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From left, Olivia Santoro, Daphne Marsh, Victoria Daza, Aaron Watkins-Lopez and Blanca Villanueva, representing advocacy groups for education funding delivered a petition to Sen. John Flanagan’s Smithtown office Wednesday. Photo by Alex Petroski

A small group of people carried the voices of thousands of New Yorkers standing up for the students across the state.

Activists representing four New York State and Long Island groups in support of education funding — especially for low income districts — dropped off a petition with more than 9,000 signatures from across New York to state Sen. John Flanagan’s (R-East Northport) office in Smithtown Wednesday. Those in support of the petition pledged their support for state Assemblymen Carl Heastie’s (D-Bronx) “millionaire tax bill,” which was introduced in February and proposed an increase in taxes to those who earn upwards of $1 million annually.

The petition was also in support of a full phase-in of the money still owed to pay off the Campaign for Fiscal Equity resolution, which ensured that $5.5 billion would be committed to mostly high-need districts in 2007, and was supposed to take effect over the course of four years. This was a result of a lawsuit started in 1993, which eventually reached the New York State Court of Appeals, which ruled that high-need districts were being neglected. About $781-million of that money is still owed to Long Island schools, according to advocates of the resolution.

The groups represented at Flanagan’s office included New York Communities For Change, Jobs With Justice, Long Island Progressive Coalition and Alliance for Quality Education as well as community members from across Long Island. Flanagan was not in his office, and a legal aide who took the petition declined to comment.

“We need to address the emotional, physical, social, needs of the child and the Senate has shown that they are not caring right now with the budget they have proposed,” said Blanca Villanueva, an organizer from Alliance for Quality Education. “We need them to represent us because they represent all of Long Island and all of New York State.”

The petition was also delivered to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s New York City office, Villanueva said.

Flanagan has said in the past that he is against the millionaire tax bill. He did not respond to a request for comment regarding the petition.

“As a constituent of Sen. Flanagan’s, I am calling on him to support the millionaire’s tax,” said Olivia Santoro, a member of the Long Island Progressive Coalition. “I valued my public school education and I want the same opportunity for students growing up in his district and across Long Island. That means that we need to fully fund our schools.”

On March 21, a group of about 40 wealthy New Yorkers in conjunction with the Fiscal Policy Institute and the Responsible Wealth Project sent an open letter to Cuomo in support of Heastie’s millionaire tax bill. Those in support included Steven C. Rockefeller and Abigail Disney, among others.

Flanagan’s proposed 2016-17 budget would eliminate the Gap Elimination Adjustment, which has cost districts across the state millions of dollars over the past several years in an effort to close a deficit. It also included almost $600 million for education, though Villanueva said at Flanagan’s office that it was not enough.

“We’ve got this Campaign for Fiscal Equity that we’ve been working very hard to support and we hope that [Sen. Flanagan] can stand with the students in making sure that they receive a quality education and the funding that’s necessary in order to deliver that,” Melissa Figueroa of New York Communities For Change said Wednesday. “We need this support, and I hope that he gets down with us.”

Figueroa is also running for a school board seat in Hempstead School District.

Signs held by those in support of the petition read, “Stand up 4 kids, NOT billionaires,” “Sen. Flanagan, who do you represent?” and “Millionaires Tax: Raise taxes on the 1% by 1% to raise billions for public school education.” The petition was launched on ColorOfChange.org, an organization dedicated to fighting institutional racism.

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Jamaican me crazy, thief!
On March 19 at 5:20 p.m., police arrested a 38-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station for petit larceny. According to police, the man stole assorted tools from a store on Jamaica Avenue. He was arrested at his home.

More impaired drivers drive us crazy
A 40-year-old man was arrested on March 20 for driving while ability impaired. The Port Jefferson Station resident was driving a 2012 Mercedes when he crashed into another car on East Broadway in Port Jefferson. Police discovered the man was intoxicated and arrested him at the scene, at 1:59 a.m.
Police arrested a woman from Farmingville on March 18, for driving while ability impaired. According to police, the 24-year-old woman was driving a 2015 Jeep on Mariners Way in Port Jefferson when she ran through a stop sign. Police arrested her at 12:17 a.m.
On March 19 around 1:10 a.m., police arrested a 55-year-old man for driving while ability impaired. The Port Jefferson man was driving a 2010 Ford Explorer on Main Street in Setauket when he crashed into another car.
On March 17, police arrested a 41-year-old man for driving while ability impaired. Police said the man was driving a 2012 Volkswagen on Middle Country Road in Centereach when he failed to maintain his lane. Police pulled the man over and arrested him at the scene around 1:07 a.m.

Route to court
Police arrested a 19-year-old man from Medford for petit larceny on March 20. According to police, the man stole an iPhone from a residence near Route 25 in Selden. Police arrested him at the scene, around 12:50 a.m.

That’s not my name
A 43-year-old man from Rocky Point was arrested on March 16 for using a false instrument and intent to defraud. According to officials, the man filed for a new driver’s license while his original license was suspended. Police arrested the man at his residence around 5 p.m.

It didn’t give him wings
According to police, on March 20 around 12:48 p.m., someone stole a four-pack of Red Bull energy drink from a store on Nesconset Highway in Mount Sinai.

