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TBR Staff

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TBR News Media covers everything happening on the North Shore of Suffolk County from Cold Spring Harbor to Wading River.

Jazz Loft’s Tom Manuel and Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine get ready for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Photo by John Broven

By John Broven

Jazz past, present and future arrived with a blast at Stony Brook Village on Saturday, May 21, with the opening of a new home dedicated to the music: The Jazz Loft at 275 Christian Ave.

Jazz Loft’s Tom Manuel and Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine get ready for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Photo by John Broven
Jazz Loft’s Tom Manuel and Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine get ready for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Photo by John Broven

The celebrations commenced with an early afternoon street parade, New Orleans-style, prior to a ribbon cutting in which Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) presented Tom Manuel, the Jazz Loft’s founder and president, with a proclamation from the Town of Brookhaven.

Also in attendance were Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and Gloria Rocchio, president of The Ward Melville Heritage Organization, which owns the Loft’s historic building.

Soon the first notes were struck by the LIU Post Big Band performing Duke Ellington’s “Far East Suite” under the direction of Manuel to a standing-room-only crowd.

Visitors were able to view the Loft’s museum exhibits featuring greats such as saxophonist Louis Jordan, the biggest African-American star of the 1940s and a massive influence on the subsequent rock ’n’ roll era; heartthrob crooner Arthur Prysock; upright bassist Lloyd Trotman, a prolific session musician; society bandleader Lester Lanin; and the seafaring vibraphonist and composer Teddy Charles.

In the evening, the Jazz Loft Big Band concluded the day’s festivities backing up vocalist Lauren Kinhan, a member of the New York Voices, for a supper-club audience on a stage constructed from the dance floor of the famous Roseland Ballroom on 52nd Street in Manhattan.

From left, Assemblyman Engelbright, Supervisor Romaine, Tom Manuel (holding proclamation), Councilwoman Cartright and Gloria Rocchio. Photo from WMHO
From left, Assemblyman Engelbright, Supervisor Romaine, Tom Manuel (holding proclamation), Councilwoman Cartright and Gloria Rocchio. Photo from WMHO

“Our opening day was so moving to me,” Manuel, of St. James, said in a recent interview. “To parade through Stony Brook with 100 people in tow, a dozen classic cars honking those great vintage horns, cutting the ribbon — there just aren’t words to express my joy. It was a real highlight to have so many people there that helped make the Jazz Loft become a reality. It also was a real treat to look around the building and see some up-and-coming students in the same space as some of the jazz world’s greatest musicians.”

Manuel, an educator, musician and jazz historian, said the Jazz Loft is unfolding plans that “relate to our tri-fold mission of jazz preservation, education and performance. Our performance calendar for spring and summer brings to the Loft and Stony Brook Village some outstanding talent, recognized not just locally, but nationally and internationally. Our education calendar is about to be unveiled and includes some wonderful listening lectures and Jazz 101 classes presented by outstanding educators and performers.”

He added that the Loft is looking forward to displaying new acquisitions including memorabilia from jazz legends such as Dave Brubeck, Buck Clayton, Ruby Braff, Lloyd Trotman and others.

From today, June 2, the Jazz Loft will be open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 students, children under 12 free. For more information, including upcoming concerts and programs, visit www.thejazzloft.org or call 631-751-1895.

John Broven is a member of the editorial staff at Times Beacon Record Newspapers and the author of three books: “Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans” (recently republished), “South to Louisiana” and “Record Makers and Breakers.”

Musicians celebrate the opening of The Jazz Loft. Photo by John Broven
Musicians celebrate the opening of The Jazz Loft. Photo by John Broven

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For many, summer is the most exciting part of the year, bringing warmer weather and fewer worries. However, as you gear up for a weekend at the beach or a barbecue at a friend’s house, it’s more important than ever to remember the safety precautions you were taught when you were young — lock it up.

The Times Beacon Record Newspapers’ police blotter typically has a fair share of theft incidents that are completely avoidable, with perpetrators stealing wallets and other valuables from unlocked cars and sheds, and sometimes even houses.

Although this may seem like a no-brainer, week after week, month after month, residents continue to lose cash and property left in unlocked places.

