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Donor Robert Frey shakes hands with the Suffolk Sharks mascot. Photo from Suffolk County Community College

A Belle Terre resident opened his wallet to give back to his alma mater last week, donating $1 million to Suffolk County Community College.

Robert Frey, through his Frey Family Foundation, made the gift as the college honored him during its annual Salute to Excellence Gala on May 5, for the foundation’s contributions to SCCC. The college said it was the largest gift from a graduate in its 58-year history.

“I tend to not do these things in the way that gets attention,” Frey said in a phone interview on Monday. But he said he thought the action would “trigger other people” to support the college.

SCCC President Shaun L. McKay, left, orders a $1 million check be unveiled. Photo from Suffolk County Community College
SCCC President Shaun L. McKay, left, orders a $1 million check be unveiled. Photo from Suffolk County Community College

Frey is a research professor at Stony Brook University and the director of its quantitative finance program, within the applied mathematics and statistics department, among other positions at SBU. He is also a businessman, serving as CEO of international investment management firm FQS Capital Partners Ltd. and of his family office, Harbor Financial Management.

He graduated from the college in 1978. His wife Kathy and daughter Megan also graduated from SCCC. After Suffolk, Frey went on to Stony Brook University, where he eventually earned a doctorate in applied mathematics.

“I never would have gotten started without Suffolk,” he said, which is why he wanted to give back.

He grew up in Brooklyn, a “lower middle class Irish-American whose access to education at a price he could afford changed his life.”

He said he hopes the $1 million will be used for capital improvements and scholarships, but he specifically “didn’t want to put too many restrictions on this” because he trusts the college officials’ judgment.

The donor “recognizes the transformative value of his foundation’s contribution and the impact it will have on the lives of our students,” college President Shaun L. McKay said in a statement. “We cannot thank him enough for his generosity and commitment to our institution.”

Frey’s name is familiar to more than just the Suffolk and SBU campus communities — he was previously a member of the Port Jefferson school board, before resigning in 2011 for health reasons. He was also once on the Mount Sinai school board when he lived in that community.

Donor Robert Frey signs the ceremonial check. Photo from Suffolk County Community College
Donor Robert Frey signs the ceremonial check. Photo from Suffolk County Community College

He has worked for his community in other ways as well.

The community college said he has also served on the boards of the nonprofit volunteer safety group The Alliance of Guardian Angels; the Port Jefferson-based nonprofit Hope House Ministries; the National Museum of Mathematics in New York City; the Suffolk Community College Foundation; and the Stony Brook Foundation.

This isn’t the first time the Frey Family Foundation has donated a large sum to a local institution — it has previously given to both Stony Brook University and John T. Mather Memorial Hospital.

In the case of Suffolk Community and why it deserved support, Frey stressed that the courses are high-caliber and the college cares about its students, many of whom would not have had access to advanced education or training without it.

“It does meet the needs of so many people,” he said. “There are probably few things … where your money is going to be used more effectively than in education.”

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Congressman Lee Zeldin, joined by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini, health professionals, community groups, parents, expresses his support for the package of bills coming to the House floor this week. File photo from Jennifer DiSiena

By Phil Corso

Congress is taking unprecedented steps to fight heroin and opioid abuse, and U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) brought the battle to Kings Park to spread the word.

In the company of other lawmakers and activists, Zeldin spoke at VFW Post 5796 last Thursday to discuss a package of bipartisan legislation the congressman has been pushing that addresses different angles of the disturbing upward trend in heroin and prescription opioid abuse on Long Island and across the country. The momentum from his stumping also helped propel several pieces of such legislation to a vote on the House floor by the following week.

The proposed legislation would review and update guidelines for prescribing opioids and pain medication, and require a report to Congress on the availability of substance abuse treatment in the country, among other provisions.

In his remarks last week, the congressman cited an alarming statistic from the Centers for Disease Control: more than 28,000 overdose deaths were recorded in 2014 as a result of heroin or opioid abuse — the highest number on record. Zeldin, who joined the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic in November, said Suffolk County recorded one of the highest rates of overdose deaths across the state, and needed a multi-pronged approach to address it.

“Next week, the House of Representatives is dedicating a full week to passing legislation aimed at addressing this epidemic, with a package of several bills to combat the growing heroin and opioid crisis,” Zeldin said. “Addiction and overdose deaths on Long Island and across our country are skyrocketing as a direct result of the increase in heroin and opioid abuse.”

