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Monthly Archives: March 2016

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The Gentlemen’s Driving Park is currently overgrown and hidden, but will soon be restored. Photo by Elana Glowatz

By Elana Glowatz

Officials are on track to restore a piece of Long Island history, bringing an abandoned and forgotten horse-racing site back to life.

The Cumsewogue Historical Society has a ticket to the Gentlemen’s Driving Park from July 4, 1892. Photo by Elana Glowatz
The Cumsewogue Historical Society has a ticket to the Gentlemen’s Driving Park from July 4, 1892. Photo by Elana Glowatz

Brookhaven Town finished purchasing a swath of wooded land off of Canal Road in Terryville at the end of 2013, after Cumsewogue Historical Society President Jack Smith discovered the faint outline of the horse track and dug up information about what was once called the Gentlemen’s Driving Park. The town now owns the entire 11-acre site.

Today it’s an overgrown path hidden among trees, but the Gentlemen’s Driving Park used to be a place where Victorian Era bettors watched men race around the half-mile loop — counterclockwise — behind horses in carts called sulkies. It was part of a circuit of harness racing tracks in the Northeast, according to Smith, but likely fell into neglect with the rise of the automobile.

But cars have also helped keep the track viable: Smith previously reported that at least through the mid-1950s, kids raced jalopies around the track, preventing it from becoming completely overgrown.

Smith said on Monday the effort to restore and preserve the track is moving slowly, but there has been progress since the town finished acquiring the property. There are plans in place to clear the track to about 20 feet wide, although leaving larger trees in place, and to move up the southern curve of the oval, he said.

Jack Smith takes a closer look at a wrecked car on the Gentlemen's Driving Park track around the time he first discovered the forgotten historical spot. Photo by Elana Glowatz
Jack Smith takes a closer look at a wrecked car on the Gentlemen’s Driving Park track around the time he first discovered the forgotten historical spot. Photo by Elana Glowatz

Currently, a small PSEG Long Island facility cuts into that southern tip. Rather than moving the facility or leaving the track incomplete, the town would retrace that small section of track, slightly shortening the loop but completing the oval so as to make a walkable path for visitors.

“The town is in the process of working on the track to restore the track as closely to the original footprint as possible,” Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) said in a statement this week. “There will be some adjustments needed and the town is actively working on that.”

If all goes according to plan, the councilwoman said, the restored track could open late in the summer or early in the fall.

“The important thing is that it will be an oval,” Smith said Monday. “We want to keep some of the historical integrity.”

His goal is to put informational signs around the track that will teach people about its history.

The Gentlemen’s Driving Park is currently overgrown and hidden, but will soon be restored. Photo by Elana Glowatz
The Gentlemen’s Driving Park is currently overgrown and hidden, but will soon be restored. Photo by Elana Glowatz

The driving park was adjacent to well-known horse trainer Robert L. Davis’ Comsewogue stables, now the Davis Professional Park. After hearing rumors of such a track in Terryville, Smith discovered it by looking at an aerial image of the neighborhood taken during the winter, when the foliage was less dense. He saw the faint shape in the woods near Canal Road and went walking in to find it. Since that visit, he has uncovered a broken pair of Victorian-era field glasses near the finish line on the track’s west side, which may have been dropped and trampled. He also has a ticket from a racing event on July 4. 1892.

Once restoration work is completed, Cartright said the town hopes to work with the historical society and the community “to hold a kickoff event to highlight the track and its history.”

For his part, the historical society president has said he would like to hold a fair in which people will re-enact the late 1800s horse races with vintage sulkies or participate in a carriage parade.

“We can’t be happier that it’s been preserved,” Smith said.

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Joe Sabia file photo

Joe Sabia will be waiting for results on a stressful election eve for the third time in his 39 years as a resident of Northport Village on Mar. 15.

Sabia, a former member of the Northport-East Northport school board and a mayoral candidate in the 2014 Northport election, is running for trustee on the village board this time around.

“I’ve been here since 1977,” the 60-year-old Sabia said in a phone interview. “I’m not a newcomer.”

Sabia will face incumbents Jerry Maline and Damon McMullen in the 2016 election. He said that his experiences running for school board and mayor have prepared him.

“I realized people have to get out and vote,” Sabia said, adding that he knocked on about 1,400 doors when he was running for mayor in 2014 against incumbent George Doll. But that wasn’t enough to unseat the incumbent mayor.

