LI Business News articles from January 2008

LI Business News archives from January 2008

Neighborhood Network outlines Long Island progress on clean energy.
January 2, 2008... Byline: David Winzelberg Some Long Island towns are leading the way when it comes to clean energy initiatives. At least that's the good news from environmental protection group Neighborhood Network, which just released a 23-page report on...

Haupaugge-based Globecomm scores contract renewal from gov't contractor.
January 2, 2008... Byline: Alison Snyder Telecommunications company Globecomm Systems said Wednesday it had received a contract renewal valued at up to $42.4 million over the next four years. The service contract, through the Hauppauge-based company's...

Dashboard obsessions on Long Island.
January 3, 2008... Byline: Ambrose Clancy Long Island's car culture is like jazz - if you don't get it, no one will ever be able to explain it to you. Only here can one get oven-roasted baby octopus for $14, or a pumpkin lune for $28, at a car...

Little hope for Long Island's economy in 2008.
January 3, 2008... Byline: Laura Theis Long Island's economy is hardly starting 2008 with a clean slate, local economists say, and the outlook is bleary at best for the year ahead. The local economy is already in turmoil, stinging from months of tight...

Melville-based Comtech Telecommunications receives $17.7M for satellite supplies.
January 3, 2008... Byline: Alison Snyder Comtech Telecommunications Corp. said Thursday it received a total of $17.7 million in orders under a contract with the U.S. Army Communications Electronics Command, known as CECOM. The Melville-based company will...

District superintendent of Eastern Suffolk BOCES honored for his leadership skills.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Edward Zero, district superintendent of Eastern Suffolk BOCES, was recently honored for his leadership skills at the third annual Leaders in Education Awards Dinner at St. John's University. LEAD recognizes...

Long Island medical facilities announce staffing changes: January 4, 2008.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Central Nassau Guidance & Counseling Services appointed Ronald Gordon medical director. Prior to joining the staff at Central Nassau, Gordon served as an attending psychiatrist and assistant department director of...

Long Island law firms announce staffing changes: January 4, 2008.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Fritz as an associate in its real estate and land use and zoning departments. Prior to Farrell Fritz, Anderson was an associate at a Wall Street law firm, where he was a member of the real estate practice group. ...

Huntington Arts Council appoints Robert Fonti to its board of directors.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds The Huntington Arts Council appointed Robert Fonti to its board of directors. Fonti is president and chief executive officer of Huntington-based Vincent James Management Co., a property management firm. He is also a...

Zimmerman/Edelson of Great Neck announces two new hires.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Zimmerman/Edelson of Great Neck hired David A. Chauvin as director of public relations. The former Town of North Hempstead director of communications will oversee the firm's public relations and communication...

Long Island utilities announce staffing changes: January 4, 2008.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Jerry Landsberg has been appointed commissioner of the Great Neck Water Pollution Control District. Currently, Landsberg sits on the board of the Adelphi University School of Nursing Advisory Board. The Great...

New York courts clear expansion of Chalet Motel in Centerport.
January 4, 2008... Byline: David Winzelberg The town has spoken, and now the courts have spoken, but Frank Shortino is still holding his breath on whether the planned expansion and renovations to his Chalet Motel in Centerport will ever take place. On...

Federal class-action lawsuit challenges independent contractor definition.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Gregory Zeller A federal class-action lawsuit brought by 5,000 so-called independent contractors could deliver wholesale changes to employee-benefit guidelines. Filed in the Western District of New York, the suit claims a...

Riverhead's big year marked by EPCAL projects.
January 4, 2008... Byline: David Winzelberg Phil Cardinale smiles a lot lately. That's because last year the Riverhead supervisor orchestrated the sale of more than 1,000 acres of former Grumman property in Calverton for more than $200 million. The...

Federal bill gives judges power over mortgage rates.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Laura Theis Federal legislators are trying to pass a bill that would give bankruptcy judges power over mortgage terms. The bill, passed by the House Judiciary Committee on Dec. 12, would allow a bankruptcy judge to lower the...

Long Island Business News Follow Ups: January 4, 2008.
January 4, 2008... Byline: LIBN Staff Report Caithness wins The proposed Caithness Long Island Energy Center in Yaphank was upheld in court once again. The state Supreme Court's Appellate Division agreed with a lower court's ruling dismissing a lawsuit...