A cig-nature crime
On March 14 around 11 p.m., an unidentified person stole a pocketbook from a 1991 Toyota parked on Park Avenue in Centereach. Police said the thief used the victim’s credit card to buy cigarettes at a store.

You’ve been audited
Police said that on March 16 around noon, a woman on East End Road in Sound Beach received an IRS scam call. According to police, the woman gave the unidentified caller money.

Quit fencin’ around
Between midnight and 8 a.m. on March 20, someone damaged a fence at a residence on Kale Road in Rocky Point.

You don’t got mail
Between March 19 at 7:30 p.m. and March 20 around 1 p.m., someone damaged the mailbox of a residence on Dartmouth Road in East Shoreham. Police said the suspect broke the mailbox and ripped it off its wooden post.

Shop ‘til you drop
Someone stole various shirts and pants on March 15 from Bob’s Stores on College Road in Selden. Police said the incident happened around 5:15 p.m.

Gassing up
On March 15 around 4:25 a.m., an unidentified person broke a window to a gas station on Main Street in Setauket-East Setauket and stole cigarettes, cash and two cash registers.

Out of my way
According to police, two senior citizens in assisted living got into an altercation on March 19 around 8:15 a.m. Police said one citizen punched the other in the face because the individual was in their way. The incident happened on Sunrise Drive in Setauket-East Setauket. The victim didn’t press charges.

Suspended license driver stopped
A 25-year-old man from Smithtown was driving a 2000 Jeep on Amsterdam Road in Smithtown at about 5 p.m. on March 19 when he was pulled over by police. He was found to be driving with a suspended license, police said, and was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Merchandise goes missing
At Kohl’s in Lake Ronkonkoma, at about 10:30 p.m. on March 19, a 46-year-old woman from Fort Myers, Florida, stole shoes, jewelry and other items, police said. She was charged with petit larceny.

Watch out for watch thieves
On March 19 at about 8:30 p.m., a 25-year-old man from East Patchogue was arrested in Lake Grove for stealing watches from Macy’s at the Smith Haven Mall, police said. He was charged with petit larceny.

Thief thwarted
A 20-year-old man from Hauppauge was arrested on March 18 for stealing money from a home on Stengel Place in Smithtown on Sept. 25, 2015, police said. He was charged with petit larceny.

Intentional car crash
At a home on Bridge Road in Smithtown, on Nov. 18, police said a 43-year-old man from East Patchogue intentionally drove a 1994 Honda into the bumper of another car and then left the scene of the crash. He was arrested on March 18 and charged with criminal mischief with the intent to damage property and leaving the scene with property damage.

Television taken
On March 18, a 20-year-old woman from Commack was arrested for stealing a television from a home on Fisher Road in Commack on March 7, police said. While being searched during the arrest, she was found to have a hypodermic needle and a controlled substance in her possession. She was charged with petit larceny, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Woman escapes police custody
A 21-year-old woman from Centereach was arrested in Smithtown on March 18, at about noon, on a bench warrant from another jurisdiction. While being transported, she escaped from the vehicle and fled to a nearby wooded area, police said. She was arrested again at about 1:30 p.m. and charged with escaping jail/custody.

Fake inspection
At the corner of Route 25 and Mayfair Terrace in Commack, at about 11 p.m. on March 18, police stopped a 20-year-old man from Central Islip driving a 2000 Honda Civic. According to police, his New York State inspection sticker was found to be fraudulent. He was arrested and charged with second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Free beer and gift cards
On Nov. 9, 2015, a 31-year-old man from Smithtown used a debit card belonging to another person without permission on Route 25A in Kings Park to buy a gift card and beer, police said. He was arrested on March 17 and charged with fourth-degree grand larceny of a credit card.

Windshield cracked
Police said a 25-year-old man from Lake Grove intentionally broke the windshield of a 2008 Dodge on Route 25A in Shoreham at about 10:30 p.m. on March 2. On March 16, he was arrested and charged with criminal mischief with the intention of damaging property.

Excavator disappears
An unknown person stole an excavator from Grace LLC Industries on Route 347 in Smithtown at about 2:30 p.m. on March 18, police said.

Domestic items lifted
A Dyson vacuum cleaner, a blender and a quilt were stolen from Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack at about 4 p.m. on March 13, police said.

Credit cards clipped from Chevy
At about 10 p.m. on March 18, an unknown person stole a wallet containing credit cards from an unlocked 2013 Chevy parked on the road outside of a home on Innis Avenue in Lake Ronkonkoma, police said.

Hit-and-run
A 51-year-old woman from Huntington Station was arrested on March 20 for leaving the scene of an accident at the corner of Woodbury Road and Route 108 in Huntington, police said. On March 6 at about 1 p.m., she rear-ended another car in her 2012 Jeep and then fled, according to police. She was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.

Almost got away
On East Pulaski Road in Huntington at about 4 a.m. on March 18, a 22-year-old man from Huntington was pulled over for speeding in a 2016 Audi, police said. During the stop, police determined that he was intoxicated. While at the 2nd Precinct, he ran about 40 feet away from an officer trying to reach a door, but he was stopped, according to police. He was charged with third-degree escape and driving while intoxicated.