Sabia said that he was not happy about the village’s proposed budget that was released in January, which included more than a 3 percent increase to the tax levy. Lowering taxes was one of several issues that Sabia said is important to his campaign and eventual term, if he is elected.

“You’re pushing people to the limit,” Sabia said about taxpayers in the village.

He also mentioned fixing sidewalks and roads in the village, changing the way that snow removal is handled, improving village parks, addressing environmental concerns associated with storm water runoff and upgrading street lights to be more efficient as some of the issues that are important to him and in need of the village’s attention.

“I have fresh ideas,” Sabia said. He said he is also interested in “revamping” village hall, though he said he would prefer to fund a project like that through donations, not tax dollars.

Asharoken Village found success with resident donations financing parts of the cost for the new village hall, which opened in January 2015.

Sabia has a history of wanting to keep costs low.

He went after his former school board colleagues at a board of education meeting on July 1, 2015, after they approved the appointment of Lou Curra as the district’s interim assistant superintendent for human resources, a position that paid Curra $935 per day during his six months in the position. He said he believed Curra was being overpaid.

Sabia owns Sabia’s Car Care, an automotive repair shop located on Fort Salonga Road in Northport. Nonetheless, he said he’s confident that he would have more than enough time to effectively serve the village as a trustee.

Sabia’s daughters, ages 25 and 29, were products of the Northport-East Northport school district, and his late wife Valerie served as the village court clerk until she passed away about four years ago, he said.

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Ken Rogers makes his way down a residential street as he gets his body ready for a big walk later this spring. Photo by Giselle Barkley

Ken Rogers of Stony Brook couldn’t walk for the first four years of his life. But this year, he’s walking for a cause — all the way to Brooklyn.

Rogers, whose cerebral palsy affected his ability to walk in his youth, is training to walk 50 miles on May 19 from his Stony Brook residence to Canarsie Pier in his hometown. While the three-day walk will help raise money for the American Cancer Society, Rogers is also walking to honor his high school friend, Russell Donovan, who lost his battle with cancer last February. Donovan lived in Wading River at the time.

“We did everything together,” said Rogers, 64, about Donovan and long-time friend Eddie Troise.

The trio started smoking cigarettes at 15 years old because it “was the cool thing to do in the 60s,” according to Rogers. But he said he believed the bad habit contributed to Donovan’s condition. Donovan, of Wading River, was diagnosed with prostate cancer around 2010, before it spread to his lungs. Troise and Rogers suffered from their own health complications over the years. Around five years ago Troise suffered a major stroke. Rogers was also diagnosed with and treated for prostate cancer.

Although Rogers is currently healthy, he wants to raise awareness about the drawbacks of smoking tobacco and hopes residents will donate for his cause.

“It’s one of the hardest things to break … because it takes a lot of determination,” said Rogers about quitting smoking, which he did around 30 years ago, after his son was born.

Over the past months, he’s raised 15 percent of his $1,200 goal. He hopes to reach his goal before he treks to Canarsie Pier, a place he, Donovan and Troise frequented in their youth.

Ken Rogers makes his way down a residential street as he gets his body ready for a big walk later this spring. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Ken Rogers makes his way down a residential street as he gets his body ready for a big walk later this spring. Photo by Giselle Barkley

Bonnie Schulz is one of many residents who donated to support Rogers’ cause. The two met around 14 years ago through Setauket Presbyterian Church. Schulz learned of the 50-mile walk when Rogers presented the idea last fall for the church’s Peace & Justice Committee.

“I thought it was very admirable and that he’s very passionate about [his cause],” Schulz said.

Rogers walks between six and 12 miles daily. Depending on the weather, he hopes to walk from his residence to Sayville this coming weekend to help him further prepare for May.

Karen Carroll is one of a few people who showed interest in joining Rogers for his three-day walk. An avid walker herself, she said she was interested because the walk spans a few days.

Carroll met Rogers at the church around a decade ago. According to Carroll, Rogers isn’t a stranger to giving back to his community. Several years ago he helped establish a community garden at the church for all residence in the area.

“He’s a really integral part of the church,” said Carroll about Rogers and his commitment to the church. “He’s just a good hearted helpful man.”

Although Carroll hasn’t donated yet, she added she’d simply donate because of who Rogers is and not only because of his cause.

