Yearly Archives: 2022

The following incidents have been reported by the Suffolk County Police:

Centereach

■ Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported a petit larceny on Jan. 16. A woman put various clothing items in her cart and left the store without paying. The stolen merchandise was valued at approximately $500.

Commack

■ A petit larceny was reported at the Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on Jan. 10. A man allegedly stole a coffee machine and assorted men’s clothing valued at $113.

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on Jan. 12. A man allegedly broke a glass case and stole a Nintendo video valued at $300.

■ Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported a petit larceny on Jan. 15. A man allegedly stole a Milwaukee power tool valued at $170.

■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack called police on Jan. 16 to report a petit larceny. A man allegedly stole kitchen appliances valued at approximately $550.

East Setauket

■ BJ’s Wholesale Club on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket called the police on Jan. 9 at approximately 4 p.m. to report the theft of merchandise. A man allegedly took seafood from a case, concealed it under his coat and left without paying.

■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket called the police on Jan. 10 to report the theft of merchandise. Two women allegedly walked out of the store with assorted household items and tools without paying.

Hauppauge

■ A vehicle parked on North Hoffman in Hauppauge was broken into on Jan. 12. Credit cards and a drivers license were stolen.

■ A vehicle parked on Devonshire Road in Hauppauge was broken into on Jan. 13. The suspect broke the driver’s side window and stole a wallet and a gym bag.

Huntington

■ Mobile Gas on Wall Street reported a man allegedly pumped $40 worth of gas and drove away without paying on Jan. 16.

Lake Grove

■ Macy’s at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported a petit larceny on Jan. 9. A man allegedly stole clothing valued at approximately $230.

■ Ulta Beauty on Nesconset Highway in Lake Grove reported a shoplifter on Jan. 10 in Lake Grove. A man allegedly stole several bottles of perfume valued at approximately $2000.

■ A burglary was reported at Mayra’s Bakery on Hawkins Avenue in Lake Grove on Jan. 16. A suspect broke a glass door, entered the store and stole the cash drawer from the register. 

■ Ulta Beauty on Nesconset Highway in Lake Grove reported a shoplifter on Jan. 16. A woman allegedly stole various makeup and perfume valued at approximately $500.

Port Jefferson

■ The theft of a catalytic converter from a 2013 Toyota Tacoma was reported on Jan. 17. The vehicle had been parked overnight on Belle Terre Road in Port Jefferson from Jan. 16 to 17.

Port Jefferson Station

■ A resident living on Piedmont Drive in Port Jefferson Station reported the theft of a Hiboy Titan Electric Scooter on Jan. 11. The scooter was parked outside the residence when it was stolen.

■ Speedway on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station reported a burglary on Jan. 14. Unknown persons broke the lock on the front door with a crowbar and stole tobacco products.

Rocky Point

■ ADC Landscaping and Tree Service on Route 25A in Rocky Point reported the theft of landscaping equipment from a trailer located on the property on Jan. 14. Items stolen included hedge trimmers, weedwackers, chain saws and a backpack leaf blower.

■ Walgreens on Route 25A in Rocky Point called the police on Jan. 14 at approximately 2 p.m. to report that two men had shopped for miscellaneous pharmacy items and left without paying.

St. James

■ A burglary was reported at the IHOP on Alexander Avenue in St. James on Jan. 9. A person broke a window, entered the store and stole cash from the register.

Selden

■ Joe’s Campus Heroes on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a burglary on Jan. 8. Entry was gained through a broken front glass door and cash was stolen.

■ On Jan. 10 Home Depot on Middle Country Road in Selden reported that a man allegedly walked out of the store with an assortment of small hand tools without paying.

■ Target on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a petit larceny on Jan. 16. A man allegedly stole two Dyson vacuum cleaners valued at approximately $760.

■ A resident on Blue Point Road in Selden reported that his Kenworth Northwest Tow Truck was stolen on Jan. 7 at approximately 3 a.m. The resident reported the keys had been left in the truck.