Doctors extend the waiting room to the Internet.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Alison Snyder In our Internet-saturated society, where consumers routinely turn to Google for information on health conditions and the doctors who treat them, a Web site could have a bottom-line impact for physicians. Kaveh...

Q&A with Long Island attorney Bruce Barket.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Claude Solnik An appeals court on Dec. 21 overturned the conviction of Martin Tankleff for the 1988 murder of his parents. Bruce Barket took the case pro bono about six years ago, joining Barry Pollack, a partner at Kelley Drye &...

Commentary: Economy woes.
January 4, 2008... Byline: LIBN Staff Editorial The latest real estate numbers represent the greatest threat to the local and national economy as we cross into 2008. Here are the facts: Home prices fell for the 10th straight month in October, posting a...

Commentary: In dysfunctional Albany, LI's delegation works.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Richard Kessel Last year began with great promise with the inauguration of a new governor and the legislature signaling its willingness to work with the new administration to accomplish some lofty goals and reform Albany once and...

Commentary: Wi-Fi benefits go beyond leisure.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Wayne R. Horsley As Suffolk and Nassau Counties continue to develop a Wi-Fi network, a lot of attention is being given to associated recreational benefits: shopping, business productivity, tourist activities and a resulting...

Commentary: The railroad is on track for a bright future.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Mitchell H. Pally In this era of significant environmental concerns including global warming, $3.50-per-gallon gasoline prices and substantial traffic congestion, one of the most important issues facing our community is the ability...

Commentary: They're high hopes, but they could change the world.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Jerry Kremer Most people approach the New Year with a bunch of resolutions. However, instead of making promises in the name of self-improvement, I offer a list of hopes that, if any or all become a reality, will make a better world...

Commentary: A few East End predictions for these sour times.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Jeff Miller Christmas had come and gone, so I knew the man prowling around the yard wasn't Santa. It was confirmed a little later when, instead of gifts, he left a bill for $697.58. You better watch out. The oil man is coming...

Long Island Financial Briefs: January 4, 2008.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Laura Theis Troops can phone home thanks to local credit union U.S. troops in Afghanistan got an early Christmas present from Suffolk Federal Credit Union. In mid-December, the credit union donated $5,700 to an airborne...

Long Island Medical Briefs: January 4, 2008.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Alison Snyder Discovery challenges conventional cancer treatments Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have made a discovery that could translate into more effective breast cancer treatment methods. By manipulating...

Long Island Technology Briefs: January 4, 2008.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Alison Snyder New catalysts to make hydrogen fuel cells cleaner There's more on the green energy front from Brookhaven National Laboratory. Researchers at the lab have discovered two new catalysts for use in fuel cell...

Long Island Legal Briefs: January 4, 2008.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Gregory Zeller Bosses could see reforms to Federal leave policies Employers should review their internal policies regarding employee leaves of absence, because changes may be on the horizon. So says John Bauer, an attorney...

Long Island Real Estate Briefs: January 4, 2008.
January 4, 2008... Byline: David Winzelberg Tall Grass development cannot be planted yet The Pine Barrens Commission has delayed approval of the Shoreham Tall Grass mixed-use development, calling for a public hearing on the issue. Although the site...

Entrepreneurs find new resources on road to success.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Claude Solnik Entrepreneurs find new resources on the road to success. The directionally challenged use global positioning systems to point them to desired destinations. Dave Slott, president of MobileView Technologies based in...

License to sell: Long Island firms understand importance of licensing.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Claude Solnik Seven years ago, David Wild left his job as an accountant and launched a business, selling cookies that children could color with what's known as food-grade markers. He had a successful product, but wanted to grow...

Tired of Wall Street shenanigans? Turn to a small investor.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Ambrose Clancy Charles Massimo could have picked a better time than during a brutal bear market to go out on his own. While vice president of investment for an iconic Wall Street brokerage firm, Massimo and a colleague were...

Hustling back from Stamford: Q&A with Michael Viola, partner/managing editor of JLC Productions.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds NAME: Michael Viola POSITION: Partner/Managing Editor COMPANY: JLC Productions HOMETOWN: Smithtown Michael Viola, former director of creative development for publishing company Castle Mountain of Stamford, N.Y.,...

Woodbury resident Sharon Sabba Fierstein named partner in Manhattan-based Marks Paneth & Shron.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Woodbury resident Sharon Sabba Fierstein was named a partner in Manhattan-based Marks Paneth & Shron. Fierstein is the coordinating director of the firm's litigation services group, handling a range of litigation...