Heroin arrest
On March 17 at about 5 p.m., a 34-year-old woman from Huntington Station was arrested on the corner of Walt Whitman Road and Overhill Road in Huntington for possessing heroin and a hypodermic needle, police said. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Crooked man at Crooked Rail
Police were called to The Crooked Rail on Larkfield Road in East Northport at about 11 p.m. on March 19 to deal with a drunk and unruly customer. Emergency medical personnel were called to treat a 47-year-old man from Kings Park. The man spit at and bit officers while being moved on a gurney, then flailed and kicked an officer in the head and chest, according to police. One officer suffered a broken hand as a result of the incident. The man was charged with second-degree assault with the intent of causing injury to a police officer and second-degree obstruction of government administration.

Interlocked up
On the corner of Broadway and Pulaski Road in Greenlawn at about 8 a.m. on March 18, a 27-year-old man from Brentwood was driving a 2002 Honda when he was pulled over by police. He was found to be driving without a required interlock device and was charged with circumventing interlock operation without a device.

Law-canceling headphones
A 22-year-old man from Roosevelt and a 21-year-old man from Hempstead were arrested on March 20 at Target on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington at about 7 p.m. for stealing headphones, police said. The Roosevelt man was found to be in possession of two different stolen out-of-state license plates. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and petit larceny. The Hempstead man lied to police about his name when he was arrested. He was charged with petit larceny and second-degree criminal impersonation.

Unlicensed driver with drugs
Police pulled over a 22-year-old man from Huntington Station driving a 2011 Lexus on the corner of 11th Street and Lennox Road in Huntington Station at about 9 p.m. on March 20. He was found to be driving with a suspended license for the second time in about a month, police said. When searched, police found prescription drugs, marijuana and heroin in his possession. He was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Gas station theft
A 52-year-old man from East Northport stole items from U.S. Petroleum gas station on Larkfield Road in East Northport at about 4 p.m. on March 17, according to police. He was charged with petit larceny.

Park and ride predator
On March 19 at about 9 p.m., a 43-year-old man from Deer Park stole keys and a wallet containing credit cards and cash from a car parked on the corner of Commack Road and the Expressway’s North Service Road, police said. He was charged with third-degree robbery.

All taken vehicle
An unknown person stole an all terrain vehicle from the yard of a home on Fort Salonga Road in Centerport at about midnight on March 17, police said.

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Rocky Point school district will be spending half of its budget on the teachers, classes and programs, while spending the least amount on debt service and fund transfers.

By Giselle Barkley

Rocky Point school district will be spending half of its budget on the teachers, classes and programs, while spending the least amount on debt service and fund transfers.
Rocky Point school district will be spending half of its budget on the teachers, classes and programs, while spending the least amount on debt service and fund transfers.

Taxpayers in Rocky Point school district may see rebate checks from the government, thanks to Rocky Point school district’s 2016-17 budget proposal.

Rocky Point Superintendent of Schools Michael Ring held the final budget presentation on March 21, announcing that the district’s $80.6 million budget will help maintain the existing instructional, athletic and co-curricular programs, while also working to tackle improvements in the buildings and campuses, like fence and parking lot repairs, and increasing the number of cafeteria tables and cameras across the campus.

Although Ring said the district is confident it will receive money from the Gap Elimination Adjustment restoration, Rocky Point will currently receive $25.2 million in regular state aid, with the possibility of an increase, depending on the results of a vote to restore funds from the GEA. According to Ring, the district receives most of its revenue from tax levies. Residents will see an approximate 0.75 percent increase year over year in the tax levy in the district. Despite the increase, the district’s budget falls within the 0.12 percent tax cap. In light of the limited tax cap, the district only increased its budget by 2.34 percent.

“We believe that the budgets we have presented in previous years and [the one] we’re presenting this year are efficient and effective,” Ring said. “Efficient in that the level of expenditures is very conservative and within the tax cap, and effective because they continue to hold our programs together, both instructionally and co-curricular.”

Rocky Point’s instructional programs, which include courses for general and special education, make up around 50 percent of the district’s budget, followed by employee benefits, among other categories.

“I think this is a place to give every student an opportunity to succeed,” said Scott Reh, vice president of Rocky Point’s board of education.

The superintendent echoed Reh’s stance during the meeting regarding Rocky Point students.

“Success for our students is at the intersection of many roads, and these roads are the main components of our budget,” Ring said. “These many roads are represented by the breadth and depth of academic programs, instructional supports, and co-curricular opportunities we offer in order to allow each of our students to excel.”

Residents who are at least 18 years old and have lived in the school district for at least 30 days are eligible to vote. Community members can vote on the budget on Tuesday May 17, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. Community members can register to vote by calling the District Clerk, Patricia Jones, at 631-849-7243.

If the budget doesn’t pass, the district would have to cut around $360,000 from the proposal. Ring added that the board would also have to eliminate new additions to the budget and restrict the public’s use of various school facilities, to reduce the district’s expenditures. A contingency budget would still help the district fund new projects and maintain old programs.

“The Board of Education remained steadfast in its commitment to develop a financial plan that not only supported our district’s current educational and co-curricular offerings, but also provided for instructional enhancements geared toward further preparing today’s students to become tomorrow’s leaders,” President of Rocky Point Board of Education Susan Sullivan said. “The Board believes that the proposed budget not only meets this mission, but also supports our commitment to taxpayers by staying within the confines of the New York State tax cap.”