His projects even surprise his wife, Arlene. The couple met in school when they were 15 years old. The duo started dating three years later.

“He’s had a lot of [health] battles,” she said. “[But] he overcame that; he overcame prostate cancer. He keeps going. He just keeps a-lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.”

For Rogers, trudging on is simply in his nature.

“They told my parents I had cerebral palsy and I’d probably never walk,” Rogers said. “But I am walking today.”

And nothing is getting in his way.

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The cover of Michael Medico’s new novel, The Sainted. Photo from Medico
The cover of Michael Medico’s new novel, The Sainted. Photo from Medico
The cover of Michael Medico’s new novel, The Sainted. Photo from Medico

By Melissa Arnold

Michael Medico of Northport has written for decades in marketing, but now that he’s retired, he’s decided to explore writing fiction. His first novel, “The Sainted,” was released this past fall, and the 69-year-old couldn’t be happier.

The book finds Chris, a devout Catholic from Long Island, experiencing visions and dreams from the saints — ordinary men and women who lived extraordinary lives for God. The dreams begin as helpful advice and guidance, but their messages soon turn dire as the saints warn of impending doom. Chris is thrust into a classic battle of faith and doubt, good and evil, that can speak to readers of all backgrounds.

Medico took some time recently to share what it’s like being a newly published author.

Tell me a little bit about your background.
I was born in Manhattan, raised in the Bronx and then moved out to Long Island when I was about 13 years old. I was in the Navy, and after I got out I was in the advertising industry for 45 years before I retired. I’ve written pretty much my entire life, but it was mostly commercials and articles — not something really ambitious like fiction.
I love reading fiction in my spare time, especially books that deal with suspense, thrillers and the supernatural. I read Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Tom Clancy and many more in that vein. That genre has always interested me, and I thought if I wanted to write fiction, I would try that.

What was it like for you to get published?
I have an agent, Alan Morrell, and we’ve been friends for 25 years. He was able to help me find a publishing company called Brick Tower Press. The process took about a year. It’s beyond a rush, both fun and frustrating, but certainly a very rewarding experience.

What gave you the idea to write a faith-based book? Are you a person of faith?
I’m a lapsed Catholic but am very much a man of faith. I’d gone to both parochial grammar school and high school. So I have a background in Roman Catholicism and have always been inspired by the saints — these real people who lived their lives in an amazing way, regardless of whether they were single or married. Some were even martyred. There are over 10,000 people that the Church honors as saints, and I wanted to help give people an understanding of who they are while writing something entertaining at the same time.
St. Agnes is someone who amazes me. She came into the world surrounded by lights, and her devotion to God throughout her life, even as a little girl, is so inspiring. So many [saints]have faced terrible evils but   are still totally consumed by their love for God.

Early in the book, you described the main character, Chris, in great detail. Is he based off of you in any way?
We do have similarities — we’re both Italian, both grew up Catholic, both raised in the Bronx and moved to Long Island, but he’s a far better man than I am. He continues to go to Mass as an adult. We’re all sinners, and Chris has his flaws, but he’s a truly good man. He represents every man, all of us. He embodies the good and bad of human life. And I think that’s important for the way Satan sees him in the book. Chris is like a trophy for [the devil] — if he can get Chris, he can get anyone.

Michael Medico. Photo from Medico
Michael Medico. Photo from Medico

You’ve paid a lot of homage to New York and Long Island in this book. Why did you choose to have the story take place here?
I guess I really could have set it anywhere, but I grew up in the Bronx and moved to Long Island. My wife and I settled in Huntington — it’s beautiful and has a great culture. They have the arts, restaurants, live music and, most of all, good people. It’s home. I thought that would be the best place for Chris to be.

This story has a classic good versus evil theme. How do you think people today relate to that?
Chris is thrust into the middle of this terrible evil, and I think a lot of us can relate to that in seeing the senseless tragedies that happen here on earth. We all have to find a way to respond to those things.

The book is part of a trilogy. What are your plans for the next two books?
The second book is already finished. We’re just editing it now. And I’ve written the first chapter of the third book.
Those stories will explore how the events in the first book affect people around Chris and, later, the rest of the world. The series will culminate in a great confrontation of good and evil, but I haven’t decided exactly how that will go yet.