■ Shah’s Halal Food on Middle Country Road in Selden called police on Jan. 11 after a customer allegedly ordered food from the restaurant and left without paying.

Setauket

■ A woman who parked her car in front of Mario’s Restaurant on Main Street in Setauket on Jan. 6 returned to her car at approximately 11 p.m. and found the front passenger window had been broken and a pocketbook and laptop was missing.

■ A resident living on Harmony Lane in Setauket reported that an unknown person entered their unlocked car parked in their driveway on Jan. 7 and stole cash.

South Huntington

■ Victoria Secret at the Walt Whitman Shops on Walt Whitman Road in South Huntington reported a petit larceny on Jan. 16. A woman allegedly stole women’s clothing valued at approximately $1050.

■ Ulta Beauty at the Walt Whitman Shops on Walt Whitman Road in South Huntington reported a shoplifter on Jan. 16. A man allegedly stole perfume valued at approximately $1600.

South Setauket

■ Target on Pond Path in South Setauket reported a petit larceny on Jan. 15. A woman allegedly stole various video game accessories valued at approximately $720.

■ Target on Pond Path in South Setauket called the police to report a grand larceny on Jan. 16. Three men allegedly stole Apple iPads and AirPods valued at $3460.

Stony Brook

■ A burglary was reported at Organic Krush on Main Street in Stony Brook on Jan. 7. A safe, three cash registers and cash were stolen.

■ Long Island Bagel Cafe on Nesconset Highway in Stony Brook reported a burglary on Jan. 10. Access was gained by breaking the glass on the front door. Cash registers and cash were stolen.

Terryville

■ An unknown person stole two license plants off of a GMC pickup truck parked on Terryville Road in Terryville on Jan. 10.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Metro photo

By Nancy Burner, Esq.

Nancy Burner, Esq.

As we enter a new year, it’s important that there is an understanding of the updated estate and gift taxes on both the federal and state level. 

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) increased the federal estate tax exclusion amount for decedents dying in years 2018 to 2025. The exclusion amount is for 2022 is $12.06 million. This means that an individual can leave $12.06 million, and a married couple can leave $24.12 million dollars to their heirs or beneficiaries without paying any federal estate tax. This also means that an individual or married couple can gift this same amount during their lifetime and not incur a federal gift tax. The rate for the federal estate and gift tax remains at 40 percent.

There are no 2022 changes to the rules regarding step-up basis at death. That means that when you die, your heirs’ cost basis in the assets you leave them are reset to the value at your date of death. 

The Portability Election, which allows a surviving spouse to use his or her deceased spouse’s unused federal estate and gift tax exemption, is unchanged for 2022. This means a married couple can use the full $24.12 million exemption before any federal estate tax would be owed. To make a portability election, a federal estate tax return must be timely filed by the executor of the deceased spouse’s estate. 

For 2022 the annual gift tax exclusion has increased to $16,000. This means that an individual can give away $16,000 to any person in a calendar year ($32,000 for a married couple) without having to file a federal gift tax return. 

Despite the large Federal Estate Tax exclusion amount, New York State’s estate tax exemption for 2021 is $5.93 million. As of the date of this article, the exact exclusion amount for 2022 has not been released. It is anticipated to be a little over $6 million in 2022. New York State still does not recognize portability.

New York has a three-year lookback on gifts as of January 16, 2019. However, a gift is not includable if it was made by a resident or nonresident and the gift consists of real or tangible property located outside of New York State; while the decedent was a nonresident; before April 1, 2014; between January 1, 2019, and January 15, 2019.

 Most taxpayers will never pay a federal or New York State estate tax. However, there are many reasons to engage in estate planning. Those reasons include long term care planning, tax basis planning and planning to protect your beneficiaries once they inherit the wealth. 

In addition, since New York State has a separate estate tax regime with a significantly lower exclusion than that of the Federal regime it is still critical to do estate tax planning if you and/or your spouse have an estate that is potentially taxable under the New York State law. 

