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Photo courtesy of SCPD
Photo courtesy of SCPD

Suffolk County Police cited two drivers for an unlawful speed contest and reckless driving in Shirley on Feb. 7.

Members of the Suffolk County Police Street Takeover Task Force observed a 2020 Infiniti Q50 and a 2016 Audi S3 traveling westbound on the LIE, near Exit 68, allegedly racing each other at speeds of 109 mph with the headlights off at 9:45 p.m.

Officers safely stopped both vehicles and cited their drivers, Randy Lopez, 20, of Middle Island, who was driving the Infiniti, and Evan Hacker, 20, of East Patchogue, who was driving the Audi, for Illegal Speed Contest, Reckless Driving, and multiple misdemeanor violations and other traffic infractions.

They will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on February 27. Both vehicles were impounded.

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File photo

Suffolk County Police arrested a man for alleged possession of crack cocaine in Holtsville on Feb. 8.

A member of the Suffolk County Police Street Takeover Task Force observed a 2010 Infiniti G37 traveling westbound on the LIE, between Exits 61 and 62, traveling at a high rate of speed and changing lanes without signaling, at approximately 12 a.m. The officer stopped the vehicle and during the traffic stop, it was discovered the driver was in possession of crack cocaine. The driver also had a suspended driver’s license and registration.

The driver, Anthony Cucuzzo, 44, of Holbrook, was arrested and transported to the Sixth Precinct. He was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree and was also issued multiple vehicle and traffic law citations. He is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on February 27. The vehicle was impounded.

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Police car. Stock photo

Suffolk County Police Fifth Squad detectives are investigating a single-vehicle crash that killed a
woman in East Patchogue on Feb. 7.

Patricia Lovetro was driving a 2023 Nissan Sentra on the Eastbound Sunrise Service Road, approaching a right turn at Gazzola Drive, when the vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a wooded area, at approximately 8:50 p.m. Lovetro, 84, of Deer Park, was transported to Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue, where she was pronounced dead. The vehicle was impounded for a safety check.

The investigation is continuing. Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to contact the Fifth Squad at 631-854-8552.

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According to the National Weather Service, a winter storm watch will go into effect Saturday, Feb. 8 at approximately 7 p.m. through Sunday, Feb. 9 ending at 11 a.m.

A heavy mixed precipitation is possible. Total snow and sleet accumulations are expected to be between three and five inches and a light glaze of ice accumulations is possible. Travel conditions may become difficult during the storm, especially as temperatures fluctuate causing slick roads. If possible motorists should avoid driving during the storm. If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution, warns Town of Smithtown Supervisor Edward Wehrhreim.

The Town Smithtown Highway Department Fleet will begin working Friday evening on prep, applying a beet juice brine to the roads and sidewalks to prevent dangerous black ice conditions. Snow removal crews will continue to work through the duration of the storm.

Park Vehicles in the Driveway: Residents are encouraged to keep vehicles off the curbside as plows clear the residential areas in an expeditious manner. Smithtown’s highway fleet began work overnight applying a beet juice brine to the roads and sidewalks to prevent icing.

Parks & Beaches Will Be Closed During the Storm: In an effort to keep residents safe and allow for Parks, Buildings & Grounds to remove snow from parking lots efficiently, gates and other access to the parks and beaches will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.

Stay Informed: Residents can stay informed about the storm and get up to the minute updates via the Town of Smithtown Mobile App, which is free to download on Google Play and the App Store.

The Town of Smithtown has compiled a list of tips, resources and information regarding the storm, the cleanup process, reporting power outages and the proper contact information for those in need of further assistance.

PUBLIC SAFETY:

The Department of Public Safety has activated the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and is coordinating efforts with Suffolk County and PSEG in the event of power outages. Public Safety is urging residents to stay off of the roads, which lessens the potential for accidents. Use extreme caution and if you must travel, please do so with a winter survival kit. In the event, you become stranded, stay with your vehicle and call authorities. All non life-threatening calls can be directed to the department of public safety by calling (631) 360-7553.

Elderly Neighbors & Special Needs individuals: Please check on your neighbors with disabilities, special needs or senior citizens. Make sure they have an emergency phone, plenty of water, food and blankets. Ask if they have someone to call in the event of an emergency. If further intervention is required please contact the Office for People with Disabilities at (631) 360-7642.

Animals & Family Pets: All domestic animals should remain indoors in below freezing temperatures, with the exception of allowing dogs to venture out briefly to go to the bathroom. Make sure to check the yard for broken fences or open gates and if possible keep an eye on your pets while outdoors to avoid escape, and injuries.