This version corrects information about the Rocky Point school district’s contingency budget.

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Highway super takes systems online

Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro sifts through a town map with the touch of his finger. Photo by Phil Corso

Managing one of the largest highway departments in New York State takes a lot of work, and Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R) has put all of it in the palm of his hand.

As of Jan. 5, the entire department went paperless with a new electronic work order system and by the end of that month, foremen in the field either updated or closed more than 1,500 work orders using a mobile app on town-issued iPads. In an exclusive interview with TBR News Media, Losquadro and his team said the Brookhaven highway department has raised the bar for municipalities across the state.

“To me, this is nothing short of transformative,” Losquadro said. “Improving efficiencies of the highway department has been one of my priorities since taking office three years ago.”

In the past, Brookhaven residents hoping to see something as simple as a pothole being repaired in front of their home would need to file a work order, which an office staffer would enter into a computer, print out and then deliver to a foreman, typically taking five to seven days before resolution. But now, the highway superintendent said, the information can be shared almost immediately.

“We owe that to our customers, because they deserve the response that a customer from any business should get,” Losquadro said, referring to his Brookhaven constituents.

The new paperless system capitalized on already existing geographic information systems the town had invested in over recent years to help create one cohesive platform, allowing town employees to view, update and create work orders in real time, from the field. And through each step of development, Losquadro said foremen and town workers who would be using the technology on a daily basis provided their feedback.

Matt Sabatello, who works in the town’s tech department, worked alongside a dedicated crew of in-house developers to grow the mobile application and make it accessible for all town employees. With more than a decade of experience working with the town already under his belt, Sabatello said he has seen the arc of technological advancement go into overdrive under Losquadro’s direction.

Some of the interactive features Losquadro and his team helped to launch over the past year included color-coded visual queues identifying outstanding work orders, a display of all open work orders prioritized by the date created and a new “follow me” GPS-enabled feature that could be used to identify problem areas as well as track town vehicles when they are out in the field.

“If you see something, create a work order,” Losquadro said, playing off the Metropolitan Transportation Authority slogan, “if you see something, say something.”

And the efficiencies stretch far beyond a run-of-the-mill pothole fix, too. John Giannott, a senior administrator with the highway department, said the mobile technology has made Brookhaven’s response time to serious weather events such as severe snowfall nearly two hours quicker.

“We keep finding new uses for this every day,” he said. “It puts you ahead of the curve, because all your assets are tracked.”

The “green” technology has also allowed the town to apply for state grants and emergency relief funds in a more efficient way, making Brookhaven that much more equipped for more green.

Looking ahead, Losquadro said he hoped to see other facets of Brookhaven government follow suit in implementing such technology. He said he has already seen an interest from the town board to use similar platforms to track constituent complaints.

“I had a vision of how I wanted to transform this department,” he said. “Working with them allowed us to move to this point in less than three years.”

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Mount Sinai superintendent Gordon Brosdal said the best part about going to work is the potential of great things happening in education for the school district. Photo by Giselle Barkley

Mount Sinai Superintendent of School’s Gordon Brosdal has worn many hats in his 46 years in education. But there’s one hat he wants to wear for a little bit longer.

On March 16, the school district’s Board of Education unanimously voted to extend the superintendent’s contract for an additional five years. Brosdal, whose initial contract ended next year, will maintain his position as until 2022, and add to his already expansive career.

“It creates stability in the district when everyone knows that you’re going to be here,” Brosdal said.

The average lifespan of a superintendent is five years, according to Brosdal. While superintendents typically start with a three-year contract, the board of education can vote to hire someone new to fill the position. Board members can also change, which can affect whether a superintendent remains with the district or start looking for another job.

Although Mount Sinai’s Board extended Brosdal’s contract, the superintendent’s salary agreement, which is linked to the tax cap, and benefits, will remain the same. His benefits include personal days, vacation time and health care, among some other benefits.

The district hired Brosdal in July 2014, with a starting salary of $195,000, staying under the $200,000 limit.

In his two years with the district, he lobbied for full day kindergarten and the district’s new writing program. Since the implementation of full-day K and the writing program, kindergarten students have learned how to read and write faster than those in previous classes.

“He has been a leader among leaders,” said Board of Education President Robert Sweeney. “I think he’s added so much to our district.”

Although Sweeney was unavailable for further comment, he has worked frequent with the superintendent and encouraged his fellow board members to vote in favor of the contract extension. Trustee and Vice President of the Board, Peter Van Middelem, added that Brosdal is widely respected across many districts on the Island.

Brosdal said he hopes to add more electives for students to take at Mount Sinai High School, including a virtual enterprise course. The course will allow students to study entrepreneurship and learn about accounting, human resources and other skills that will help them in college and their future career endeavors. The superintendent said he has many ideas for updating the district’s curriculum, which are currently on the back burner until the district can afford to implement the ideas.

Prior to working in the Mount Sinai school district, Brosdal worked at the Middle Country and William Floyd school districts. He’s served as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent in the past four-and-a-half decades. He will be one of few individuals on the Island who serve more than five decades in education.

“I feel this is the best opportunity I’ve had in my career,” Brosdal said. “I love coming to work. I work with great people. It’s a great district … and it’s like being renewed. I would like to work the rest of my career here, and we’ll see what happens at the end of five years.”

