Suffolk County Police cited two drivers for an illegal speed contest and reckless driving in Islandia on Jan. 5.
Members of the Suffolk County Police Street Takeover Task Force observed two Mercedes Benz sedans traveling eastbound on the LIE, near Exit 58, weaving in and out of traffic at speeds in excess of 100 mph at 8:45 p.m. Officers safely stopped both vehicles and cited their drivers, Dean Carfora, 24, of Lloyd Harbor, and Matthew Famighette, 24, of West Babylon, for Illegal Speed Contest, Reckless Driving, and multiple Vehicle Traffic Law and Suffolk County Law violations.
They will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on January 24. Both vehicles, 2024 Mercedes Benz 4-door sedans, were seized.
Just released!Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a woman who allegedly stole from a Commack store last year.
A woman allegedly stole slippers, beauty products and a duvet from Target, located at 98 Veterans Memorial Highway, at approximately 5:25 p.m. on July 30 by not scanning the items at self-check-out and leaving the store.
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, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the woman who allegedly stole merchandise from a Commack store.
A woman allegedly stole approximately $375 worth of bedding from Target, located at 98 Veterans Memorial Highway, on January 2 at approximately 4:45 p.m.
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, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.
Following a historic 2024 season, Stony Brook Athletics has announced that Stony Brook football season tickets for the 2025 season are on sale now!
Fans will not want to miss the chance to watch second-year head coach Billy Cosh lead a team fresh off its best season since 2018, with the most overall wins, most home wins, and highest national ranking in six years.
Next season’s home slate includes matchups with in-state rival Fordham, the first meeting with Merrimack since 1998 and a game against FCS playoff team Rhode Island. The Seawolves also host CAA rivals Towson, Bryant, and North Carolina A&T.
Cosh, the second-youngest head coach in the nation, led Stony Brook to the biggest turnaround in the FCS this season, improving from a 0–10 record in 2023 to an 8–4 record in 2024. Under his guidance, the team rose from a last-place preseason projection to achieve its highest conference standing since 2018. Cosh’s efforts earned him both the CAA Coach of the Year and the AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year honors.
Several Seawolves players were recognized for their exceptional performances during the 2024 season. Running back Roland Dempster became the second player in program history to be nominated for the prestigious Walter Payton Award. His record-breaking season ranked him in the top five nationally for rushing yards, rushing yards per game, and rushing touchdowns.
New Season Tickets and Season Ticket Renewals after February 1st: Chairback – $100
Chairback 4+ – $90
Bleacher Reserved – $80
General Admission – $65
To purchase season tickets, call 631-632-WOLF (9653) or email the ticket office at [email protected].
The Homegrown String Band will be celebrating their 28th anniversary performing as a family with a concert on Sunday, Jan. 12 at Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, 120 Main Street, Setauket at 2 p.m.
Twenty-eight years ago, the Homegrown String Band went to a Long Island Traditional Music Assoc. (LITMA) member’s concert and found out there was only one other person signed up to perform. Rather than a 15-minute slot, they had 45 minutes to fill up. They had so much fun, they continued performing and have since played at such venues as The National Theatre in Washington DC, the AFBA Wind Gap Bluegrass Festival, Musikfest, and the Festival of American Music in Branson, MO.
A family band with a unique repertoire of original and traditional music, the Homegrown String Band brings an American folk tradition into the twenty-first century. Comprised of mother, father, and daughter, the trio adds their own musical DNA to an American tradition, performing original acoustic arrangements of the traditional music that has become part of the popular roots and folk rock canon. All the songs the band presents have stood the test of time by not only surviving, but thriving and flourishing for hundreds of years via the folk process and oral tradition.
Listen to songs by the likes of the Carter Family, the Delmore Brothers, and Jimmie Rodgers, along with a tasty sprinkling of original material inspired by the rural American string band and folk traditions of the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries.
Registration is preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. To register, please call 631-941-4080.
Local libraries are invaluable resources for residents, including students and their families. The value of libraries has been recognized for far longer than many may realize. The Franklin Public Library, opened in 1778 in Franklin, Massachusetts, is considered the first lending library in the United States. Since then, libraries have become integral components of communities across the nation and even the globe.
It’s easy to overlook a local library, but residents who resolve to make the most of these venerable institutions can do so in the following ways.
• Get or renew your library card. The first step to making the most of a local library is to sign up for or renew your library card. Each member of the family, including children, can get their own card, which affords access to books on site and often additional texts and offerings the library can request from other branches.
• Acquaint yourself with all the offerings at your local library. Books may be the first thing people think of when pondering local libraries, and modern branches still maintain extensive catalogs of books spanning the genres. But libraries also offer more than books. Film fans may be surprised to learn libraries typically have extensive catalogs of films that can be borrowed on DVD, and some even allow movies to be streamed through library-affiliated streaming services. Libraries also offer services to adults, including seniors, and children that can range from tax preparation tips to passport application assistance to craft projects for youngsters.