Police have said summer months are among their busiest, with spikes in criminal activity and arrests. But it’s not only serious crimes that see a bump — petit crimes become more frequent as opportunity presents itself, which is where we see residents losing out on cash, jewelry and other valuables that may not be properly fortified.

As we head into summer and start planning family trips and getaways, take time to secure against what could potentially impact your summer fun. Lock your front doors, sheds, garages and cars, and close and lock your windows when you’re leaving your house empty for prolonged periods. Make it that much easier to have a worry-free summer.

Northport's Jake McCarthy fires the ball to first base for the out. Photo by Bill Landon
Northport's Nick Palmerini hurls a pitch from the mound. Photo by Bill Landon
Northport’s Nick Palmerini hurls a pitch from the mound. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Another strong pitching performance by Northport’s Nick Palmerini, leading to a 6-3 win Tuesday, helped the baseball team force a decisive game three for the Suffolk County Class AA title.

The Tigers got off to a rocky start, going down two runs in the opening inning, but battled their way back with a sacrifice fly to right field off the bat of junior outfielder Frankie Stola to plate senior shortstop Joe Stockman to trail by one. Northport missed an opportunity to tie the game, and stranded two runners to end the inning.

“We were really aggressive early in the count,” Stockman said after the win. “We struck out a lot in our last game, so we tried not to get too deep into the count, and we got some base hits when it really counted. Tomorrow we just have to come ready to play and we’ll just keep doing what we’ve been doing, getting bats on the ball.”

With runners on first and second, the Tigers went back to work in the bottom half of the second inning. This time, Stockman did the damage at the plate when he ripped the ball through the gap to bring senior pitcher and first baseman Dan Heller home to tie the game. With junior pitcher and shortstop Alex Reuter on third, junior second baseman George Sutherland stepped into the batter’s box. With two outs and a full count, Sutherland jumped on a fastball, drilling it to right field to score Reuter to give the Tigers their first lead of the game. Stola smoked an infield hit to the shortstop and wound up on first on a throwing error as Stockman crossed the plate to keep the rally alive.

Northport's Jake McCarthy fires the ball to first base for the out. Photo by Bill Landon
Northport’s Jake McCarthy fires the ball to first base for the out. Photo by Bill Landon

Junior third baseman Jake McCarthy’s bat spoke next. He drilled the ball deep into the outfield to bring Stola home safely for a 5-2 lead.

“I think we had more confidence after seeing a guy like [Ray] Weber throw [in Saturday’s loss] that prepared us for this game,” McCarthy said. “We were ready for some good pitching, and the home crowd really does affect the game. It really gets us pumped up.”

With one out, West Islip threatened in the top of the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field that put two runners in scoring position, but Palmerini did what he’s done all season and fanned the final batter.

Northport’s margin began to shrink in the top of the fourth when the Lions, with two outs and a runner on second base, drove the ball home to make it a two-run game.

The tension built as West Islip loaded the bases. If the pitching ace was nervous though, he didn’t show it. Palmerini painted the corners and pitched his way out of the jam, as the Lions went down swinging.

“I’ve got a good team behind me so I had to relax and throw strikes,” Palmerini said. “They’re a tough team and the change in our lineup made us wake up, so we changed our game a little bit. For tomorrows’ game, we have to mentally stay focused.”

Tigers player Dan Heller makes a grab at first base. Photo by Bill Landon
Tigers player Dan Heller makes a grab at first base. Photo by Bill Landon
George Sutherland takes a cut for Northport. Photo by Bill Landon
George Sutherland takes a cut for Northport. Photo by Bill Landon

McCarthy’s bat added an insurance run with a shot to dead center field that cleared the fence and then some, to give the game it’s final 6-3 score.

“It was a straight fastball first pitch, and I was expecting that,” McCarthy said.

West Islip stranded two runners in the top of the fifth, went three up and three down in sixth and although the Lions didn’t go down quietly in the final inning, Palmerini, nearing his maximum pitch count, struck out the last two batters for a complete game where he allowed just six hits and one walk while striking out 11.

“We tweaked the lineup today … because our leadoff guy’s been struggling a bit,” Northport head coach John De Martini said. “We were down 2-0 immediately, so we put the ball in play and they made some miscues, but we got some gutty pitching. I’m just so proud of these guys.”