Nancy Burner, Esq. practices elder law and estate planning from her East Setauket office. Visit www.burnerlaw.com

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LIVE WEBINAR: Burner Law Group, P.C. presents a free webinar titled 2022: The Year of Trusts on Thursday, Jan. 20 at 2:30 p.m. Attorney Britt Burner will discuss the anatomy of trusts, the types of trusts used in Estate and Medicaid planning and how they can benefit you and your loved ones. To RSVP, call 631-941-3434 or email [email protected].

 

Suffolk County police car. File photo

Suffolk County Police arrested a Selden man on Jan. 20 at approximately 6:15 p.m. for three alleged robberies that occurred in Huntington Station during an eight-day span.

Following an investigation by Second Squad detectives and Second Precinct Gang Unit officers, Kristian Falterman was arrested on January 20 for allegedly committing three robberies between January 11 and January 19.

Falterman forcibly stole money and two cell phones from an employee at Sugar Pine Spa, located at 953 New York Ave. in Huntington Station, on January 11 at approximately 11:15 a.m. One week later, Falterman returned to the location, armed with a knife, and stole money from an employee on January 18 at approximately 8:40 p.m. The following day, Falterman robbed an employee of cash at knifepoint at Venom Smoke Shop, located at 469A East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station, at approximately 9:10 p.m.

No one was injured during the robberies.

Falterman, 40, of 95 Abinet Court, was charged with two counts of Robbery 1st Degree and one count of Robbery 3rd Degree. He is scheduled to be arraigned today at First District Court in Central Islip.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Mt. Sinai senior guard Casey Campo looks for the rebound in a league VI home game against Glenn Jan 20. Photo by Bill Landon

The Lady Mustangs of Mount Sinai trailed from the opening tip-off and edged ahead by one, with less than a minute left in the first half. 

John Glenn brought a potent three-point game that the Mustangs struggled to contain in the league VI matchup Jan 20.  

Tied at 41 all with six minutes left in regulation, John Glenn drew several fouls and did their damage from the free throw line defeating the Mustangs 61-53 for their first loss of the season. 

Mount Sinai senior Casey Campo topped the scoring charts with 24 points and Kyle Budke banked 18. 

The loss drops the Mustangs to 6-1 in league to share the top spot with Shoreham Wading River with six games remaining before post season play begins.

Photos by Bill Landon 

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Tackan Elementary School students officially got into the swing at their new playground on Jan. 13.

With the temperature reaching the upper-40s and the sun brightly shining with no wind, Barbara Beard and Kelly Bennis’ third grade students became the first of several classes to use the new playground throughout the school day.

Students shouted, “I’m so excited!” and, “This is so cool!” and, “It’s like a wild carnival ride!” as they approached and then began using the state-of-the-art new playground.

The playground includes eight swings, a pair of slides and several other climbing structures. One swing even resembles a car seat for those who may have accessibility issues with a traditional playground swing.

Staff, including the entire group of cafeteria workers, were so excited by the Tackan addition, they posed for photos on Day 1 of its use.

The playground is part of Director of Facilities Daniel Leddy and the Smithtown Central School District’s ongoing project to try to introduce one new playground annually around the district, provided the budget continues to allow it.

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Applications for the community garden raised bed lottery are available now until Jan. 31. Photo from Rebecca Kassy

After a successful first year, the Beach Street Community Garden in Port Jefferson is gearing up for its 2022 season. 

Trustee Rebecca Kassay, who spearheaded the concept last year, said that applications are currently open through Jan. 31 to obtain a raised bed at the plot.

“The raised garden boxes at the Beach Street Community Garden are ideal for first-time gardeners and seasoned gardeners alike,” she said in a statement. “The garden regularly hosts educational programming. Community gardens are a great way to grow food, meet your neighbors, and connect with the land.”

