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The Hallock house was built in 1721 and it has remained largely unchanged through the centuries. It is open for tours from April to December, on Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m. Photo by Erin Dueñas

By Erin Dueñas

The oldest house in Rocky Point has once again opened its doors to visitors, offering a peek at the history of the town spanning almost 300 years, during Saturday tours of the home, which acts as a museum run by the Rocky Point Historical Society. It’s the third season in a row that tours are being offered, according to society president Natalie Aurucci Stiefel.

Built in 1721 by Noah Hallock, a descendant of English settlers, the house has sat at the end of Hallock Landing Road mostly unchanged. It still has the original wood shingles and a red tin roof on the exterior. Inside, original wide-planked wooden floors creak underfoot, and a trap door in an upstairs hallway reveals a staircase that leads to rooms once used by slaves. Eight generations of Hallocks lived in the house over the centuries, including Noah Jr., William and Josiah Hallock, who all served in the Revolutionary War. The last Hallock to live there was Sylvester, who sold it in 1964 to the Via Cava family who owned it until 2011.

The Historical Society took ownership of the home in 2013 and turned it into a museum, showcasing a variety of household artifacts native to the home, including furniture, kitchen items and even toys once played with by Hallock children. Each room in the house is dedicated to a particular aspect of either the life of the Hallocks or the history of Rocky Point and the surrounding areas, including a room dedicated to farming, complete with antique tools and photos of the farms that once grew rye and raised dairy cattle nearby. The schoolhouse room offers a glimpse into what school was like for Hallock children and their contemporaries. Visitors can even walk around the block to the Hallock family cemetery where at least 40 Hallocks are buried, including Bethia, Noah’s wife, who died in 1766. Another room is dedicated to Rocky Point’s ties with radio history, including artifacts from RCA, which operated out of a transmitting station just down the road from the house off of Rocky Point-Yaphank Road.

Tours are conducted by trained docents such as Nancy Pav of Rocky Point, who was leading the tours on Saturday. Pav stressed the importance of preservation.

“If we don’t preserve old houses like this one, people will tear them down and build monstrous vinyl palaces,” Pav said. “We are preserving the history of a house that was in the same family from 1721 to the 1960s. It’s extremely unusual.”

Stiefel said that new artifacts on display this season include the wedding album of Sylvester Hallock and his second wife Josephine and photos of the now-abandoned Rocky Point drive-in movie theater.

Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) praised the society for offering another season of tours, especially because of the awareness they promote.

“Rocky Point is a mecca of history and if it wasn’t for the volunteers, this history would not be preserved,” she said. “The tours help to pass down interest and advocacy. If there’s no one to take care of it, they will be lost forever.”

Stiefel refers to the Hallock house as a “precious gem” and added she is proud of the work the society’s volunteers do with the house tours. “They are very dedicated to Rocky Point’s history, which is fascinating,” she said. “We are so happy to share it with the community.”

The Noah Hallock house, located at 172 Hallock Landing Road, is opened for tours April through December, on Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m. For group tours or more information, call 631-744-1778.

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Toys“R”Us gift card scam
A 46-year-old man from Medford and a 47-year-old man from Ronkonkoma stole assorted toys from Toys“R”Us on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove and returned them in exchange for gift cards on March 13 and April 16, police said. The two were arrested at about 4:30 p.m. on April 16 in Lake Grove and charged with petit larceny.

Mainline on Main Street
On April 16 in Kings Park at about 8:30 p.m., a 25-year-old man from Kings Park possessed a hypodermic needle on East Main Street, police said. He was arrested and charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Stop & Steal
Police said a 50-year-old man from Brentwood stole assorted grocery items from Stop&Shop on Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia, on April 16 at about 8 p.m. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Come on and take a free ride
A 32-year-old man and a 52-year-old man, both from Brooklyn, were given a ride in a taxi cab in Stony Brook on April 14, police said. At the end of the ride, police said the men refused to pay the cab driver. The 52-year-old man also possessed assorted stolen clothing from Old Navy in Lake Grove, according to police. Both men were arrested and charged with intent to commit fraud for obtaining transfer without paying, and the 52-year-old man was charged with fifth-degree possession of stolen property.

Fifth-degree possession
On April 14 at 7-Eleven on Route 347 in Hauppauge a 20-year-old woman from Commack and a 21-year-old man from Bay Shore were in a parked 1995 Chevrolet, when police said they discovered the woman possessed a hypodermic needle and the man had marijuana. They were arrested and the woman was charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument and the man was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

We don’t need licenses
On April 13 a 39-year-old man from Bay Shore was driving a 2000 Mitsubishi on West Pulaski Road in Kings Park when he was pulled over by police, who said they discovered he was driving without a license. He was arrested and charged with a motor vehicle license violation for driving without a license.

