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Monthly Archives: January 2016

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The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building. Photo by Elissa Kyle

The Huntington Historical Society recently unveiled its latest exhibit, The Civil War Comes Home, at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building. This museum was built in 1892 to serve as the Huntington Public Library, a meeting place for the Civil War veterans from Huntington and as a memorial to the Huntington residents lost in the Civil War.

Part of the new Civil War exhibit in Huntington. Photo by Elissa Kyle
Part of the new Civil War exhibit in Huntington. Photo by Elissa Kyle

Stop in and visit this beautiful building and view the many artifacts on display, including a 150-year-old flag with its 35 stars that once flew over Fulton Street on July 8, 1865, when the 127th regiment returned and a photo of the Co. H 119th NY volunteers. Also featured is the diary of Amelia Brush dated Jan. 1, 1863, to Dec. 31, 1868, which mentions many national and local events such as the New York riots in 1893.

The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building, located at 228 Main Street, Huntington, is open Tuesday to Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information call 631-351-3244.

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Because the tree of heaven is a prolific seed producer as well as extremely hardy, it is considered invasive here. Photo by Ellen Barcel

By Ellen Barcel

Many years ago, my father pointed out some wild trees to me. He called them “stinkweed” trees, he said because close up, they smelled bad. Yes, they were wild — a weed and very hardy.

I hadn’t seen them in years, possibly because home gardeners generally don’t plant them and oak and pine are the native species most commonly found growing on Long Island. Recently, I came across a number of trees growing wild, which, to me, resembled the stinkweed trees from when I was a kid. Doing a bit of research, I discovered that yes, the trees I saw were indeed stinkweed trees. They were, in fact, Ailanthus altissima, also known as the tree of heaven.

A native of China, the tree’s Chinese name — chouchun — literally means “foul smelling tree,” i.e., stinkweed tree. Due to its many negative characteristics, some people refer to it as the “tree of hell,” rather than tree of heaven. Parts of the tree feature in traditional Chinese medicine as an astringent and as a food for silkworms so it has been grown there extensively.

The tree was first brought to Europe and then the United States in the late 1700s. The tree is now seen as an undesirable here for several reasons. One is that it produces suckers, meaning that it can easily spread, especially in disturbed areas. Another is its bad smell. It also appears to be able to suppress some competition by producing a chemical, ailanthone, that prevents other plants from growing in the area. This is known as allelopathy. Probably the best known allelopathic tree is the black walnut, but sunflowers seem to have the same ability.

The “tree” in the Betty Smith novel, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” was the tree of heaven, found growing wild in New York City lots — yes that weed. The tree is hardy and in the book becomes a metaphor for a young girl’s family that survives adversity.

Since the tree is a rapid grower, it can force out native plants. It grows under a wide range of unfavorable conditions including poor soil and pollution. This opportunistic plant does well in disturbed areas (the way poison ivy does). It needs full sun and spreads by both seeds and root sprouts.  Part of the reason it does so well is the fact that it has a tap root and we know what that means — in drought conditions it survives because the root goes way down into deeper levels of soil that still contain moisture. The Nature Conservancy suggests that seedlings be pulled out should you find them in your garden.

The Pennsylvania State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ website notes that there are “hundreds of thousands of seeds per tree … and a cut or injured ailanthus tree may send up dozens of root suckers and resprouts, creating large clonal colonies.”

Ailanthus altissima is on Suffolk County’s Management list, meaning it is considered invasive here, and it is recommended that the tree not be planted, especially near public land, although it is legal to do so. A rapid grower, it can easily reach close to 50 feet tall or more.

Incidentally, the tree of heaven is not the only tree with really foul smelling parts. The fruit of the ginkgo does as well. Most nurseries only sell male ginkgo trees, which do not produce fruit, hence no bad smell.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions and/or comments to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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James Thristino (No. 11) beats out a defender and the goalkeeper before sending his shot into the net. Photo by Brian Ballweg

Everyone was giving 110 percent at practice, but since his adjustment from high school to college ball was challenging for him, former Comsewogue soccer standout James Thristino had to put in that much more effort.

The payoff proved to be worthwhile, as the Adelphi University freshman forward earned Eastern College Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year honors as a result.