Please Note: It is against the law to leave pets outside in freezing conditions such as these! If you witness cruel conditions, please report it. Farm animals should be sheltered indoors for the duration of this storm. To report animals in distress, strays or other loose domestic or wild animals please call the Smithtown Animal Shelter (631) 360-7575.

Post Storm Safety: When plowing driveways please be cognizant not to block fire hydrants with snow mounds. Public Safety Fire Marshals ask that residents using generators be cognizant to place the exhaust facing outwards and at least 20’ away from a building. This can protect loved ones from CO poisoning and can prevent fires caused by generators incorrectly positioned.

Power Outages – PSEG Information: View PSEG Long Island’s outage map Click Here

To report and receive status updates on an outage Text OUT to PSEGLI (773454) or to report an outage online visit www.psegliny.com

To register, have your account number available and text REG to PSEGLI (773454)

Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything contacting the wire. To report a downed wire, call PSEG Long Island’s 24-hour Electric Service number: 1-800-490-0075.

Road Preparations and Snow Cleanup: 

Superintendent of Highways, Robert Murphy reports that the full fleet has been deployed for the duration of the storm. As a reminder, please remove any waste bins, brush or leaf bags from the curbside and park vehicles in driveways so the roads can be plowed efficiently during and after snow accumulation. This also prevents damage to curb cuts, mailboxes and driveways.

To report icing, and other issues related to conditions along the roads, please contact the highway department at (631) 360-7500.

USEFUL NUMBERS:

Stranded Vehicles: If there is an emergency, please dial 9-11 immediately. All non life-threatening calls can be directed to the Department of Public Safety by calling 631-360-7553

Local Fire & Police Phone Numbers: In an emergency dial 9-1-1

  • Suffolk County Police Department: For non-emergencies, contact 631-852-COPS (2677). Dial 9-1-1 ONLY for life-threatening emergencies.
  • Smithtown Fire Rescue Communications: 631-265-1500 for fire and EMS emergencies in the Smithtown, Kings Park, and Hauppauge Fire Districts.
  • Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services: Dial 911 for fire and EMS emergencies in the St. James, Nesconset, and Nissequogue Fire Districts.
  • Commack Fire Department: 631-499-5777 for fire emergencies in the Commack Fire District.

Report Power Outages to PSEG: Text OUT to PSEGLI (773454), report it online at MyAccount.psegliny.com, through the PSEG app, or call1-800-490-0075

Report Gas Outages or Emergencies: If you smell gas anywhere, including in your home, go outside and call National Grid 24 hour hotline at 1-800-490-0045 or dial 911 immediately.

LIRR Commuter Travel Information: For information regarding delays or travel questions, contact the LIRR 24 hour travel information center at 718-217-5477

Suffolk 311: Suffolk County 311 is a central call center available to residents who do not know which number to call for any non-emergency. Residents can reach the 311 line Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or leave messages after hours.

Elderly Neighbors & Special Needs individuals: For assistance with elderly or special needs individuals, contact the Office for People with Disabilities at (631) 360-7642

Animals & Family Pets: To report animals in distress, strays or other loose/lost domestic or wild animals please call (631) 360-7575. To Report Animal Abuse, or Neglect contact the Suffolk County SPCA at (631) 382-7722 or Suffolk County Police at (631) 854-8200.

Winter pet safety tips – can be found online at the Suffolk County SPCA by visiting suffolkspca.org/information/safety-tips/weather-tips/

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Photo courtesy of PSEG Long Island

PSEG Long Island is improving the reliability of the energy grid in Saint James and Village of the Branch. The storm-hardening work on this distribution circuit is part of many system improvements included in the “Power On” program.

“We are working hard to reduce the number of outages that occur during severe weather by strengthening the electric lines that directly power homes and businesses,” said Peggy Keane, PSEG Long Island’s vice president of Construction and Operations Services. “This Power On infrastructure improvement project in Saint James and Village of the Branch is part of PSEG Long Island’s ongoing, multi-year effort to continue to improve electric reliability for customers.”

The work is scheduled to begin in early February and is expected to last approximately three months. PSEG Long Island’s licensed and approved contractors will work along distribution lines in Saint James and Village of the Branch. To ensure traffic moves safely, PSEG Long Island will provide cones, flaggers and signage at the worksites as needed. Local officials will also be notified in advance regarding any potential traffic concerns.

The storm-hardening improvements include:

Stronger poles: PSEG Long Island will replace some existing utility poles with stronger, more durable poles that are capable of withstanding winds up to 135 mph. The  new poles will be approximately the same height as the existing poles, have a stronger base and will be placed no more than 5 feet from the current pole locations. PSEG Long Island will actively coordinate the removal of old poles with other utilities and municipalities.