Commentary: How To...Limit your tax liability.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Bernadette Starzee Your business's bottom line is affected by many factors, but a major one is the taxes you shell out every year. While you can't avoid paying taxes, not legally anyway, you can legally limit your tax liability and...

Long Island family bakes up more than a cookie-cutter start-up.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Ambrose Clancy You can take the girl out of Long Island, but she'll come back. Especially when cookies are involved. Jo-Ellyn Vega and her family returned to New York in June from a year-and-a-half stint in Pennsylvania,...

Commentay: Shopping for charities.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Kennth R. Cerini What do you call a place that provides the community with great shopping - heirloom jewelry, beautiful crystal, designer/vintage clothing and more - as well as the opportunity to support wonderful charitable...

Long Island Nonprofit Briefs: January 4, 2008.
January 4, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Farrell Fritz attorneys honored Queens-based Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States recently honored Farrell Fritz attorneys Rochelle Laufer and Peter Curry at their anniversary celebration. The VFW went...

Despite lowered demand, Woodbury-based Jennifer Convertibles cuts its 1Q loss.
January 8, 2008... Byline: Laura Glasser Woodbury-based Jennifer Convertibles said Tuesday it reduced its net loss in the first fiscal quarter by nearly 21 percent on sales from its Ashley Furniture HomeStores segment. The owner of sofabed specialty...

Melville-based Nu Horizons swings to a 3Q loss on restatement fees.
January 8, 2008... Byline: Henry E. Powderly II Electric components distributer Nu Horizons Electronics Corp. on Tuesday said it swung to a third quarter loss on fees related to restating financial results and the Securities and Exchange Commission's inquiry...

Melville-based Comtech Telecommunications scores radio frequency amplifiers contract.
January 8, 2008... Byline: Laura Glasser Melville-based Comtech Telecommunications Corp. said Tuesday it received a $3.9 million contract from defense and homeland security technology systems provider Raytheon for producing its Integrated Radio Frequency...

Md. Gov. Spitzer puts Suozzi in charge of property tax task force.
January 9, 2008... Byline: Henry E. Powderly II Once bitter rivals for the state governor seat, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi and Gov. Eliot Spitzer on Wednesday joined forces to fight the escalating property taxes plaguing the state. Spitzer, in his...

Study finds lower-incomed Long Islanders have lower access to health care.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Alison Snyder Long Islanders are healthier and have better health care access than the rest of the nation, according to the Long Island Health Care Survey, though Hispanic, low-income and uninsured residents face greater difficulty...

Melville-based MSC Industrial posts higher profit, will buy back shares.
January 10, 2008... Byline: Laura Glasser Melville-based MSC Industrial Direct Co. announced Thursday that its fiscal first-quarter income jumped 16.3 percent year over year on increased sales. MSC, which sells industrial supplies, reported a profit of...

Beer production costs will rise due to increase in cost of raw materials, predict industry experts.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Ambrose Clancy When they're making beer on bright, freezing days, it isn't difficult to find the Blue Point Brewing Company in Patchogue. Just search for the source of the powerful perfume filling the cold air, a dazzling...

Hempstead starts over on urban renewal.
January 11, 2008... Byline: David Winzelberg Apparently, the fat lady hasn't sung on urban renewal in Hempstead. And now that a cadre of developers has expressed interest in revitalizing 26 acres of its downtown, many have a feeling of deja vu. It...

Long Island hospitals brace for spending cuts.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Alison Snyder Regional hospitals fear that a $4.3 billion state deficit could cause the governor to cut Medicaid reimbursements in his upcoming budget, which would curtail programs and services at Long Island's major health-care...

Mortgage meltdown spurs lawsuits, negotiations.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Claude Solnik The subprime meltdown is leading borrowers to fight back, suing for predatory lending practices and violations of the Truth in Lending Act. "I've seen an increased number by subprime borrowers who are either in...

Underground parking solution for Glen Cove condos.
January 11, 2008... Byline: David Winzelberg Parking spots are tough to come by along most of Glen Cove Avenue, which is why adding 251 condominiums there seems implausible. But the $150 million plan to build new housing on a blighted section of this Glen...

Long Island ERs grapple with shrinking on-call staff.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Alison Snyder Community hospitals on Long Island are struggling to find specialists to offer on-call coverage for emergency departments. Failure to access the right physician, such as a cardiologist, trauma surgeon or...