“I had to come in fit — keep working as hard as I can because I was just a freshman going into a team that’s very good,” Thristino said. ”And in the beginning, it started off a little slow for me.”

Matt Giaconelli, a sophomore midfielder for the Panthers, said he was excited to see what his new teammate, who was Long Island’s leading goal-scorer and point-scorer as a junior and senior, would bring to the team.

“I thought he was going to be a big help right from the start,” he said. “Any goal-scorer is going to be useful on any team.”

Giaconelli said the freshman forward was a little discouraged at first, because he needed to adjust to the speed and physicality of the game at the next level, but he adapted in his first season. As a result, Thristino’s efforts also earned him an ECAC Second Team placement.

“He scored plenty of goals and he helped us out a lot,” Giaconelli said. “He had a great season and he deserved it. He worked hard.”

James Thristino moves between two defenders to grab a pass. Photo by Brian Ballweg
James Thristino moves between two defenders to grab a pass. Photo by Brian Ballweg

Head coach Carlo Acquista also noticed his player’s dedication to the game.

“He showed his talent and ability and why we recruited him,” he said. “He came in and needed to adjust a little bit, but he did a good job. He was right on course to do what he was supposed to do and what we expected him to do.”

Thristino said he worked with the juniors and seniors on the team, especially captain, midfielder and forward Alejandro Penzini, one of his roommates, to work on adjusting his game, despite being intimidated by the upperclassmen from the start.

Acquista said he worked with the team’s assistant coaches as well.

“He did a little bit of extra individual work and he really absorbed all the information that I brought to the table,” he said. “I think he did a good job of picking up the learning curve very quickly.”

Rooming not only with the captain, Thristino bunked with junior midfielder Caelan Hueber, who scored the most goals on the team — with 11 on the season — and had five assists. Thristino said he didn’t think he’d scored as many as the eight goals and two assists he did, which was good for second-highest on the roster.

“The college game is faster, more physical, hard-working and demanding — everyone expects more because they’re great players from all around,” he said. “You need to improve.”

And with each game, he did. Thristino wasn’t a starter, but he found a way to make his presence known.

In the team’s Sept. 26 game against Vermont’s St. Michael’s College, Thristino was subbed into the game about 20 minutes in, and with his first touch on the ball, beat out a defender and scored to put the Panthers’ first point on the board. After the Knights scored the equalizer, the former Warriors star tapped in a rebound to score the game-winner.

“Scoring the second goal to put us ahead was a good feeling,” Thristino said. “After, my teammates grabbed me, hugged me in the corner. That made me think, ‘All right, I like this feeling. I need to keep it going.’”

And he did that, too.

He scored all three goals in a 3-0 win over Stonehill College in Massachusetts on Oct. 10.

“It was all hard work,” he said of the different ways he scored to help his team to another victory. “To be successful at college soccer, you need to be hard-working. You need to give 110 percent every time you step onto the field” because the competition is better than it is on the high school level. “You don’t get that many chances on the ball sometimes, so if you get one, you have to capitalize because you might not get many more.”

James Thristino sends the ball into play for Adelphi University. Photo by Brian Ballweg
James Thristino sends the ball into play for Adelphi University. Photo by Brian Ballweg

Following both games, the forward earned separate Northeast-10 Rookie of the Week honors.

Some of the freshman’s most memorable moments from the season include scoring his first playoff goal against Le Moyne College in the quarterfinals and celebrating in front of a large crowd. Another was when his team was tied 1-1 against Merrimack College and, with five minutes left in the game, he stole the ball away from the goalkeeper and knocked in a shot from 30 yards out that ended up being another game-winner.

“I ran into the corner and one of my best friends was on the sidelines and he tackled me to the floor as we celebrated,” he said. “That’s probably the most memorable one because that brought us to the championship for the first time in school history.”

His coach thanked him for being in the wrong position on that play.

“He made me look like a genius,” Acquista said. “I’m always excited for my guys to do well, and he took his role every game and he learned from it.”

As a result of his hard work and garnering his accolades this season, Thristino is looking forward to the next chapter of his college career.