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Two young boys sit at the Memorial Wall during last year’s Memorial Day services in Sound Beach. Photo by Bea Ruberto

By Ernestine Franco

Eating lasagna is a good thing. Eating lasagna to benefit the Sound Beach Veterans Memorial is even better.

The Sound Beach Civic Association will host its third Lasagna Dinner for the Vets Memorial fundraiser on Friday, April 1 (no fooling!), from 5 to 7 p.m. on the second floor of the Sound Beach Firehouse located at 152 Sound Beach Blvd.

Mamma’s Lasagna — yields 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients: 2 eggs; 2 pounds whole or low-fat ricotta; 1 pound shredded mozzarella; ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; 1 tablespoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper; Nonstick cooking spray; 6-7 cups of your favorite tomato sauce; 1 box (9 ounces) no-boil lasagna pasta (or use regular lasagna pasta); 1 cup shredded mozzarella for topping

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 F. In large bowl, beat eggs. Add ricotta, 1 pound of mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well. Spray bottom and sides of pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of sauce on bottom of pan. Layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets, 1/3 of cheese mixture and 1 cup of the sauce. Repeat step 4 two more times. Top with 4 sheets of lasagna. Spread 1 cup of sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella on top layer. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until bubbly, about 50-60 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Let stand about 15 minutes before cutting. Top with more sauce if desired.

The menu will include homemade lasagna, meatballs, salad, bread, dessert, coffee, tea and nonalcoholic beverages. There will also be a 50/50 raffle. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, with children under 10 free. Take-out will be available for $10.

For some background on the site, starting in 2007, the Sound Beach Civic Association coordinated the Veterans Memorial Project, now located on New York Avenue across from the post office. In cooperation with the Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk County and New York State, they secured grants. Pavers in the form of a rondel, six flag poles and a granite wall were installed on which were to be placed bronze plaques honoring the seven fallen of Sound Beach. However, the funding dried up and for a time the granite wall remained empty.

Then in 2012, the Civic scaled down the project and donations from the community allowed them to purchase the bronze plaques and engrave the granite wall. On Memorial Day 2012, the Memorial was finally dedicated. Memorial services for the community are held each year on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Ann Moran, treasurer of the Civic and the co-chair of the lasagna dinner, donated the funds for the plaques in honor of her late husband, Matt Moran. Her commitment to ensuring that the Memorial is well maintained is what drives her to this day. “Every time I drive by the Memorial I’m reminded of the sacrifices made by many to ensure our quality of life, but most of all I remember Matt,” Moran said.

Several years ago Moran came up with the idea of hosting a lasagna dinner to raise the funds needed to maintain the Memorial.

During last year’s Memorial Day services in Sound Beach, veterans raise the flags. Photo by Bea Ruberto
During last year’s Memorial Day services in Sound Beach, veterans raise the flags. Photo by Bea Ruberto

“I’d like to invite everyone to join us, not just because it’s a worthy cause or because my sister is the one cooking the lasagna or because it’s my mother’s recipe,” Bea Ruberto, president of the Civic, said, “but because it’s a great community event.”

Nancy Ford, a Sound Beach resident and Civic member who attended the last lasagna dinner, remembers the event fondly. “I very much enjoyed attending the last lasagna dinner for the Vets Memorial. We were treated to good homemade lasagna, enjoyed the time with good friends, and were glad to be able to support the Vets Memorial,” she said.

If you would like more information on the other activities of the Sound Beach Civic Association, visit www.soundbeachcivic.org.

Although tickets may be purchased at the door, because of limited seating, advance reservations are suggested by calling 631-821-9650 for tickets.

For those of you who can’t make it on April Fool’s Day or would like to make lasagna on Easter Sunday, here is the recipe. Mangia!

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Heritage Park’s new geese patrol, from left, Willie, Nova and Lily, along with their owners, will help keep geese from eating grass and leaving behind droppings on the grounds of the Mount Sinai park. Photo by Fred Drewes

By Fred Drewes

Willy, Lily and Nova are new volunteers at Heritage Park. Willie and Nova, both corgis, and Lily, a border collie, have been recruited to form a “geese patrol.” According to a joint document by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “the use of trained dogs to chase geese is among the most effective techniques available today” to prevent the annoyance of Canada geese.

Janet Smith, Regan and Chris Erhorn and Kerry and Lynn Hogan-Capobianco are the proud owners of these dogs that have volunteered to herd the geese away from the Mount Sinai park.

Willy, a Pembroke Welsh corgi, is 10 years old and was abandoned before being rescued by Smith. Nova, a tri-color Pembroke, is 1 year old and was adopted from a breeder in Pennsylvania. Lily is 12 years old and was adopted at the North Shore Animal League. The dogs are friendly, loyal and have strong herding instincts. As part of the geese patrol, the three will be on call. Staff and volunteers of the Heritage Trust will call on the dogs when geese appear so that they can chase the birds from the park to prevent them from dirtying up the area.

Commissioner Ed Morris of the Brookhaven Department of Parks and Recreation gave the animals permission to “work” at Heritage Park and said he is thankful for the owners’ volunteer efforts. The parks department has also purchased silhouettes of dogs to display in the park. The combination will discourage the grazing of geese and reduce what the geese leave behind.

