Sam Kmack

Melville

Islip Reporter at Newsday

Islip reporter for @newsday. Former city watchdog reporter for @azcentral and @TucsonStar. Former investigative journalist for @ArizCIR.

Articles

Firefighters tackle Farmingdale storefront blaze early Saturday

6 days ago | newsday.com | Sam Kmack

A fire tore through the roof of a storefront in Farmingdale early Saturday, according to the Nassau County Fire Marshal’s office. About 100 firefighters from 10 departments responded to a blaze that began shortly after 4 a.m. in a chiropractor’s office at 100 Conklin St., said Assistant Chief Fire Marshal James Hickman. "The fire started in a void in the wall behind some light switches," he said.
Extreme heat watch issued for Long Island this weekend

6 days ago | newsday.com | Sam Kmack

Most of Long Island will see unusually high temperatures this weekend as an extreme heat watch takes effect Sunday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Saturday’s high temperature is expected to be in the mid-80s. It’s expected to be sunny all day before temperatures drop into the low 70s on Saturday night, according to NWS meteorologist Jay Engle.
Figure from park dumping scandal on Islip planning board

1 week ago | newsday.com | Sam Kmack

A former Islip Town staffer and Suffolk County Conservative Party officer who pleaded guilty in the 2014 Roberto Clemente Park dumping scandal will now sit on Islip’s planning board following a controversial vote among Islip’s elected officials to appoint him last week. Brett A. Robinson worked as an executive secretary for Islip Town’s parks commissioner during the scandal.
Nassau police rescue teen stranded in Merrick marsh

1 week ago | newsday.com | Sam Kmack

Nassau police rescued a 15-year-old boy after he became stranded in a marsh while riding a water craft near Merrick on Friday, Nassau County Police said. The incident happened around 2 p.m. on Friday. The boy and a 35-year-old man were riding WaveRunners in the water south of Merrick before their crafts ran aground in the marsh, Nassau police said in a news release on Saturday.
Weekend weather forecast for Long Island: Rain and clouds

1 week ago | newsday.com | Sam Kmack

The weekend forecast for Long Island is damp and cloudy with temperatures expected to remain in the 60s, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Ciemnecki. Saturday’s high temperature will be in the mid-60s for most of Long Island. Rain began hitting parts of eastern Long Island early Saturday morning and is expected to persist island-widefor most of the day, Ciemnecki said. "Today, rain will be likely. There’s already rain moving into ... ... the majority of the Island," he said.
House fire in Elmont injures firefighters, civilian critical

1 week ago | newsday.com | Sam Kmack

A house fire in Elmont left one resident in critical condition and injured five firefighters early Saturday morning, according to the Nassau County Fire Marshals. The fire took place at 52 Norfeld Blvd.
Cat Smokey reunited with family after eight years

2 weeks ago | newsday.com | Sam Kmack

Danielle Schultz thought she had seen the last of her cat, Smokey, when he went missing from her home in Queens nearly a decade ago while under the care of a relative. At the time, Schultz and her 4-year-old son, Donovan, were on a monthslong visit to the Dominican Republic, where her then-husband had business opportunities.
Long Island weekend weather: rain, fog, and rip currents

2 weeks ago | newsday.com | Sam Kmack

It’s expected to be a damp weekend on Long Island with fog and rain predicted through the middle of next week, according to forecasts from the National Weather Service. Saturday’s high temperature will be 73 degrees. There is a chance for showers throughout the day, and thunderstorms are possible Saturday afternoon, according to NWS meteorologist Bryan Ramsey. "We’ve got a slow-moving front approaching the area today.
Keith Snedecor obituary: Long Island history savior

3 weeks ago | newsday.com | Sam Kmack

More than two centuries ago, Eliphalet Snedecor built a tavern that would become a jewel of Long Island history, nestled within what is now Islip Town’s nearly 3,500-acre Connetquot River State Park Preserve. The business became a getaway hub for the state’s rich and powerful, who later bought the site and turned it into the South Side Sportsmen’s Club of Long Island, which boasted members ranging from Theodore Roosevelt to Andrew Carnegie. But that history was nearly uprooted in 1996.
Nassau County issues beach advisory due to bacteria levels

3 weeks ago | newsday.com | Sam Kmack

Nassau County is warning residents against swimming at 18 beaches on Saturday because of possible elevated bacteria levels, the Nassau County Department of Health announced. Stormwater runoff caused by rain on Friday could have impacted "bathing water quality by elevating bacteria levels." health officials said in a news release. The county described Saturday’s advisory as a "precautionary measure" targeting beaches that have historically been impacted by stormwater.