“Getting that [Rookie of the Year] award boosted my confidence to the next level,” he said. “Knowing I could do even better next season, I’m going to keep raising my standards even higher, like I did in high school. It worked for me and I always want to do something better than what I previously did because I like to prove people wrong.”

The head coach said his athlete listened to what he needed him to do and did it, and it led to a successful season. He’s hoping for more from his forward in the future.

“For James to get Rookie of the Year is impressive because [in] the Northeast-10 Division II you get a lot of older international players as well,” he said. “So for a true rookie, 18 years old, to get Rookie of the Year in the conference is pretty unheard of … so that’s credit to him. … I just want James to keep growing and keep getting better.”

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File photo

Smithtown’s aging vehicle fleet might soon see a major upgrade.

Town Comptroller Donald Musgnug pitched a proposal at Tuesday’s Town Board work session that could essentially allow the town to trade in its dated cars and trucks for newer, more fuel-efficient vehicles. The Town Board discussed the potential fleet management agreement with representatives of Enterprise on Musgnug’s recommendations to act sooner than later.

“Clearly we have an aging fleet,” Musgnug said to the board members at Tuesday’s work session. “Enterprise is one of the leaders in this industry. The proposal is on the table.”

The comptroller said Smithtown currently manages 192 vehicles of varying sizes with many of them approaching two decades of use under the town’s ownership. Some of its most maintenance-heavy vehicles, he said, included a 1997 Ford F250 pickup truck with 285,000 miles on it and a Chevy Express 3500 cargo van with 184,000 miles on it. If the town were to sign onto a deal with Enterprise, representatives said, an advisor would help the town lower the age of its fleet to cut costs of maintenance and fuel by trading them out for newer, leased vehicles.

“We’ve been doing this with a lot of New York entities,” said Jacob Garth, government marketing manager at Enterprise Fleet Management. “We do more than just managing and acquiring vehicles. When we look at the fleet, one of the key objectives we make is to lower the age of the fleet, and a significant portion of your fleet is more than 10 years old.”

Garth said that municipalities like Smithtown typically purchase their vehicles via state contractors, which often limit purchases to only one manufacturer. Enterprise, however, has more than 1.6 million vehicles in its fleet from a range of manufacturers, which Garth argued would give Smithtown more opportunity for savings through open-ended leases.

Musgnug said his preliminary recommendations were to reduce Smithtown’s fleet size from 192 to 173 over five years.

“We’re looking at a phase-in approach because we currently have a maintenance crew of more than 20 auto mechanics in the town,” he said. “Phasing it in allows them to stay occupied, and through attrition, there may be some reduction because as you have some new vehicles, the maintenance lessens. This could be significant cost savings.”

Town Councilman Tom McCarthy (R) expressed steadfast support for the proposal to upgrade the town’s aging fleet and asked Musgnug if it was possible to phase new vehicles in over three years instead of five.

“Let’s get rid of all this garbage,” he said.

Fleet consultant Jay Greene of Enterprise said his group has already signed onto similar agreements with Brookhaven and Huntington towns and started discussing plans with Smithtown back in September.

Town Supervisor Pat Vecchio (R) said he felt the board needed to take more time to learn about its options and pushed the discussion to a later date. He also instructed Musgnug to touch base with his government counterparts in neighboring Brookhaven and Huntington in order to draft a report of testimonials from towns already working on a similar plan with Enterprise.

“I would think we would need more discussion amongst ourselves about whether or not we want to do this,” Vecchio said. “This is a discussion we need to have at another date, and we’ll contact Enterprise.”

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Port Jefferson code Chief Wally Tomaszewski. File photo by Elana Glowatz

Code enforcement officers in Port Jefferson will get a raise for the first time in several years if they approve their first union contract next week.

At the Jan. 4 village board of trustees meeting, the board approved the new agreement, settled upon a couple of years after negotiations began. The Port Jefferson Constable Association union must still ratify the contract to finalize it.

The new agreement would be retroactive to June 2014 and run through the end of May 2018, Trustee Bruce D’Abramo said in a phone interview. With part of the contract being retroactive, so is part of the proposed pay increase — the union members would receive an extra $1.50 for each hour they worked between June 2014 and the end of May 2015; and another $1.75 per hour worked from June 2015 and onward.