In a phone interview, Zeldin said this was the first time the House had taken such unified measures to combat the problem, as its consequences were becoming impossible to ignore. The congressman used strong language when outlining the heroin addiction problem to drive it home.

“The rates that overdoses are increasing, and the fact that it’s not isolated to any one kind of community, has led many to describe this as an epidemic,” he said.

Joining Zeldin was Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini, who has been working on the front lines of the addiction problem, as Suffolk County suffered 103 fatal heroin overdoses in 2015 alone — more than double its neighboring Nassau County, which recorded 50. Sini also used the term “epidemic” to describe the fight he and his fellow officers have been facing.

“The heroin epidemic that our nation is facing is the number one public health and public safety issue here in Suffolk County,” Sini said. “Partnerships between local law enforcement and our federal representatives is a crucial tool in the battle against this scourge.”

And North Shore natives who felt the hurt of that “epidemic” stood beside Zeldin and Sini to throw their support behind legislative resolutions. Kim Revere, president of the Kings Park in the kNOw Community Coalition, and Linda Ventura, founder of the Thomas’ Hope Foundation, both said there were several different approaches lawmakers must take to address addiction, from prevention to rehabilitation.

“I believe wholeheartedly that prevention should begin at home,” said Revere, referring to the legislation as a wakeup call. “I am seeing many adults abusing alcohol and [prescription] drugs and that does not bode well for our children. I would like to see permanent evidence-based prevention programs implemented in school grades kindergarten through 12.”

Ventura, whose son Thomas died at age 21 from a drug overdose four years ago, said measures like Narcan, a medication which is administered to help reverse the effects of a heroin overdose, were important but not the only tool emergency responders should lean on.

“The United States needs to commit every resource imaginable to fight this insidious disease. The lifesaving tool Narcan needs to be accessible to all concerned to help save a life in the interim of an overdose to find treatment,” she said. “Treatment needs to be the appropriate level of care at the earliest intervention possible. Prevention — we must start educating and empowering our youngest of children with coping skills, relaxation techniques and communication skills.”

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By Elana Glowatz

Desperate times call for desperate budget measures.

For the first time in four years, a northern Suffolk County school district is taking aim at its tax levy cap, looking to bust through that state budget ceiling as more districts around New York do the same in tight times.

The New York State School Boards Association said the number of school districts seeking a supermajority of voter approval — 60 percent — to override their caps has doubled since last year. The group blames that trend on inflation.

tax-cap-graphicwThe state cap limits the amount a school district or municipality can increase its tax levy, which is the total amount collected in taxes, from budget to budget. While commonly referred to as a “2 percent tax cap,” it actually limits levy increases to 2 percent or the rate of inflation — whichever is lower — before certain excluded spending, like on capital projects and pension payments.

This year, the rate of inflation was calculated at just 0.12 percent and, after other calculations, the statewide average for an allowed tax levy increase will be 0.7 percent, according to NYSSBA.

“The quirks and vagaries of the cap formula mean it can fluctuate widely from year to year and district to district,” Executive Director Timothy G. Kremer said in a statement.

More school districts are feeling the pressure — a NYSSBA poll showed that 36 districts will ask voters to pass budgets that pop through their caps, double the number last year.

It may be easier said than done: Since the cap was enacted, typically almost half of proposed school district budgets that have tried to bust through it have failed at the polls. That’s compared to budgets that only needed a simple majority of support, which have passed 99 percent of the time since the cap started.

In 2012, the first year for the cap in schools, five districts on Suffolk’s North Shore sought to override it, including Mount Sinai, Comsewogue, Three Village, Rocky Point and Middle Country. Only the latter two were approved, forcing the others to craft new budget proposals and hold a second vote.

Middle Country barely squeaked by, with 60.8 percent of the community approving that budget, and Comsewogue just missed its target, falling shy by only 33 votes.

Numbers from the school boards’ association that year showed that more Long Island school districts had tried to exceed their caps and more budgets had failed than in any other region in the state.

But four years later, Harborfields school district is taking a shot.

Officials there adopted a budget that would increase its tax levy 1.52 percent next year, adding full-day kindergarten, a new high school music elective and a BOCES cultural arts program, among others. Harborfields board member Hansen Lee was “optimistic” that at least 60 percent of the Harborfields community would approve the budget.