Narrow profiles: To help wires deflect falling limbs instead of catching them, PSEG Long Island will be installing shorter cross arms atop some poles.

Stronger wire: Current wire will be replaced with more resilient and durable wire.

Upgrading: PSEG Long Island will upgrade or replace worn equipment as necessary. Crews will be working on the following streets in Saint James and Village of the Branch:

• Howell Drive between North Country Road and Lehigh Drive

• Lehigh Drive east of Howell Drive

• Rear property on Howell Drive between Lehigh Drive and Baylor Drive

• Rear property on Baylor Drive between Howell Drive and Dartmouth Drive

• Rear property on Howell Drive between Baylor Drive and Blackman Street

• Rear property on Rice Lane between Dogwood Drive and just east of Howell Drive

Using funding from both FEMA and LIPA, PSEG Long Island has completed storm hardening and reliability work on more than 1,000 miles of distribution mainline circuits.

Power On, a program that started in the spring of 2020, continues the work now that the FEMA program has concluded. Since the launch of Power On, more than 401 miles of the most vulnerable distribution mainline and branch line circuits on Long Island and in the Rockaways have been storm hardened with stronger poles, thicker wire and other modern equipment.

These investments have strengthened the system so that fewer customers experience outages and, when they do occur, the duration is shorter, especially during extreme weather. Excluding catastrophic storms, the sections of circuits that PSEG Long Island has storm-hardened have seen a 28% reduction in damage leading to outages in 2024, compared with the rest of the distribution system.

Power On focuses on mainline circuits, the backbone of the distribution system. The main lines feed the many branch lines that power the homes and businesses in individual communities.

For more project details, visit psegliny.com/inthecommunity/currentinitiatives

PSEG Long Island operates the Long Island Power Authority’s transmission and distribution system under a long-term contract.  PSEG Long Island is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a publicly traded diversified energy company.

 

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From left, Suffolk County Deputy Undersheriff Kevin Heavey with Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Sheriff's Office
From left, Suffolk County Clerk Vincent Puleo with Suffolk County Deputy Undersheriff Kevin Heavey. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Sheriff's Office
Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Sheriff

On Wednesday, February 5, Kevin Heavey was sworn in as a Deputy Undersheriff for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. appointed Deputy Undersheriff Heavy, who spent 21 years in the New York City Police Department (NYPD), and he will oversee the Academy, Ceremonial and Wellness Unit.

“Deputy Undersheriff Heavey’s leadership and deep understanding of law enforcement operations will enhance our ability to serve and protect Suffolk County,” said Sheriff Toulon. “His commitment to integrity, accountability, and public safety will be invaluable as we continue strengthening our initiatives and supporting the men and women of this agency. I look forward to the work he will contribute to our Office and Suffolk County.”

Deputy Undersheriff Heavey brings over two decades of law enforcement experience, having served in the NYPD in various leadership roles, including the Internal Affairs Bureau and the Ceremonial Unit. His expertise spans criminal investigations, crisis intervention, and interagency collaboration, according to a press release.

 

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Photo courtesy of SCPD
Photo courtesy of SCPD
From left, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina with Suffolk County Clerk Vincent Puleo. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Sheriff's Office
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine with Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina. Photo courtesy of Suffolk County Executive Romaine's office
Catalina to Serve as the 16th Police Commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department

On Feb. 5, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine joined with the Suffolk County Legislature, Suffolk County Clerk Vincent Puleo, and members of the Suffolk County Police Department as Kevin Catalina was sworn in as the 16th commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department.

Catalina’s nomination was approved by the Suffolk County Legislature at its Feb. 4, general meeting. Catalina, who previously served as deputy police commissioner with the Suffolk County Police Department, has more than 33 years of law enforcement experience with two of the largest police departments in the country.

Kevin Catalina

“Today serves as a monumental day in Suffolk County as we are proud to introduce Kevin Catalina as our Police Commissioner formally,” Romaine said. “Commissioner Catalina is a man of honor and integrity and will serve as a tremendous leader of the men and women of the Suffolk County Police Department while serving as a steward to our communities.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to become commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department, the best police department in the country,” Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said. “This is a dream come true. I am excited to utilize my more than 30 years of law enforcement experience and work alongside a knowledgeable and professional executive team to implement strategies to continue to drive down crime while building relationships with our residents through community policing efforts.”

“Kevin Catalina has shown over the course of a distinguished career why he’s said to be “a cop’s cop,” said Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey.  “I fully expect that the leadership, innovation, and achievements that make up his remarkable experience over three decades will prove invaluable in making Suffolk County a safer place. I’m proud to support him as commissioner.”