Moving forward, the officers from the Code Enforcement Bureau would receive an hourly bump of $0.25 each new year of the contract, meaning they would get a raise in June 2016 and June 2017.

The few dozen staff members covered under the proposal includes code enforcement officers and sergeants as well as appearance ticket officers, D’Abramo said. The union does not include code Chief Wally Tomaszewski or three lieutenants in the bureau.

According to both village officials and the union, it has been a while since the officers received a raise.

Port Jefferson Constable Association President Tom Grimaldi has been a code officer for more than seven years, he said, and the last salary increase was “way before I got there. Probably at least 10 years ago.”

D’Abramo noted that before the proposed raises kick in, the pay for code enforcement officers is $16 per hour. For sergeants, the pay is $18.25 per hour, and appearance ticket officers currently get $13.50 per hour.

The contract is “a long time coming,” Grimaldi said.

And D’Abramo said village officials are happy to put the negotiations behind them so they can finally “give the code officers, who do such a good job for the village, the kind of remuneration” that is comparable to such officers in other villages.

The constables have been particularly visible recently with some high-profile incidents in Port Jefferson Village.

In mid-December, a Belle Terre man was killed when he lost control of his Lamborghini while driving up a steep East Broadway hill and crashed into a pole near High Street. Officer Paul Barbato was the first on the scene, finding a “horribly mangled vehicle with a person still alive inside,” Trustee Larry LaPointe reported at a board meeting shortly after the crash. Barbato got inside the car and attempted CPR on 48-year-old Glen Nelson, but the driver later died.

“You can only imagine the scene he came upon,” Mayor Margot Garant said on Jan. 4.

In a phone interview, Tomaszewski said Barbato “tried desperately to save his life. Believe me, his boots were filled with blood.”

Code enforcement officer James Murdocco. File photo by Elana Glowatz
Code enforcement officer James Murdocco. File photo by Elana Glowatz

A couple of weeks later, on New Year’s Day, patrolling code officers James Murdocco and John Vinicombe responded to an overdose at the Islandwide Taxi stand near the Port Jefferson Long Island Rail Road station.

LaPointe said at the board meeting on Jan. 4 that Murdocco administered the anti-overdose medication Narcan and “saved the person’s life by doing so.”

Tomaszewski described another recent incident in which officer Gina Savoie “thwarted a burglary” on Crystal Brook Hollow Road. He said after Savoie took action and called for police assistance, the two suspects, who are from Coram, were arrested for loitering.

“My hat goes off to the code enforcement bureau,” Garant said at the most recent board meeting. “They’re out there handling things that are unimaginable for us to even contemplate.”

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Fire in the hole
A 21-year-old man from Deer Park was arrested on Jan. 2 at 3:30 a.m. after police said he hit a fire hydrant while driving a 2001 Nissan Altima on Commack Road in Dix Hills and fled the scene. He was charged with operating a motor vehicle and leaving the scene with property damage.

He’ll be watching you
Police said a 39-year-old man from West Babylon was sending threatening and stalking emails to someone on West Hills Road in West Hills. He was arrested at the 2nd Precinct on Dec. 29 and charged with fourth-degree stalking at employment.

Crazy stuff on Asylum Avenue
On Jan. 2, a 23-year-old man from Coram was arrested after police said he had marijuana in plain view while sitting in a 2005 Cadillac on Asylum Avenue in Huntington just after 7 p.m. He was charged with third-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Catching up on some z’s
Police said a 31-year-old man from Harlem was asleep at the wheel in a 2014 Chevy Suburban with the engine running in the HOV lane on the Long Island Expressway at 6:20 a.m. on Jan. 1. He was arrested for driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest after refusing to put his hands behind his back.

Story not checking out
A 25-year-old woman from Bay Shore was arrested on Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. at the 2nd Precinct for multiple incidents of forging checks. She was charged with four counts of second-degree possession of forged instruments for using forged checks at multiple Chase banks in Commack, North Babylon and Bay Shore from September through December.

