Week in Review: Green Light for Commack Hess

Police: 'Burglaries Are No. 1 on Our Priority List'
Suffolk County's Fourth Precinct police are cracking down on home burglaries after recent break-ins in Fort Salonga, Smithtown and Commack. 

Inspector William Murphy, commanding officer of Suffolk County's Fourth Precinct in Smithtown, said police are investigating a recent string of burglaries in Fort Salonga, three homes hit on Oct. 28, and Smithtown, three homes hit between Oct. 16 - 18, and whether or not they are related. 

Smithtown Officials Adopt $104.3M budget for 2014
Residents can expect to see their town taxes drop under the Town of Smithtown's 2014 budget. 

Smithtown Town Board unanimously adopted the supervisor's a $104.3 million budget for 2014 at their Tuesday afternoon meeting. The adopted budget represents a $700,000 increase over the current 2013 budget but comes in under New York State's 2 percent tax cap. 

Commack Hess Station Moves One Step Closer to Construction
Plans for a Commack Hess gas station on the corner of Harned Road and Jericho Turnpike are moving closer to becoming a reality. 

Smithtown Town Board voted 3-2 to approve a site plan for Commack Hess's gas station and convenience store at their Tuesday afternoon board meeting. Supervisor Patrick Vecchio and Councilman Ed Wehrheim were the two votes against the project. 

Petrone Re-Elected As Huntington Supervisor
Town Supervisor Frank Petrone was re-elected by a narrow margin Tuesday night, fending off a sharp challenge from Gene Cook to win his fifth term as Huntington's chief executive.

Voters also re-elected Mark Cuthbertson, the top vote-getter in Town Board elections, and added Tracey Edwards, while ousting Republican Mark Mayoka, and turned down Josh Price, also running as a Republican for Town Board.

Vecchio's Reign as Supervisor Continues in Smithtown
Republican incumbent Patrick Vecchio has won the 2014 election for Town of Smithtown supervisor. Vecchio won Tuesday's election with 45 percent of the overall vote, less than the 60.35 percent he received against Patricia Biancaniello in the 2009 election. 

Vecchio will begin his next four-year term as supervisor on Jan. 1, 2014 and serve through 2018.