Northport was scheduled to travel to West Islip for the decisive game three on Wednesday.

The Northport baseball team is all smiles after its game-two win over West Islip in the Suffolk County championship series. Photo by Bill Landon
The Northport baseball team is all smiles after its game-two win over West Islip in the Suffolk County championship series. Photo by Bill Landon
Dan Heller catches a pop-up for Northport for the out. Photo by Bill Landon
Dan Heller catches a pop-up for Northport for the out. Photo by Bill Landon
Northport's Frankie Stola gets under a fly out. Photo by Bill Landon
Northport’s Frankie Stola gets under a fly out. Photo by Bill Landon

North Shore resident Ivan Kalina is remembered by many as a man of adventure. Photo from Yvette Panno

By Yvette Panno

Ivan Kalina, 84, of Setauket died peacefully the morning of May 27 following a brief illness.

Originally born in Kosice, Czechoslovakia, in 1932 to beloved parents Geza and Ilonka, Kalina’s life was defined by courage, strength and resilience. First as a European Jewish Holocaust survivor, later as an escaped refugee from Communism to America, his story shaped not only his life, but also the history of a generation.

During World War II, Kalina was a young child who managed to survive the Nazis’ early invasion of Czechoslovakia and the deportation of the Jews to concentration camps through the help of Christian friends and false papers.

In the final years of the war, he separated from his mother and father and went to Budapest, Hungary, to hide in an apartment with relatives just blocks from Gestapo headquarters that was bombed day and night by American, Russian and British forces.

Returning to Kosice, his was among the few Jewish families to survive.

Although his education was delayed for years by the war, as a testimony to his determination, in 1956 he graduated as the valedictorian of his medical school class from Charles University in Prague, as a pediatrician. That same year, he married his beautiful wife Vera Atlas, a histopathologist, in Kosice.

With the onslaught of Communist persecution of both Jews and democratic sympathizers, Ivan and Vera realized they could never be free in their oppressive homeland.

In 1965, they left their close families and planned a daring escape through the Yugoslavia border into Austria, until they could manage a flight to New York City with their two young children, Peter and Yvette. They came to this country with two suitcases and $200. With prison sentences awaiting them if they returned to Czechoslovakia, they dedicated themselves to making new lives. Ivan and Vera worked long hours at Bellevue Hospital and New York University while he took his medical board exams in English – his fifth fluent language.

Ivan’s favorite expression – said with characteristic humor and positive spirit – was “that’s why I came to America.”

To this country, Kalina brought with him the grit, charm and fun-loving outlook to be successful. His career spanned a private practice in pediatrics in Rocky Point as well as medical director of Little Flower Orphanage in Wading River, associate professor at Stony Brook University, and attending physician at both St. Charles Hospital and John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson.

Always athletic and tanned, he was a fiercely competitive, daily tennis player and longtime member of the Harbor Hills Country Club near his original home in Port Jefferson. A perfect day was sitting in the sun near the backyard pool reading a newspaper. A remarkable skier until the age of 70, he loved to travel and took multiple trips out to his condo in Vail, Colorado, and traveled several times a year around the world.

His love of children was no greater than that for his five grandchildren, who called him Papi and of whom he was most proud: Olivia, Mia, Sydney, Jake and Sam.

He is also survived by his children, Dr. Peter Kalina and Yvette Kalina Panno; daughter-in-law, Michelle Kalina; and long-loved partner, Carolyn Van Helden.

As he would say in Hungarian: Sok Szeretet, Servuse Tatulko.

Reclaim NY is requesting various public documents from governments and school districts across Nassau and Suffolk counties, including Port Jefferson Village and Commack school district. File photo by Elana Glowatz

By Brandon Muir

Long Islanders deserve better than excuses from politicians, and bureaucrats. It’s time they took the lead on making government more open. That’s why Reclaim New York launched our transparency project.

Using the Freedom of Information Law to open spending records from governments across Long Island is the first step toward ensuring all citizens can hold their local government accountable.

This effort may ruffle some feathers. It seems this happened with Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant. Rather than just fixing Port Jefferson’s FOIL failures, we saw a smoke screen.

On March 7, we filed a FOIL request for the 2014 village expenditures, since this public record is not posted on the village website. We intend to share this information publicly to empower citizen-driven oversight of government.

