Suffolk County Police have arrested a Brentwood man for an assault that critically injured a man in Port
Jefferson Station on Aug. 4.
During a dispute, Felix Martinez assaulted a man on Jarvin Road at approximately 12:40 p.m. The victim, Richard Shields, 56, of that address, was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries.
Martinez, 46, of Brentwood, was charged with Assault.
School may be out of session for the summer, but the classrooms at P.J. Gelinas Junior High School in the Three Village Central School District are bustling for the district’s summer enrichment program.
Students entering kindergarten through seventh grade can take part in the program that provides opportunities for hands-on experiences in several special interest areas. From classes focusing on academic interests, such as Science FUN-damentals and Eat a Good Book Club, to arts and crafts-themed classes, to food fun-focused sessions like the Summer Snack Squad, there is something for everyone to take part in.
Each class enriches the district curriculum and provides opportunities for creative expression. Students have been excited to learn new skills, create projects and meet new friends throughout the summer.
Hauppauge school district announced the appointment of Michael Caulin as the new principal of Forest Brook Elementary School during its board of education meeting on July 25.
Caulin, formerly the assistant principal at Hauppauge Middle School, will be taking over the role from beloved principal Reingold, who will remain in the district as their new director of English language arts and reading.
Caulin will be entering his 20th year as an administrator within the Hauppauge School District. Beginning in 2004, Caulin served as the assistant principal at Hauppauge High School for 14 years. He served as the assistant principal at Hauppauge Middle School for the past five. Prior to his time in Hauppauge, Caulin was an English teacher at Mill River Union High School in Vermont for six years and at Whitehall Central School in Whitehall, New York for two years.
“Hauppauge is more than just a school district. It has been my home for the past 20 years, and I am profoundly fortunate to have found myself spending the majority of my career in such a wonderful district where I will continue to be positively impacted by the students, families, community, faculty and staff,” said Caulin. “My goal each and every day will continue to make Hauppauge, and Forest Brook Elementary School, a place where students get the best education and the greatest social, emotional and academic experience a child and a family can have each and every day.”
Superintendent of Schools Donald Murphy added, “Throughout his tenure here in Hauppauge, Mr. Caulin has proven to be a kind, caring, bright and dedicated leader. I am excited to see all that he will bring to this new role.”
Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) presented a proclamation to Sgt. Jessica Alese, the 6th Legislative District’s nominee for Women Veterans Appreciation Day on Wednesday, July 26.
“It was an honor today to recognize Sgt. Alese,” Anker said. “Throughout her service, she has demonstrated bravery, leadership and loyalty to her country and her soldiers. Thank you, Sgt. Alese, for your invaluable service, and thank you to our women veterans everywhere.”
Alese joined the Army National Guard in 2009 and is now a Sgt. 1st class. She toured Iraq, was stationed in Guantanamo Bay and took part in Operation Shared Accord to train with the South African National Defense Force.
Since 2020, she has worked in the Drug Demand Outreach Program to reduce drug abuse and addiction rates among youth and veterans across Long Island. Alese also spends her time mentoring, training and supporting her fellow soldiers.
For more information, contact Anker’s office at 631-854-1600.
Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives are investigating a hit-and-run crash that killed two pedestrians in Farmingville on Aug. 4.
Ekrem Sahinbey Polat and Battal Koc were crossing the roadway in front of 755 Horseblock Road, when they were struck by a vehicle that fled the scene northwest on Horseblock Road, at approximately 11:20 p.m. Polat, 27, of Middle Island, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. Koc, 38, of Bay Shore, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The vehicle was described as a light colored SUV.
Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
On July 21, more than 100 people gathered at the Wind Watch Golf and Country Club in Hauppauge for the second annual Greg Sill Foundation Golf outing.
The event was held to honor the legacy of the late Greg Sill, the beloved Smithtown High School West history teacher.
“The foundation started on the day of his funeral,” said Greg’s wife, Elizabeth Sill. “I got up and said his name cannot end here. His legacy must live on.”
Greg Sill passed away in March 2021. A GoFundMe page was created by Elizabeth Sill to raise money for what’s now called the Greg Sill “Be the Coffee Bean” Memorial Fund. More than $60,000 has been raised in scholarship money for local students, including an annual $5,000 scholarship for a Smithtown High School West and Smithtown High School East student.
At the golf fundraiser, locals participated in a lunch, golf outing and dinner, as well as purchased gift bags and raffles.
