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aMITyvIllE _____________
HERALD RECoRD
Manetta reelected to LI business board
Obituary: Sister Jeanne Monahan
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VOL. 112 NO. 6
Cookin’ up some local pride Page 10
FEBRUARY 11-17, 2026
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Amityville group working to restore WWI soldier’s statue By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
Carolyn James/Herald
Veteran Richie Tibbetts, a member of the Wade-Burns VFW in Lindenhurst, in front of photos of two veterans for whom the post is named.
Babylon Town okays property tax breaks for fallen officers’ families, combat veterans Town adopts new state-authorized property tax exemptions By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
The Town of Babylon approved legislation this week that would grant property tax relief to the surviving spouses of police officers killed in the line of duty, as well as to active-duty military members who served in combat zones. The Babylon Town Board scheduled hearings on the two resolutions at its Jan. 28 meeting, following Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signing of the measures into law on Dec. 19. Under state law, each taxing entity — including towns, villages and school districts — must opt in individually for the exemptions to take effect. “We want to do all we can to help and assist these very specific groups who have given their
lives and who are dedicating themselves to their country by putting themselves in harm’s way,” Town Supervisor Richard Schaffer said. “This is our way of saying thank you for their service.” If adopted, the measures would provide property tax reductions of up to 50 percent on eligible single-family homes. Town officials said they do not anticipate a large number of applicants. Babylon Town Assessor Matt Cronin said the town is preparing for passage of both measures and expects applications for the exemptions to be available by mid-February. They must be filed with the town no later than March 1 and must be renewed annually. “We will be here to assist any applicants through the process,” Cronin said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
St. Martin of Tours Church in Amityville is undertaking an effort to restore a nearly century-old memorial honoring Sgt. Robert E. Watson, one of only two village residents killed in action during World War I, by replacing a statue that once stood atop the monument. Watson, a lifelong parishioner of St. Martin’s, was inducted into the U.S. Army in September 1917 at age 28. He served with Company M of the 307th Infantry Regiment and was initially stationed at Camp Upton in Yaphank before deploying to France in April 1918 as part of the American Expeditionary Force. Known for his leadership and dedication, Watson was promoted from private to sergeant in a short period of time and saw some of the heaviest fighting on the Western Front. During the final Allied offensive in the Argonne in the autumn of 1918, Watson gained valuable information while helping to rescue the Lost Battalion, a group of more than 500 soldiers from the 308th Infantry who had been surrounded by German forces. At one point during that period, Sgt. Watson was placed in command of Company M, a unit normally led by a captain, two ranks above him — an indication of the high regard in which
he was held by his superiors. On Oct. 12, 1918, just 29 days before the Armistice ended the war, Watson was killed in action in France. A fellow soldier later reported that Watson had killed two enemy combatants’ moments before he was fatally shot. The other Amityville resident killed in action during World War I was Michael F. O’Rourke, who died Sept. 16, 1918. “He was my grandmother’s first cousin and I can recall hearing stories about him throughout my childhood— about what a nice young man he was,” said Linda Governanti, of Snug Harbor. “I am very excited about this project because it is important for people to remember him; he was a good man.” Over the years. Governanti compiled what historical information, photographs and documents she could on Watson, hoping to ensure his legacy. “It was a big deal in Amityville when his body was brought home,” she said. “The entire community was part of the ceremonies.” “This project is very important,” said Joseph Guidice, president of the Amityville Historical Society, who is working with a committee on the restoration. “The fact that the base is still there speaks to the need of restoring the statue.” “Robert E. Watson was an excellent soldier who made the CONTINUED ON PAGE 3