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Triathletes Marry in Lake Placid

Triathletes Marry in Lake Placid

By
Star Staff

       Kristin Laura Andrews, the daughter of Carol and John Andrews of Sag Harbor, was married on Sept. 15 in Lake Placid, N.Y., to Christopher Alvaro Lemos. Mr. Lemos is the son of Nancy D. Lemos of North Bethesda, Md., and Emilio Alvaro Lemos of Pontevedra, Spain.

       The ceremony took place at the Adirondack Community Church with the Rev. John Martin officiating. A reception, with music by Talking Machine, followed at the Lake Placid Club.

       The maid of honor was the bride’s close friend Doria Goorevich of North Bethesda. The bride was also attended by Laura Ramos of Silver Spring, Md., Maureen Baran of San Diego, and Sarah Erskine of Kensington, Md.

       Mr. Lemos’s best man was his close friend Julio Navascuez Jr. of Washington, D.C. His groomsmen were Christopher Drury of Rockville, Md., Jason Meyers of New Berlin, Wisc., and Philippe Kozub of Bethesda. His ushers were Walter Nelson of Baltimore and Scott Panek of Sun Valley, Calif.

       The couple met through Ms. Ramos and Mr. Kozub in late 2009 and got to know each other while training for and competing in triathlons, a sport in which both have achieved Ironman status.

       The bride, a graduate of Mercy High School in Riverhead, holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College and a master’s in public health from Emory University. She works for Mathematica Policy Research in Washington, D.C., and also competes as a professional triathlete.

       Mr. Lemos has a bachelor’s degree in mass media communications from the University of Maryland at College Park and works for OpenText, a software company.

       The couple took a wedding trip to Telluride, Colo., and now live in the Glen Echo Heights area of Bethesda.

Taxis and Share Houses

Taxis and Share Houses

East Hampton Town Councilman Peter Van Scoyoc, right, received a warm welcome on Monday when Montauk Citizens Advisory Committee members learned he will be their new liaison to the East Hampton Town Board.
East Hampton Town Councilman Peter Van Scoyoc, right, received a warm welcome on Monday when Montauk Citizens Advisory Committee members learned he will be their new liaison to the East Hampton Town Board.
Janis Hewitt
By
Janis Hewitt

       East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell and Councilman Peter Van Scoyoc received a warm welcome, and an earful, from the Montauk Citizens Advisory Committee on Monday.

       Mr. Van Scoyoc replaces former Councilman Dominick Stanzione as the town board’s new liaison to the committee.

       Mr. Cantwell told the group that he will not be able to make every meeting but would like to occasionally drop in. He spoke of the beach erosion problem in downtown Montauk and said it is a project he would like to get everyone working on as fast as possible. He was disappointed, he said, that the former town board had taken so long to get the project moving.

       He noted that it might take awhile to work out all the kinks in Town Hall, including learning its new phone system. But, he said, “We’re going to hit the ground running.”

       The new supervisor sat in the audience but stood to address the group and then returned to his seat. Mr. Van Scoyoc took his place at the head table facing the committee of about 25 members and guests that attended on Monday. The councilman said that code enforcement will be the top priority for the new administration, which is looking to take a broader approach and work with other departments, such as the police and fire marshals, to get people and businesses to comply with town rules.

       He spoke of a new taxi task force, which was formed in the fall in response to the large influx of cab companies operating in the town in the summer and the high fares some were charging customers. Town officials would like to get a wider range of people on the task force, including a town attorney, a police representative, and taxi company owners. The town’s current taxi legislation needs to be clarified, Mr. Van Scoyoc said, saying that the permitting process allowing cabs to operate in the town should be tightened and requests strictly scrutinized when they reach the town clerk’s office for approval.

       Committee members asked that cab companies be required to have a physical address in town and not just a post office box. Last summer, committee members who studied the situation found that many out-of-town companies were using the same post office boxes or addresses on their permit applications. They also suggested raising the permit fee so the town could profit from the influx.

       “These guys are making money and we’re making nothing on it. You want to play, you need to pay,” said Lisa Grenci, a member and former chairwoman of the committee. Another member suggested the town also initiate on-the-spot drug testing for cab drivers.

       Illegal share houses came up next, with Ms. Grenci, who is a real estate broker, telling the committee that quite a few people lie to brokers when looking for a summer rental. She said customers will claim they’ll be sharing the house with family and will probably have grandma and grandpa visiting.

       “Next thing you know there are eight to nine cars in the driveway and they’re all Greenwich Village hipsters living in the house,” she said.

       The town is looking into developing a rental registry, said Mr. Van Scoyoc, and is consulting with Southampton Town officials on how to do so. A rental registry would allow the town some judicial intervention, he said. “It would be a real deterrent.”

