Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives arrested an employee of a home for individuals
with disabilities on June 11 for assaulting a resident of the facility earlier this month.
Representatives from the Developmental Disabilities Institute, located at 99 Hollywood Drive in
Smithtown, contacted police on June 3 and reported a non-verbal adult resident with Down syndrome
was found to have facial lacerations and a swollen lip at the facility on June 2. Following an
investigation, employee Raliek Leonard was observed on camera pushing the victim into a room causing
him to strike his head on the floor at approximately 1:10 p.m. on June 2.
Leonard, 28, of Central Islip, was charged with Endangering the Welfare of an Incompetent or Physically Disabled Person, a felony, and Assault 3rd Degree, a misdemeanor. Leonard is being held overnight at the Sixth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a June 12.
Leonard is currently suspended from his position at the facility and an independent investigation is being conducted by the Justice Center for the Protection of People With Special Needs.
Why do we go to baseball games? Oooh, pick me! Pick me! I can answer. Of course you can. You’re writing this piece. Okay, let’s talk about the appeal of baseball.
First of all, there’s the potential for anything baseball related to happen. I might see a triple play, a no hitter, a perfect game, four home runs in a row, eight consecutive strike outs, or something other collections of fans have either never seen or rarely witnessed.
We recently attended a minor league game in which two runners scored on a sacrifice fly to deep center field.
Baseball is an endless series of what-if moments, as in, what if the batter hits the ball to third base with runners on first and third and one out. Is it hit hard enough for a double play based on the speed of the runners, the score at the time, and the movement of the runner on third?
The combination of athleticism and strength bring different qualities to the game. Sure, people who are big and muscular can hit a ball hard, but can they get a good jump when they’re running from first or second base, can they cover a larger strike zone, and can they be satisfied with a single or double instead of a towering home run?
Then, there’s the aesthetic appeal of the stadiums, with bright lines going out from home plate to the outfield, defined base paths, and a shimmering outfield grass (if it’s real grass), where fleet-footed fielders race to track down balls.
Two questions immediately occur to me as I reach my seat. The first is how good the view is relative to the field. Can I see pitches clearly? Can I track balls from home plate to all parts of the field?
The second is whether I’m in prime foul ball territory. Admittedly, that’s a tougher question to answer, especially with all the screens that have now gone up around the infield.
There is something about balls flung from these fields of dreams that imbues them with a power far in excess of their raw materials. Is it the perfect weight in our hands? Is it the feel of the gently raised seams? Or, perhaps, it’s the combination of the white hard outer layer, the red seams, and the blue from the logo, the official major league baseball lettering and the signature of current commissioner Robert Manfred, Jr.
Sure, free stuff in general is fun to catch, but something about these baseballs makes bringing them home particularly rewarding, giving us a physical connection to the game.
Maybe it’s the stories we can tell about how the baseball came from a particular hitter or a specific game. Or maybe the balls, like the game itself, contain within them the power of the what-if.
Have you ever seen people after they’ve caught a ball at a game? They can’t help smiling, often examining it closely, as they look for where a bat struck it or where it rolled across the grass or dirt.
Tossing a ball to a particularly vociferous or angry fan could serve as a pacifier. Yeah, your team is losing by 12 runs, and yes, you could have done a better job at everything because you’re that much more knowledgeable about the game than everyone else, but you have a baseball in your hand. How cool is that?
The balls from America’s pastime are like us. They may have similar qualities or look and feel the same, but they can and will be unique in and of themselves and as a part of a game. They could be the central part of a double play, the main character soaring through the air on a walk off home run, or the 18th pitch of a tremendous 21 pitch at bat.
These balls carry magic and hope.
And, yes, if you’re wondering why I’m so rhapsodic, I caught a ball at the aforementioned minor league game. A third base coach knocked down a foul ball and tossed it directly at me in the stands. When I caught it, I handed it to my daughter, excited to share this small piece of baseball and personal history with my family and now with you. It’s just a ball and yet it’s so much more.
Wednesday was National Corn on the Cob Day, and when I saw that, I began to salivate because I love that vegetable. We are now coming into the season when the kernels are sweet with or without butter and salt.
Everyone eats corn differently, it seems, if you watch people devouring the offering. I bite the corn from the cob as if I were using an old fashioned typewriter, meaning in a single row from left to right. I’ll eat one row, then go back, as if I were slinging a typewriter carriage to the next line, and chew straight above the first.