Long Island Business News Follow Ups: January 11, 2008.
January 11, 2008... Byline: LIBN Staff Report Sprucing up Bellport The Greater Bellport Coalition just received a $35,000 grant from Suffolk County for street lighting improvements. The money comes during a visioning and community planning effort launched...

Role-playing, past experience lifts military attorney.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Nora Lockwood Toohler As a federal public defender, LaFonda Jones is used to clients who are reluctant to talk openly with their lawyer. Now, while serving as a major in the Army JAG Corps, she's seeing the same closed looks on the...

Two Minutes with Ellen Rudin, managing director for CB Richard Ellis on Long Island.
January 11, 2008... Byline: David Winzelberg A 20-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry, Ellen Rudin, is the new managing director for CB Richard Ellis on Long Island. Rudin, a Dix Hills resident who last served as senior counsel with the CBRE...

Commentary: New York Racing Association survives,has work to do.
January 11, 2008... Byline: LIBN Staff Editorial It's not often that we see a New York government success story, and it might not be completely accurate to call the New York Racing Association one of them. But the NYRA sure has come a long way from...

Commentary: Republicans strike a chord.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Martin Cantor If you didn't think that the New York State Republicans want to earn the right to keep their majority control over the state Senate, you aren't paying attention to how hard they are working on the bread and butter...

Commentary: GOP ruined Nassau.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Tom Suozzi In his letter to the editor on Dec. 21, "A Nassau Warning," by Nassau County Republican boss Joe Mondello, it seemed like Joe was giving us some advice on fiscal matters. That's kind of like the captain of the Titanic...

Commentary: Iowa caucus overrated, needs major overhaul.
January 11, 2008... Byline: John Kiernan The Iowa Caucus is finally over. We finally, after all this time, have our winners: Barack Obama pulled through for the Democrats and Mike Huckabee won the Republican caucus. For more than two years we have heard...

Commentary: Spitzer struggles, but his opponents are weaker.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Jerry Kremer Can you name a governor with a 27 percent approval rating, had been accused of raising taxes and had severe critics from within and outside his party? No, it's not Eliot Spitzer. It's Nelson Rockefeller. Not...

Commentary: Out East: January 11, 2008.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Jeff Miller It's a new year, yet the headlines remain the same I've been an East End newspaper guy for almost 27 years now - as a reporter, editor, executive editor, publisher and now columnist. After all that, you might think...

Long Island Technology Briefs: January 11, 2008.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Alison Snyder Motorola reaches settlement on the patent dispute Corporate giant Motorola has reached an agreement resolving all existing patent infringement disputes between Metrologic Instruments and Holtsville-based Symbol...

Long Island Real Estate Briefs: January 11, 2008.
January 11, 2008... Byline: David Winzelberg Clean energy efforts fuel Island's counties, towns Some Long Island towns are leading the way when it comes to clean energy initiatives. At least that's the good news from environmental protection group...

Long Island Medical Briefs: January 11, 2008.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Alison Snyder Hospitalists make hospitalization more hospitable South Nassau Communities Hospital has introduced a new program that uses internal medicine physicians, called hospitalists, to make a difference in the patient...

Sister act lifts Long Island pest control firm.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Ambrose Clancy As a high school French teacher, Jackie Grabin never had a door shut in her face. But welcome to the world of pest control if you're a woman, she thought, not long after receiving the ultimate dismissal while...

Carole Trottere appointed director of communications for Nassau County Comptroller.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Carole Trottere has been appointed director of communications for Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman. Replacing Allen Morrison, Trottere brings an extensive background in government and journalism. Previously...

Syosset-based Paradigm Group hires Harry Brix and Joseph Gannon.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Syosset-based Paradigm Group hired Harry Brix and Joseph Gannon as procurement director and inventory control/supply chain manager, respectively. Brix will be responsible for working with Paradigm's vendors and...

Jerry Werner of DeBruin Engineering receives Lifetime Achievement Award.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Jerry Werner of DeBruin Engineering received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Long Island chapter of the New York Water Environment Association-Long Island chapter. A project manager who oversees the...

Long Island health care facilities announce staffing changes: January 11, 2008.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Infectious Disease Specialist Marvin Tenenbaum was appointed director of medicine at St. Francis Hospital, The Heart Center. Previously, Tenenbaum was chief of infectious diseases at St. Francis for 13 years. In...

MRW Group officials are newest recipients of the James R. Studgeon Award.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds MRW Group Vice President Vincent A. Alba and Managing Member of Excel Coverage Group Lane S. Rubin are the two newest recipients of the James R. Studgeon Award, which cites both men for being strong supporters of...