High times
On Dec. 31, a 23-year-old woman from Nesconset was arrested after police said she had suboxone in her possession at 2 p.m. on New York Avenue in Huntington. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Un-lawn-ful
A 53-year-old man from Melville was arrested on Dec. 27 after police said he drove on a driveway and front lawn of a residence on Route 25A in Huntington and caused damage. He was charged with criminal mischief with intent to damage property.

Sneaking some sneaks
On Dec. 26, a 25-year-old man from Central Islip was arrested after police said he stole Macy’s gift cards and three pairs of sneakers from Macy’s on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington at noon.

Hit and run
A 17-year-old woman from Commack was arrested on Jan. 3 at 5:20 a.m. after police said she hit a pedestrian while driving a 2011 Nissan on Piave Terrace in Lindenhurst. She was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and first-degree failure to show license or identification.

Razor sharp senses
Police said an unknown person stole razors from a CVS on Main Street in Smithtown on Jan. 2 at 8:20 p.m.

Cocaine bust
On Jan. 2 a 34-year-old man from Patchogue was arrested at 4:15 p.m. after police stopped him on Morewood Drive in Commack for a bench warrant and then discovered he had cocaine in his possession. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Charged for cards
Police said a 20-year-old man from Commack stole gift cards from Best Buy in Commack over a two-month period. He was arrested on Dec. 31 at 9 p.m. and charged with petit larceny.

Not just the remote is lost
On Dec. 29 a 22-year-old man from Dix Hills was arrested after police said he stole a television from Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack at 12:20 p.m. He was charged with petit larceny.

Someone else’s plastic
A 29-year-old man from Smithtown was arrested on Dec. 31 after police said he made purchases on a stolen credit card. He was arrested at 11 p.m. at the 4th Precinct and charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a credit card.

To the point
Police said a 25-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested for being in possession of a hypodermic needle inside a 2001 Nissan at 11:20 a.m. on Dec. 30. He was charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Lights out
A 47-year-old man from Commack was arrested on Dec. 25 and charged with first-degree operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs. Police said he was driving a 2002 Ford pickup truck on Joyce Lane at 3 a.m. when they pulled him over for having a light out and then discovered he was driving while on drugs.

Can’t phone home
Police said two cell phones were stolen from Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on Jan. 3 shortly after noon.

Speeding
On Jan. 2 a 22-year-old woman from Holbrook was arrested on Route 25 in Smithtown at 3 a.m. after police said she was speeding in a 2005 Pontiac and then discovered she was driving while on drugs. She was charged with first-degree operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.

Not quite on target
A 28-year-old woman from Wyandanch was arrested on Jan. 3 at noon for stealing assorted merchandise from Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Smithtown. She was charged with petit larceny.

Drifting to jail
On Dec. 29, an East Setauket resident was driving a 2006 Jeep west on Route 347 in Port Jefferson Station when he failed to maintain his lane. Police discovered the man was intoxicated and arrested him on the corner of Route 347 and Jayne Boulevard. The 33-year-old was charged with driving while ability impaired. He was previously convicted on similar charges 10 years ago.

Quest for the card thief
A 29-year-old man from Coram was arrested for grand larceny on Dec. 27, after he stole a credit card from an unlocked 2010 Chevrolet. The incident took place on Piedmont Drive in Port Jefferson Station, but police arrested the man on Montclair Street.

Drive away home
Police arrested a 21-year-old Port Jefferson woman on Jan. 2 for unauthorized use of a car. Police said she took a 2003 Lincoln Navigator out of a shared driveway around 4:04 a.m. and was arrested later that day at her Laurita Gate home.

Gimme a break
A man from Miller Place was arrested for criminal mischief on Dec. 29, after police said the 40-year-old broke a glass window to enter a residence on Woodhull Landing Road in Miller Place around 11:25 a.m. The man also allegedly gave the wrong name to officials just prior to his arrest.

Wantagh go to jail
Police arrested a Wantagh man on Jan. 1 for driving while ability impaired in a 2012 Nissan after he got into a crash while going south on Howell Avenue in Centereach. Officials discovered the 28-year-old was intoxicated. Police arrested him at 3:39 a.m., less than 30 minutes after the crash.