The documents did not arrive.

Excuses don’t make up for not following the law’s timelines, or completing a FOIL request late. The law provides for extensions; a government simply has to ask for it. When this doesn’t happen, the FOIL is considered denied.

The mayor recently claimed we never filed an appeal and didn’t reach out to the village. Both statements are incorrect. The appeal is documented, and was sent on April 11, to the mayor’s own address, exactly as Port Jefferson asked.

We simply followed the law, as anyone can see at our transparency project portal: NYtransparency.org. If the mayor does not like FOIL’s requirements, she should attack the law, not Reclaim New York.

To be clear, the village has now sent the records. But more than 75 percent of Long Island localities fulfilled their legal obligations on time. We’d like to work with the village to improve their transparency process.

Here’s how we can make that happen: The village can post the names and contact information for the Records Access Officer, and Records Appeals Officer online. These designations are required by law, and this would clear up confusion.

When a FOIL request is denied, or ignored — as in this case — the law allows for an appeal, sent to the Appeals Officer.

If the village says the mayor fills this role, and tells a FOIL filer to use a particular email address to submit an appeal to her, the mayor should not publicly claim she hasn’t received an appeal and blame it on the sender.

Additionally, ensure village employees understand the time limits for FOIL requests.

The first response, within five days, should acknowledge receipt and indicate when the request will be completed. If you need more time, request an extension.

In the initial response to Reclaim New York, the village said they would outline production costs for fulfilling the FOIL request. Then they stopped responding to our requests without providing a clear timeline.

It’s important to note that it’s not the filer’s responsibility to follow up with calls, though in this case Reclaim New York did. But the law does require that a village respond within 10 business days to an appeal.

The ultimate transparency goal for any government: proactively posting information in a searchable format online.

Every citizen should be able to see how government is spending public money. There’s no need to wait for someone to ask. Provide this information openly, and Port Jefferson will truly be leading the way toward open government.

Brandon Muir is the executive director for Reclaim New York.

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By L. Reuven Pasternak, M.D.

At Stony Brook University Hospital, we’ve created a culture of excellence based on health care tailored to meet each individual’s needs and preferences. We want to ensure that our neighbors, friends and families on Long Island who come to us feel comforted, respected and confident about the care they receive from Stony Brook.

Our dedication to providing quality care has earned recognition from numerous organizations in the medical community. Many departments have been recognized by their specialty associations for meeting standards that directly benefit patients:

•Our Endoscopy Unit was recognized for endoscopic quality and safety by the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

Our Stroke Program was awarded the highest recognition possible for quality care by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With the Guidelines program.

•Our Trauma Center has been ranked in the top decile in the nation for specific outcome measures.

•Stony Brook’s Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory was awarded a bronze-level Beacon Award for Excellence and our Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit earned a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence, both from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

•Our Pediatric Nephrology Program has achieved a ranking within the Top 50 Best Children’s Hospitals from U.S. News and World Report.

Our dedication to providing quality care has earned recognition from numerous organizations in the medical community.

•The prestigious Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award was presented to our Ambulatory Surgery Center in recognition of its high level of patient satisfaction.

•We have been named a top performer in a New York State Department of Health project to improve nutrition for preterm babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The New York State Perinatal Quality Collaborative has recognized our performance in reducing elective early-term deliveries by 75 percent, to lower the risk of serious health problems and death for newborns.

And the New York State Department of Health has given us leadership positions in important health care initiatives:

•We received a planning grant to serve as the leader in building a regionalized health care system throughout Suffolk County through the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program.

•Stony Brook is spearheading a SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment) program, which will screen and provide early intervention and treatment for people with substance use disorders.

Quality of care and patient safety are and always will be our top priorities. We’re proud of the recognition Stony Brook University Hospital has won, but the real winners, of course, are our patients and the community.

L. Reuven Pasternak, M.D. is the CEO of  Stony Brook University Hospital and the vice president for Health Systems at Stony Brook Medicine.

Long Islanders came together on Memorial Day to remember all the people throughout American history who gave their lives for their country. Events were held on May 30 across Suffolk County, with neighbors using wreaths, flags and rifle shots to pay tribute to the fallen heroes.