“We’re Harborfields; we always come together for the success of our kids and the greater good,” Lee said.

The school boards’ association speculated that more school districts than just Harborfields would have tried to pierce their levy caps if not for a statewide boost in aid — New York State’s own budget increased school aid almost $25 billion, with $3 billion of that going specifically to Long Island.

Now that New York school districts have settled into the cap, Long Islanders’ eyes are on Harborfields, to see whether it becomes an example of changing tides.

Next Tuesday, Harborfields will see if it has enough public support to go where few Long Island districts have ever gone before, above and beyond the tax levy cap.

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The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program’s future at Mount Sinai may be nonexistent if the school can’t get the necessary funding. File photo by Barbara Donlon

By Kevin Redding

In 2013, the Mount Sinai School District and Port Jefferson School District partnered up for a new college-level program that would give their high school students an opportunity to study a wide range of science-oriented subjects and utilize the available resources at Stony Brook University.

The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program was set up largely due to the efforts of the districts’ superintendents, Gordon Brosdal of Mount Sinai and Kenneth Bossert of Port Jefferson, and New York State Senator Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) — who helped fund the program through grants since its inception. Now entering its third year, the STEM program — which consists of about 20 bright students in total from both high schools and lasts a few weeks each semester — includes four workshops, covering a wide range of topics that include botany, physics, computer modeling, electrical engineering and penguin research. Students get early on-campus experience at Stony Brook University, working under professors and advisers, and learning to apply their skill sets through research and hard work to make an impact on the world.

“Beyond just the cool things and getting us passionate about science, it’s taught us [amazing] life skills,” says Ben May, a junior at Mount Sinai who’s been in the program for two and a half years. “When I came to high school, I wanted to [pursue] politics. What these courses have taught me is that not only could I help the world by passing legislation, but that I could pass laws based on my knowledge of science, and the environmental issues I’ve learned, to help the general population.”

Even though the program itself is extremely beneficial, its future is not quite secured.

After New York State passed the Smart Schools Bond Act of 2014, which allocated $2 billion for school districts in the state to help provide students with the most up-to-date educational technology like Apple computers and tablets in the classroom, mostly in anticipation for online testing, LaValle’s grant for STEM per school district took a drop: $25,000 became $12,500. Since the program is not funded by the district’s budget, the two school districts pay for it themselves from the money LaValle supplies them. Without LaValle’s additional funding, the school districts must put it up to a budget vote, leaving the decision of whether to keep the program going or not to people who may not fully appreciate what the program does.

According to Brosdal, the trimmed funding might get them through the year, but it’s still worrisome. There’s also added uncertainty when it comes to the continued partnership between Mount Sinai and Port Jefferson — their transportation splits are making the program very costly. Bossert is leaving Port Jefferson to become superintendent at Elwood school district, and there’s no guarantee that his replacement will share his views on the importance of the STEM program.

“We rely on [Port Jefferson] and we’ve enjoyed this relationship with them, but the new superintendent might have different priorities,” Brosdal said. “You never know, and we don’t know if LaValle is going to continue the funding. That was a warning sign last year when our funds were cut in half.”

Brodsal said he hopes the funding does not end, because if it was unsuccessful from the start, he believes Stony Brook would have cancelled it instead.

“They wouldn’t let us back on the campus if they didn’t see that the money went to good use, but they do, and it’s a good experience, so I’m hoping it continues,” he said. “I would love to continue the STEM program, but if that’s not possible, I’d like to give money to form a science research club first, before we make a science research class. … to see if we have student interest. That’s my plan at present.”

Brosdale will meet with LaValle at the end of the week for an update on the funding situation, as well as find out who will be the new superintendent at Port Jefferson.

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Students at Mount Sinai Middle School engage with one another in a discussion about why it is important to read books. Photo by Desirée Keegan

“I am a genius.”

That’s what public speaker Kevin Powell instructed the seventh- and eighth-graders inside the Mount Sinai Middle School auditorium to stand up and repeat as they applauded one another in an effort to learn about diversity.

“What you get with young people is just this energy,” Powell said. “They’re open to listening, but also expressing themselves and evolving. I just wish I had those kinds of conversations when I was a teenager because it would’ve saved me a lot of angst and a lot of stress from all of the stuff that I went through. Those young people inside that auditorium were brilliant.”

Guidance counselor John Grossman said he first listened to Powell speak about a month ago in Bay Shore during a writer’s conference. Because the students in his seventh-grade peer support program were recently creating family trees and learning about diversity, he said he thought Powell’s message was perfect for the time.

“His message is one that encapsulates what we want to do with our peer support program, what we want to see and how we want to see our kids interact with each other and how we want to see our community grow together, as opposed to dividing itself,” he said. “That’s the influence for bringing Kevin in.”

He said he also thought that with the warmer weather comes more hostility and aggressiveness; and with the country’s hostile political climate the message was also one that would serve kids well at this time.

“Labels are being thrown around all the time by certain candidates and there are kids here that see that and identify with some of those groups,” Grossman said. “Kids are being affected by what they see on television. We want to bring some compassion to each other where there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of it out in the news these days.”

As Powell entered the room, he immediately began engaging with the kids. Instead of giving them a 40-minute lecture, he asked students questions, passed around the microphone and invited some to come up on stage with him.

Public speaker Kevin Powell talks to Mount Sinai seventh- and eight-graders inside the auditorium. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Public speaker Kevin Powell talks to Mount Sinai seventh- and eight-graders inside the auditorium. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Several students volunteered to address the room, and each was asked to not only tell the audience about their background and what they want in their future but to explain what diversity means to them.

Isabella, of Portuguese decent, said she wants to be a singer. She said she thinks that diversity is each person’s uniqueness, and that it shouldn’t be a deterrence.

“We’re all different, but even though we’re all different in our own ways we shouldn’t be treated differently,” she said, adding that learning about her background and the language has helped her grow closer with some of her family that lives in Portugal and doesn’t speak English.

Luca said she sees diversity as a puzzle.

“Each country has its own puzzle piece and as one we fit a puzzle of the world,” she said. “We have to teach kids about how we’re all different, but how we should be proud of it. There should be awareness of where we came from.”

Powell, an only child, said his family moved to Jersey City from the south, where he lived in poverty with his single mother. He said that he would’ve never guessed this would be his life’s work.

“My work is rooted in love,” he said. “I never thought I’d be doing anything like this. I’m a poor kid from the ghetto, and I was just happy to get out of Jersey City and go to college on a financial aid package, but I do feel tremendously blessed and I believe you have a responsibility to give back to people.”

Luis, who said he wants to be an astronomer, had a meaning for diversity that struck a chord with the entire room, believing that it offers more information to the world.

“Diversity is small variations and differences that each person has that makes the world a lot more interesting,” he said. “It offers new information to look at and it offers an opportunity to understand people in a much deeper way.”

But, as Powell agreed, Luis said you first need to learn about yourself.

“Make sure that you know yourself, you know where you come from, you know things about you that make you unique, and then learn about other people,” he said. “Because that’ll give you the experience and the skills you need to learn about other people.”

Besides talking about diversity on the whole, Powell also spoke to the kids about how women should be treated as equals, how not to judge a book by its cover, and to be proud of who you are and where you came from.

Mount Sinai Middle School Principal Pete Pramataris said he agreed, telling the smaller peer support group in a session after the presentation that he used to be made fun of and be ashamed of his Greek heritage.

“Do some homework and be more comfortable with who you are,” he told the students.

Powell said he loves doing what makes him happy, adding that to him, it doesn’t feel like work.

“I can see it in young people’s eyes when they’re paying attention; when they feel someone is actually listening to them and their voices matter,” he said. “This generation has been exposed to stuff that we couldn’t even imagine and it’s my job to be a bridge or a facilitator. I’m not going to go up there and give an hour lecture. I want to let them know that I hear them and that I believe in them.”

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He can’t Champlain

A 27-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station was arrested on Champlain Street for having cocaine and heroin at about 6 p.m. on April 27, according to police. He was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Arden Place fight

On Arden Place in Port Jefferson, a 22-year-old man struck two people in the face at about 3 a.m. on May 1, police said. He was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree harassment.

Unlicensed crash

At about noon on April 29, a 48-year-old man from Centereach driving a 1991 GMC Suburban on North Coleman Road in Centereach was involved in a crash with another vehicle, according to police. The man was arrested when it was discovered he was driving without a license. He was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Bonnybill drug bust

A 27-year-old woman from Centereach was found to have oxycodone pain medication without a prescription on Bonnybill Drive at about 1 p.m. on April 28, police said. She was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Mall mischief

At about 9 p.m. on April 26, a 19-year-old man from Farmingville stole various electronics and jewelry from Centereach Mall, according to police. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Should have registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond

At Centereach Mall on April 5 at about 11 p.m., a 36-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man, both from Islip, stole multiple items, including a vacuum cleaner, a coffeemaker and an air purifier, police said. They were arrested in Selden on April 26 and each was charged with petit larceny.

Moto madness

A 51-year-old man from Centereach was driving a 1997 Kawasaki motorcycle on Middle Country Road in Selden with a revoked license at about 4 p.m. on April 29, according to police. He was arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Bathroom photographer stopped

At about 9 a.m. on April 27, a 37-year-old man from Bay Shore entered the bathroom at Smith Haven Mall, took out his cellphone, put it in picture-taking mode and reached the phone underneath an occupied stall, police said. It was not clear whether the suspect was in a men’s bathroom or a women’s bathroom at the time of the incident, but he was arrested and charged with second-degree unlawful surveillance.

Better late than never

An unknown person damaged a glass door and window screen at a home on Mount Sinai-Coram Road in Mount Sinai at about noon on Jan. 1, according to police. Owners of the home filed a police report on May 1.

Beach bandit

At Cordwood Landing County Park in Miller Place on April 30, an unknown person took jewelry and cash from a 2010 Jeep parked near the beach, police said.

TV waltzes out of Walmart

On April 30 at about 7:30 p.m., an unknown person put a television in a shopping cart at the Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket and left the store without paying, according to police.

Can you hear me now?

A cellphone charger and a phone battery were stolen from the Walmart at Centereach Mall at about 10 p.m. on April 28, police said.

Unhealthy theft

An employee at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson dropped their wallet in a hallway in the hospital at about 7 a.m. on April 29, police said. The wallet was taken and never returned.

Wax on, decals off

An unknown person ripped business decals off the front windows of Ultimate Taekwondo of Stony Brook at about 9 p.m. on April 27, according to police.

No mini-golfing at 2 a.m.

On April 28 at about 2 a.m., someone attempted to enter Tiki Action Park in Centereach, causing damage to a rear door, police said. The person was not able to enter the business.

Drills disappeared

A 20-year-old man from Lindenhurst stole fuel drills from the Home Depot at Independence Plaza in Selden at about 6:30 p.m. on April 24, according to police. He was arrested in Selden on April 28 and charged with petit larceny.

After-hours deli disturbance

The rear glass door at El Limeño deli on Main Street in Port Jefferson was cracked, though no entry was made, at about 10 p.m. on April 28, police said.

Almost pool season

An unknown person stole two pool cleaners from Leslie’s Pool Supplies in Centereach Mall at about 9 a.m. on April 25, according to police.

Bank robbed in St. James

An unknown man robbed a TD Bank on Lake Avenue in St. James on May 1. At approximately 2:35 p.m., police said the man approached a teller and displayed a note demanding cash, which the teller gave him. The suspect had the lower half of his face covered with a construction mask, and was described as a white male, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall with a medium build. He was wearing a brown-hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. Police said he fled the bank on foot.

The investigation is continuing, and detectives are asking anyone with information about this incident to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

Life’s not a beach

A 26-year-old man from Mastic Beach was arrested on April 30 after police said he was in possession of a controlled substance while inside a 2013 Hyundai on Bay Avenue in Ronkonkoma. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Taking the high road

On April 30 a 19-year-old woman from Medford was arrested after police said she had marijuana on her while driving a 2005 Nissan on Express Drive North in Islandia. She was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

I think she just left

Police said a 60-year-old woman from Lake Grove left the scene of a car crash involving her 2013 Hyundai on April 29 at 3:30 p.m. and did not give out her license or drivers insurance. She was charged with operating a vehicle and leaving the scene with property damage.

Now you see me, now you don’t

A 34-year-old man from Bohemia was arrested on April 28 after police said he crashed his 2010 Audi A5 into a 2011 Chevrolet while driving on Belle Avenue in Ronkonkoma, damaging the left side of the Chevrolet and fleeing the scene. He was charged with operating a vehicle and leaving the scene with property damage.

Knife-y situation

On April 27 a 22-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested after police said he held a knife up to a man while at a residence on Edgewood Avenue just after 4 p.m. He was charged with second-degree menacing with a weapon.

No license and drugs

Police said a 26-year-old man from Huntington had marijuana on him while driving a 2002 Lexus on Route 25 and Indian Head Road in Commack on April 27 with a suspended license. He was arrested and charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Doughnuts make me go nuts

A 29-year-old man from Kings Park was arrested on April 27 after police said he stole credit cards, gift cards and other assorted items from a Dunkin Donuts on Pulaski Road in Kings Park. He was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny.

So C-Lowe’s

On April 26 a 51-year-old man from Woodhaven was arrested at the 4th Precinct after police said he stole merchandise from Lowe’s on Sept. 4 and Oct. 7. He was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny valuing property more than $1,000.

You shall not pass

Police said a 25-year-old man from Centereach stood in the middle of Serpentine Lane in Islandia on April 25 stopping vehicles that were attempting to pass. He was arrested and charged with obstructing traffic.

Not keeping watch at 7-Eleven

Police said two male suspects stole assorted merchandise from 7-Eleven on Old Nichols Road in Islandia on April 30.

All for a slice of ‘za

On April 30, a 20-year-old man from Brooklyn was arrested after police said he used fraudulent credit cards to purchase gift cards, food and drinks from California Pizza Kitchen on Route 110 in Huntington. He was charged with petit larceny and second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Faking it

Police said a 28-year-old man from Brooklyn had marijuana on him on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington on April 30. He was arrested and taken to the 2nd Precinct where police said they discovered fraudulent credit cards on him. He was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Blurred lines

A 27-year-old woman from Greenlawn was arrested on May 1 after police pulled her over for speeding while driving a 2007 Hyundai on Arbutus Road in Greenlawn and said they discovered she was drunk. She was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Not buying what he’s selling

On April 30, a 33-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on Route 110 in Huntington Station after police said he had heroin in his possession. He was charged with third-degree possession of narcotic drugs with intent to sell.

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Miller Place's Alyssa Parrella moves around John Glenn’s Amelia Biancardi. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Miller Place dominated over visiting Elwood-John Glenn amid light rain Tuesday afternoon. The Panthers outscored their opponent 9-1 after 25 minutes of play in Division II girls’ lacrosse action, and despite the Knights scoring six goals in the second half, Miller Place was able to extinguish the rally and put the game away 17-7 to improve to 8-3 in the league and secure a solid playoff position.

The Panthers spread the scoring around in the first half, but senior Kristin Roberto led the way, as the midfielder and captain scored twice. Attacks Olivia Angelo, Julia Burns, Loren Librizzi and Allison Turturro each found the cage, as did midfielder Danielle Plunkett. The two other co-captains, junior midfielder Arianna Esposito and senior midfielder Alyssa Parrella, also split the pipes to dominate the game early.

Arianna Esposito cuts downfield for Miller Place. Photo by Bill Landon
Arianna Esposito cuts downfield for Miller Place. Photo by Bill Landon

Senior captain Amelia Biancardi scored the lone goal of the first half for the Knights 12 minutes into the contest.

To combat the deficit, Elwood-John Glenn head coach Janine Bright made a change in her team’s strategy for the second half. Bright said she knew Miller Place was a formidable opponent and that her team would have to fight from whistle to whistle for any chance of winning.

“We have to play a full 25 minute half — not just show up for six minutes in the first half, seven minutes in the second half — we have to play the entire game with full intensity from start to finish,” Bright said. “If we did that, today’s score could’ve been very different.”

Parrella opened the second half by lighting up the scoreboard with two quick goals — the first off an assist by Plunkett and then a solo shot for her hat trick goal, putting her team out front 11-1.

Miller Place head coach Thomas Carro said the leadership from his team’s captains is the reason for the team’s success this season.

“I think we’re peaking at the right time, and the girls are firing on all cylinders right now,” Carro said. “Their positive attitude on and off the field is just contagious. The girls are starting to believe in themselves and as a result of that, they can play with anybody this season.”

Biancardi, from a free position shot, scored again to make it a nine-point game with 16:03 left to play, but Parrella, unassisted, buried another one two minutes later to reopen the gap. Biancardi answered back at the 11:45 mark with a hat trick goal of her own, to bring the score to 12-3.

Miller Place's Loren Librizzi passes the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Miller Place’s Loren Librizzi passes the ball. Photo by Bill Landon

“In previous years, we’ve played them closer, but they played amazing today,” Biancardi said. “They have so much speed on that team and you could see the difference.”

After another Panthers goal, Biancardi struck again after circling the cage and slipping an underhand shot in for the score. On the Knights’ next possession, Biancardi fed the ball to Madisyn Hausch, who found the net as momentum began to shift.

“[The Knights] have a couple of really good players who are not afraid to take it to cage,” Roberto said. “We had to step up and put pressure on them because they can score. We couldn’t take them lightly at all.”

Victoria Tsangaris drove one home from the free position, followed by Hausch’s second goal a minute later, to shave the Panthers’ lead to 13-7, but the Panthers capped off the game by scoring four more goals.

“Early on they were beating us to the ball, so we had to step it up — they came at us strong,” Parrella said. “Everyone’s fighting to make playoffs and we knew that if we played our game we’d come out on top.”

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Francis Barrios mugshot from SCPD

A rapist was recently sentenced to 24 years in prison for an assault on a taxi driver this past winter.

Francis Barrios, 34, already a registered sex offender, pleaded guilty in March to raping the female driver after she picked him up one evening at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson.

During the Dec. 1 ride, authorities said, he beat and strangled her, causing the cab to crash into a fence on Mount Sinai-Coram Road in Mount Sinai. Then he sexually assaulted her, pulling her into the back seat and raping her.

Officers responded to the scene after a passing motorist called 911.

The Suffolk County Police Department has not identified the taxi company that the victim worked for, to protect her identity.

Police first identified Barrios as homeless, but the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office has since said he is from Middle Island. He has also been identified by the names Francis Berrios and Francisco Barrios.

The offender pleaded guilty to first-degree rape in late March, and was then sentenced in late April to 24 years incarceration, as well as 20 years of post-release supervision.

Barrios was previously convicted as a violent offender in Suffolk County, for first-degree attempted rape. According to the New York State sex offender registry, where he is listed as a Level 3 sexually violent offender, Barrios was convicted in November 2004 for sexual contact with a 12-year-old girl, who was described as a “non-stranger” to him. He was sentenced to 42 months in state prison for that crime.

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Jordan Ceccarini was recognized by the Miller Place board of education at a meeting last week for her remarkable accomplishments as a level 10 gymnast. From left: Nick Ceccarini, Nicholas Ceccarini, Jordan Ceccarini, Dawn Ceccarini and Athletic Director Ron Petrie. Front: Angelo Ceccarini. Photo by Alex Petroski

Gymnastics is grueling enough, even with the help and support of teammates and coaches. Sixteen-year-old Miller Place junior Jordan Ceccarini competes at the highest level for her age group with all of the pressure and physical toll that comes with gymnastics, minus that help and support. For her efforts, Ceccarini was honored by the district’s board of education at a meeting last week.

Miller Place doesn’t have a varsity gymnastics team. But beginning in eighth grade, Ceccarini represented Miller Place in competitions with the help of her outside club coach, Peter Neu.

“We wanted her to be a part of the school and participate in a sport, and this was the only way we could make that happen,” Jordan’s mom Dawn Ceccarini said. She and her husband Nick were extremely grateful for Superintendent Marianne Higuera’s and the board of education’s kind words about their daughter.

Ceccarini is a superstar in the local gymnastics world. She is classified as a level 10, the highest level of competition available for amateur gymnasts. The next step up is Olympic level. In 2013, as a level 9, she won the national championship for her age group in floor exercise. As a level 10, she placed ninth in the country on the balance beam, to go along with countless other state and regional accomplishments. In May, Ceccarini will travel to Texas to compete in nationals, representing the Northeastern region.

“I’m excited,” Ceccarini said. “I think winning is a little bit of a far reach, but I hope to place and do well.”

Her unassuming, humble outlook for a national tournament, which automatically implies a spot in the top 50 gymnasts in the country for her age group, was also noted by Miller Place athletic director Ron Petrie during the board of education meeting, along with her rare talent.

“That is just something that is not only unbelievable and impressive, we haven’t had something like this come to Miller Place since I’ve been here,” Petrie said. He’s served as the district’s athletic director since 2015, though he has taught and coached football at Miller Place since 2000.

Ceccarini, or “Momo,” as her mom said she’s also known, started doing gymnastics when she was 2 years old, at “mommy and me” classes, though it was around seventh grade that her mom said she might be special. Her five days per week, four hours per day practice schedule has netted Ceccarini a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh after she graduates from Miller Place in 2017. It has also cost her some normal 16-year-old social activities, like attending prom this year, though Ceccarini seems to take everything in stride, with the help of a competitive fire that both her mom and athletic director recognize.