Boozy breakfast
On Jan. 1, police arrested a 26-year-old woman from Centereach for driving while ability impaired. Around 8:48 a.m., the woman was driving a 2006 Nissan when she got into a crash near the Sunoco station on Middle Country Road. Police at the scene discovered the woman was intoxicated and arrested her.

An early morning stroll
Police said an 18-year-old Selden man was shouting obscenities on Jan. 1 before trespassing at the 7-Eleven on Middle Country Road in Selden. Police arrested the man for trespassing at the scene.

Party-crashers
On Jan. 1 at 3:30 a.m., a resident living on Christian Avenue in Stony Brook was throwing a party when several unknown, uninvited guests struck and broke the glass front door and window of the home. Police didn’t specify what they used to cause the damage.

Pound it
Police arrested a 23-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station for criminal possession of a weapon at the Centereach Mall on Jan. 1, after they found him in possession of brass knuckles.

King of the road
On Jan. 2, a 52-year-old man from Rocky Point was arrested for driving while ability impaired. According to police, the man was speeding in a 1995 GMC north on Kings Walk and failed to stay to the right on the road.

Stopped and seized
A 20-year-old man from Sound Beach was arrested on Jan. 1 for criminal possession of a controlled substance. Police had made a traffic stop on Madison Street in Rocky Point and discovered the man was in possession of drugs. Police didn’t specify why the man was originally stopped.

The same old steal
On Jan. 2, someone entered the Old Fields Restaurant on Wynn Lane in Port Jefferson and stole an iPod and license from the business.

Toy troubles
According to police, someone entered the Kohl’s in Setauket-East Setauket and concealed a toy set in their bag. The incident happened on Dec. 30 at 9:54 p.m.

Food for the winter
An unidentified person took groceries from a store on Nesconset Highway in Mount Sinai on Dec. 29.

On the fence
On Dec. 28, a resident living on Kingston Road in Mount Sinai reported that someone damaged the house’s PVC fence and fence posts between 11 and 11:20 a.m.

Pumped for pickpocketing
An unknown person broke the passenger window of a 2005 Jeep parked in the LA Fitness parking lot in Port Jefferson Station. Police said a wallet was stolen. The incident happened on Dec. 31 around 6 p.m.

Finance this
Police said an unknown person broke a window at Soloway Agency on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station on Jan. 1, at 4:25 a.m.

Beauty knows no bounds
On Jan. 2, someone took body spray and hair products from the Walgreens on Middle Country Road in Selden.

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Ward Melville at the Stony Brook Village Center, circa 1950s. Photo from WMHO

Long before there were the Gates and the Zuckerbergs of the world, there was Ward Melville.

A major Long Island philanthropist and national business leader, the scope of Ward Melville’s generosity and vision included significant restoration of historic structures, purchase and preservation of environmental and commercial properties, education and countless other endeavors.

Ward Melville’s dream was to create a “living Williamsburg,” a place where history and culture would blend with natural beauty. Along with architect Richard Haviland Smythe, he designed what was to become the first planned business community in America, the Stony Brook Village Center. The Three Village area — Stony Brook, Setauket and Old Field — has been forever changed because of this forward-thinking benefactor.

Melville was president of Melville Corporation, the third largest retailer in the United States with some 10,000 stores, which owned Thom McAn Shoes, Marshall’s, CVS Pharmacies, Kay-Bee Toys, Wilson’s Leather and Suede and more. He also donated the very land that today houses one of our nation’s leading research institutions, Stony Brook University.

The Stony Brook Community Fund, now the Ward Melville Heritage Organization (WMHO), was founded in 1939. On Jan. 19, 1940, Ward Melville hosted a dinner at the Three Village Inn to present his plan for the future of Stony Brook Village. On Jan. 19, 2016, this milestone will be commemorated at the Three Village Inn where it all began to “Celebrate What Was … Be Part of What’s To Come.”

Starting at 6 p.m. with live music by The Tom Manuel Trio, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, dessert and coffee, guests will enjoy the same menu from 1940, hear Melville’s original speech and see the original model of the village. There will even be chocolate cigars in place of real ones enjoyed in the day.