Do you hope to write other books after this series is completed?
I’m thoroughly enjoying my writing, and I hope to do it as long as I’m able. It keeps my mind sharp. I’m contemplating writing at least one book for children in the future.

Where can people find the book or learn more about you?
I’ve set up a website at www.thesaintednovel.com. There’s a short bio on me, a sample of the book and ways to purchase it, plus a form to contact me. You can also buy the book online just about everywhere books are sold, including for Kindle and Apple devices.

Michael Medico will hold a book signing at Book Revue, 313 New York Ave., Huntington, on March 9 at 7 p.m. For more information, call 631-271-1442 or visit www.bookrevue.com.

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By Linda M. Toga, ESQ.

The Facts:   My mother deeded her house to me and my brother Joe and retained a life estate.

The Question:  Can Joe and I sell the house to pay for our mother’s care?

The Answer:  You and your brother can sell the house but, only with your mother’s consent. Based upon her life estate, your mother has an ownership interest in the house for as long as she lives. As such, her consent is not only needed to sell the property but also to obtain a mortgage on the house or to otherwise encumber the property.

That being said, depending on your mother’s age and when she deeded the house to you and Joe, there may be better ways to finance your mother’s care than selling the house.

Before the Medicaid look-back period was changed to five years for all nonexempt transfers, life estates were a very popular part of Medicaid planning. However, since the look-back period is now the same whether you transfer a residence and retain a life estate or put the residence in an irrevocable trust, life estates create unique problems and, therefore, are less popular. 

That does not mean that there are no benefits to creating a life estate. For example, by creating a life estate, the house will not be subject to probate when your mother dies, the value of the house will not be included in your mother’s gross taxable estate and your mother continues to enjoy any real estate tax exemptions that were applicable to the property before she deeded the house to you and Joe.

The downside of a life estate from a Medicaid planning perspective is the fact that, if the house is sold during your mother’s lifetime, your mother is entitled to a portion of the proceeds from the sale. This is true even if the life estate was created more than five years before the sale.

The percentage of the proceeds going to your mother upon the sale of the house is governed by life expectancy tables, depends on how old your mother is at the time of the sale and is surprisingly large.

For example, a life tenant who is 80 years old at the time her $300,000 house is sold, is entitled to approximately $130,000 of the proceeds. In the context of a Medicaid application, that $130,000 will be deemed an available resource and may result in a denial of benefits.

Clearly, if you are concerned about paying for long-term care and considering Medicaid planning for your mother, it is important to consult with an experienced attorney before selling the real property that is subject to her life estate.

Linda M. Toga provides legal service in the areas of estate planning, estate administration, Medicaid planning, wills and trusts, marital agreements, small business services, real estate and litigation from her East Setauket office.

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A new 24-hour hotline will soon be available to Long Islanders battling addiction, bringing new hope to families struggling to overcome drug-related issues.

Suffolk County officials recently announced their hotline, which the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence will run in order to direct callers to different resources in the area based upon their needs. It could launch by April.

While addiction is a growing issue that lawmakers have struggled to address, this hotline will become a new tool to combat it. We can see it assisting many people who previously would not have known where to turn. It could be particularly helpful because it will provide an easy route for a population that is often so isolated that they have trouble digging themselves out of the hole of addiction. Some have been pushed away by their families, or have only old friends who reinforce bad habits. But the hotline will be there in their moment of clarity, no matter the hour, to steer them toward the support they need.

Until the hotline launches a few weeks from now, there are other places to call for help:

• LICADD: 631-979-1700

• Response of Suffolk County 24-hour hotline: 631-751-7500

• Hope House Ministries: 631-978-0188

• Phoenix House’s Edward D. Miller substance abuse treatment center: 844-447-0310

• Samaritan Village’s Suffolk Outpatient Treatment Program: 631-351-7112

• St. Charles Hospital rehab program: 631-474-6233

This version removes an incorrect phone number.

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Hollister hoodwinked

A 34-year-old man from Brentwood was arrested at about noon on Feb. 27 at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove for stealing men’s apparel from Hollister, according to police. He was charged with petit larceny and third-degree burglary. Police said the latter charge was included because he previously signed an agreement that he would not enter the store.

Something smells fitchy

Cologne was stolen from Abercrombie & Fitch at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove on Feb. 27. Police charged a 28-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, both from East Elmhurst, with petit larceny.