Others turn the cob so that they are eating in a circular fashion, one circle precisely after the other in a geometric display. Still others just plow right in, chewing wherever their teeth land. They eventually clean off the whole cob.
I guess one could tell a lot about the corn eater’s personality by watching the pattern of consumption from the cob.
My favorite corn on the cob story takes place in the late 1940s on a freezing January day. My dad, who grew up in the mountains and loved the cold, brisk air, would put on his heavy winter coat and take my mother, my brother, my sister and me to Coney Island.
It was always on a Sunday, when he had off from work. The ride tickled my mother, who thought it was an extraordinary price on the subway for the same 15 cent token that one paid just to go one stop, so that typically would be part of the conversation on the trip to Brooklyn from our apartment in Midtown Manhattan.
When we emerged from underground, the wind and cold would initially take our breaths away, but before long, we acclimated. We followed my dad down to the beach and watched the wild waves plunge into the shore with a roar and lots of foam, then recede meekly only to repeat the fury. It was Nature showing its dramatic face.
It was also intensely cold.
After a few minutes of beach walking, we would head toward Nathan’s Hot Dog stand, one of the few stores open in the winter. This one Sunday, we were in for a surprise. In the narrow alley between Nathan’s and the next building was a man with a cauldron on what I guess was an electric burner, steam pouring from the pot. As we drew near, we could see butter, salt and napkins on the stand.
When my dad cleared a hole in the steam and peered into the pot, he expressed some happy surprise. “Where did you get corn on the cob in January?” he queried the man holding the tongs.
“They are in the frozen food section of some of the supermarkets,” the man explained. Frozen foods were just beginning to appear in markets at that time.
“Do they taste the same?” my dad asked.
“Try one,” the fellow offered and plucked one from the boiling water, putting it on a piece of white paper.
When it had cooled enough to bite into the cob, my dad approved the purchase and we all ate those steaming corn with butter and salt, crowding around the cauldron for warmth. I still remember those corn as the sweetest as any I had ever tasted in the summer.
Captain Corcoran (Chris Jurak, left) is shocked to learn that his daughter Josephine (Kara Vertucci) has fallen in love with common sailor Ralph Rackstraw (Aaron Mor) in a scene from the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s 2025 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore. (Photo by Delaney R. Page. Copyright 2025 The Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island.)
H.M.S. Pinafore, the classic comic opera that made Gilbert & Sullivan world famous almost 150 years ago, returns to Long Island in the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s all-new 2025 production, coming to the Star Playhouse at Suffolk Y/JCC on Sunday, June 29 at 3 p.m., in a full production with orchestra and chorus.
Little Buttercup (Delaney R. Page) flirts with Captain Corcoran (Chris Jurak) in a scene from the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island’s 2025 production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore. (Photo by Delaney R. Page. Copyright 2025 The Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island.)
H.M.S. Pinafore—which debuted in 1878, with book and lyrics by W.S. Gilbert and music by Arthur Sullivan—is among the most beloved of all the Gilbert & Sullivan operas, with its combination of sparkling lyrics, beautiful music and satirical dialogue. The current production is the Light Opera Company’s first since 2015.
The comical plot centers on the love story of Josephine, the Captain’s heart-driven daughter, who is torn between devotion and duty. She is betrothed to the wealthy, high-ranking politician Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Navy (a post equivalent to the American Secretary of the Navy), but her heart yearns for the lowly, earnest and strangely eloquent sailor, Ralph Rackstraw. As the sinister Dick Deadeye warns them, love across the boundaries of rank is unheard of, but will he take measures to thwart the lovers? The love story is mirrored by the cheerful shipboard saleswoman Little Buttercup, who hints at a dark secret and a furtive love of her own. Can the Captain steer this ship safely through this maelstrom of emotion?
Anne Elise Teeling of Brooklyn sings Josephine and Aaron Mor of Forest Hills sings Ralph. Chris Jurak of Hempstead is Captain Corcoran, with Chris Diamond of Glen Cove as the supercilious Sir Joseph. Ian Joyal of New Hyde Park plays the scheming Dick Deadeye, with Henry Horstmann of Lindenhurst as the good-natured Bos’n’s mate, and David Aubrey of Great Neck as the phlegmatic Carpenter’s Mate. Delaney R. Page of Lynbrook plays the secretive Little Buttercup, with Mary DeMarco Lee of Huntington as Sir Joseph’s bumptious Cousin Hebe. The director is David Macaluso and the music director is Northport’s Isabella Eredita Johnson, with Michael C. Haigler conducting.
“H.M.S. Pinafore is buoyant,” says Macaluso, a Gilbert & Sullivan expert who has been seen frequently with the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players and other companies. “It has an effervescent story with heart, and our talented cast brings these colorful characters to life through a trove of quintessential G&S songs. H.M.S. Pinafore was a global phenomenon when it premiered, and its combination of exciting music and comic wit have charmed audiences for 147 years, it’s as bright as ever. We’re having a great time polishing this gem.”
The score for HMS Pinafore is full of classics, ranging from Sir Joseph’s self-congratulatory “When I Was a Lad” to the Captain’s strutting “I Am the Captain of the Pinafore,” with its famous “What, never? Well, hardly ever!” refrain. There’s Ralph’s captivating “A Maiden Fair to See,” Josephine’s thrilling scena “The Hours Creep on Apace” and sailors’ close-harmony trio, “A British Tar Is a Soaring Soul” – not to mention Buttercup’s signature “I’m Called Little Buttercup” and the Bos’n’s patriotic “He Is an Englishman.”
“There’s something for everyone,” Macaluso concludes. “The real secret isn’t what Buttercup reveals at the end, the real secret is the way Gilbert and Sullivan seem to come together so closely that it’s as if the show was penned by one person. H.M.S. Pinafore has been a favorite with American audiences since the day it premiered on these shores, and I think it always will be.”
H.M.S. Pinafore will be presented on Sunday, June 29 at 3 p.m. at the Star Playhouse at Suffolk Y/JCC, at 74 Hauppauge Road in Commack. Admission is $35 at the door (seniors/students $30), $30 in advance (seniors/students $20). For further information, call (516) 619-7415 or visit https://gaslocoli.org/tickets.
After the record-breaking flood of last August, an heirloom of our community fell to ruins and has yet to reconnect with the scenic roads that we are so lucky to take every day. In light of the destruction of the beautiful and historic Mill Pond in Stony Brook and Stump Pond in Smithtown, members of the community have shared an outpouring of public support and togetherness in rebuilding our local history in the past week. At the Mill Pond, residents describe feeling stranded by administrative gridlock; but perhaps it does not have to be disheartening.
As the weather finally warms, we are looking to fill the mill-shaped gaps in our hearts, which we can do by visiting and honoring our island’s other beautiful parks. We can celebrate our rich Native American and colonial history at equally evocative and inspiring sites duringthese sun-kissed summer days.
Containing the only remaining wooden cottage part of the beach, West Meadow Beach Path offers a 2.3-mile paved stroll through the wetlands reserve, complete with local wildlife infographics, a scenic overlook at still-standing 1876 Gamecock Cottage, and a historic building constructed for storage of oars and row boats. West Meadow Beach Path eases us from the nostalgia of the wooded, breezy salt marsh at dusk to the citrus sunsets met by the water, with terrapins, herons and bunnies searching for food or calling to each other between the reeds. At dusk, we may even spot deer up close in the brush.
At the Rocky Point Pine Barrens, archaeological evidence point to a minimum 12,000 year-long history of Native American presence in the area. The land that provided resources for hunting, gathering, and shelter now offers miles of hiking and biking trails and horseback riding. Visitors should keep an eye out for historical signage, landmarks and vegetation unique to the undeveloped land, enabling us to appreciate and respect our island’s pre-colonial history. Verdant and sprawling, the Rocky Point Pine Barrens is stimulating and invigorating as much as it is calming. A visit to the pine barrens connects us with those who called this place home long before we arrived.
Further west, Heckscher Park is the site of a former 19th-century estate bought by New York State. Within walking distance of Huntington Village, the park features the Heckscher Museum of Art, pond, walking paths, playground, tennis courts, ball field, public art and memorials in addition to the “Chapin Rainbow Stage” performing arts amphitheater, home of the Huntington Summer Music Festival. Heckscher Park bustles with joy and laughter; an “All-American” gem, a mine for summer-night nostalgia alongside new memories we can enjoy on picnic blankets.
Tracking our unique lineage and culture throughout the island is as important as fighting for what we’ve lost. We can create new memories and revel in small joys at other local treasures as wewait for the Mill Pond and Stump Pond to recover.
Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the death of a man who was pulled
from the water in Nissequogue on June 8.
Fourth Precinct and Marine Bureau officers responded to a report of a swimmer in distress off of Long
Beach Road at approximately 6:41 p.m. Eric Soloff was pulled from the water a short time later.
Soloff, 63, of Nissequogue, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was
pronounced dead.
Detectives are asking anyone with information on this incident to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-
6392.
The Michaels Companies, Inc. has successfully completed the acquisition of the intellectual property and private label brands of JOANN, including the development of the beloved Big Twist® brands as part of the Michaels portfolio, the company announced this week.
In addition, Michaels is expanding its fabric, sewing, and yarn assortment, adding over 600 products across new and existing brands, including sewing and quilting supplies, fabric, yarn, specialty threads, sewing machines, and more. The acquisition and expanded product assortment reflect progress as Michaels continues to reimagine the customer experience to become the go-to destination for fueling creativity and celebration.
“We’re honored to have the opportunity to welcome JOANN customers into our creative community and are committed to delivering the selection, value, and inspiration they are looking for at Michaels,” said David Boone, Chief Executive Officer at Michaels, in a press release on June 5. “This acquisition allows us to better serve both new and existing customers, respond to rising demand across categories, and build on our momentum as the destination for creating and celebrating in North America.”
Fabric Searches for ‘fabric’ on Michaels.com have increased by 77% over the past year and Michaels has responded by making a significant investment in the category, increasing the assortment in over 680 Stores, with plans for 280 more Stores this year. Michaels offers an extensive range of fabric with over 10,000 options available online. From vibrant cottons for quilting to versatile broadcloth for apparel and home decor, every creator now has access to an unparalleled selection of materials to bring their visions to life.
Sewing Stitching its way back into the spotlight, searches for ‘sewing’ have increased by 39% on Michaels.com since last year. Michaels is responding by expanding its selection of customer-loved brands starting this month to ensure every creator has access to the tools and materials they want, including:
Introducing new Brother® and SINGER® sewing machines
Adding 50+ new needle crafting kits from DMC® and Loops & Threads®
Debuting 10+ Pellon® stabilizers and interfacing, specialty scissors, and thread packs, with Pellon cut-to-order batting coming in August
Expanding assortment with new products from Clover, FISKARS®, Coats & Clark™, and VELCRO®
Welcoming best-selling Oliso® Smart Iron
Yarn Reflecting the growing resurgence in knitting, crocheting, and other fiber arts, Michaels is actively expanding its yarn assortment by 25% this year to meet soaring customer demand. From the most skilled crocheter to those picking up knitting needles for the first time, every level of crafter can now find what they are looking for at Michaels. Here’s what’s new:
Releasing over 60 new Loops & Threads offerings in-stores and online starting this month
Introducing new and expanding national brand collections from Red Heart®, Bernat®, and Lion Brand® this summer
Expanding best-selling Amigurumi kits with 12+ new seasonal offerings launching this holiday season
Welcoming beloved JOANN brands including Big Twist Value Plus, Big Twist Twinkle, Big Twist Posh and Big Twist Baby Bear, which are now being developed as part of Michaels portfolio of brands and will be available in-stores and online later this year
With many of these latest additions available now, knitters and sewists alike can shop in-store and online at Michaels.com. Additional products will continue to roll out throughout the year.
Special Welcome for JOANN Customers JOANN was a beloved destination for creators for generations, and Michaels is honored to serve this community with a dedicated landing page featuring the latest updates and a curated assortment of products.
The Michaels Companies, Inc. At The Michaels Companies Inc., our purpose is to fuel the joy of creativity. As the leading destination for creating and celebrating in North America, we operate over 1,300 stores in 49 states and Canada and online at Michaels.com and Michaels.ca. The Michaels Companies, Inc. also owns Artistree®, a manufacturer of custom and specialty framing merchandise. Founded in 1973 and headquartered in Irving, Texas, Michaels is the best place for all things creative. For more information, please visit www.michaels.com.
Author Tom Cassidy as a lifeguard at Rockaway Beach.