Fashionable crime
A 33-year-old man from Commack stole four bow ties from Kohl’s on Montauk Highway in Shirley at about 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, police said. He was arrested on April 13 in Commack and charged with petit larceny.

Stealing from Sears
At Sears in the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove on April 13, a 19-year-old woman from Middle Island stole assorted clothing, police said. She was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Brand new car scratched
Police said the side of a 2016 BMW was scratched while it was in the parking lot of Stop&Shop on West Main Street in Smithtown at about 3:30 p.m. on April 14.

I think I caught something
An unknown person stole a fishing pole from an unlocked 2008 Jeep parked outside of a home on Cherry Lane in Smithtown at about 11 p.m. on April 14, police said.

Suzuki smashed
The window of a 2011 Suzuki was broken while the car was in the parking lot of Sears at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove at around 8:30 p.m. on April 14, police said.

Supermarket steal
On April 16 at 12:16 p.m., police arrested a 19-year-old Coram resident for petit larceny. According to police, the man stole a purse from a shopping cart in Uncle Giuseppe’s supermarket on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station. The purse contained a wallet and a cell phone. Police arrested the man at the scene.

Petit in a Chevy
A 29-year-old man was arrested for petit larceny on April 12 around 6:40 a.m. Police said the Mount Sinai resident stole money from a 1996 Chevrolet parked on Belle Terre Road in Port Jefferson. He was arrested at the scene.

Rough-and-tumble
Police arrested a man from Commack for gang assault after the 24-year-old kicked and punched another man on West Broadway in Port Jefferson on March 27. Police said two other people helped the suspect. Police arrested him at the 6th Precinct on April 16.

Caught looking
A Coram teen struck another person with a baseball bat and was arrested on April 14 for assault with a weapon. Police said the victim needed medical attention. The 18-year-old male assailant was arrested at the scene, on Dawson Place.

Looking sharp
Police arrested a 26-year-old man from Miller Place on April 13 for possession of a hypodermic instrument after police stopped him in a 2005 Honda on Route 25A in Rocky Point. During the traffic stop, officers discovered he was in possession on a hypodermic needle and arrested him.

A shocking call
On April 14 around noon, someone called a resident posing as a PSEG utility representative and told the victim that they hadn’t paid their electric bill. The victim paid around $500 to the scammer. Police said the incident happened while the victim was at Local’s Cafe on East Main Street in Port Jefferson.

A warranted arrest
Police arrested a 31-year-old man from Centereach on April 13 for resisting arrest. According to police, the man was the subject of two bench warrants. When police at his residence on Colonial Place told the man to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back, the man refused.

Stealing for suds
According to police, a man entered the CVS Pharmacy on Route 25A in Miller Place and stole body wash. The incident happened on April 11 around 8:40 a.m.

Lock your darn cars!
On April 13 around 7 p.m., someone stole a briefcase containing credit cards from an unlocked 2005 Ford. The car was parked in the Centereach Mall parking lot.

Something’s fishy
An unknown person stole beer and shrimp from the ShopRite on College Road in Selden on April 15.

Ride on, thief
Between 1 and 2:15 p.m. on April 12, someone stole a ride-on lawn mower from a residence on Noahs Path in Rocky Point.

At least they didn’t key ya
On April 17 around 5:30 p.m., an unknown person damaged the driver’s side door of a 2011 Kia on Caddy Place in Sound Beach.

Yard work
Between April 11 at noon and April 13 at 2 p.m., someone stole two iron pedestal table bases, an iron and copper urn, an iron planter and two cement art objects from a residence on Bayview Avenue in Setauket-East Setauket.

Sacked
Police said someone stole a backpack and a laptop from a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. According to police, the car was parked in a parking lot on Stony Brook Road on April 15.

Swiped in Selden
An unknown person stole a 2013 Toyota Highlander from a residence on Hawkins Road in Selden. The car was parked in the driveway before it was stolen on April 14 around 3 p.m.

Beer me
Police charged a Port Jefferson man on April 11 with petit larceny and unlicensed operation of a car. The 48-year-old man stole four beer kegs from an establishment on Route 25A in Mount Sinai last November, police said, and when he was pulled over on the corner of Barker Drive and Bonnie Lane on Stony Brook, police discovered the man was driving his 2003 Hyundai with a suspended license.

Not-so-minor mistake
A 27-year-old man from Yaphank was arrested for selling alcohol to a minor at Handy Pantry on Route 25A in Rocky Point on April 17 around 10 p.m.

Knifey situation
A 34-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on April 17 for putting a kitchen knife to a man’s stomach and threatening him while at a home on Briarwood Drive in Huntington just before 8 a.m., police said. He was charged with second-degree menacing with a weapon.

In the biz of stealing
On April 17, a 48-year-old woman from Huntington was arrested after police said she stole a handbag containing cash and a credit card from Bagel Biz on Walt Whitman Road in Melville at 2:45 p.m. She was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny valuing property of more than $1,000.