People at an anti-drug forum stay afterward to learn how to use the anti-overdose medication Narcan. Above, someone practices spraying into a dummy’s nostrils. Photo by Elana Glowatz

Residents from all Brookhaven communites are welcomed and encouraged to attend Brookhaven Town Youth Bureau’s free substance abuse awareness and opioid overdose prevention program training class, provided by Suffolk County EMS, on June 7 at Brookhaven Town Hall.

The training will discuss what an opioid overdose is, the signs and symptoms that will help identify an overdose, what to do until EMS arrives, and how to administer nasal Narcan to reverse an overdose.

Substance abose treatment information resources will be available from 5:30-6:30 p.m., and Narcan training will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Brookhaven Town Hall is located at 1 Independence Hill in Farmingville. Call 631-451-8011 for more information or to RSVP by May 27.

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Dedication service in memory of Sergeant Harry Golden and Private Raymond Wishart on the Setauket Village Green, Sept. 1,1919. Rev. T. J. Elms, pastor of Setauket Presbyterian Church, delivered the address. Photo from Beverly Tyler

By Beverly C. Tyler

The celebration of Memorial Day, or Decoration Day as it was first called, began when the first proclamation for a day to decorate the graves of Union soldiers killed in the Civil War was made on May 5, 1868 by General John A. Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic.

He declared, “It is the purpose of the commander-in-chief to inaugurate this observance with the hope that it will be kept from year to year.”

May 30 was chosen as the day, “for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in the defense of their country during the late rebellion.” In 1873 New York State recognized Memorial Day as an official holiday and many other states followed during the next few decades.

In the Three Villages, Memorial Day is observed with ceremonies, first in Stony Brook and then in Setauket.

In Stony Brook, a plaque first dedicated on July 6, 1946 states, “This tablet is erected and dedicated, as an abiding memorial and as a token of the affectionate esteem of grateful citizens, to those gallant young men and women of the Stony Brook community who, in obedience to their country’s call, courageously offered their lives in World War I and World War II to maintain the American principles of liberty and justice.”

The large rock on the Setauket Village Green was added in 1919 to honor the men who died in the First World War. A plaque to honor the men who died in World War II was added in 1946. A new plaque honors the young man, Chris Brunn, who died in Vietnam in 1969. The soldiers honored here were from families who immigrated to Setauket from England, Scotland, Ukraine, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Ireland, Germany, France and Italy.

Two men from the local area gave their lives in World War I, Raymond Wishart and Harry Golden. The massive boulder and south-facing bronze tablet were erected on the Setauket Village Green in their memory. The boulder was brought from Strong’s Neck and the plaque was designed by the well-known artist William DeLeftwich Dodge who painted the murals on New York history that are in the state capital in Albany.

Private Raymond Wishart, son of Postmaster and Mrs. Andrew Wishart, was born September 10, 1893, and he died in France on August 23, 1918. His remains were returned to this country and were buried in the Caroline Church of Brookhaven graveyard on a Sunday in July 1921.

Harry Golden is remembered by his nephew Sam Golden. “He was a Sergeant in charge of the mules, “ Sam recalled. “His unit was attacked and he was killed. He was 28 years old when he died and he’s buried there in France.”

On the opposite side of the rock is a plaque that was placed there after World War II. It reads, “1941-1945 – In memory of Clifford J. Darling, Henry P. Eichacker, Francis S. Hawkins, David Douglas Hunter, Orlando B. Lyons, Anthony R. Matusky, Edward A. Pfeiffer, [and] William E. Weston of the United States Armed Forces who gave their lives in World War II.”

The graves of these soldiers, who served during the two World Wars, are marked by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3054. The grave of Francis S. Hawkins, Tech. Sgt., 853 AAF Bomb Squadron, is also in the Caroline Church of Brookhaven graveyard, near the stone of Raymond Wishart, and it details his service. “The son of Everett Hawkins, the last miller in Setauket, and Celia Swezey was born in Setauket on June 18, 1911. He volunteered in the U.S. Army Air Force Sept. 24, 1942.

On Nov. 25, 1944 he gave his life to his country while on his 28th bombing mission over enemy lines, when his plane “The Moose” was shot down over Hanover and crashed near Gehrden, Germany.”