The population of resident Canada geese has increased and become an annoyance in parks, on golf courses and landscaped areas of condos and co-ops. Lush grass provides gourmet grazing. Unfortunately, these geese eat up to three pounds of grass per day and leave a trail of feces behind. It is estimated that each goose can produce from 1 to 1.5 pounds of droppings per day, according to the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management. The ball fields, paths and play knoll of Heritage Park have been littered with geese droppings, and research has shown that droppings contain a variety of pathogens capable of infecting humans. Although there is no clear evidence the droppings are transmitting diseases or are a threat to public health, the main concern is the mess left behind.

No one relishes walking on a path or playing on a field full of feces. This aesthetic problem is what the geese patrol will try to solve. If the geese are chased enough, they will learn to avoid swooping into the park, leaving visitors able to enjoy the open space and paths without tip-toeing through goose poop.

If you see Willy, Nova or Lily working in the park, the dogs are not there to play or exercise, but thank them for their efforts. Heritage Trust, the park and the town parks department are working together to make “The Wedge” one of the most popular parks in Brookhaven.

Fred Drewes is a founding member of Mount Sinai’s Heritage Trust and spends much of his time volunteering to help beautify Heritage Park.

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The Mount Sinai MIddle School Community Service and Outreach Club lends a helping hand by becoming actively engaged in the community for local and national charities and organizations. Photo from Lindsey Ferraro

Raising thousands of dollars for North Shore-based and national organizations and bringing smiles to those in need of cheer is no small feat. But fifth- through eighth-graders at Mount Sinai Middle School are making a habit of it.

Lindsey Ferraro, a co-advisor for the school’s Community Outreach and Service clubs for the last three years, said students learn compassion and empathy.

“It amazes me more so every year how dedicated our club members and the school community are to bettering the world,” she said. “Our students have gone above and beyond to help out the community.”

The Mount Sinai Community Service and Outreach Club sings holiday carols at a local nursing home. Photo from Lindsey Ferraro
The Mount Sinai Community Service and Outreach Club sings holiday carols at a local nursing home. Photo from Lindsey Ferraro

The club adopted a family this past holiday season, created cards for soldiers, visited the Woodhaven nursing home in Port Jefferson Station to sing holiday carols, held a clothing drive for the homeless and raised over $1,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

“You know you’re helping out someone much less fortunate than you, and it feels really good,” eighth-grader Jake Ritchie said. “It feels really good to know that I make a statement and take a stand in my community to help out.”

Ritchie, who has been a member of the club since he was in fifth grade, said the club is also collecting books for a Stony Brook book drive and helping Girl Scouts receive a bronze award. He said even his classmates lend a hand.

“They have been helping out,” he said, “We make speeches in front of our classes to encourage kids to help out. It’s a lot of fun.”

Mount Sinai Middle School Principal Peter Pramataris said he also sees students outside the club donating to the club’s causes.

“It’s always great to see the school building come together as a whole,” he said. “I reside in the district, too, and whenever there’s a family with some hardship, a loss or a health issue, the community always steps up to help each other. It’s a testament to the families we have in our community and the value system that they have from home and that we reinforce at the school. These students take their own time, and they do it unselfishly. I’m proud to be their principal.”

The club has also raised more than $2,000 in two weeks for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients fund, with a week of fundraising left to go. Next, the school will be working on its Light It up Blue campaign, where members of the club will sell puzzle pieces in light of Autism Awareness Month for Autism Speaks.

The Mount Sinai Community Service and Outreach Club wraps presents raised for and donated to local families. Photo from Lindsey Ferraro
The Mount Sinai Community Service and Outreach Club wraps presents raised for and donated to local families. Photo from Lindsey Ferraro

Nicole Kotarski, who has been a co-adviser for five years, said the club fosters independence and creativity.

“We’ve had several students bring us ideas if they like a particular organization, and we tell them to figure out how to make it happen,” she said, adding that she asks students to organize contact information, ideas for fundraisers and how to make the school aware of them. “The goal of our club is to make a difference in others’ lives. These students are definitely the most driven students. They’re the ones that make the effort to become actively engaged in the community.”

Ferraro and Kotarski agreed that the students are doing an amazing job, and they’re proud of the student’s hard work and effort.

“They really do care and they’re learning — they’re not in it for anything else,” Ferraro said. “They do such a good job raising awareness throughout the school … and really making, especially the people around the holidays, feel loved and cared for.”

That’s what makes being a part of the club so special for fifth-grader Matthew Stancampiano.

“I like doing this because it helps me help the less fortunate people in our community,” he said. “We can accomplish bigger things in a group. It makes me feel happy that I am able to help other people.”

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Three’s company
A 27-year-old man from Dix Hills, a 29-year-old woman from Commack and a 46-year-old man from Dix Hills were arrested on March 10 at 9:15 p.m. inside a 2004 Mercedes-Benz parked on Village Hill Drive in Dix Hills after police found drugs in their possession. The 27-year-old man was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for having crack cocaine and heroin on him, according to police. The 29-year-old woman was charged with one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance after police said they found her in possession of cocaine. The 46-year-old was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for prescription pills and cocaine, police said.

Cut off
Police said a 21-year-old man from Greenlawn punched a man in the face, causing cuts, at a municipal parking lot on Elm Street in Huntington on March 13 at 3:40 a.m. He was arrested and charged with third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury.