Cocaine caught
Police said a 31-year-old man from Huntington Station had a small plastic bag containing cocaine in his possession on April 17 just before 10 p.m. at East 9th Street in Huntington Station. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, as well as third-degree criminal trespassing in an enclosed property for being inside private property surrounded by a high fence with no permission.

Two times the marijuana
A 16-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy, both from East Northport, were arrested on April 16 after police said they had marijuana in their possession. Police arrested the pair on Cobblestone Court in Centerport at 5:40 p.m. and they were both charged with unlawful possession.

Failing at fleeing
On April 16, a 28-year-old man from Huntington was arrested for leaving the scene of a car crash, police said. The man was driving a 2015 Infiniti on Jericho Turnpike and Broadway when he collided with a 2009 Nissan driving west and then fled the scene, according to police. He was charged with leaving the scene with property damage.

Cigarette crook caught
Police said a 30-year-old man from Dix Hills stole a Chase debit card and used it to purchase a package of cigarettes from 7-Eleven in Deer Park and had hypodermic needles on him on April 16. He was arrested at 12:40 p.m. and charged with petit larceny and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Jeep-ers
An 18-year-old man from Melville was arrested on April 15 after police said he had a burning marijuana cigarette while inside a 2002 Jeep parked on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

He got more than a slice of ‘za
A 22-year-old man from East Northport was arrested on April 15 at 2:30 a.m. after police said he punched someone in front of Little Vincent’s Pizza on New York Avenue in Huntington, knocking the victim to the ground and causing him or her to go to Huntington Hospital and seek medical treatment. He was charged with third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury.

High times
On April 15, police said a 29-year-old man from Deer Park had a burning marijuana cigarette inside a 2014 Toyota on North Road in Huntington. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Train thief
Police said an unknown person smashed the driver side window of a 2010 Audi Q7 parked in the Cold Spring Harbor train station parking lot on April 17 and stole $50 in cash.
An unknown person broke the front driver side window of a 2008 Mercury parked in the Cold Spring Harbor train station parking lot on April 17, police said.

Unfriendly driving neighbor
On April 16, police said an unknown person driving a Jeep Wrangler was following a woman driving a 1990 Nissan Sentra on Pulaski Road in East Northport and started flashing their lights and making obscene gestures. Eventually the Jeep driver got out of the car and kicked her driver side door, as well as damaging her front headlight.

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Harborfields' Jake Miller and Alex Martin makes their way around the track. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Rocky Point and Harborfields each looked to notch their first victory of the season Tuesday, but the Tornadoes’ boys’ track and field team blew past the Eagles on their home track, to win the League V meet, 103-38.

Harborfields' Randy Maldon leaps into the sand pit. Photo by Bill Landon
Harborfields’ Randy Maldon leaps into the sand pit. Photo by Bill Landon

Harborfields long jump standout Randy Maldon, a senior, was the talk of the event, taking first with a jump of 18-9 3/4, to come up well ahead of the second place finisher.

Maldon, who has competed in the event since his sophomore year, also runs winter track, and said the windy conditions affected his performance despite the positive turnout.

“The wind definitely throws off my steps — it’s pushing me back so I have to push harder, and it affects me in the air,” he said. “Going down the runway, I drifted to the left a little bit.”

The Tornadoes flexed their muscles early, dominating, the 1,600-meter to take the top five spots. First across the line for Harborfields was sophomore James DeSantis, who won the event in 4 minutes, 59:06 seconds. Harborfields senior Jake Miller won the 3,000 in 11:28.2, finishing just ahead of teammate Alexander Martin, a junior, as both runners traded the lead several times.

“It was windy, but I ran with my teammate Alex alternating laps and we would take turns blocking the wind,” Miller said. “We needed to see who had a little bit left with 800 meters left.”

Rocky Point’s Chris Valleau, a three-year varsity competitor, competed in the 200 and 400 dashes, and said he felt he underperformed.

“I can run better than I did today,” the junior said, adding that it had nothing to do with the windy conditions.

Rocky Point senior Kevin LaRosa, who competed in the 100 and 200, finished the races in 13 seconds and 28 seconds, respectively.

“I thought we underperformed as a team today — we certainly could’ve done better,” LaRosa said. “The conditions really didn’t affect me today in the shorter races, but it does in the longer distances.”

Cameron Cutler leaps over the hurdles for Rocky Point. Photo by Bill Landon
Cameron Cutler leaps over the hurdles for Rocky Point. Photo by Bill Landon

Alex DeMottie, a senior who competed in the high jump, 800 and 4×800 relay, echoed LaRosa’s and Valleau’s assessment that there was room for improvement.

“It wasn’t my best performance,” DeMottie said. “I’ve got to work harder to improve my times.”