       Members also complained that downtown Montauk is too dark and is unsafe, a recurring issue for many, who say the bulbs in the downtown lights are not bright enough and are not cleaned regularly. 

       The committee also discussed its own membership numbers at length. With almost 40 members, the Montauk group is said to be the largest of any of the town’s advisory committees, yet even with such a large group, half of the members have to be in attendance in order to have a quorum and pass any resolutions. Members agreed Monday that if someone missed more than half a year of meetings, they will be removed from the committee.

New Tree Lighter Needed

New Tree Lighter Needed

By
Janis Hewitt

       Unless someone steps up to the plate, Montauk could be a little less merry and bright next Christmas.

       After decorating the 70 small pines that run on both sides of Montauk Highway in downtown Montauk for the last 12 to 15 years, Jimmy Daunt, an owner of the Albatross Motel, and his crew of employees that includes his brother Richie Daunt, his cousin Joseph Horton, and his office manager, Cindy Dess, have decided it is time to step down from the project that was started 20 years ago by John Keeshan when the old-fashioned light posts were installed.

       At that time Mr. Keeshan formed a Christmas committee to decorate trees supplied by the Town of East Hampton. The chamber provided the lights and the committee decorated the trees each year until Mr. Daunt took it over.

       But now he is downsizing, he said, with regret, because he loves seeing the trees all lit up. “It looks so beautiful when it’s done,” he said, but it’s also become too much for him to do each year.

       Each tree was hung with two sets of lights in a specific color formation with a white light at the tip of each to signify an angel, said Mr. Daunt.

       It takes a lot of work that starts weeks before the trees are even delivered, as each set of lights has to be checked for burned-out bulbs. Once they are decked out, Mr. Daunt takes it upon himself to check the trees every few nights, looking for bulbs that have blown.

       Some years, the wind took its toll on the trees. Last year was particularly windy around Christmas, forcing the crew to give up, he said.

       His crew put up most of the lights, and they were paid for the job from Mr. Daunt’s own pocket. He stayed behind the scenes, he said, and focused his energy on the elaborate Christmas village and a display of lights at the motel.

       Montauk Chamber of Commerce officials said Mr. Daunt was meticulous with his lights and purchased, again with his own money, huge plastic tubs that were used to store the strings of lights. Chamber officials have put out a call for someone to step forward and take over. But do not be surprised if Mr. Daunt checks on the newbies. He said that he cannot help but check for outages as he drives through town.

       “I roll back into town and drive toward the [Catholic] church, turn around and drive back through because it just looks so beautiful,” he said.

New Author, New Fire Chief

New Author, New Fire Chief

Joe Lenahan, the next chief of the Montauk Fire Department, has written a book for children teaching them the ins and outs of a firehouse.
Joe Lenahan, the next chief of the Montauk Fire Department, has written a book for children teaching them the ins and outs of a firehouse.
Janis Hewitt
“Once I decided to write a book, I always knew it would be about a firehouse,”
By
Janis Hewitt

    Joe Lenahan, who will be sworn in as the next chief of the Montauk Fire Department on Jan. 1, has written and illustrated a book called simply “Fire House.” The book, though entertaining, was written to show children what happens at a firehouse and what types of tools are used to fight fires.

    Since he was a little boy, Mr. Lenahan always knew he would someday be a fireman, and 27 years ago he accomplished that dream, following in the footsteps of his father, Robert Lenahan Sr., to whom the book is dedicated.

    A Montauk native, Mr. Lenahan has risen through the ranks of the department and taken a special interest in rescue operations and technical rescues. He also trains others.

    He wrote the book because he was frustrated when he would read to his two young children and found that the books he was reading them were either not focused enough for youngsters or too hard for them understand.

    “Once I decided to write a book, I always knew it would be about a firehouse,” he said.

    The quirky illustrations appear childlike and were purposely drawn that way to appeal to toddlers who might just be starting to learn how to count, Mr. Lenahan said. Each page features a piece of equipment and its function, and on the following page the pieces are illustrated with numbers beneath them for children to count. For example, one page asks, “How many fire hydrants do you see?” and a child is then expected to count the four happy-faced, dancing hydrants.

    Since he is a busy man, working with the department and a construction company, it took Mr. Lenahan about a year to complete the book. “It was just so much fun to write. And now I can call myself an author!”

    Self-published through Trafford Publishing, the softcover book sells for $17 and is available at the Montauk Library and on Amazon.com.

    Mr. Lenahan is already at work on another book about construction tools that he plans to call “Little Joe’s Tools.” But taking over as fire chief next year could very well delay the writing process.  