Kiss of theft
A 26-year-old man from Brooklyn was arrested on March 12 just before 5 p.m. after police said he stole lipstick and denim jeans from Lord & Taylor in Huntington. He was charged with petit larceny.

Pail protection
Police said an unknown man used a plastic garbage pail to hide various items he stole while inside Island Thrift in Huntington Station at 11:30 a.m. on March 12.

Dunkin’ Donuts drama
On March 11, a 32-year-old man from Huntington was arrested after police said he stole a wallet and assorted cash from a vehicle parked in the parking lot of Dunkin’ Donuts on Wall Street in Huntington at 1:20 p.m. He was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny.

On March 10, a 51-year-old man from Huntington was arrested at 4:30 p.m. after police said he took out a kitchen knife and started swinging it at another man in the parking lot of Dunkin’ Donuts on Wall Street in Huntington. He was charged with second-degree menacing with a weapon.

Toyota troubles
Police said a 37-year-old man from Kings Park had cocaine on him on March 9 just after 5 p.m. while driving a 1993 Toyota sedan on Townline Road in Commack. He was originally pulled over for driving with a suspended license, when police said they saw cocaine in plain sight. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Lots of drugs
Police said a 33-year-old man from Huntington was arrested on March 11 on the corner of Dickinson Avenue and Imperial Court in East Northport after he was found to have marijuana, cocaine and prescription pills on him. He was charged with three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

You’ve got (no) mail
Police said an unknown person stole a mailbox from a front yard on Elwood Road in Elwood on March 12 at 6 p.m.

Jewlery nabbed
On March 13, at a Sears on Jericho Turnpike in Elwood, police said an unknown woman stole jewelry.

Police crack down
At about 11:30 p.m. on March 12 at the Commack Motor Inn on Jericho Turnpike, a 24-year-old woman from Queens and a 25-year-old woman from Manhattan were arrested when they were found to be in possession of Ambien and cocaine, according to police. They were both charged with seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance. A 26-year-old man from Copiague was also arrested at the scene and charged with third-degree possession of a controlled substance with the intention to sell crack cocaine, police said.

Laptops looted
On March 11, a 19-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested for stealing laptops from Sachem High School North on Smith Road in Lake Ronkonkoma at about 2 a.m., police said. He was charged with third-degree burglary.

Driving with drugs
According to police, a 20-year-old man from Centereach was arrested on Dorchester Road in Lake Ronkonkoma on March 11 for possessing heroin while driving a 2005 Mitsubishi. He was charged with seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance.

Bumpy ride
At about 2 a.m. on March 10, police said a 47-year-old man from Patchogue was pulled over on Pond Road in Ronkonkoma for having items in the bed of a pickup truck that were not secured. During the stop, police discovered that he was under the influence of drugs. He was charged with first-degree operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.

Walmart — one stop theft
Police said a 20-year-old man from Central Islip was arrested for stealing air pistols and cartridges from Walmart on Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia at about 5 p.m. on March 10. He was charged with petit larceny.

Unapologetically unlicensed
At about 5 p.m. on March 10, a 35-year-old man from Central Islip was arrested for driving a 2004 BMW on Townline Road in Hauppauge with a suspended license, police said. He was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

How did that get here?
Police said they responded to a call at a home on Lake Terrace Road in Ronkonkoma just before noon on March 9 and found more than two ounces of marijuana in plain view. A 49-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Kindly leave
A 40-year-old woman from Port Jefferson was arrested on March 9 for refusing to leave a home on Hawkins Ave in Lake Grove, police said. She was charged with third-degree criminal trespassing.

Expensive car thief
On March 9, a 45-year-old man from Amity Harbor was arrested in Hauppauge for stealing a Mercedes-Benz from a home on Wicks Lane in Head of the Harbor on Sept. 21, police said. They also said he stole cash and credit cards from a 2001 Porsche at a home on Meadow Gate East in Head of the Harbor on Sept. 20. When he arrived at the 4th Precinct, police discovered he possessed a controlled substance, and he was charged with third- and fourth-degree grand larceny, as well as seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance.

Idle Buick
Police discovered a man in a 2002 Buick parked for a prolonged period of time in the parking lot of a Marriot Hotel in Ronkonkoma at about 11 p.m. on March 9. He was found to be in possession of heroin, police said, and was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Drunk driver crash
Police said a 28-year-old man from Northport was driving drunk in a 2002 Subaru on Sunken Meadow Road in Kings Park at about 3 a.m. on March 13 when he lost control of the car and crashed into a tree. A 24-year-old man from Kings Park who was in the passenger seat was injured and transported via Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital in critical condition, police said. The driver was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Head-on
A motorcyclist is in critical condition after an allegedly drunk driver crashed into him on Sunday afternoon.
The 2003 Indian motorcycle was going east on North Country Road while a 2002 Subaru Outback was headed west on the same road, and the two collided near Mountain Ridge Drive in Mount Sinai, the Suffolk County Police Department said.
The 60-year-old motorcyclist, who is from Mount Sinai, was in critical condition at Stony Brook University Hospital, police said. A 36-year-old Rocky Point resident, the driver of the Subaru, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated.
The suspect was also treated for minor injuries at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson and was released, police said.

