Week in Review: Hauppauge Budget Passes

Kotobuki Gets Nod Among Top 10 Sushi Restaurants on LI
Hauppauge's Kotobuki has been tapped as one of the top 10 sushi restaurants on Long Island by Newsday.

Established in 1987 as a small eatery at 377 Nesconset Highway in Hauppauge, Kotobuki has since expanded to three locations in total: Roslyn, Hauppauge and Babylon. Rated number one in the Japanese food category on Long Island; reviewers report that the food is "supremely fresh," service is "lively" and the rooms are separately decorated.

Hauppauge Resident in Running to be Wild Kingdom's Next Wild Guide
It's a jungle out there, especially when you're Erik Callender, known to many on Long Island as Erik the Reptile Guy. Callender, who lives in Hauppauge, is currently a semifinalist in a Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom contest to be the show's next Wild Guide.

Affordable Housing Complex for Veterans Breaks Ground in Islandia
The nation’s fist affordable housing complex for Long Island veterans who served during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan broke ground Thursday in Islandia.  

Hauppauge School Budget Passes
Hauppauge School District voters backed the $101.8 million 2013-14 school budget Tuesday by a vote of 1,510 to 738.

The budget approval means that taxpayers will see a 3.6 tax levy increase, which represents an average tax increase of $200.

Both school board incumbents, Geri Richter, with 1,080 votes and Ginger Todaro, with 970 votes were defeated. Newcomer Robert Scarito was elected with 1,279 votes. Gary Fortmeyer was also elected with 1,271 as well as David Barshay with 1,223 votes.