Club D.E.I.S. Ready

Club D.E.I.S. Ready

By
Christopher Walsh

The East Hampton Village Zoning Board of Appeals has  announced that a revised draft environmental impact statement submitted by the Maidstone Club for a new irrigation system is complete and ready for public review. A copy will be available at Village Hall and online at easthamptonvillage.org.

The Maidstone Club has been seeking to upgrade irrigation on its golf course, a project that would include new piping, an additional well, a pump house, and the creation of a .65-acre holding pond, for more than a year, although club officials have said the idea goes back for six or seven years. Public hearings were held on the project in the summer of 2012, when opponents argued that noise might emanate from the pump house and said the system would have a detrimental impact on the environment, and in particular Hook Pond. The club is adjacent to the pond and the Atlantic.

The East Hampton Village Board has scheduled a hearing on the D.E.I.S. for 11 a.m. on Jan. 11.

Summer Resident Wins Goeller Dinghy

Summer Resident Wins Goeller Dinghy

John Reinbold, left, with Don Schreiber, a member of the society, at the Community Boat Shop in Amagansett on Saturday
John Reinbold, left, with Don Schreiber, a member of the society, at the Community Boat Shop in Amagansett on Saturday
Hugh Brown
By
Star Staff

John Reinbold, a summer resident of Montauk, was the lucky winner of the East End Classic Boat Society’s annual raffle, which took place at the society’s holiday open house on Dec. 7. Mr. Reinbold won the Goeller dinghy that the society’s volunteer members had constructed at the Community Boat Shop.

The society is planning another boat to construct for next year’s raffle, a sailboat modeled after the Cape Cod Oyster Sloop, a popular boat in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It will be called the East End Sharpie.

The society is a not-for-profit educational organization dedicated to sustaining the skills and traditions of small wood boat building and restoration on the South Fork. It conducts programs on small boat design, building, and restoration at the Community Boat Shop, and offers lessons in navigation, lofting, sailor arts, boat repair, and maintenance.

New members, from beginning to advanced skill level, are welcome. Membership is $35 for an individual and $45 for a family. The boat shop, at 301 Bluff Road, is open Wednesday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. year-round.

They Want a Pool — Pronto!

They Want a Pool — Pronto!

By
Janis Hewitt

       The results of a survey conducted by the Montauk Playhouse Community Center Foundation says that the majority of the 800 Montauk households that answered want a pool — and soon!

       The survey was sent out to more than 1,600 households in early fall. It was put together by several board members, including Tom and Helene Griffin and Wendy and Jeff Samuelson, all of whom have worked in marketing and for other not-for-profit projects.

       “They brought the experience to the table,” said Maureen Rutkowski, the project’s director, who was at the playhouse on Sunday with her husband, David Rutkowski, setting up a batting cage for the public to enjoy during the holiday break.

       Ms. Rutkowski said the survey intended to reassess what the community wants now that the playhouse has been up and running since 2006. “We got great feedback, considering the winter population‚” she said.

       Online and as a booklet, the survey asks 12 questions, starting with how interested residents are in an aquatic center and including how many in each household would use it, how often, and at what age. It also asks general questions such as where do people stay when visiting the East End and in which hamlet or village.

       It is still possible to participate in the survey online at montaukplayhouse.org/survey.

       The aquatic center was separated out from the second phase of the playhouse project in 2012 to get it moving along. Groundbreaking for the center, which will be on the ground level, where now there is a massive space with a dirt floor, is to start in 2014, with completion set for 2016.

       The cost of the pool, its infrastructure work, two meeting rooms, and other contingencies is expected to be $4 million, half of which is already on hand thanks to a variety of fund-raisers the group holds throughout the year, including dinners in private homes with Lisa DeVeglio, the board’s president, as host.

       Coming up, a number of board members will trek to the Meadowlands in New Jersey to attend a workshop with USA Swimming, an organization that offers professional tips. “Basically, they teach us how to build a pool,” Ms. Rutkowski said.

       Outside suggestions come in handy, she said, and have helped the board decide to downgrade a 240-seat theater project that had been included in the original phase-two plan. Instead, the group went with building a multipurpose space where theater events as well as other activities could be held. “It leaves open the possibility of other things,” Ms. Rutkowski said.

       The playhouse is open daily and includes activities for senior citizens, children’s day care, exercise programs, an open gym (depending on scheduling), the Body Tech fitness center, and Manual Sports and Physical Therapy.

       To get back to the batting cage, Montauk Youth purchased it for the playhouse. Holiday hours can be checked online at montaukyouth.org or on its Facebook page.

       Some visitors actually gasped as they walked into the gym on Sunday, saying they couldn’t believe what it offered. “Can we use this?” several young boys asked in amazement while eyeing the batting cage.

       “I love coming in and seeing the life in here,” Ms. Rutkowski said as she guided a guest into the elevator.