• Utilize the research capabilities of local libraries. Card members have access to a wealth of resources at their local libraries, and that includes research databases like JSTOR that might require paid subscriptions if users try to access them on their own. These databases can help individuals grow their knowledge about the world they live in and prove invaluable to students young and old who are conducting research for school projects.
• Open doors to new career opportunities. Many libraries offer career counseling services free of charge. These can be particularly useful to prospective small business owners, recent graduates looking to get a foot in the door in their chosen field, and even mid- and late-career professionals who want a change but aren’t sure where to begin.
• Grow your social network. Not all social networks are grown online. Community-based events and programs sponsored by and hosted at local libraries can be great places to meet neighbors with similar interests. Local libraries are more than just places to borrow a book. Residents can utilize an array of services to make the most of their local libraries.
Stress is a part of life. In small doses, stress can have a positive effect. But when stress is chronic, it can take its toll on the body and mind. Stress can make people irritable and cause them to lash out at others. Stress also can contribute to high blood pressure and adversely affect sleep. When confronting chronic stress, individuals may have to take action to find relief. These stress-busting strategies can help.
• Engage in physical activity. The Mayo Clinic says any form of exercise can help relieve stress. Physical activity boosts chemicals in the brain and endorphins that help a person feel good. Exercise also can refocus attention so a person is not preoccupied with a stressful thought or situation.
• Listen to music. Music can be calming and serve as a distraction from stressful feelings. Simply listening to music can be a quick fix for a stressful situation and a bad mood.
• Review your lifestyle. It’s easy to take on too much, but doing so can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed, says the Mental Health Foundation. Prioritizing some things over others and delegating when possible can tame stress.
• Practice mindfulness. Breathing and mindfulness exercises can be practiced anywhere. Research has shown that mindfulness can reduce the effects of stress and anxiety. Deep breathing and being in a quiet moment when stress peaks may help to reduce stress.
• Step away for a few minutes. If possible, step away from a stressful situation, whether it is a difficult project at work or a loud room with a lot of activity going on. Many people find commuting stressful. Changing the route to one that avoids busy roads, even if it takes a bit longer to get from point A to point B, might help.
• Talk it out. Sometimes connecting with others and sharing experiences can help to relieve stress. Keeping feelings in and fixating on a situation may exacerbate feelings of stress. Social situations that encourage talking and laughing can lighten a person’s mental load, says the Mayo Clinic.
• Don’t turn to substances. Alcohol and drugs may temporarily relieve stress, but this approach can lead to addiction and even worsen the physical and mental toll stress takes on the body.
Stress is a part of life, but finding ways to manage chronic stress is vital to long-term health.
Cookies are a treat any time of the day, and many find biscotti particularly appealing. These crunchy cookies are equally at home with a morning cup of coffee as they are with an evening mug of hot cocoa. Biscotti are hard, crunchy, Italian cookies that are baked twice. In fact, their name comes from the Latin “bis,” meaning “twice,” and “coctus,” meaning “cooked.”
Although they can be enjoyed on their own, their dry, crunchy nature makes them hold up well when dunked into a beverage. Biscotti were even once commonly dipped into red wine. Though they might seem complicated, biscotti generally are easy to make. Try this recipe for “Semolina and Almond Biscotti” from “Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy” (Sourcebooks) by Danielle Kartes.
Semolina and Almond Biscotti
YIELD: Makes 12 to 16 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup melted butter
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
2 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sliced almonds
1⁄2 cup semolina flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Optional: 10 ounces dark chocolate to melt for dipping
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a stand mixer, cream the sugar, butter and eggs until light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt. Mix to incorporate. Add the all-purpose flour, almonds, semolina flour, and baking powder. Mix until well combined, but don’t overmix. Turn the dough out onto the prepared baking sheet. Pat gently to form one long loaf of dough roughly 14 to 16 inches long and 5 to 6 inches wide. Bake 30 minutes.
Remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool 5 to 6 minutes before using a long knife to cut the loaf gently into 12 to 16 cookies. Lay each cookie on its side and bake another 20 minutes, flipping the cookies midway through. Cool completely to achieve that signature crunch. The centers will be a bit soft if eaten warm. These are perfect for dunking in coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
Optional: Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts and gently dip half of each biscotti into it lengthwise. Flip the biscotti chocolate-side-up onto a sheet tray and allow the chocolate to set.
The month of January has been home to many historical events over the years. Here’s a look at some that helped to shape the world in January 1925.
• Christiania, the capital city of Norway, is renamed “Oslo” on January 1.
• Violence plagues Italy on January 2 as part of the fallout of Benito Mussolini’s crackdown on opposition newspapers. Though King Victor Emmanuel III refuses to grant Mussolini the dictatorial powers the latter requested, he grants the Prime Minister tacit permission to respond to the violence how he sees fit.