Claire Gearns, age 10, is one of those first-time gardeners who has taken advantage of the community garden with her father, Rich.

“It’s fun to do and it’s a new hobby for me and if you didn’t get to try it, you should definitely try it out,” she said. 

“As new gardeners we had so much fun growing our own vegetables and can’t wait to get our fingers in the soil again,” Rich added.

Right now, there are 20 raised beds available for rent and will be processed through a lottery. Community members who were the first group in the 2021 garden said that it was a great experience that brought everyone together.

Photo from Rebecca Kassay

“The highlight of this past year for me was participating in the Beach Street Community Garden,” said Isobel Breheny. “My family and I grew so many fresh vegetables that we were able to share some with others. I made new friends and had so much fun! It was relaxing and a great stress reliever to tend the vegetables each week. And in addition, I went to workshops to learn how to grow better vegetables for next year.”

Shannon Handley added that she, her husband and their two children also took a plot this past summer.

“We were able to walk with our dog to our plot every morning to check on and harvest our zucchini and cucamelon,” she said. “It was an amazing experience and helped us to foster a love of vegetables, gardening, and community in our kids. We are so excited for the 2022 season!”

The garden, located in a previously vacant lot that was once a playground, became a sustainable haven in 2021 when nearly two-dozen volunteers cleared the space out and assembled 24 raised beds to plant all different types of fruits, veggies and herbs.

“I live in a condominium community and really don’t have the space for a garden,” said Gwen Gnadt. “This gave me the option for a garden. I was able to plant so many things and had quite an abundant crop.”

Christine O’Reilly added that the community garden was and is a great way to learn from others.

“There were varying levels of expertise amongst the gardeners, so there was a great opportunity for information and vegetable sharing,” she said. 

For those who are interested in applying for this year’s raised bed lottery, they can visit portjeff.com/communitygarden, download and complete the lottery form, and mail or drop off the completed form to Port Jefferson Village Hall by Jan. 31.

Raised bed lottery winners will be notified via email by Feb. 15.

Individual or family use raised beds are available for rent for $40 per bed for residents or $75 per bed for non-residents annually with four communal herb/flower beds for registered gardeners. All beds have timed drip irrigation and are surrounded by deer fencing. 

Four of the raised beds have higher sides for gardeners with different abilities.

One of Huntington Animal Shelter's residents, Martha. Photo from Town of Huntington

Supervisor Edmund Smyth announced the Town of Huntington Betty White Challenge raised $9,585 in donations for Give A Dog A Dream in one week.

“Our generous residents would have made Betty White proud,” Smyth said. “Huntington loves our shelter dogs.”

Smyth, along with his rescue dog Louie, first invited residents to participate in the Betty White Challenge on Wednesday, Jan. 12, and in one week, the town has raised $9,585 for Give A Dog A Dream from 451 donations. On Jan. 17 alone, which would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday, 339 donations came in totaling $6,749. The Huntington Animal Shelter also received donations of collars, leashes and treats for the town’s shelter dogs.

Give a Dog a Dream Inc. is a charitable 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, formed by the Town in 2014, that funds medically necessary surgeries and treatments, advanced behavior modification training, and costs related to finding forever homes for dogs with the Huntington Animal Shelter long-term, who may be difficult to place in a traditional home due to behavioral issues that cannot be retrained through the shelter’s rehabilitation program. Donations can me made online at https://www.giveadogadream.org/donate. 

The shelter takes donations of all types of but items the shelter needs most are flat collars (sizes M, L, XL), flat leashes, treats, and indestructible toys.

Due to COVID-19-related staffing shortages, the Huntington Animal Shelter is open by appointment only at this time; please call ahead to drop off items or schedule a visit with our dogs at 631-754-8722. The Huntington Animal Shelter is located at 106 Deposit Road, East Northport, NY 11731 and open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. During weekends the shelter is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For after-hours emergency calls, dial 631-351-3234.