Habitually shady thief

On four separate occasions in February, a 36-year-old man from Central Islip allegedly stole sunglasses from the Macy’s at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove. He was arrested on Feb. 27, police said, and charged with four counts of fourth-degree grand larceny.

Police crack down

A 52-year-old woman from Smithtown was arrested on Feb. 27 at a home on Split Cedar Drive in Islandia because she was found to be in possession of crack cocaine, police said. She was charged with loitering while intending to use a controlled substance.

Caught crack-handed

At about 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, a 53-year-old man from Northport was arrested after it was discovered during a traffic stop on Lincoln Boulevard in Hauppauge that he had crack cocaine, according to police. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

In need of some heel-p

Police said a 35-year-old woman from Centereach was in possession of stolen shoes and a stolen purse from the DSW shoe store on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove. She was arrested on Feb. 26 and charged with petit larceny.

Driving me crazy

A 32-year-old man from Wheatley Heights was arrested at about 10 p.m. on Feb. 26 for driving with a suspended license, following a traffic stop on Motor Parkway in Brentwood, police said. He was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Pot luck

At about 10 a.m. on Feb. 25, a 44-year-old man from Lake Grove was arrested on Hawkins Avenue in Lake Grove when he was found to be in possession of marijuana, according to police. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana in a public place.

Why would you want to stay?

On Feb. 25, at the Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency in Hauppauge, a 29-year-old man from Central Islip was arrested after he was asked to leave the office and refused, police said. He was charged with trespassing.

Getting high with gravity

A 32-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested at about 8 a.m. on Feb. 24 after police found him semi-conscious in the driver’s seat of a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee on Terry Road in Ronkonkoma with the engine running, police said. Police found prescription pills and a gravity knife inside the car. He was charged with first-degree operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon with a previous conviction.

Probation possession

During a probation search of the home of a 36-year-old man on Gardenia Drive in Commack on Feb. 27, police said they found prescription pills in a 2007 BMW. The man was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The windows on the bus go …

An unknown person broke the glass door of a bus at about 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, while it was parked at the Centereach Academic Center on Wood Road, police said.

Caddy crash

A 27-year-old man was arrested for unlicensed operation of a car on Feb. 28. According to police, the Port Jefferson Station resident was driving a 1995 Cadillac when he got into a crash on the corner of Nesconset Highway and Davis Avenue. Police arrested him at the scene.

60 percent of the time, it works every time

Police arrested a 43-year-old man from Sound Beach for driving while ability impaired on Feb. 25, after an officer pulled him over for driving a 2004 Mazda pickup without his headlights on. The incident happened at 2:35 a.m. on the corner of Route 25A and Panther Path in Miller Place.

He shall not be moved

On Feb. 21, police arrested a man from Islip for trespassing after he entered a residence on Woodland Road in Centereach and refused to leave the family’s attached garage. Police arrested the man around 9:30 p.m.

Leave a message at the beep

A Riverhead resident was arrested on Feb. 26 for petit larceny. Police said the man stole cellphones from Walmart at Centereach Mall. Police arrested him in the Burger King parking lot on Middle Country Road.

An unhappy ending

Police arrested a 50-year-old woman from Flushing for unauthorized practice of a profession and prostitution, after they say she offered a sexual act to an undercover officer in exchange for payment on Feb. 22, at The Pamper Spot on Middle Country Road in Selden. Police said the woman was also giving massages without a license.

They see me rollin’

According to police, on Feb. 22, a 22-year-old woman pulled alongside and entered an empty 2015 Dodge pickup parked in a parking lot near North Belle Mead Road in East Setauket and stole cash from the car. She was allegedly caught in the act and arrested. Police also said the woman had been driving a 2005 Hyundai Sonata without her interlock device.

Living on the Edge

Police arrested a 21-year-old woman from Bayport for driving while ability impaired in a 2007 Ford Edge, after she was heading south on Hollow Road in Stony Brook and got into a car crash. Police discovered the woman was intoxicated and arrested her at the scene, on Feb. 21 around 4:20 a.m.

Wrong kind of shrooms

A 19-year-old man from Coram was arrested for petit larceny on Feb. 20, after police said the teen stole a bag of dried mushrooms from Wild By Nature on Route 25A in East Setauket. Police arrested him at the scene.