Rocky Point head coach Chris Donadoni said in the end, his Eagles just faced a better team.

“I was pleased with our shotput and discus events today, although we didn’t get to see those because those events are held on the lower field,” the head coach said, adding that his assistant coach said each kid threw their best in both events. “It’s a growing process with this team. They’re real young and inexperienced, so each meet is an opportunity for all of them to learn something. We’ll look at each of their performances, but more importantly, how they prepare mentally for each event. They’ve made progress in their preparation since the start of the season.”

With the win, Harborfields improves to 1-2 as the Eagles fall to 0-3.

Rocky Point travels to Westhampton Beach on April 30 for an 8:30 a.m. meet.

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Event attendees learn how to use Narcan to counteract opioid overdoses. Photo by Giselle Barkley

By Giselle Barkley

Parents and students alike walked out of Mount Sinai High School knowing the ugly truth about heroin and opioid use and addiction. But they also walked away with a lesson about Narcan.

Event attendees learn how to use Narcan to counteract opioid overdoses. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Event attendees learn how to use Narcan to counteract opioid overdoses. Photo by Giselle Barkley

The school district held it’s first “The Ugly Truth” presentation on Tuesday in the Mount Sinai High School auditorium. Suffolk County Police Department officer George Lynagh, EMS officer Jason Byron and county Medical Examiner Michael Caplan tackled the origins of heroin and trends among addicts over the years. Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai) and Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point) also spoke at the event.

But residents didn’t simply learn about heroin on the Island, they also left with their own Narcan kits after Byron led a Narcan training class. According to Sgt. Kathleen Kenneally of the police department’s Community Response Bureau, Narcan, also known as Naloxone, was successfully administered around 530 times since the opiate antidote was introduced to the police department in July 2012.

Narcan, which reverses the effect of heroin or other opiate-based overdoses, can be administered via an injection or nasal spray. Mount Sinai resident Susan Matias said the spray is a friendly option for community members.

“Here, it’s introduced through the nasal passages — there’s no harm done, you’re not afraid of administering a needle and/or sticking yourself in the moment of chaos,” Matias said. “I think that’s why people are more open to partake and participate in the training.”

The nasal spray also makes it easier for people who still have a stigma about drug addicts and users. Byron reminded residents that the face of addicts has evolved and they’re not the only ones in need of drugs like Narcan.

“Sadly, the connotation is, we think people that could have overdosed are dirty when really it doesn’t have to be,” Byron said. “For opiate overdose, it doesn’t mean that it’s someone addicted to heroin. It could be somebody who’s possibly on pain management for cancer, end of life care, hospice care. It’s not the stereotypical — I hate to say it — junkie. That’s not what we’re seeing out there.”

According to Caplan, in the last few years, drug addicts who’ve overdosed on the substance have gotten younger and younger. The rate of opiate overdose deaths has increased by 140 percent since 2000. Synthetic opioids, like fentanyl, are responsible for 80 percent of these death rate increases.

Fentanyl, which some dealers or users will mix with another drug like heroin, is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Combining this drug with others can make it difficult when administering Narcan.

“One of the problems with Fentanyl is, because it’s so potent, because it acts so fast, you may need to give multiple doses of Naloxone,” Caplan said.

According to Lynagh, the police department is starting to see higher levels of Fentanyl. He added that in his more than three decades as a police officer, the drug is one of the more addictive drugs he has seen. Lynagh added that heroin was initially introduced to combat morphine addiction.

“We don’t have too many people addicted to morphine now,” Lynagh said. “We have this heroin addiction, so sometimes we mean to do something well or combat a drug or something bad, with something else that’s bad.”

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Pairing the perfect wine with a delicious meal is something of a family business. For almost 10 years I sold wine, and my father and grandfather did the same (for much longer), which allowed me to amass a decent knowledge of everything from the basics to some slightly more advanced, winemaking process related facts.

I’m not a sommelier, but I’m an enthusiastic wine consumer and I love finding the perfect pairing of wine and food. My experience and the important standing wine has always held in my extended and immediate family has taken me to many of the great wineries Long Island has to offer, and I’ve sampled wines from many of the places I haven’t visited. With that, I thought I would offer a list of my three favorite Long Island wineries, in no particular order, that can be used as a guideline for any fellow Long Islander interested in trying great food and wine in a beautiful setting this spring and summer.

wine-bottlewPalmer Vineyards, 5120 Sound Avenue, Riverhead

The draw to Palmer Vineyards is amazing quality wines, maybe as good as it gets on Long Island. Winemaker Miguel Martin is renowned for his buttery, oaky chardonnay; full-bodied, robust cabernet franc; and other lighter summery selections like his refreshing Sunrise Sunset Blush. Experienced wine drinkers with serious palates would be satisfied with their hearty reds and dryer whites, while beginners will find enjoyment in selections like Palmer Rosé of Merlot, or their Lighthouse Red and Lighthouse White blends, which are easy and approachable.