By Thomas M. Cassidy
The American Red Cross has three lifesaving principles, “Reach, Throw, Don’t Go.” Stand or lie down on solid ground and reach out with an object like a pole that the drowning person can grab so you can pull them to safety. Throw a flotation device toward a swimmer in distress to help them stay afloat and call for help. Don’t Go is a warning that people who jump in the water to rescue a drowning person put themselves at risk of drowning. Even lifeguards must be very careful when they rescue a panicked and distressed swimmer. As a former lifeguard let me explain:
The author’s son Kieran and his daughter Nikki in a swimming pool. Photo from Tom Cassidy
My first rescue occurred in the ocean at Rockaway Beach soon after my seventeenth birthday. I was working the late shift, and the next available lifeguard was two beaches away. It was early evening, and no one was on the beach. A few minutes before closing time, a woman puts her towel on the sand and walks into the water. Within a few minutes she was knocked down by a wave and the undertow was rapidly pulling her out to sea. She was desperately screaming for help!
I blew my whistle to get the attention of the nearest lifeguard and then swam to her. I told her I was a lifeguard, and she was safe. She stretched out her arm and I started to bring her close to me so I could swim her back to the beach. Suddenly in a desperate frenzy, she gripped both her arms around my neck so tight that I almost lost consciousness. We both sank to the bottom of the ocean, and she finally let go of my neck. I recovered quickly, and I was able to push both of us to the surface to get a breath of air.A lifeguard who heard my whistle arrived within minutes and helped me bring the nearly drowned woman safely to the beach.
Although lifeguards in the United States rescue 100,000 people every year, never assume that a lifeguard can see every swimmer in trouble. If you are struggling or see a distressed swimmer in the water, yell for help, and yell loudly!
Many people swim in pools, lakes and beaches with no lifeguard protection. For example, I was recently on vacation at a resort with five swimming pools and no lifeguards. I did a safety check and spotted the rescue pole and life preserver on the deck before my family went into the pool. Still, I was on high alert. Not for my five-year-old granddaughter who was always under the watchful eye of her parents, but the hundreds of other children and people in the pool.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that on an average day in America, there are 11 fatal and 22 non-fatal drownings. It only takes 20 to 60 seconds for a person to drown, so it’s important to always stay alert when people are bathing at beaches, lakes and pools. Above all, keep very watchful eyes on children, even when lifeguards are present. The CDC reports that for children ages 5 to 14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes.
A cool dip in a backyard pool or a refreshing swim at one of the beautiful beaches that surround Long Island is a great way to relax and chill out. President John F. Kennedy said it best, “When we go back to the sea, we are going back to whence we came.”
Author Thomas M. Cassidy, a former investigator, is writer and creator of the feature film, Manhattan South, which is in development. (ktpgproductions.com)
Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a two-vehicle crash that injured
multiple people, two of them seriously, in Smithtown on June 7.
Thomas Cahill was driving a 2020 Kia Optima northbound on Route 25A when a 2020 Honda CRV,
traveling westbound on River Heights Drive, made a left turn in front of the Kia, which caused the
vehicles to collide at 10:03 p.m.
Cahill, 46, and his passenger Michael Cahill, 9, both of Kings Park, were transported to Good Samaritan
University Hospital in West Islip for treatment of minor injuries.
All occupants of the Honda, residents of Middle Village in Queens, NY, were transported to Stony
Brook University Hospital. The driver, Pietro Colombo, 86, suffered minor injuries. The front
passenger, Veto Colombo, 56, was not injured. Two passengers in the back, Maria Colombo, 76, and
Rosalia Colombo, 78, suffered serious injuries. Another passenger in the back, Angela Colombo, 55,
suffered minor injuries.
Both vehicles were impounded for a safety check. Anyone with information on this crash is asked to
contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.
Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are investigating a two-vehicle crash that seriously
injured a driver and her two sisters in Lake Ronkonkoma on June 8.
Jesilynne Bauer was driving a 2010 Ford Focus southbound on Ronkonkoma Avenue, when the vehicle collided with a 2021 Jeep Gladiator traveling eastbound on the Long Island Expressway South Service
Road, at 6:28 a.m.
Jesilynne Bauer, 20, along with the two passengers in the Ford, Brooke Bauer, 19, and Madysen Bauer,
16, all of Centereach, were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious but
non-life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Jeep, Jay Perez, 27, of Shirley, and the passenger in the Jeep, Elizabeth Gutierrez, 54,
of Shirley, declined medical treatment at the scene. Both vehicles were impounded for a safety check. Any one with information on this crash is asked to contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.
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