Put it on my tab

On Feb. 20 around 4:30 a.m., police arrested a 58-year-old man from Selden for assault after he got into a verbal argument with another man at Darin’s bar on Route 25A in Miller Place. Police said the victim went to the hospital after the suspect hit him with a metal bar stool.

We build it, you knock it down

According to police, someone damaged the window of Riverhead Building Supply on Hallock Avenue in Port Jefferson Station on Feb. 27, between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. The business couldn’t tell if anything was stolen.

CVS swindler

On Feb. 22 around 5 p.m., an unidentified person stole assorted food, vitamins and cosmetics from the CVS pharmacy on Main Street in Port Jefferson.

Watch out for blue shells

Someone stole an electric go-kart on Feb. 21 from a residence on Oxhead Road in Centereach.

We are not Oak-kay

Police said someone entered a residence on Oak Place in Selden through the rear door and stole cash on Feb. 21.

Hummer bummer

Between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Feb. 24, someone damaged the rear window of a 2006 Hummer limo. The incident happened on Jackson Avenue in Sound Beach.

He thieved me jewels

Someone entered a residence on Nautilus Road in Rocky Point and stole jewelry. According to police, the homeowner found her back door open on Feb. 25 around 1:03 p.m.

Shark attack

Police said an unidentified person gained access to the Long Island Sound Sharks football field at Shoreham on Feb. 25 and drove across the field. Police said the turf was ruined in the process.

Disaster on Depot

A 48-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested just after midnight on Feb. 28 after police said he was in possession of cocaine on Depot Road. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

If I stay or if I go

On Feb. 28, a 21-year-old woman from Huntington Station would not leave Huntington Hospital after being discharged. At 2 a.m., after being repeatedly told she needed to leave, she was arrested and charged with third-degree criminal trespassing.

Pick pocket with pills

Police said a 25-year-old woman from Huntington Station stole cash from someone’s pocket at the Dolan Family Health Center in Huntington on Feb. 28 just before 2:30 a.m. Once police arrested her, they discovered she was in possession of prescription pills without a prescription. She was charged with petit larceny and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Woke up on the wrong side of the road

On Feb. 28, a 59-year-old woman from Northport was arrested while driving a 2010 Jeep on the wrong side of the road on Asharoken Avenue at 4:17 p.m. She was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Drugs, drugs and more drugs

A 25-year-old man from Wading River was arrested on Feb. 28 after police said he was in possession of 11 hypodermic needles, Xanax, heroin and cocaine on Route 25 in Huntington at 5:35 p.m. He was charged with three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of hypodermic instruments.

In need-le of some help

Police said a 22-year-old man from Kings Park had heroin and hypodermic needles in his possession while on Larkfield Road in East Northport at 5:20 p.m. on Feb. 27. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Knuckle sandwich

A 19-year-old woman from Northport was arrested on Feb. 27 on Larkfield Road and 8th Avenue in East Northport after police said she had black plastic knuckles in her possession and heroin. She was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Making a deposit from Home Depot

Police said an unknown person stole assorted tools from Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack on Feb. 28 at 11:35 a.m.

Mamma mia

An unknown person pushed and shoved a man outside of Little Vincent’s Pizzeria on New York Avenue in Huntington on Feb. 28 and gave the victim two black eyes. The victim was treated at Huntington Hospital for minor injuries.

Everything from shoes to a boob guard

At Sears on Jericho Turnpike in Elwood, an unknown person stole jewelry, cologne, a phone charger, shoes and boob guards on Feb. 28, according to police.

Caught crack-handed

At about 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, a 53-year-old man from Northport was arrested after it was discovered during a traffic stop on Lincoln Boulevard in Hauppauge that he had crack cocaine, according to police. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Probation possession

During a probation search of the home of a 36-year-old man on Gardenia Drive in Commack on Feb. 27, police said they found prescription pills in a 2007 BMW. The man was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

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T.J and Bella Manfuso sit with students from their recent trip to Costa Rica. Photo from Charlotte Rhee

Two kids from Fort Salonga are focused on giving back.

The Manfuso siblings, 12-year-old T.J. and 11-year-old Isabella, are credited as the founders of Gifted Hearts, a 501(c)(3) charity that provides medical care packages and school supplies to children in need, both locally and internationally.

Their website described it as an organization founded “by kids, for kids,” and the kids have been clearly steering the ship.