The Town of Huntington Cat Shelter, located next door to the dog shelter (at 104 Deposit Road), is managed by Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center. For details on donating to the cat shelter, please call 631-651-9788.

The Betty White Challenge encouraged fans of the late actress, who was an animal advocate who passed away on Dec. 31, 2021, at the age of 99, to donate $5 to animal rescues and shelters in her name. Jan. 17, 2022 would have been White’s 100th birthday.

Shakore Philip visited the Sunshine Prevention Center in Dec. 2021

Professional football player, Shakore Philip, spent some time with the students at the Sunshine Alternative Learning and Prevention Center in Port Jefferson Station over the holidays. He went to the center to share some knowledge and life experiences with the students at one of their small group sessions.

Shakore Philip has lived in New York his whole life, except during his tenure playing collegiate football at Widener University in Pennsylvania. He is actively seeking his next professional football opportunity for the upcoming season. Shakore has a passion for underprivileged youth in his community and felt that sharing some life knowledge with the students at the Sunshine Center was a great opportunity to affect their lives in a positive way.

“In my time at the Sunshine center I was able to meet several young individuals,” said Philip. “I was able to share some of the experiences I’ve had in my life. My favorite part of this experience was being able to hear the input of the students and have a genuine conversation with them as well.”

The Sunshine Alternative Learning and Prevention Center is a leader in the field of substance abuse and violence prevention for the last 25 years. The center works to build drug-free and violence-free communities on Long Island. Sunshine provides a family-centered approach to prevention and is concerned about the social/emotional needs of all children and families. All the programs at Sunshine are designed to build on healthy social skills each with the focus on specific needs. This center uses support groups to normalize students struggles, helping them to see that they are not alone, that others have gone through the same or similar things and others DO understand.

Located at 468 Boyle Rd, Port Jefferson Station, the Sunshine Alternative Learning and Prevention Center offers many different kinds of programs for children and adults throughout the year. Including alternative education and secondary school, adult and parenting programs, summer prevention programs, teen and children’s programs. This opportunity with The Sunshine Alternative Learning and Prevention Center was the best way for Shakore to show how much he loves his community.

For more information about Sunshine Alternative Learning and Prevention Center please visit https://www.sunshinepreventionctr.org/. To learn more about Shakore Philip you can follow his Instagram @the_8th_continent

#15 Anthony Roberts, during last Wednesday's game. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

Stony Brook was not able to overcome its hot-shooting hosts, as Vermont knocked off the Seawolves in a battle of the top two teams in the preseason poll Jan. 12 at Patrick Gymnasium in Burlington.

Tykei Greene and Anthony Roberts each led Stony Brook with 13 points, as Stony Brook was not able to fend off a Vermont attack that drilled 19, 3-pointers en route to the win.

The Seawolves came out hot in the first half, making eight of their own 3-pointers on 13 attempts but went just 1-for-10 in the second 20 minutes of action and were not able to make it up inside the arc. With the loss, Stony Brook fell to 9-6 overall and 1-1 in America East play.

“Vermont played great. They came in shooting 29 percent from three as a team but were able to hit 15 of their first 21, so have to give them a lot of credit. We played very well offensively in the first half, shooting 56 percent from the field and yet we were still down double figures. We have a quick turnaround coming so we can’t sulk over a poor result,” said  head coach Geno Ford. 

The Stony Brook men’s basketball game versus New Hampshire, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 15, was postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the New Hampshire program. The game has been rescheduled for Monday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. at Island Federal Arena. To exchange your tickets, call 631-632-9753.

Renowned New York City based dance company, Complexions Contemporary Ballet returns to Stony Brook University’s Staller Center for the Arts, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook on Saturday, Feb. 5 for a spectacular evening on the Main Stage featuring their two newest full length pieces performed on the same program for the very first time, in celebration of Black History Month. The show starts at 8 p.m

Under the artistic direction of dance Icons Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, (both former principal dancers with ALVIN AILEY DANCE and star choreographers), COMPLEXIONS will perform two monumental pieces, “WOKE” and LOVE ROCKS”, born out of the current crisis’ we are facing in the world. Through dance, COMPLEXIONS confronts this moment in time and the question of what it means to exist in today’s society and how we connect in spite of it.