Food Pantry Cuts It Close

Food Pantry Cuts It Close

By
Stephen J. Kotz

       After distributing 363 meals for Thanksgiving at its East Hampton and Amagansett locations, the East Hampton Food Pantry on Tuesday was estimating that it would distribute 400 food parcels to its clients for Christmas dinners.

       Reached that afternoon, Gabrielle Scarpaci, the pantry’s executive director, said that the pantry, which was running short of money as Thanksgiving approached, is starting to receive donations in response to its annual appeal letter.

       “The money is starting to come in,” she said. “We are nowhere near where we need to be, but the checks are coming in. Most are small, but every little bit helps.”

       There was one notable exception. Ben Krupinski, an East Hampton builder and entrepreneur, made a $10,000 donation earlier this month.

       “That was incredibly generous of him,” said Ms. Scarpaci, who before Thanksgiving said the pantry, which spends $4,000 to $5,000 a week buying food, was down to its last $20,000.

       The food pantry, which is located in the community room at the Windmill II apartments on Accabonac Road and at the St. Michael’s senior housing complex in Amagansett, will be closed on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

       It will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 7, when it serves clients in East Hampton from 2 to 6 p.m. and Amagansett residents from 4 to 6 p.m.

       Ms. Scarpaci said donations are always welcome. Checks can be sent to East Hampton Food Pantry, 219-50 Accabonac Road, East Hampton 11937.

Two Chances for ‘The Nutcracker’

Two Chances for ‘The Nutcracker’

Lucy Cosme Vera danced the role of Clara last weekend when the Conservatory of Ballet and Danse Arts of Bridgehampton presented “The Nutcracker” at Southampton High School.
Lucy Cosme Vera danced the role of Clara last weekend when the Conservatory of Ballet and Danse Arts of Bridgehampton presented “The Nutcracker” at Southampton High School.
Durell Godfrey
Two local companies will present their versions of the Christmas classic this weekend
By
Carissa Katz

    Even if you’ve never seen Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker,” you’ve probably had its most iconic song, “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” stuck in your head at some point this holiday season. Two local companies will present their versions of the Christmas classic this weekend.

    Studio 3 in Bridgehampton will bring “Mixed Nuts” to the Bay Street Theatre stage in Sag Harbor tomorrow and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2. The Hampton Ballet Theatre School, also in Bridgehampton, will perform “The Nutcracker” at Guild Hall tomorrow at 7 p.m., Saturday at 1 and 7, and Sunday at 2.

    Studio 3’s production, described as “a holiday ‘Nutcracker’ with a twist,” is set in the 1920s. Professional dancers from Festival Ballet Providence will dance the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 for students, and can be purchased at the door or in advance by e-mailing [email protected].

    Sara Jo Strickland, the director of the Hampton Ballet Theatre School, did the choreography for the Guild Hall production, which features costumes by Yuka Silvera and lighting design by Sebastian Paczynski. Adrianna de Svastich and Nick Peregrino of Ballet Fleming in Philadelphia will dance the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier.

    Advance tickets cost $25 for adults and $20 for those under 20 at hamptonballettheatreschool.com. Tickets at the door are $30 and $25.   

Ramping Up Typhoon Relief

Ramping Up Typhoon Relief

Brian Lydon of East Hampton demonstrated a water-filtration kit for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
Brian Lydon of East Hampton demonstrated a water-filtration kit for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.
By
Stephen J. Kotz

       East End Cares, which was formed on the heels of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and Gurney’s Inn in Montauk are joining forces to host a fund-raiser on Friday, Dec. 13, to benefit victims of Typhoon Haiyan, which caused massive destruction in the Philippines last month.

       The event, East End Cares for Leyte, will run from 7 to 11 p.m. and feature music by local bands, Filipino-inspired hors d’oeuvres prepared by local chefs, wines donated by Osprey Dominion, and raffles. Tickets are $25.

       According to Melissa Berman, one of the founders of East End Cares, the loosely knit organization works with Paddlers for Humanity, which can be contacted at p4h.org, to funnel donations to those in distress.

       The group has been working with Venus Yunker, who is Filipino and lives in Montauk, to provide relief to residents of her family’s village, Hindang, on the island of Leyte.

       Brian Lydon of East Hampton, whom Ms. Berman described as a “superstar volunteer,” has traveled to the Philippines to help with the relief effort.

       Among the items being donated are medicine, water-filtration kits, and solar chargers.

       “The good thing is money goes far,” Ms. Berman said, adding that a new roof can be put on a house for as little as $40.

       She said that East End Cares is not technically a relief organization. “We’re a Facebook page group,” she said. “We try to connect good will with opportunity.”

       Ms. Berman thanked Paul Monte, the general manager of Gurney’s Inn, and its staff for providing so much help in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and for the current relief effort.