T.J. and Bella invited their friends to partake in packing parties throughout the year, where all the care packages Gifted Hearts donates to needy children are gathered and assembled. T.J. said there are usually about 20 friends helping out at these parties.

Bella and T.J. Manfuso smile while wearing their Gifted Hearts shirts. Photo from Charlotte Rhee
Bella and T.J. Manfuso smile while wearing their Gifted Hearts shirts. Photo from Charlotte Rhee

“The packaging parties are a lot of fun,” Bella said in a phone interview. T.J. added that it was most fun to be able to have a party while also helping people.

Recently, Gifted Hearts had a packing party at Ben & Jerry’s in Huntington Village, where Suffolk County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport) also paid a visit.

“I was so impressed with the giving hearts, vision and organization of these young people,” Spencer said in a statement. “It’s inspiring to see them taking the lead to provide for the needs of other children throughout the world.”

Parents Charlotte Rhee and Paul Manfuso have been taking their kids on adventures with them around the world since they were about 5 years old, and they said the kids were always encouraged to learn and give back to the places they visit.

“We want our kids to see that traveling isn’t just about ourselves,” Manfuso said in a phone interview. “We want to promote giving back to where we go and making connections with the kids they see, so we don’t just drop off supplies and go.”

The family has traveled to Ecuador, Costa Rica and more, stopping at schools to meet students T.J. and Isabella’s age and hand out school and medical supplies and backpacks.

“My favorite part is to see the smiles on everyone’s faces when we deliver the packages,” Bella said.

T.J. said he loves learning new things when he travels to these places and seeing how other people live.

“I’ve found it so different; people over there are less fortunate than us, but they are very happy,” he said in a phone interview. “It’s a different way than how we live, but they’re totally happy with it.”

Suffolk County Legislator Doc Spencer smiles with members of Gifted Hearts during a packing party at Ben & Jerry’s. Photo from Elizabeth Alexander
Suffolk County Legislator Doc Spencer smiles with members of Gifted Hearts during a packing party at Ben & Jerry’s. Photo from Elizabeth Alexander

Rhee said Gifted Hearts is also community-oriented, and the kids like to focus on helping their neighbors as much children abroad.

“There are so many needy kids in our own backyard,” Rhee said. “You don’t always need to go to other countries.”

Gifted Hearts donated winter coats, boots and Christmas gifts during the holidays this past year, which they gave to the Junior Welfare League of Huntington Inc.

Right now, the family is personally funding all the donations they give to children at home and overseas, however they said they are hoping to start organizing fundraising events in the near future.

T.J. said his future sights are also set on Bhutan, a country in South Asia. He said he and his family hope to travel there soon with supplies.

“They are really motivated and grateful for all they have,” Rhee said of her kids. “And their friends help out a great deal. They continue to help Gifted Hearts grow.”

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Smithtown Highway Superintendent Robert Murphy sits at Smithtown Town Hall. Photo by Alex Petroski

The Smithtown Highway Department turned the page on a tumultuous 2015 on Tuesday, when Supervisor Pat Vecchio (R) swore in newly appointed Highway Superintendent Robert Murphy.

Murphy, 52, served as the interim superintendent after Glenn Jorgensen resigned in October and pleaded guilty to charges that he falsified public documents. Jorgensen, who had been in the position for about six years, was also accused of sexually harassing one of his employees. Murphy was deputy superintendent from 2012 until the beginning of his interim term this past year.

“I’m confident that Mr. Murphy will continue to perform as he has over the past few months,” Vecchio said in a phone interview. “He’s open to suggestions for efficiency.”

Vecchio also said he’d received more complimentary calls from the community regarding the highway department’s handling of two snowstorms in 2016 than any other storms he can remember.

The supervisor was responsible for nominating Murphy to take over as the permanent superintendent, and the board unanimously approved him.

“It is an absolute pleasure to appoint Mr. Robert Murphy as Smithtown highway superintendent,” Town Board member Lisa Inzerillo (R) said in an email. “Many phone calls from Smithtown residents have come in letting us know what a wonderful job Mr. Murphy has been doing. Robert demonstrates dedication to this position, highway employees and the residents of Smithtown; therefore, appointing Robert is the best decision for our town.”

Murphy said in an interview that he has about 25 years of experience in the engineering field, and a business management degree from the University of Phoenix.

He and his wife Kim both graduated from Smithtown High School East in 1981, and he has lived in Smithtown his whole life, minus a 12-year stay in Arizona.

Murphy returned to Smithtown about six years ago, and before becoming deputy highway superintendent, he spent about two years as a capital projects manager for Suffolk County. He and his wife, who manages an East End Disabilities Associates group home in Riverhead, have a 25-year-old daughter and a 20-year-old son.

“I’m a people person,” Murphy said, when asked which of his qualities would help him in his new position. “I’m a facilitator. I love to get things going in the right direction, and that’s what’s happening at the highway department right now. Communicate with the people, show them respect and they’ll give respect back.”

Murphy said he believes a key to his position is bringing jobs and projects to workers that will leave them with a sense of pride. And Vecchio said he’s noticed an uptick in worker morale since Murphy took over.

“For the four years that I was there and then the interim period, you always think, ‘Let’s change this,’” Murphy said. “Now it’s on your shoulders and you’ve got to make sure you try to implement different things and see if they work and just be a good leader. If you’re a good leader, then guys will follow, and I think that’s the biggest thing.”

Murphy said that he’s looking forward to the challenges and work that he has ahead of him.

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John Arceri, left, fights off Long Beach’s Jacori Teemer in the state wrestling tournament finals. Photo from The Mat Slap

He gave it everything he had, but in the end, John Arceri fell just a little bit short.

The Huntington High School senior tasted defeat for the first time in two years when he dropped a 6-3 decision to Long Beach sophomore Jacori Teemer in the state wrestling tournament finals at the Times Union Arena in Albany on Saturday night.

Arceri won a pair of matches at 126 lbs. on Friday and captured a thrilling double overtime verdict in the semifinals on Saturday to advance to the championship bout. The standout athlete brought a 44-0 record into the finals against Teemer, who has now won three consecutive state titles.

“Teemer wrestled a perfect match against Johnny,” said Travis Smith, Huntington’s head coach. The Long Beach star notched a pair of takedowns and a reversal to build an insurmountable lead on Arceri, who normally surrenders few, if any, points.

“All of us are really proud of Johnny,” Smith said. “He’s accomplished some things that no other Huntington wrestler has ever done. He’s been a great kid to have in the practice room and an incredible competitor. No coach could ask for a better person to work with.”

Arceri has enjoyed a Blue Devils career of firsts. He’s taken first place in more than two dozen varsity tournaments, and he’s also realized achievements unique to Huntington’s long tradition of mat excellence.

He’s the first Huntington freshman to ever win a Suffolk wrestling title. Arceri is also the first Blue Devils grappler to win four Section XI titles. He is the program’s winningest wrestler with 195 career varsity victories.

“I really think the body of his work speaks for itself,” Smith said. “He’s never made excuses and he’s always been ready to go when it was his turn. He’s given us six fantastic seasons on the varsity team.”

Arceri topped Vestal junior Derek Osman in the opening round, 5-3 and then edged Niagara Wheatfield senior Vince Falvo in the quarterfinals, 6-1. The semi-final round bout against Monsignor Farrell senior Matt Seitz ended tied 1-1 after six minutes of wrestling, forcing overtime. Neither wrestler could break the deadlock in the extra session, so the duo went to the ultimate tiebreaker, which saw Arceri take top position and ride out his foe for the full 30-second period to claim victory.

“That match is going to go down as one of the most exciting we have ever had,” Smith said. “Johnny really hung tough. Not everyone can handle that kind of pressure, but he can, and he did.”

All eyes were on Arceri and Teemer (49-0) as the pair took the mat for the finals. The first period ended scoreless. Teemer scored the first points with a second period reversal, and Arceri escaped to make it 2-1, but Teemer knocked him down to extend his lead to 4-1. Arceri chose bottom position in the third period and escaped to cut his deficit to 4-2. Teemer proceeded to get another takedown to go ahead, 6-2 with 40 seconds remaining. Another Arceri escape made the final score 6-3.

“Teemer is a great wrestler,” Smith said. “We are very happy with Johnny’s effort. He gave us everything he had.

Arceri wasn’t at 100 percent during the tournament. He banged up his left knee during the Suffolk finals, but pressed onward during his four state tournament matches.

Arceri has signed an NCAA Division I letter of intent to wrestle at the University of Buffalo.

“We are really going to miss him,” Smith said. “He’s been such a big part of this program for so long.”

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