Commissioner Catalina is nationally recognized as a subject matter expert and innovator of anti-gang violence strategies. He brings 20 years of experience on the executive level, which has led to a unique crime prevention and management skill set.

Before his time at the SCPD, Catalina served as the undersheriff for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office for more than five years. Catalina oversaw approximately 250 deputy sheriffs as well as the Corrections Division Intelligence Bureau of 30 investigators and a unit of analysts. Catalina was successful in creating and implementing a corrections-based intelligence model utilizing jail-based intelligence that assisted in solving and preventing crimes within the community.

Catalina’s law enforcement career began in 1992 as a police officer in the New York Police Department’s 103rd Precinct. He quickly moved up the ranks, spending 20 years in supervisory roles including three stints as a commanding officer.

Catalina was then promoted to deputy Chief and served as the Commanding Officer of the Gang Division. Catalina developed and implemented all gang investigative and suppression strategies that continue to be utilized citywide.

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Pictured from left are David Lyons, Maggie Ramos and Michael Voltz of PSEG Long Island with John Tuke, Brandon King, Bruce Schadler and Steve Monez of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Photo courtesy of PSEG LI

PSEG Long Island recently commended Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) for its commitment to the environment. The lab completed several projects that qualified for rebates of nearly $280,000 through PSEG Long Island’s energy efficiency programs. 

The renovations include replacing 5,700 lights with energy-saving LEDs, heating and cooling upgrades, and a sub-metering project, which will allow the lab to more effectively monitor and manage its energy usage. 

CSHL is expected to realize nearly $300,000 in annual savings with the 1.7 million kWh of electricity these projects will save per year. 

Pictured from left are David Lyons, Maggie Ramos and Michael Voltz of PSEG Long Island with John Tuke, Brandon King, Bruce Schadler and Steve Monez of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

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Hon. Gail Prudenti

Hon. Gail Prudenti, Partner at Burner Prudenti Law, P.C., has been appointed as the Chair of the Suffolk County Bar Association (SCBA) Judicial Screening Committee.

“This prestigious committee plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity and excellence of Suffolk County’s judiciary. Tasked with the responsibility of thoroughly evaluating the background, experience, and qualifications of candidates seeking judicial office, the committee ensures that only the most qualified individuals are recommended for these essential roles,” read a press release.

Comprised of 25 distinguished members, the Judicial Screening Committee represents a cross- section of legal expertise and professional dedication. These members are carefully selected by the SCBA President and Board of Directors to uphold the committee’s commitment to impartiality and rigor in the screening process.

“Hon. Gail Prudenti’s appointment to this leadership position reflects her exceptional career and unwavering dedication to the legal profession. Her extensive experience and steadfast commitment to justice will undoubtedly contribute to the committee’s important mission,” read the release.

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Lawrence Martin and Patricia Wright. Photos courtesy of SBU

Stony Brook University’s Charles B. Wang Center Theater, 100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook will host the university’s February Provost Lecture, featuring distinguished anthropologists Patricia Wright and Lawrence Martin on Tuesday, Feb. 11 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Each will each give a brief lecture about their work and its significance followed by a reception with light refreshments. The lecture and reception are free and open to the public. 

See press release below for more information:

Did you know that Stony Brook University has important African research and scientific discovery centers? The Turkana Basin Institute (TBI) in Kenya and Centre ValBio in Madagascar are both university Institutes and Centers and co-founded by members of university faculty.

Two SUNY Distinguished Service Professors, Anthropology Lawrence Martin, PhD, co-founder and director emeritus of the TBI and Patricia Wright, PhD, founder and executive director of the Centre ValBio will be speaking about their centers and the impact of thir own research to the local and university community at the upcoming Provost’s Lecture Series. The series, hosted by university Provost Carl Lejuez, showcases Stony Brook faculty who have earned the rank of SUNY Distinguished faculty. The distinguished rank is the highest honor available to faculty in the State University of New York 64-campus system.

About Lawrence Martin: Professor Martin is an expert on the evolution of apes and the origin of humans. He worked with the late world-renowned paleoanthropologist and conservationist Richard Leakey to build a bastion for research on human evolution, Stony Brook’s Turkana Basin Institute, which he directed for 17 years

About Patricia Wright:  Professor Wright founded Centre ValBio, the modern research campus in the rainforest of Madagascar where she has combined her research with efforts to preserve the country’s endangered forests and the many species of plants and animals they harbor. She was the driving force behind the creation of Ranomafana National Park, a 106,000-acre World Heritage Site there, which is home to many endangered species, including several species of lemur that she works to save from extinction.

WHEN

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 from 3:30 – 5 p.m., ET (reception to follow lecture)

WHERE

Wang Center Theater, West Campus, Stony Brook University directions

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