Palmer’s vineyard experience is fitting of its great wines. Martin conducts winemaker tours regularly where he leads guests through their vast barrel rooms and gets in-depth about his winemaking process. He even offers tastes directly from barrels. When the tour is over, there is outdoor and indoor seating space to occupy while enjoying samples.

Must try: Palmer Cabernet Franc 2012

Vineyard 48, 18910 Route 48, Cutchogue

If you enjoy wine and you are looking for a party atmosphere on a Saturday or Sunday, then Vineyard 48 should be your destination. Their wines and tasting room scream “summer.” The tasting room has a dance floor, large windows that let in sunlight and a live DJ on weekends. Vineyard 48 caters to limos and buses that drop off large parties. They offer the obligatory traditional wine selections like a fruit-forward merlot, and an acidic yet crisp sauvignon blanc, but the atmosphere pairs perfectly with their NOFO Peach wine or their NOFO Sangria, which come chilled and quench the thirst after some intense dancing.

Must try: Vineyard 48 NOFO Peach

Martha Clara Vineyards, 6025 Sound Ave, Riverhead

Martha Clara has become the event destination of the North Fork. They have a special event for almost every day of the week featuring some or all of food trucks, live music, wine classes, multi-course winemaker dinners, dog-walking events and many more over the course of the summer. Their wines range from easy-drinking like their Glaciers End series of red, white and rose to steak-dinner-worthy like their Northville red blend, which holds up to the heartiest of meals. Martha Clara wines have become some of the most popular selections in Long Island wines during their history, which dates back to the 1970s. They are owned by the same family that owns Entenmann’s baked goods, though the experience at Martha Clara can’t be contained to a case at the end of the aisle.

Must try: Martha Clara Estate Reserve Gewurztraminer 2014

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Danielle Turner, who is currently the assistant principal at North Country Road Middle School in Miller Place, will take over July 1

Danielle Turner was previously the assistant principal at North Country Road Middle School in Miller Place. File photo from Danielle Turner

A new athletic director has entered the kingdom.

After an extensive search, Port Jefferson school district hired Danielle Turner to be the new face of Royals athletics, taking the helm on July 1 and replacing Edward Cinelli, who has served as interim athletic director since former leader Deb Ferry left in December.

“I’m super excited to get in there and start,” Turner said. “Being an athletic director has always been my goal. It’s a small community, a very supportive community. I think for me Port Jefferson is the perfect fit.”

The Sayville resident and Farmingdale native is the assistant principal at North Country Road Middle School in Miller Place, a role she took after first applying for the athletic director position there. She will follow former assistant principal Robert Neidig to Port Jefferson, who himself left Miller Place to become the principal at Port Jefferson Middle School.

North Country Road Principal Matt Clark said Turner will do a phenomenal job for the Royals.

“She did a really nice job of acclimating right to our culture and I could tell right away she had tremendous initiative,” he said. “We were very impressed when she stepped in and became a big part of the fabric of what we do. She’s done a great job of team building within teachers and she’s also done a really nice job of supervision of both faculty and staff. We’re really proud of her.”

After graduating from Sachem, Turner received a bachelor of science degree in physical education from SUNY Cortland. She followed that up with a master’s in athletic administration and coaching from Stony Brook University, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in educational administration and supervision from St. John’s University. She also holds certification in the areas of the Dignity for All Students Act, crisis prevention intervention and first aid, and is a certified personal trainer.

Danielle Turner will take over as athletic director at Port Jefferson on July 1. Photo from Port Jefferson school district
Danielle Turner will take over as athletic director at Port Jefferson on July 1. Photo from Port Jefferson school district

Turner received her first teaching and coaching positions at Longwood Middle School, where she was a physical education teacher and varsity volleyball coach from 2008-12, while also coaching lacrosse and basketball at different levels. She later served as assistant principal at Eastern Suffolk BOCES’ Premm Learning Center and Sayville Academic Center.

“I went from teaching phys ed with sixth-graders to being a special education assistant principal, which was extremely difficult but also was just a great learning experience for me in terms of the types of students that I dealt with,” Turner said in an interview.

David Falco, a physical education teacher at Sachem North and the school’s varsity football coach, instructed Turner when she was on the girls’ basketball team there. He said his former athlete was a dedicated, tough inside player. As a SUNY Cortland alumnus, he was an integral part of her college discussion.

“She has a love of sports and kids, she has a great rapport with parents and the other administrators in the building, and I’ve seen her interact with all of those groups in a very positive way,” he said. “I think the sky is the limit for Danielle in regard to athletic administration, and I think that’s because of the way she approaches all the different tasks she has — and that’s because of her work ethic.”

Turner, who is also making waves as a female boys’ basketball referee, said she’s thankful for those like Lisa Lally and Deb Ferry, Miller Place and Port Jefferson’s former longtime athletic directors, for paving the way for females.

“I owe it all to them,” she said. “They’ve been super supportive and helpful, and excelled and thrived in the position.”

She thinks Port Jefferson is the perfect place for her because of its small, intimate setting, and said she was excited to learn that the athletic office was within the high school.

”Port Jeff obviously has a great reputation academically, so I definitely keep up with that reputation while getting a feel of the land,” she said. “I want to continue with producing quality student-athletes and ultimately improve upon those programs in whatever way we can. I am again just so thrilled to be able to see the kids in action, and get out there at games supporting our kids.”

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Shoreham catcher Melissa Marchese tags out Comsewogue's Patricia Kelly. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Comsewogue may have led Shoreham-Wading River 5-0 after the first inning, but the Wildcats came back blow the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning, en route to a 21-9 nonleague win Saturday afternoon.

Shoreham's Joy Papagianopoulos connects for a deep shot. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham’s Joy Papagianopoulos connects for a deep shot. Photo by Bill Landon

The Warriors (4-2 in League V), fresh off their win over Westhampton Beach, didn’t have their ace pitcher Alexa Murray available to start the game, although she came in for relief, and spread pitching duties across three different hurlers.

Comsewogue junior Dominique Bailey drove in two runs, and Murray followed with a three-run homerun to jump out to a 5-0 lead to open the game.

“We trailed 5-0 after that first inning, but we’re a hitting team,” Shoreham senior Shelby Curtin said. “We all have the capability, so I told the girls we all have to hit the ball .It’s what we do — go out there and show them that we can hit the ball just as well as they do.”

Curtin homered over the centerfield fence, driving in freshman Joy Papagianopoulos to close the gap. Comsewogue scored twice more when sophomore Emily Whitman drove in two in the top of the third, to edge ahead 7-2.

Shoreham (2-3 in League VI) answered next when a crack of freshman Melissa Marchese’s bat drove the ball over the fence for a solo shot to help her team trail by four. Next, it was sophomore Katherine Opiela’s turn, and she ripped a shot deep to right field, plating Curtin and junior Lindsey McKenna to cut the Warriors’ lead to 7-5. Sophomore Victoria Coman kept the rally alive as she belted one through the infield, scoring Opiela, to make it a one-run game before the inning was over.

Right-hander Alexa Murray hurls a pitch from the mound in relief for Comsewogue. Photo by Bill Landon
Right-hander Alexa Murray hurls a pitch from the mound in relief for Comsewogue. Photo by Bill Landon

The Wildcats, with a stout defensive effort, retired the Warriors in order to begin the bottom of the fourth. The Wildcats had a marathon inning, lighting up the scoreboard with 11 runs, led by Marchese, who had three RBIs, followed by Curtin and sophomore Olivia Baudo, who had two RBIs apiece.

“They’re very good defensively — every time we hit the ball they caught it,” Comsewogue’s Murray said. “We’ll have to forget this game and get ready for John Glenn.”

Coman and Opiela also helped plate runners, as the Comsewogue pitcher walked in two runs with the bases loaded.

“It’s a long season with 20 games, so sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war, and that war is the county championship,” Comsewogue head coach Jason Surdi said. “We were unwilling to use our No. 1 pitcher today because today’s game doesn’t count towards the playoffs, so we had to throw a couple of girls out there who typically don’t pitch.”

The Warriors trailed 17-7 to open the fifth inning, and pecked away at the deficit when Whitman’s bat cracked again, driving in junior Lauren Ehrhard and sophomore Julia Keller to make it an eight-run game.

“They can hit the ball, and they did that today,” Whitman said of Shoreham. “We’ll have to let this go.”

Shoreham’s Coman answered next with a RBI-single, bringing home Opiela, and was followed by Papagianopoulos, who took a pitch on a full count to draw the walk with the bases loaded, forcing in a run. Marchese had a busy day at the plate, and remained consistent when she jumped on a pitch for a deep shot to right field, plating Coman and freshman Kaitlyn McGiuney to break out to a 21-9 advantage.

Shoreham first baseman Shelby Curtin catches the ball. Photo by Bill Landon
Shoreham first baseman Shelby Curtin catches the ball. Photo by Bill Landon

Shoreham-Wading River head coach John King liked what he saw, and was especially pleased with his team’s performance at the plate.

“The girls did a nice job of hitting — we’re a very good hitting team,” King said. “They rested their starting pitcher, as we did, and sometimes the other teams are just on your pitcher, so we had to bring in our regular starting pitcher [Coman], and she did a nice job.”

Marchese triggered the mercy rule, so leading by 12 runs after five innings, her Wildcats were awarded the win.

