateurs (Hams) from all over the United States and Canada join with other members of clubs or friends to set up and operate from special locations. Some will operate from sites in parks, open fields, or shopping centers, while others will choose to operate from their local Emergency Operations Center, or even from home. Many will remain at their Field Day sites for the full 24 hours of the contest; operating from, and sleeping in, one or more small tents.

One of the key differences between this competition and others is that many ham groups will eat field-cooked food and will operate using “off-mains” power (batteries, generators, solar panels, wind mills, or even water turbines); thereby simulating emergency conditions….even if it is under somewhat relaxed conditions. It is an opportunity for all to learn to operate radio gear in abnormal situations and under less than optimal conditions. Other Hams view Field Day as a special contest and compete to get the most contacts and bonus points. All different types of antennas are set up for the operation and virtually all modes of radio communications are used. Some of these modes are AM, FM, Morse Code (CW), Single Side Band, and various digital modes.

Communications may actually involve contacts with Ham astronauts on the International Space Station or with radio amateurs almost anywhere in the world. Some contacts may be made by bouncing signals off the ionosphere, while others may be received and retransmitted by amateur radio satellites circling the earth far out in space.

In addition to their actual radio operation, many participating hams will set up and operate in public venues and provide educational materials and discussions. Guests may even be invited to speak over (one of) the radios. A special stand-alone ham radio station may be set up to encourage new operators to participate and provide the club with additional contest points, plus bonus points.

Hams respond to all types of emergencies. When normal communications channels are disrupted,  radio amateurs jump in action to provide essential communications when it really matters. A recent example of this occurred when large areas of Long Island lost power during Hurricane Irene. With no power, cell telephone service became virtually non-exist ant in many areas. Without electricity cable modems stopped working and cable telephone services stopped. The average person could neither call someone for information nor use their cable connected television up-to-date information. They couldn’t call their cable company to complain and they couldn’t call the power company to complain.

Hams who were set up and prepared for emergencies were able to use their battery or generator powered radios to contact other hams and obtain repair status information, provide logistical information, or summon help. When all else fails, hams are well known for their ability to provide communications support in real disaster and post-disaster situations.

The contest aspect of Field Day is to simply make contact with as many other stations as possible without prior scheduling and operate their radio equipment under less than optimum conditions. Similar skills are used when radio amateurs help with community events such as parades, bike-a-thons and marathons. They also use some of the same skills when they exhibit at a meeting or fair. Field Day also  provides an opportunity to demonstrate Amateur Radio to elected officials and the general public.

As described above, many amateur radio clubs on Long Island will set up and operate multiple radio stations and compete with other stations nationwide and beyond. In a real emergency or disaster, this same equipment would be available to provide a communications link from Long Island to the rest of the world, even if all public power and all local/regional communications systems were not operational (worst case, but possible).

Several clubs try to combine the best of everything: training, education, demonstration, and just plain socializing. Some clubs will use solar power in addition to a gas generator and auto battery power. Sometimes a very low power station  (less than 5 watts) will be added, since it will operate from readily available batteries for many hours or days and still be able to reach out long distances.  

Visitors are welcomed at Field Day sites! The latest information about local ham radio Field Day sites and operating hours can be found on the web site of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL):  http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator .