Oheka Castle Owner Shot

Guests pose in gardens of Oheka Castle.

Gary Melius is reported in stable condition after he was shot in the parking lot of Oheka Castle about midday Monday.

Earlier this month, Behind Every Great Fortune, a historical novel about Otto Hermann Kahn who built the castle, was published. 

The novel is described as "crackl(ing) with intrigue, ritual murder, sexual depravity, and betrayal, as the action races from the first terrorist attack on New York City to the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand, the murder of Rasputin, the Russian Revolution, and the bloody devastation of WWI."

The castle has been a popular site for charity events and celebrity weddings since Melius first purchased the site in 1984. Its name is drawn from Kahn's name (Otto Hermann Kahn). 

The estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Suffolk Hosting Black History Month Celebration

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone invites residents to join the Black History Month celebration next week at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge.

The Progress & Resources Yesterday & Today event Thursday opens with a vendor showcase at 5:45 p.m., followed by the celebration at 6:30 p.m.

The celebration  will feature the film series The African Americans: 

“Many Rivers to Cross”

Caution Urged in Clearing Snow from Roofs

Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone advises homeowners with flat roofs to be careful about clearing snow and advises them to consider hiring a roofing professional for the task for their own safety and the safety of the roof.

Experts note that while homeowners’ first concern might be a roof collapse, more common is damage caused by leaks through cracks the result of water seepage and expansion. In both cases, however, residents need to be careful about removing snow from the roof to avoid putting additional weight – their own – on flat roofs already supporting the weight of the accumulated snow, ice and water.

Roofing professionals should have the proper safety equipment. Homeowners who attempt to remove the snow themselves should practice safety and common sense, including staying away from the roof’s edge.

Experts note that while homeowners’ first concern might be a roof collapse, more common is damage caused by leaks through cracks the result of water seepage and expansion. In both cases, however, residents need to be careful about removing snow from the roof to avoid putting additional weight – their own – on flat roofs already supporting the weight of the accumulated snow, ice and water. Roofing professionals should have the proper safety equipment. Homeowners who attempt to remove the snow themselves should practice safety and common sense, including staying away from the roof’s edge.


“Flat roofs pose a particular challenge, and that challenge only increases when rain beats down on a flat roof covered with snow,” Petrone said. “This is especially true in situations when a daytime thaw is followed by a freeze overnight.”

Carbon Monoxide Kills Legal Seafood Manager; 27 Sickened

Photo by Steve Silverman

The manager of the Legal Seafood restaurant at Walt Whitman Shops died Saturday night from carbon monoxide poisoning. Another 27 people were sickened by the fumes.

The Huntington Manor Fire Department and Suffolk police responded to a report that a woman had fallen and struck her head. Emergency workers felt ill after arrival and recognized that carbon monoxide poisoning.

After evacuating the restaurant, police found the manager, Steven Nelson, 55, in the basement. He was taken to Huntington Hospital and pronounced dead.

Police said the 27 victims, which included four ambulance crew members and three police officers, were treated at local hospitals for non life threenting symptoms. Most of those who became ill were restaurant employees.

The nearby Panera Bread and The Cheesecake Factory were evacuated as a precaution.

Among the responding departments were the Greenlawn and Melville Fire Departments.

Huntington Hospital Wins Magnet Designation Again

 Huntington Hospital, a member of the North Shore-LIJ Health System,  has become the first hospital on Long Island to be designated a magnet hospital for the third consecutive time by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Magnet Recognition Program® for excellence in nursing services, the hospital announced Tuesday.

The consecutive designations put Huntington among an elite class of hospitals in the United States. Only 86 of the nation's 5,724 hospitals have attained Magnet status three times or more, and only 6.8 percent -- or 391 – are Magnet accredited.

"To earn Magnet status once is a tremendous accomplishment and a great source of pride for our nurses and the entire hospital," said Kevin F. Lawlor, Huntington's President and CEO. "To retain Magnet status for a third consecutive time is the result of the hard work of many people.  It's truly a team effort by a dedicated staff whose ultimate goal is in meeting the healthcare needs of our community."

Huntington Hospital was the first community hospital on Long Island to achieve Magnet status eight years ago.

According to the ANCC, the leading nursing credentialing organization in the United States, Magnet designation is widely accepted as the gold standard of patient care. The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes excellence and professionalism in nursing, which results in enhanced quality of care and patient safety.  Applicants undergo an extensive evaluation and members granted Magnet status must continue to meet rigorous standards.  To reapply for and receive Magnet status is confirmation of the hospital's resolve to deliver the highest level of nursing care. Research shows that Magnet hospitals are more effective at attracting and keeping quality nurses.

"Our initial Magnet designation eight years ago raised the bar on patient care and inspired all of us – nurses, physicians, professional and support staff – to strive to be even better," said Susan Knoepffler, Huntington's Vice President of Nursing and Chief Nursing Officer. "I'm incredibly proud of the commitment our nursing department made to once again – for a third time – to embark on this Magnet journey, and of the support we have received from staff and departments throughout the hospital. It is truly an honor to be associated with this exemplary team of professionals."

To view video about how this award affects staff and patients at Huntington Hospital, visithttp://www.northshorelij.com/hospitals/video-library.  

Established in 1916, Huntington Hospital is a full-service, 408-bed nonprofit hospital serving Huntington Township and surrounding communities.  Visitwww.hunthosp.org.

SOURCE North Shore-LIJ Health System

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2014/02/18/6167486/huntington-hospital-is-first-on.html#storylink=cpy

Chiefs Ask Your Help in Clearing Hydrants

The Town of Huntington Fire Chiefs' Council asks you to clear snow from fire hydrants near your home, which can help you and your neighbors in the event of a fire. 

With the numerous snowstorms that have hit the area, many fire hydrants have become buried in local neighborhoods which will be a problem for the fire department's water supply should a fire occur. 

In a fire, every minute counts and the sooner that firefighters can reach a hydrant, the quicker they can extinguish the fire.                                        

Storysubmitted by Steve Silverman 

Housing Coalition Launches Petition for Ruland Road

The Huntington Township Housing Coalition has started a petition in support of a plan for affordable rental apartments on Ruland Road in Melville.