“The whole idea is to keep Greg’s legacy going,” said Ashley Marchese, Smithtown High School West social studies/special education teacher and athletics coach. “You get 100 people to show up, that’s what makes it all worth it.”
Elizabeth Sill said there were plenty of newcomers to the event this year, as well as plenty of Smithtown Central School District staff, including Smithtown High School East Principal Robert Rose and High School West Assistant Principals Annemarie Freund and Michael Freiberg.
A St. James man has been found guilty of murdering his estranged wife in January 2020, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly announced on July 31. Michael Owen, 30, was convicted of second-degree murder after he strangled Kelly Owen to death at her South Farmingdale home on Jan. 15, 2020, the DA said. She was 27.
“Kelly Owen was a bright young mother who had aspirations to be a nurse,” Donnelly said in a news release. “She was in the early stages of pregnancy with her estranged husband’s child and wanted to reconcile the marriage. Michael Owen, however, ended those dreams when he strangled his wife with a rope-like object on January 2020. Our condolences are with Kelly’s family as they mourn her senseless loss.”
Kelly Owen was at her apartment on First Avenue in South Farmingdale the day she died. The nursing student lived on the same property as her parents and shared custody of her then-6-year-old child with her husband, Michael, from whom she was separated, prosecutors said. Kelly’s father walked the child to school that morning, investigators said.
Kelly, at the time, was working as an aide at an aftercare program at a local elementary school between 3 and 6 p.m. When she did not show up for work, a co-worker called her parents, and Kelly’s parents discovered their daughter’s lifeless body, officials said.
“[Michael Owen] did not want this child,” Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick of the Nassau County Police Homicide Squad said at a news conference in January 2020. “He did not want to give her medical insurance. He had this new relationship that he was involved in, and he was in a bad position.”
Video surveillance showed Michael’s vehicle was in Kelly’s neighborhood at 9:30 a.m. the morning he killed her, prosecutors said. Michael, employed as a cell site technician, parked two blocks away from Kelly’s home and turned his phone off before arriving in South Farmingdale so that his cellphone location could not be tracked, authorities said. After strangling Kelly, Michael deleted text messages from both his phone and Kelly’s phone, the DA said.
Michael’s DNA was discovered around Kelly’s neck, officials said.
Michael Owens was arrested Jan. 28, 2020, and his trial started July 17, 2023. The jury deliberated for roughly two hours at the summations Thursday. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 19. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
Five Harborfields High School students were recently named national winners in the second annual national Junior Achievement Social Innovation Challenge. The five students were all members of the Harborfields Business and Entrepreneurship Academy, which is facilitated by the school’s business department coordinator, Alison Matthews.
The challenge is a national competition in which high school students submit their innovative ideas for making an impact on their communities. The winning students were selected from more than 90 participating teams from across the country, and will have the opportunity to further develop their entrepreneurial concepts with the assistance of experts from challenge sponsor Chick-fil-A.
Nahrahel Louis won first place for “Clothing for a Cause,” a social enterprise that partners with organizations to create clothing for fundraising. Nahrahel’s company idea focused on collaboration with schools, businesses, nonprofits and other organizations to create custom apparel that reflects their unique brand and message, handling the entire process — from design to production and even shipping — to ensure a seamless and effortless experience for their partners.
Gabriella DiMartino, Nabeeha Ilyas, Elizabeth Kelly and Ivie Mergille won third place for “Purte.” Inspired by families living without adequate heating and cooling, and recognizing the need for affordable climate innovations, the Purte team designed a portable, solar-powered climate control device that cools and heats a room at the click of a button, using sunlight as a source of energy for a spinning center that rotates to conduct air.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a man who allegedly stole from a Selden store in July.
A man allegedly stole assorted merchandise from Target, located at 307 Independence Plaza, on July 25. The merchandise was valued at approximately $470.
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.
In response to numerous community complaints, Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers, in conjunction with the Town of Brookhaven Building Inspector, Town Fire Marshal, and Town Investigator, conducted an investigation into activities at New Day Spa, located at 14 Dawn Drive, at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Liu Bing, 42, of Centereach, was charged with alleged Unauthorized Practice of a Profession, a felony. Wendy Valencia Dorado, 26, of Brooklyn, was charged with alleged Prostitution, a misdemeanor.
Both Bing and Dorado were issued Desk Appearance Tickets and will appear for arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.
The Town of Brookhaven issued multiple violations and condemned the building as unsafe.
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