Peter K. Kelly joins Ruskin Moscou Faltischek in their Trusts & Estates Department as counsel.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Peter K. Kelly has joined Ruskin Moscou Faltischek in their Trusts & Estates Department as counsel. Kelly's practice focuses on estate and trust litigation, estate administration and estate planning. Prior to Ruskin...

Judicial vicar of Diocese of Rockville Centre James F. Pereda granted title of Monsignor.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Rev. William Murphy, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre, announced that Pope Benedict XVI has granted the title of Monsignor upon James F. Pereda, judicial vicar of the Diocese of Rockville...

Commentary: How To...Choose a commercial bank.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Bernadette Starzee Of all the professional relationships your business will enter into, perhaps none is more important than the one with your bank. By wisely choosing your commercial bank, you can enter into a lasting relationship...

Long Island horticulture hero cultivates others' growth.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds NAME: Raymond Bell AWARD: 2007 Man of the Year ORGANIZATION: Long Island Nursery & Landscape Association HOMETOWN: Bay Shore Raymond Bell, retired owner of West Islip-based Bell's Garden Center, was named the...

On the move.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Government Carole Trottere has been appointed director of communications for Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman. Replacing Allen Morrison, Trottere brings an extensive background in government and...

With franchise plan, Farmingdale eatery owner not about to wing it.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Ambrose Clancy Do what you love. And Jason Oliver loves wings, as in the first all-American food since the cheeseburger. The co-owner of Wings Over Farmingdale found the inspiration to launch the year-old startup through his...

Commentary: A family-systems approach to substance-abuse issues.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Kennth R. Cerini It is no surprise that chemical dependency reeks havoc on those lives directly battling addiction. However, less obvious is the pain inflicted on the family and community surrounding those individuals. Luckily,...

Long Island Nonprofit Briefs: January 11, 2008.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Melting Pot kicks off grand opening with a $10,000 donation National fondue chain, The Melting Pot, kicked off its new Farmingdale restaurant by donating $10,000 to the American Cancer Society. The grand opening...

Cross-examining: The good and the bad of technology's increasing role in gathering evidence.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Claude Solnik It was an open-and-shut case. A black man in his 20s was convicted of robbing a liquor store after the victim identified him live and on video. The man was in jail ever since, serving a 25-year sentence - until...

Soul practitioners: Long Island attorneys moonlight as musicians, performers.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Claude Solnik Did you hear the one about the trombonist who worked on a sliding scale? How about the attorney that spent his nights drumming up business? Many area attorneys moonlight as musicians, recording in studios,...

Ones to watch: Long Island law firms.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Claude Solnik Suzanne M. Avena Partner, Environmental Practice Group Garfunkel, Wild & Travis Avena was named a partner in November of 2007 at this Great Neck-based firm, where she is chair of the Environmental Practice Group...

Long Island technology firms announce staffing changes: January 11, 2008.
January 11, 2008... Byline: Erin E. Edmonds Joy Casper has been appointed senior sales engineer of Real Time Service, Inc. As senior sales engineer, Casper will be responsible for engineering, development and planning of integrated audiovisual systems for...

Hauppauge-based Globecomm's NATO contract extended.
January 14, 2008... Byline: Laura Glasser Hauppauge-based Globecomm Systems said Monday it received a $4.6 million contract modification from NATO to extend services and on-site support of its global position software-based Force Tracking System. The...

Riverhead-based Suffolk Bancorp posts flat earnings on interest income slide.(Financial report)
January 15, 2008... Byline: Laura Glasser Riverhead-based Suffolk Bancorp said Tuesday that flat deposits, a decrease in interest income and an overall sluggish banking market caused it to post relatively flat earnings in the fourth quarter. Suffolk...

$91M Garden City Hotel deal close.
January 16, 2008... Byline: David Winzelberg The Garden City Hotel is in contract to be sold to developer Allen Rosenberg for $91 million, according to a story in Newsday. Rosenberg, a Hewlett-based developer, is currently building a 150-room hotel on the...

Lake Success-based Astoria Financial says it will record $13.3M charge on Freddie Mac investment.
January 17, 2008... Byline: Laura Glasser Lake Success-based Astoria Financial Corp. said Thursday it will take a $13.3 million charge on its fourth-quarter earnings because the value of its preferred stock investment in mortgage company Freddie Mac fell...