The evening continues with an 8 p.m. sneak preview of The Jazz Loft next door, which will soon showcase a historic collection of over 10,000 items of jazz memorabilia and serve as an education and jazz performance venue as well. This 6,000-square-foot structure, formerly the site of the Suffolk Museum, now the Long Island Museum, was another of Melville’s philanthropic works. Bringing this culture to Stony Brook Village is a case of history repeating itself while looking toward the future.

During the ‘50s and ‘60s, the likes of Tony Bennett and Lionel Hampton performed at the Dogwood Hollow Amphitheatre in the very spot where WMHO’s Educational & Cultural Center now stands in Stony Brook Village. The vision that Ward Melville had over 75 years ago still resonates today and the results of his efforts on behalf of the citizens of Stony Brook and beyond, both economically and culturally, will continue to touch generations for many years to come.

Tickets are $125 per person and seating is limited. Proceeds will benefit The Jazz Loft. For further information call 631-751-2244 or register online at www.wmho.org.

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By Matthew Kearns, DVM

Not sure how many families received a puppy as a gift this holiday season but I love to see appointments that say “New Puppy” on them. One of the most common topics discussed is how to potty train the newest member of the family.  Crate training is a wonderful way to give the puppy the guidance it needs.

The idea of using a crate to train a puppy comes from a “den theory” in dogs.  Although wild dogs are nomadic by nature, they do settle down for part of the season to mate and raise pups. The males will hunt and the females will search out a den. This den is a safe haven away from other predators and the elements, and  residents instinctively go to the bathroom outside the den. 

If the crate is treated the same way, it can be a nice, safe area for the puppy. They will usually sleep and allow you to sleep. You can go out to run errands knowing that the puppy will not go to the bathroom, destroy things, or get into anything dangerous. The primary goal of the crate is to always, ALWAYS, make it a “safe area” for the puppy. Do not isolate the crate away from the rest of the family and never use the crate as a form of punishment.

When you (or other family members) are home, the door to the crate should be left open to allow your puppy to go in and out as they please. Give your puppy a favorite toy or a treat when you put her in the crate before you leave the house.  Although a crate is most effective, a crate does not always have to be a crate. You can baby gate off a portion of the kitchen, give a room, etc.

Be careful how long you leave your puppy in the crate so that they do not become used to soiling in the crate (they will if left no choice).  Most pet owners purchase or adopt a puppy between 8 and 12 weeks of age. This is good because it is a very impressionable age and allows you (as the puppy’s “parents”) to help them make good choices.

Remember that puppies can only physically “hold it” for so long at that age. A good rule of thumb is count the number of months old the puppy is and add one to come up with the number of hours the puppy can hold it. So an 8- week (2-month) old puppy can hold it for 2 + 1 = 3 hours. Some puppies can hold it longer at night. However, when you first get a puppy, it would be a good idea to get out of bed to let them out (or even set an alarm clock) to take them outside, SUPERVISED, to go to the bathroom and praise them when they do.

Also remember that eating and drinking will stimulate the puppy to go to the bathroom. Therefore, allow extra time to bring them back outside after they eat and drink to give them the opportunity to go again. If for some reason you get there too late or an unexpected accident occurred, just clean it up. Remember, the crate must be a safe area away from punishment if it is to be effective. 

Some puppies that have been in a pet store or shelter situation for too long can be negatively conditioned as well. If a puppy is left in a crate from five or six at night (when the shop or shelter closes) to eight or nine the next morning, they will get used to eliminating in the crate (cage) and come to believe that is normal. Those are exceptional cases and will require the guidance of a veterinarian that specializes in behavior or a Certified Animal Behaviorist to re-train.

Do not try to automatically force older dogs into a crate. I can’t tell you how many broken teeth and nails I’ve seen in my career because a dog owner decides they are going to put a young adult dog in a crate at 8 months to a year old because the dog has become destructive when the owner is not home. That is going to be like jail, and if it were me I would freak out also. That is not to say that you cannot crate train an adult dog, but it takes time, patience and the guidance of a behaviorist (that means extra moolah as well). It is much easier (and less expensive) to start at a younger age, remain patient and consistent.

Congratulations on your new puppy and good luck!!!!!