“WOKE” is a physical reaction to the daily news. A bold and dynamic socially conscious one act ballet featuring the full company that examines our humanity in conjunction with today’s political climate.

LOVE ROCKS, which also features the full company, is set to the powerful music of Grammy Award-winner Lenny Kravitz. It is a fun, thrilling and moving dance and a tremendous compliment to “WOKE”.

Dancing these two pieces together in the same program is a challenge for the company. Complexions Dance is working overtime through extreme pandemic conditions to create this unique program for the Staller Center as they present it to the University community and greater Long Island region.

Tickets range from $42 to $58. For more information or to order, visit www.stallercenter.com,  call 631-632-ARTS or email [email protected].

Major Sponsors are News 12 – Campolo, Middleton & McCormick – Danfords Hotel & Marina – Friends of the Staller Center – Hilton Garden Inn – Island Federal – Jefferson’s Ferry – Renaissance – Stony Brook Medicine – Suffolk County – WLIW – Paul W. Zuccaire Foundation.

COVID GUIDELINES

The Staller Center prioritizes the safety of its patrons, staff and students, and will enforce strict Covid-19 protocols for the Fall 2021 season. At this time, visitors must show proof of full vaccination or proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of the event (children ages 12 and under are exempt when accompanied by a parent or guardian who meets the requirements). Additionally, each audience and staff member must wear a mask while inside the venue. All audience members will be advised to not attend if they feel unwell, have symptoms of Covid-19 or have recently been exposed to someone with the disease.

With these guidelines, the Staller Center ticket policy for return or exchange of tickets will be liberalized to accommodate patrons who cannot attend due to the above.

ABOUT THE PERFORMER

Complexions Contemporary Ballet was founded in 1994 by Master Choreographer Dwight Rhoden and the legendary Desmond Richardson with a singular approach to reinventing dance through a groundbreaking mix of methods, styles and cultures. Today, Complexions represents one of the most recognized, diverse, inclusive and respected performing arts brands in the World. Having presented an entirely new and exciting vision of human movement on 5-continents, over 20-countries, to over 20-million television viewers and to well over 300,000 people in live audiences, Complexions is poised to continue its mission to bring unity to the world one dance at a time.

Complexions has received numerous awards including The New York Times Critics’ Choice Award. It has appeared throughout the US, including the The Joyce Theatre and Lincoln Center in NYC, The Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Paramount Theatre/Seattle, The Music Center/Los Angeles, Winspear Opera House/Dallas, The Cutler Majestic Theater/Boston, The Music Hall/Detroit, and has toured extensively around the world to venues including The Bolshoi Theater, The Kremlin, The Mikhailovsky Theater, and the Melbourne Arts Center.

The company’s foremost innovation is that dance should be about removing boundaries, not reinforcing them. Whether it be the limiting traditions of a single style, period, venue, or culture, Complexions transcends them all, creating an open, continually evolving form of dance that reflects the movement of our world—and all its constituent cultures—as an interrelated whole.

Together, Rhoden and Richardson have created in Complexions an institution that embodies its historical moment, a sanctuary where those passionate about dance can celebrate its past while simultaneously building its future. In the 27 years since its inception, the company has continued to awaken audiences to a new, exciting genre with their singular approach of reinventing dance and contemporary ballet. Their work has borne witness to a world that is becoming more fluid, more changeable, and more culturally interconnected than ever before—in other words, a world that is becoming more and more like Complexions itself.

With stunning gifted dancers and powerful choreography, Complexions has been hailed as a “matchless American dance company” by the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Companies like Complexions are game-changing: they’re forging a path for what ballet can be instead of what it historically has been.”- The Guardian