“We played really well today, we kept it together, and it was a great team effort,” Marchese said. “We made a few errors, but we picked each other up. We can’t look at anyone’s record, we just have to come out and play as hard as we can.”

The Wildcats host Westhampton Beach on Monday at 4 p.m., and Bayport-Blue Point on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., before hitting the road on Thursday to take on Miller Place. Comsewogue faces Elwood-John Glenn at home on Monday with the first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m., before traveling to Rocky Point for a 4 p.m. game on Wednesday.

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Donna and Kelly McCauley, front row, third and fourth from left, with their Girl Scout troop. Photo by Jenn Intravaia Photography

By Ernestine Franco

If you missed last year’s Butterfly Breakfast for a Cure fundraiser in Miller Place, you’ll have another chance to attend next week. And, no, this is not a fundraiser to help butterflies. It is a fundraiser to support research of the worst disease you have never heard of.

The event, to be held on Saturday, April 23 at Applebee’s Restaurant at 355 Route 25A with seatings from 8 to 9 a.m., will be held in support of DEBRA of America, an organization that provides assistance and education to families with children born with the genetic condition of epidermolysis bullosa.

Young people who suffer from this disease are called “butterfly children” because their skin is so fragile it blisters or tears from friction or trauma. Currently, there is no treatment or cure for this disease.

Although this event if often associated with Rocky Point resident Donna McCauley, she wants to make it clear that her daughter Kelly is the driving force behind the fundraiser.

“Three years ago, Kelly was inspired to get more involved with DEBRA of America. She has always felt a lot of compassion for those afflicted with my skin disease, having watched me and her Uncle Bob deal with its many challenges through the years. Her first year as a Young Ambassador for DEBRA, Kelly hosted a small fundraiser at the Rocky Point High School where she raised almost $500,” said McCauley in a recent email. “So, giving credit where credit is due, her dad Michael and I could not be prouder of what a kind, giving and compassionate young lady she has become,” she added. Last year’s event raised almost $5,000.

As they have in the past, members of Donna McCauley’s Girl Scout troop, of which Kelly is a member, will volunteer their time as servers for the breakfast. So come and “enjoy a short stack for a tall cause.”

Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for children 10 and under, and include pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs and a beverage (coffee, tea, juice or soda). There will also be a Buy-a-Chance auction with some fantastic prizes. Tickets can be purchased online at www.debra.org/butterflybreakfast2016 or by calling 631-821-6740.

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Bob Koch, above, of Koch Tree Services in Mount Sinai, hangs up the flags each year for Heritage Park’s “Parade of Flags.” Photo from Fred Drewes

Bob Koch is no stranger to giving back.

The single father of three and owner of Koch Tree Services in Mount Sinai is known for his generosity and willingness to always lend his services, or just a helping hand.

“I get emotional talking about him, because he’s just such a wonderful person,” daughter Kara Koch said. “Anybody he meets, he always gives them a chance and makes sure to think the best of them. He really goes above and beyond for everybody and anybody.”

According to Bob Koch’s son Jeremy, his grandfather started the business and his dad took over, working on some major jobs while heading the company. Bob Koch helped clean up Battery Park in Manhattan after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, planted trees and plants at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai, helped local businesses plant trees for Christmas tree lightings and he does basic maintenance and upkeep around the area. He donates much of the time he spends on these community projects.

Bob Koch and two workers plant a dogwood and other trees along the Avenue of America. Photo from Fred Drewes
Bob Koch and two workers plant a dogwood and other trees along the Avenue of America. Photo from Fred Drewes

Nick Aliano Sr., who owns Aliano Real Estate in Miller Place, said Koch helped plant a nearly 30-foot tree at the Aliano Shopping Center to honor his son Robert, who was run over by a car and battled through a long recovery. Despite the first tree dying and the replacement tree almost succumbing to the same fate, Koch made it his goal to keep the tree alive.

“He wanted the tree to make it — it was his mission,” he said. “It would cost thousands and thousands of dollars to do what he did, and we didn’t ask him for a favor; he offered it. He’s a special guy. Behind the lines, Bob is putting back into the community. A lot of people don’t even see it. That’s the kind of guy he is. He doesn’t make an announcement about it.”

The Miller Place Fire Department holds an annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the tree, which Robert Aliano lights, and where Koch is mentioned for his generosity for the wonderful things he does for his community.

At Heritage Park, Koch sometimes sends his crew in to help with landscaping and cleaning up, according to Heritage Trust Office Manager Susan Peters.

“Everything he does here has been totally volunteer,” she said. “He has made the park more beautiful and more inviting, and he’s done so many things that we couldn’t afford to do.”

Fred Drewes, who has also donated a lot of his own time to landscaping the property, said the environment Koch has created at the park will be admired for generations to come.

“I feel grateful and blessed by his willingness and graciousness to help make our small local park seem so large and enjoyable for so many people,” he said.