Though she competed without the benefit of a coach or a team, Ceccarini’s time at Miller Place will not be forgotten after she leaves.

“I have no doubt that one day Jordan will be inducted into the Miller Place Athletic Hall of Fame as a result of her athletic achievements,” Higuera said.

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Anna Throne-Holst. Photo by Phil Corso

By Phil Corso

The Democrats’ race to regain the 1st Congressional District is on, as a former Southampton Town supervisor has stepped up to challenge for the red seat.

Anna Throne-Holst photo by Phil Corso
Anna Throne-Holst photo by Phil Corso

Anna Throne-Holst had a potential final term at the head of Southampton’s town board, but declined to run so she could free herself up for a congressional campaign. She, along with Setauket native Dave Calone, will face off in a federal primary on June 28 to determine who will run against freshman U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) in November.

Zeldin unseated six-term Democrat Tim Bishop by a wide margin — 54 percent of the vote to 45 percent — in a contentious election back in 2014, and saw Democratic challengers stepping up to reclaim the spot within a matter of months. Throne-Holst entered the race in the latter half of 2015 and has been aggressive in her attacks against the Republican lawmaker ever since.

In a sit-down with TBR News Media, Throne-Holst described Zeldin as a conservative, climate change-denier who votes largely along party lines.

“When we have legislators who are focusing on being destructive rather than constructive, I think it’s time to make a positive change,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of buyer’s remorse with Lee Zeldin. He has just voted straight down the line.”

Government tracking website GovTrack reported 45 percent of Zeldin’s 11 bills and resolutions had both Democratic and Republican cosponsors in 2015. The site also showed Zeldin cosponsored 116 bills and resolutions introduced by other members of Congress, rating his willingness to work with others to advance policy goals as second lowest among the New York delegation.

Jennifer DiSiena, a spokeswoman for Zeldin, said Zeldin has pursued an aggressive agenda on behalf of his constituents on Long Island, working to protect America’s security at home and abroad, help grow the economy, support veterans and first responders, improve the quality of education, repair the nation’s infrastructure and safeguard the environment.

“Congressman Zeldin has been working all day, every day across party lines, delivering results on important issues facing his constituents,” DiSiena said in a statement. “He has been recognized as the top freshman Republican likely to co-sponsor legislation with members of the opposite party.

“Congressman Zeldin believes the climate has always been changing. Instead of taking a position on so many issues that matter most to NY-1 voters, these two Democratic candidates are desperately trying to distract and deflect, to throw up anything at all against the wall to see what politically charged attack can stick.”

Throne-Holst said she had a proven track record while serving in elected office that could translate to the national level.

Before entering public office, Throne-Holst co-founded the Hayground School — an elementary school dedicated to supporting children with different learning needs. After serving as a councilwoman, she was the first Democrat to be elected supervisor in Southampton since 1993, overcoming a heavy red-leaning electorate on the East End. She touted her experience as supervisor working to reduce spending and help the town achieve a AAA bond rating. She worked closely with Stony Brook University, helping to secure funding for a clean water research center and seeking ways to improve Long Island’s septic system technologies. She also said she supported bipartisan efforts to preserve Southampton’s shorelines, resulting in the saving of 1,200 acres of open space.

She has garnered support from some of the Democratic Party’s biggest players, including Bishop, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and longtime incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington), who Throne-Holst said was pivotal in convincing her to run.

“Anna is exactly what we need in Congress,” Israel said in an email. “She has strengthened the community with job creation and launched economic growth with downtown revitalization.”

If elected, Throne-Holst would be the first woman to represent the 1st District, which covers virtually the entirety of eastern Long Island from Smithtown outward.

Her campaign has raised close to $1.1 million, compared to Calone’s $907,000.

Her Democratic opponent has collected key endorsements too — from State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), Brookhaven Town Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station), Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Sag Harbor) and East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell (D). In a previous interview, Calone, who has never held elected office, said his hands-on experience helping Long Island businesses thrive was a driving force behind his decision to run. He works as CEO of Jove Equity Partners LLC, a venture capital firm that helps start and build technology companies.

“This area was a great place to grow up and a lot of my classmates have already left and don’t come back,” he said in June 2015. “We need to be a leader in the economy of New York and worldwide.”

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