Dr. Kearns has been in practice for 17 years and is pictured with his son Matthew and their dog Jasmine.

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Narcan, a drug that reverses opioid overdoses, can be administered either through the nose or intravenously. File photo by Rohma Abbas

Ringing in a new year comes not only with celebrations, but also with ideas of what we could do better in the future. While thinking of personal resolutions, we can also begin to think of resolutions for the towns we live in and the people who serve them.

The Suffolk County Police Department went through some major changes in 2015. Shortly before the year ended, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) tapped Tim Sini for police commissioner in light of the recent investigation and indictment of former Police Chief James Burke, who has been accused of beating a handcuffed suspect and attempting to cover up the crime.

This week, former SCPD Sgt. Scott Greene began the first of two trials for allegedly stealing cash from Hispanic motorists during vehicle and traffic stops. He is being charged with seven counts of larceny as a hate crime.

A good place to start for a 2016 resolution could be within the county’s police department.

We hope that Sini will function with transparency as he takes on his new role and keep the lines of communication with the public as open as possible. We also hope he will work well and collaborate with the Republican legislators who have already challenged his appointment.

2015 was a huge year for substance abuse programs and drug summits as well. Officials, from town board members to congressmen, lent their voice to what many are calling an epidemic. While these programs have made great strides, it seems the younger generation, where the fight is really happening, seem least connected to these talks.

Going forward, focusing on drug programs that reach high school and college students may be the best bet. Although the winter break is coming to a close, spring break is right around the corner, and, soon enough, those students will be right back on our couches, enjoying a week off. That could be the perfect time to bend their ears.

As a community, we can make 2016 better than any year before it. Let’s work together to make that happen.

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CN Guidance & Counseling Services is setting up shop at Horizons Counseling & Education Center on Main Street in Smithtown. Photo by Jared Cantor

The fight against drug abuse has a new home in Smithtown.

In response to a multiyear surge of heroin and opiate pill use across the North Shore and greater Long Island, CN Guidance & Counseling Services, which works on addressing substance use and mental health disorders, has launched outpatient detoxification and withdrawal support services to residents of Smithtown.

Two new sites — one at Horizons Counseling & Education Center at 161 East Main St. in Smithtown and the other at CN Guidance’s main office at 950 S. Oyster Bay Road in Hicksville — have begun delivering a combination of services to local residents addicted to opiates. The services, supported by funds from both county governments, include assessment, detoxification, symptom relief with addiction medications, monitoring of vital signs and instant connection to longer-term treatment and relapse prevention.

Heroin killed a record-high 144 people on Long Island in 2013, a death toll increasing 91 percent in Nassau County and 163 percent in Suffolk County since just 2010, CN said in a statement. Opioid pills, including oxycodone, were linked to 343 additional deaths on Long Island in 2012 and 2013.

“We are filling a critical gap,” said Jeffrey Friedman, chief executive officer of CN Guidance. “The havoc connected to untreated opiate addiction on Long Island has been slicing through our Long Island families and communities. These new outpatient detoxification and support services are enabling opiate-addicted individuals — and their families — to receive the help they need immediately, with no lag in connection to the longer-term treatment and recovery services they need after detoxification. If you know someone in need, please call us.”

During a studied nine-month period in 2013, 4,409 individuals requested detoxification services in Nassau County, but only 26 percent, or 1,157, were actually admitted, according to Nassau County’s Department of Human Services, Office of Mental Health, Chemical Dependency and Developmental Disabilities Services. Suffolk County struggles analogously.

Data from the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services show that 85 percent of detoxification in New York State is done in hospitals, often with long waits, at high costs and lacking results, whereas other states use such hospital-based detoxification primarily for medically or psychiatrically complicated cases. The new outpatient programs offer an alternative for the many residents who face mild to moderate severity of withdrawal from opiates, rather than severe withdrawal most commonly associated with emergency-level crises.

Because CN Guidance is a comprehensive behavioral health services provider that offers full-service care coordination, it is able to link clients in the new outpatient programs immediately to a whole array of often- needed services ranging from mental health counseling and treatment to long-term substance use treatment.

Residents and other service providers in either county may call 516-822-6111 to accesDs the program.

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