Week in Review: Whisper Vineyards Still Unlicensed

Birds eating the crops isn’t the only problem facing St. James-based Whisper Vineyards as they are still awaiting the New York State license to operate the winery and sell the wine they've been producing for years.

“As of right now we’re still unlicensed. The tax and trade bureau has submitted the application for approval to the state and that’s all I know," said Steve Gallagher, owner of the vineyard and .

Horizons Counseling and Education Center, the Town of Smithtown’s home for drug and alcohol problem prevention and education, has moved to 161 East Main Street, the former home to .

The move gives its staff the ability to perform all services under one roof, something it has not been able to do.

With the introduction of Croxley’s on West Main Street comes a new flavor to Smithtown’s international cuisine selection – the tastes of Germany.

“Each Croxley’s has its own identity,” said Chris Werle, one of five owners of the Croxley’s chain. “The identity we have for this location, because of the fact that one day when our permits come through for the biergarten, is a German biergarten theme.”

Croxley’s offers a German beer tower with six different beers, only served in half-liter and liter glasses, as well as a menu filled with sausages, Bavarian pretzels, German meatball sliders and more. The pretzels are prepared and flash frozen in Germany, and shipped to the states within two days.

Locals gathered on the lawn and in the parking lot of the 9/11 memorial park at the St. James Fire District for a candlelight vigil Tuesday night, paying respect to those that lost their lives due to the attacks on Ground Zero.

Nearing one year of operation in Nesconset is the , teaching the Israeli self-defense system krav maga to locals. The system, according to dojo owner Michael Rosati Sr., is an abridged version of martial arts developed while Israel was fighting for its independence due to their lack of weapons.