At “The Wedge,” Koch has donated and planted trees along the parking lot, as well as a tree for an annual lighting around Christmas, and helped with the planting of trees along the park’s “Avenue of America.”

There is also a Parade of Flags that is arranged on national holidays. Koch’s daughter Katie once asked her father if waking up early to hang flags for each state “drove him crazy.”

“He responded, ‘You know Katie, one thing that’s important is you always give back,’” she recalled. “He always made that a big thing. It’s never a job to him.”

Bob Koch, of Koch Tree Services in Mount Sinai, hangs up the flags each year for Heritage Park’s “Parade of Flags,” above. Photo from Fred Drewes
Bob Koch, of Koch Tree Services in Mount Sinai, hangs up the flags each year for Heritage Park’s “Parade of Flags,” above. Photo from Fred Drewes

She finds that positivity and care is contagious: “He’s such a hard worker,” she said. “The man sometimes works six or seven days a week and still has time to give to his family and the community, and he does it with a smile.”

Carmella “Miss Mella” Livingston of Miss Mella’s Footsteps to Learning, a child care center in Coram, said Koch donated time to take care of her property and planted a tree in honor of her late husband.

“He’s taken care of it all as a good community gesture,” she said. “Besides being very community-oriented, very generous and very kind, he’s also very upbeat, very happy. He’s definitely an asset to the community, but also as a dad. It’s a beautiful thing to see someone who is so giving.”

Although he works quietly, neighbors have taken notice.

Katie Koch recalled driving down the street with her father last year, slowing down for a sign someone hung up on their front porch: “It said, ‘Thank you Bob Koch for everything you’ve done,’” she said. “I remember thinking how proud I was that that was my dad. He’s the most selfless person I know.”

According to Kara Koch, who is an office assistant at Koch Tree Services, her father has inspired his family and everyone in the community to always be positive and the best you can be.

“He’s taught me how to love, how to care, how to be responsible, how to be successful,” she said. “Seeing what he does, it makes me want to be the kind of person he is, and if I can be half the person he is, I’d be a very happy girl.”

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Anthony Forte, left, leaves behind his mother Debbie Carpinone, right, and 21-year-old brother Christopher. Photo from Debbie Carpinone

Anthony Michael Forte was a 24-year-old who got good grades in high school and went home to a loving family. He dreamed of a pursuing a career in the entertainment or food industries — until he died of a heroin overdose on May 2, 2015.

Forte is the new face of heroin addicts on Long Island.

While the drug problem continues to rise, his mother, Debbie Carpinone, is doing what she can to keep her spirits high and her son’s alive. Last October, Carpinone, of Port Jefferson, created Anthony’s Angels and established a $1,000 scholarship in Forte’s name.

The scholarship will help send one Mount Sinai High School senior to college this year. Carpinone, who works as a teaching assistant for the Mount Sinai Elementary School, wanted to pay it forward and give one student a chance to do the one thing her son couldn’t — go to school.

“He was so smart,” she said. “He wanted to go to school so bad, but he just couldn’t get his act together due to his addiction.”

The teaching assistant of 13 years sold 128 “Anthony’s Angels” T-shirts last year for the fundraiser of the same name. She raised $1,610 and also established a Facebook group. She approached Mount Sinai Elementary School Principal John Gentilcore in January regarding her son’s death and her scholarship, Gentilcore said.

He said it was easier for the small school district to spread the word about the scholarship. Forte was Carpinone’s eldest son, who went to Comsewogue High School until 2006, before he graduated from Newfield High School in 2008. His mother said even when he hit tough times, Forte remained loving and always had a smile on his face.

According to Carpinone, her son started using heroin in his junior year of high school. He told her about his addiction around two years later, and was in and out of sober houses.

“Talking about the loss of a child, if that doesn’t move you, if that doesn’t evoke a response to support and help … then I’d be surprised,” Gentilcore said. “She was honoring her son. To be able to do that in a way that helps others is a wonderful thing.”

Forte’s autopsy showed high levels of fentanyl in his system. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, fentanyl is more potent than morphine. Carpinone said she discovered the identity of her son’s dealers, their address and their contact information. She provided Detective Ghyslaine McBean with this information, but said the detective hasn’t returned her call since November. McBean didn’t respond to media inquiries prior to publication.

While tackling the issue of drug use on Long Island is important for many communities across Long Island, acknowledging the evolution of heroin addicts and other drug abusers is also vital.

Carpinone said some people still think all heroin users are dirtbags or come from terrible homes, which is not the case. Tracey Budd, who lost her son to a heroin overdose four years ago, met Carpinone last year. Budd, who helps families dealing with addiction, said nowadays, anyone could become a drug addict.

“The majority of people I know [who are affected by a drug addiction] all come from good families or good homes,” Budd said. “The thing we learn in addiction is, we didn’t cause it.”

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