The graves of patriots who served in the Revolutionary War are not forgotten, either. There are thirty Patriot graves in the Three Village area that have been identified and marked with flags, including Anna Smith Nancy Strong, her husband Selah Strong and Culper Spy chief Abraham Woodhull. The graves are in eight separate graveyards, some of which are family burial grounds.

After ceremonies on the Setauket Village Green, units of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, fire departments and other community organizations parade each year to the Memorial Park in East Setauket for the final services of the day. The brief tribute honoring those who served, and especially those who died in the service of their country, is an experience that should be observed and renewed each year.

Beverly Tyler is the Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society.

Son of a gun
A 56-year-old woman from Huntington was arrested on May 22 after police said he had an illegal hand gun in his possession while at his residence on Dunbarton Drive in Huntington. He was charged with criminal possession of a firearm.

Stop and Smoke
On May 21, a 46-year-old woman from Babylon was arrested after police said she was in possession of marijuana and cocaine while in the parking lot of Stop&Shop on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Drug bust
Police said 31-year-old woman from Bethpage had Suboxone, a prescription drug, while on Derby Avenue and Rockne Street in Huntington at 10:40 p.m. on May 21. She was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Being a pain with cocaine
On May 21, a 51-year-old man from East Northport was arrested on Veterans Memorial Highway in Smithtown after police said he had cocaine on him at 9:10 p.m. He was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell.

Tree on Maple Lane
A 35-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on May 20 after police said he had marijuana in his possession on Maple Lane and Pinta Court in East Northport. He was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Down by the docks
A 20-year-old man and a 18-year-old man both from Huntington Station were arrested on May 20 after police said they damaged and stole from multiple boats docked in Huntington Harbor between May 17 and May 20. They were charged with second-degree criminal mischief, petit larceny and two charges of third-degree criminal mischief of property valuing more than $250.

Coffee rush
On May 19, a 31-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested after police said he stole two cappuccino machines valuing more than $7,000 from Bed Bath and Beyond on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington. He was charged with third-degree grand larceny.

The route of the problem
Police said a 28-year-old man from Orlando was smoking a marijuana cigarette while on Route 25 in Huntington Station on May 19. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Not walk in the park
A 40-year-old man from Wyandanch was arrested on May 18 after police said he had crack cocaine on him while on Park Avenue in Huntington. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Plants plucked
Police said an unknown person stole plants planted in the ground in the front yard of a residence on Leonard Drive in East Northport on May 21.

Not the key to success
An unknown person keyed a phrase onto the side passenger door of a 2003 Jaguar parked on Sandpiper Lane in Fort Salonga on May 22.

Too many cocktails
A 22-year-old man from Hauppauge was arrested on May 21 after police pulled him over for running a red light while driving a 2013 Mitsubishi on Route 347 in Smithtown and said he was driving drunk. He was charged with driving while ability impaired by alcohol and drugs.

Being a pain with cocaine
On May 21, a 51-year-old man from East Northport was arrested on Veterans Memorial Highway in Smithtown after police said he had cocaine on him at 9:10 p.m. He was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell.

Cocaine in Kings Park
On May 20, police on Indian Head Road in Kings Park arrested a 36-year-old man from Port Jefferson after they said he had cocaine in his possession. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

That’s not what BMWs are for
Police said a 30-year-old man from Miller Place was deliberately using his 2015 BMW to block a tow truck from reaching two cars that crashed into each other on Smithtown Boulevard, and then started yelling at officers on May 20. He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct with violent behavior.

On another planet
A 19-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested on May 19 at Richard Avenue and Express Drive North in Ronkonkoma after police said he had marijuana on him while inside a 1993 Mercury. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Making her blush
On May 18, a 21-year-old woman from Saint James was arrested after police said she stole cosmetics from Sephora at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove. She was charged with petit larceny.

That’s not my name
On May 18, Police arrested a 51-year-old woman from Commack after they said she filled out paperwork with someone else’s information at the Department of Motor Vehicles in Medford. She was charged with first-degree offering a false instrument for filing.