Crash into me
Police arrested a Huntington woman for driving while ability impaired on March 12. The 59-year-old woman was in a 2003 Chevrolet on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station that night when she crashed into another car at Nesconset Highway.

Rise and shine
A 57-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station was arrested on March 11 for criminal possession of a controlled substance after officials found him unconscious in a parked 2001 Volvo. Police said the car was running and was not parked in a safe location on Davis Avenue in Port Jefferson Station. Police found the man in possession of crack cocaine and marijuana and arrested him at the scene, around 8:14 a.m.

No vacation
Police arrested a 24-year-old man from Brentwood on March 12 after he failed to maintain his lane of travel in a 2005 Mazda. Police pulled the man over near Malibu Lane in Centereach and arrested him for driving while ability impaired.

Sword of destiny
On March 9, police arrested a 23-year-old man for petit larceny. Between Feb. 9 and 13, police said, the Selden man stole a guitar and a sword from a store along Eastwood Boulevard.

Wrong way
A man from East Meadow was arrested on March 11 for driving while ability impaired in Stony Brook. According to police, the 21-year-old man was driving a 2012 Nissan south in the northbound lane of Route 25A around 1:52 a.m.

The Tudors’ violent end
Around 1:30 a.m. on March 13, an unknown person threw a large rock at a 2006 Chrysler that was parked on Tudor Road in Centereach.

Gone in 60 seconds
On March 12 around 9:14 p.m., an unidentified person entered the Sunoco gas station on Route 25A in Mount Sinai and demanded money from an employee. Police said the employee was counting the money when the suspect punched the victim in the face and fled with the cash. According to police, the employee didn’t need medical assistance.

Might as well jump
Police said two unidentified people got into a confrontation on March 11 around 4:50 p.m. on Ruland Road in Selden. According to police, the suspect jumped on and damaged the other individual’s 2005 BMW.

Go ahead and jump
Police arrested a 25-year-old man on March 11 for driving while ability impaired, after authorities said the Miller Place man, who had been driving a 1998 Ford from Route 25A onto Broadway in Rocky Point, pulled over and jumped the fence of King Auto Sales.

Bent out of shape
According to police, on March 8 around 12:20 p.m. a man reported that the side of his 2011 Ford was smashed and the parking brake was bent.

Plebe’s rebellion
On March 8, a woman entered the King Kullen on Middle Country Road in Selden and stole several shopping bags of assorted items before fleeing in a white Dodge.

Thieves flushed with jewels
On March 10, between 7 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., someone entered a residence on Market Path in Setauket-East Setauket and stole jewelry. Police said the suspect entered the home through a second-floor bathroom window.

According to police, a woman returned to her Stony Brook residence to find an unknown man in her living room who then fled with money and jewelry. Police said the incident happened on March 12 around 11:10 p.m.

Drugs and rock ‘n’ roll
Between 7:30 a.m. on March 7 and 1:14 p.m. the following day, someone entered a residence on Eastport Drive in Sound Beach, ransacked the house and stole drugs and music equipment.

Deforestation
On March 7 around 7:25 a.m., someone damaged the front door frame of a residence on Forest Road in Rocky Point.

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Shoreham-Wading River High School will undergo several projects to improve the facility by 2017. File photo

Shoreham-Wading River residents may see an increase in their taxes next year if the school district’s 2016-17 budget is approved.

Last week, the Shoreham-Wading River school district proposed the first part of its $71.9 million budget. Taxes will increase by 4.96 percent for those living in the district, according to Superintendent of Schools Steven Cohen.

The budget will target old and new projects that the district must complete before the end of June 2017. The district hopes to establish, renovate or replace aspects of the campus, like renovating the varsity softball field, building a scoreboard at the high school turf field and add two bathrooms in the high school. A sprinkler system for the high school soccer and field hockey fields are also among the newer projects.

The SWR district will continue with older projects from this academic year, which include plans for a disaster-recovery system for district data and replacing two overhead garage doors in the school’s maintenance garage.

Cohen added that the district will receive additional financial support to fund an AP Capstone program for the high-schoolers, decrease English class sizes to help administrators teach more effectively, organize field trips and establish an English as a New Language course.

“These are curriculum and instructional additions that we have included in this budget, and they are meant to keep the momentum going that we have developed over the last several years,” Cohen said during the budget presentation.

Last May, the board of education established plans for a new turf field, which was completed earlier this year. The project was part of the board’s initiative to improve the campus facilities. Cohen wants to continue improving the field by adding bleachers, which will offer ample seating for large events like graduations.

The SWR district budgeted to receive $10.5 million in state aid to fund these projects. Despite the statewide 0.12 percent tax cap, the district doesn’t plan on piercing it, unlike some other districts in New York state. According to state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli (D), 6 percent — or 36 out of 601 — school districts that have reported their proposed budgets pierced the cap as of March 2. Only 3.5 percent of districts voted to pierce the cap last year. In a press release the comptroller added, “School districts are feeling the impact of a historically low tax levy limit.”

But for Shoreham-Wading River, the cap didn’t disrupt the superintendent’s plans to better the campus.

“The heart and soul of what we are proposing this year is to really explain and start to provide the resources to pay for all the construction that’s going on,” Cohen said. “This is an idea that we talked about at great length last year in preparation for the community vote on the bond project, and now [these are the details for] providing the resources for all that work.”

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