• Nellie Tayloe Ross is inaugurated as the Governor of Wyoming on January 5, becoming the first woman elected to a gubernatorial office in United States history.
• Bhanupratap Deo is proclaimed as the new Raja of the princely state of Kanker within British India on January 8. The 3-year-old would rule until 1947, when the princely states are abolished as India gains its independence.
• The British submarine HMS L24 sinks in the English channel on January 10. The submarine had collided with the Royal Navy battleship HMS Resolution, killing all 43 men aboard the L24.
Al Capone
• Al Capone survives an assassination attempt made by the North Side Gang on January 12 in Chicago. Capone was conducting business inside a State Street restaurant when the rival gang riddled his car with bullets, prompting the mobster to order a bulletproof Cadillac.
• Joseph Stalin fires Leon Trotsky as Commissar for Military and Navy Affairs on January 15. A prominent critic of Stalin, Trotsky is eventually murdered at his home in Mexico City by a Stalinist agent in 1940.
• Huddie Ledbetter, better known as “Lead Belly,” is granted a full pardon by Texas governor Pat Morris Neff on January 16. The blues musician had served seven years of his prison sentence after being found guilty of killing a relative over a fight for a woman.
• “The Gentleman Bandit” Gerald Chapman is arrested in Muncie, Indiana on January 18. Chapman is apprehended thanks in part to informant Ben Hance, who is murdered in August in a killing that is believed to have been performed as retaliation for Chapman’s incarceration.
• Roy Olmstead, a lieutenant in the Seattle Police Department, is indicted by a federal grand jury on January 19. Olmstead is accused of smuggling alcohol into the country from Canada in violation of the Volstead Act.
• Curtis Welch, the only doctor in Nome, Alaska, sends an urgent message via radio telegram on January 22. The message alerts all major Alaskan towns of an impending outbreak of diphtheria, while a second message sent to the U.S. Public Health Service in Washington, D.C. highlights the desperate need for antitoxin. Roughly 300,000 units of antitoxin are discovered in Anchorage on January 26, temporarily containing the epidemic.
• Paul Newman is born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, on January 26. The son of Theresa Garth and sporting goods store owner Arthur Sigmund Newman, Sr., the younger Newman would grow up to become one of the world’s most recognizable movie stars and a devoted philanthropist.
• A riot breaks out in Berlin on January 27. Numerous injuries are reported as monarchists, communists and republicans clash during demonstrations held on the birthday of ex-kaiser Wilhelm II.
• On January 28, nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court Harlan Fiske Stone testifies before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Stone is eventually confirmed by a vote of 71 to 6.
• After nearly a year of fighting and 14,000 deaths, the Khost rebellion against King Amanullah Khan is ended in Afghanistan on January 30. The rebellion is ultimately unsuccessful, but many of the king’s reforms are delayed until 1928.
Change is in the air when a new year arrives. People often use the turn of the calendar as an opportunity to redecorate living spaces or revamp their wardrobes. As individuals narrow down their projects, they may want to incorporate a fresh and trendy palette of colors. For 2025, the options are decidedly warm, cozy and earthy. Industry color experts routinely recommend hues that can elevate homes, offices and other spaces. The following is a selection of shades that insiders predict will color the world for the coming year.
Quietude Sherwin-Williams has named Quietude its color of the year. This soft sage color exudes serenity and understated luxury. Grayish-green with a touch of blue, Quietude is a soothing color of tranquility. Sherwin-Williams also offers a Color Collection of the Year that includes Convivial Yellow, Spiced Cider, and Nomadic Desert, among others.
Mocha Mousse The title of Pantone® Color of the Year 2025 belongs to Mocha Mousse. Just as the name implies, this rich, warm brown suggests the intoxicating qualities of coffee and chocolate. It can create a feeling of comfort in any space, or even serve as the basis of a chocolate wardrobe color palette. According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Mocha Mousse is “sophisticated and lush, yet at the same time an unpretentious classic.”
Purple Basil Glidden’s 2025 color of the year title belongs to Purple Basil, a dusty, neutral violet purple hue with mauve undertones. It embraces rich, warm energy, and is equally at home in a bedroom as it is in a dining room. Cinnamon Slate Cinnamon Slate is moody and introspective. This Benjamin Moore color blends rich plum and chocolate brown that the company calls “adaptable, yet distinct.” In fact, it is quite similar to Glidden’s color of the year, but a tad more brown in nature.
Caramelized Homeowners may want to consider Caramelized, an earthy terracotta brown that is Dunn-Edwards’ 2025 Color of the Year. Caramelized is versatile and elegant, and it complements both modern and vintage interiors. Elderton Paula Taylor, Graham & Brown’s head stylist and trend specialist, calls Elderton “a chameleon color that can be sophisticated yet cozy.” This medium brown is contemporary with a huge amount of depth. It may work in a rustic living room or a cozy library. The new year arrives with a warm, saturated color palette that can revitalize spaces with cozy appeal.
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