Bayport-Blue Point's Top 10 Stories of 2011

Bayport-Blue Point's top stories of 2011 spanned across all categories: Princeton Plan was proposed and shelved; boys lacrosse won the county title, and a Jetco employee was arrested twice in a month. In our two little hamlets, we sure have quite the variety of news.

Revisit some of Bayport-Blue Point's biggest news from the past year with our list below.

1.

The administration and board of education discussed the Princeton Plan proposal to reconfigure district elementary schools in October. Superintendent Anthony Annunziato said the possible implementation of the Princeton Plan, where elementary schools house two grade levels, would allow the school district to save $700,000 annually by reducing the elementary teaching staff from 49 to 41.

The proposal was unfavorably received by many parents at the board of education forun, despite the possible cost savings outlined by administrators. Readers cast 203 votes in our Patch poll on the subject, 160 of which were against the Princeton Plan. The board eventually agreed to shelve the plan for the 2012-13 school year.

2.

Inspired by the discussion Bayport resident Bill Milligan witnessed at the first school board meeting he ever attended, coincidentally the on the Princeton Plan, the father of two began brainstorming ways the whole community could work together on such issues as the ever-increasing school budget. A website seemed like a good way for Milligan to draw out those like himself to board meetings and elections, he said. This is the first step in Milligan’s overall initiative to send a message to the school board that “it’s no longer business as usual."

3.

For the second consecutive year, the Bayport-Blue Point boys’ lacrosse team found itself in the Suffolk County Class C title game. But unlike 2010, the Phantoms walked out of LaValle Stadium at Stony Brook University with the hardware following its hard fought 8-7 victory over Mt. Sinai. The county title is the first for Bayport-Blue Point’s boys’ varsity team.

In only the eighth season of the program's existence, Coach Michael Luce led the Phantoms to a remarkable feat in getting to the state championship game. The Phantoms topped on June 1 to capture the Suffolk County Class C title. On June 4, Bayport-Blue Point outscored Nassau County Class A champ in the second half en route to a 13-6 victory and the Long Island Class C title. cinderella season ended June 11 [] with a 14-6 loss to Cazenovia in the state Boys Lacrosse Class C championship game at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

4.

A young Bayport man was arrested Nov. 24- Thanksgiving- for trespassing, then fleeing, a home on Connetquot Road. He entered the Connetquot Road home and fled to the neighborhood streets, where police located him shortly with the help of a helicoptor and canine unit. Matthew Omans was arrested and charged with criminal trespass in the second degree and resisting arrest.

5.

In early November, Jaqir Singh was arrested on charges of selling tobacco to a minor and unlawful dealing of alcohol to a child. Jetco was one of the four area businesses police as part of a Nov. 4 alcohol sting operation. Singh was arrested for the second time in one month on Nov. 14 on a charge of public display of sex material and failure to disclose origin of a recording.

6.

FDNY Firefighter John F. McNamara's widow Jennifer works to fulfill her husband’s last wish by creating a foundation in his name to raise money for a Blue Point community center.

Establishing a center would bring a cherished wish of John’s to fruition. Blue Point's John and Jennifer discussed the idea towards the end of his life, so Jennifer wasn’t surprised when the request made John’s final wish list. In 2009, John lost his life to what his family said was a 9/11-related illness, as he worked at Ground Zero for an extended period of time- both as a first responder, and later, as a tour guide.

7.

On April 20, Patch reported that Rev. Edward R. D’Andrea, pastor of parish in Blue Point, was placed on “administrative leave” following allegations of “abuse,” the Diocese of Rockville Centre (DRVC) confirmed in a letter obtained by Patch. News of D’Andrea’s administrative leave was first brought to light to parishioners during Mass on Palm Sunday, the start of the holiest week in the Roman Catholic religion.

Bishop William Murphy, head of the diocese, sent Bishop Peter Libasci to the Blue Point church to inform churchgoers of the situation involving the man many local residents know as Father Ed. It is not known when the allegations against the 63-year-old D’Andrea were made and whether the alleged incident(s) took place during his time at Our Lady of the Snow, where he has served as pastor for more than six years. Ernest Smith, a parish trustee and Blue Point resident, referred to D’Andrea as a friend and mentor.

8.

A drunken Plainview man who plowed into a patrol car and Glen Ciano from Bayport was freed from an upstate prison Oct. 17.

Ciano was responding to a call for help from a fellow officer when Jose Borbon's Dodge Magnum smashed into Ciano's vehicle, sending it careening into a utility pole and exploding into flames on Feb. 22, 2009. The crash occurred on the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway near Commack Road in Commack.

9.

Construction issues delay the opening of People's United Bank to Jan.-Feb. 2012, nearly one year from the original anticipated opening date. The bank brings the total number of banks located on a one-mile strip of Montauk Highway in Bayport and Blue Point to five.

On Dec. 2, John Romano, People’s United Bank Long Island regional president, said the foul weather and rain has been a constant problem for the , causing the opening to be pushed back more than once already. Construction is currently making steady progress, according to Romano, who anticipates an early 2012 opening.

10.

Suffolk County Police investigated what they said "appeared to be a non-criminal death" after a person jumped off the western side of the Nicolls Road bridge into oncoming traffic on Sunrise Highway March 23 in Bayport.

The person was struck by two passing vehicles heading eastbound on Sunrise Highway at approximately 9 a.m. Police did not release the subject's name, age or gender.