Heroin in a Honda
A 26-year-old woman from Centereach was arrested on May 18 after police said she had heroin on her while driving a 2004 Honda on Cheryl Drive in Ronkonkoma. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Not so fast
On May 18, a 42-year-old man from Kings Park was arrested after police said he rear-ended a 2015 Ford van on Route 110 while driving a 2004 Honda, and then fled the scene. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.

Goodbye
Police said an unknown person stole a phone from a 2005 Honda Accord parked at the Stonebridge Golf Links & Country Club in Smithtown on May 21.

Slash and Dash
On May 21, an unknown person slashed two tires on a 2015 Hyundai parked in the Fairfield apartment complex in Commack.

Pool hoppers
Police said someone damaged the pool liner of a pool at a residence on Colgate Drive in St. James on May 21.

You’ve got no mail
On May 21, an unknown person stole a mailbox from a residence on Hoffman Lane in Hauppauge.

Lego my Legos
At Toys “R” Us on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove, an unknown person stole five Lego sets on May 19.

Hopeless house
A 75-year-old man from Mount Sinai entered Hope House Ministries on High Street in Port Jefferson on May 20 and remained there to sleep in the lobby, according to police. He was arrested and charged with third-degree criminal trespassing.

Did I hit something back there?
At about 5:30 p.m. on May 19, a 23-year-old man from East Patchogue driving a Lincoln Aviator on Route 25A in Mount Sinai collided with an unoccupied 2007 GMC parked near the intersection of Chestnut Street and fled the scene, police said. He was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an incident with property damage.

Pot possession
On May 18 at about 1 p.m., a 28-year-old man from Mount Sinai seated in the driver’s seat of a 1997 Nissan on North Ocean Avenue was found to have marijuana, according to police. He was arrested and charged with unlawful possession.

Not on probation anymore
A 42-year-old man from Selden was arrested near a home on the corner of College Road and Linden Street at about 2 a.m. on May 19 for violating the conditions of his probation, police said.

Go to sleep
Near the corner of Belford Lane and Stuyvesant Drive in Selden at about 3:30 a.m. on May 19, police said a 49-year-old man driving a 2001 Toyota was pulled over. He was arrested and charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

Pay your own bills
A 41-year-old man from East Islip paid three different bills, including a LIPA utility bill and an American Express credit card bill, using someone else’s stolen account information from his home on Sherry Street at about noon on Jan. 21, police said. He was arrested on May 18 in Selden and charged with two counts of first-degree identity theft and one count of second-degree identity theft.

Gadgets stolen from CVS
On April 8 at about 12:30 p.m., a 24-year-old woman from Medford stole a polarized digital camera and two Garmin GPS devices from CVS Pharmacy on Horseblock Road in Medford, according to police. She was arrested on May 18 in Selden and charged with petit larceny.

Stolen ATV recovered
A 16-year-old from Farmingville was found to possess a 2013 Honda all-terrain vehicle on April 25 that had previously been reported stolen, police said. He was arrested on May 18 and charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Dodge drives off
A 2000 Dodge Caravan containing assorted mechanic tools parked outside of a home on Flower Lane in Centereach was stolen at about 11 p.m. on May 20, according to police.

Mexican food munchies
On May 19 at about 4:30 p.m., two women from Selden, a 21-year-old seated in the driver’s seat and an 18-year-old seated in the passenger seat of a Ford Taurus parked outside Blue Tortilla Fresh Mexican Grille, possessed marijuana and a prescription drug, according to police. They were arrested and each charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Jewelry jacked
Someone stole jewelry from a home on Hawkins Road in Selden at about noon on April 30, police said. A police report was filed on May 21.

At least he smells good
A 63-year-old man from Port Jefferson stole 10 bottles of perfume from CVS Pharmacy on Main Street in Port Jefferson at about 1 p.m. on May 21, according to police. He was arrested on May 23 and charged with petit larceny.

Glass bottle breaks glass
Someone broke the rear window of a 2015 Jeep with a glass bottle at about 2 a.m. on May 18 while it was parked on Main Street in Port Jefferson, according to police.

House fire kills Centereach man
A 50-year-old man from Centereach was found dead in his home on Minerva Lane after neighbors called 911 when they heard an explosion and saw flames coming from the home at about 2:30 p.m. on May 18, police said. Suffolk County police homicide detectives and the arson section are investigating the incident, though the fire is not believed to be criminal in nature.