CLOSE
Village Beacon Record

by -
0 1796
Team “Extra” Ordinary poses for a photo before jumping into the cold water of Cedar Beach during the 6th annual Polar Plunge last November. Photo from Robert Fitton

A 12-year-old student from North Country Road Middle School in Miller Place raised over $5,000 for the Special Olympics. All that Robert Fitton had to do was jump into the near-freezing Long Island Sound at Cedar Beach last November.

That’s exactly what Fitton and his team of 16 middle school students did as part of the 6th annual Polar Plunge, a yearly tradition around the country where people sprint into freezing waters to raise money for various causes. Fitton was recognized and honored at the Miller Place School Board meeting last week, accompanied by his mother Concetta; father, Robert; sister, Mary; and brother, Thomas.

It was actually the third time that Fitton had taken the courageous dive into unfathomably cold water. In 2013, inspired by the birth of Thomas that July, Concetta Fitton convinced him to give it a try. Thomas was born with Down syndrome. Fitton said the idea to raise money for the Special Olympics was easy because Thomas might one day take part in the games. For now, Fitton see’s his younger brother as a budding football, wrestling or baseball star.

“You can always give back,” Fitton said. “It’s personal to me because he’s so cute. It was really supposed to be a fun thing at first, but it got more serious once it progressed. In general you can always give back.”

The harsh water temperature wasn’t enough to slow Fitton down after his first plunge in 2013.

“The first year was by far the worst,” Fitton said. “The day we did the plunge it was frigid. Last year was really cold, too. Once you get into that water you don’t really feel it.”

Fitton’s parents are proud of their son for turning the event into a yearly cause. Fitton told his dad in 2013 that he didn’t want him to join him in the freezing water because “I want to do this for my brother, I’m doing this myself,” according to the elder Robert.

“I never thought that he got what it was to tie it into the Special Olympics,” Concetta Fitton said about her son’s first plunge. “I didn’t think he put two and two together, but then he’s running into the water yelling ‘this is for Thomas,’” she said.

—Team “Extra” Ordinary—
Ella & Nathan Botticelli
Spencer Bruno
Isabella DiGregorio
Robby Fitton
Ryan Gilbert
Casey Gilbert
Justin Klein
Andrew Marino
Gregory Marino
Katie Marino
Patrick McNally
Ann McNulty
Matthew Petrie
Denise Pizzo
Hannah Rathburn
Julia Schreck
Dominic Testa
Michael Vallary
Nicholas Vallary

Back then it was just Fitton and one of his cousins taking the plunge. However, inspired by the costumes and celebratory nature of the event, Fitton decided to approach the 2014 plunge from a leadership role. He registered a team and got together about eight friends, according to Concetta Fitton.

In 2015, the number of teammates Fitton lead doubled, and after hanging flyers, calling family and friends and posting on social media asking for sponsors.

The team calls themselves Team “Extra” Ordinary, a nod to Thomas and the extra chromosome associated with Down syndrome. The team also wears blue and yellow to each event, to represent the colors for Down Syndrome Awareness.

Fitton wanted to be clear that he did not accomplish this on his own. He said that without his teammates, he wouldn’t have come anywhere close to the $5,000 mark.

“We don’t do enough to recognize somebody that goes above and beyond,” North Country Road Principal Matt Clark said as he presented Fitton with his award at the board of education meeting. “This is well above and beyond in my opinion … with his leadership skills and his ability to facilitate a team, they did a fabulous job. I want to recognize Robert for his endeavor and his dedication to his brother as well.”

Clark added that he doubted this would be the last time that Robert would be acknowledged by the district for doing something admirable. His mother said that he felt guilty that his friends weren’t recognized for their efforts in raising the money at the meeting as well.

“You always want to think that your kids are awesome,” she said. “Just to know he’s doing this, taking the leadership role and doing this for his brother, it’s amazing … He’s a good kid and he’s doing this for a great cause. We’re extremely proud of him.”

Her husband agreed.

“I was very happy because, anytime you volunteer to give back to the community is very important, and the fact that he did it for my other son is extra special,” he said. “If you get them to do this at a young age hopefully they continue to do it and give back.”

by -
0 2141
Senator Chuck Schumer is taking wireless network companies to task for poor service in areas of Long Island. File photo by Elana Glowatz

The dangers of social media and overall Internet use for children will be the topic of conversation at a parent workshop at Miller Place High School on Tuesday night.

Thomas Grimes of NY Finest Speakers gives a speech. Photo from Grimes
Thomas Grimes of NY Finest Speakers gives a speech. Photo from Grimes

Retired NYPD detective Thomas Grimes will be the speaker at the event, which is open to all parents in the district, from elementary through high school.

“The goal of the parent Internet safety workshop is to understand potential life-threatening scenarios, social networking and how to protect your child from innocent behaviors that predators utilize to plan the perfect ambush,” a press release from the district about the event said.

Grimes was a 20-year veteran of the NYPD and now owns “NY Finest Speakers,” a company which was formed in 2007 and is made up of former detectives and a former secret service agent, according to their website. Those officials are “dedicated to educating and protecting today’s young people and their parents from threats posed by Internet usage and drug involvement,” the release said.

During his 20 years in the NYPD, Grimes spent time in various task forces focused on organized crime and drug trafficking.

by -
0 414
Mollie Adler bakes her brownies at her home in Shoreham. Photo by Giselle Barkley

Don’t look back. Keep going forward.

That’s what Mollie Adler’s father said to her before he died several decades ago. And she hasn’t looked back since — even as she is fighting to save her home with her new business “Miss Mollie’s Brownies.”

Around two years ago, this single mother of two hit hard times when her divorce not only left her struggling to put food on the table but also resulted in her Shoreham home going into foreclosure. Adler suffered another huge blow last September when she was laid off from her part-time job. With kids to feed and a home to worry about, baking brownies became Adler’s best bet.

Adler established her business after applying to New York’s Self-Employment Assistance Program last year. She was accepted into the program in October and started recycling water bottles to help pay for brownie ingredients. She’s currently selling her brownies at the Port Jefferson Winter Farmers Market.

“She’s always wanted to pursue a career in baking,” Denise Rohde said. “Her brownies honestly are her claim to fame. It’s almost like getting laid off was a blessing in disguise because it gave her time to actually pursue her dream.”

Rohde, of Baiting Hollow, met Adler nearly 17 years ago and has seen her through the many obstacles in her life — including the first time Adler was laid-off several years ago. After losing her second job, Adler decided to pursue her dream.

“I just had to reach and say this is what I’m going to do,” Adler said about creating Miss Mollie’s Brownies. “I’m going to do it for me. I’m going to have hours that make sense for me and I want to empower myself.”

“Miss Mollie’s Brownies” are packaged and arranged at her home. Photo by Giselle Barkley
“Miss Mollie’s Brownies” are packaged and arranged at her home. Photo by Giselle Barkley

But a chronic health condition further complicated Adler’s life when she started losing her sense of smell and taste. While she can taste salty or sweet foods, she can’t taste flavors, and has no sense of smell. Regardless, her fudgy brownies have friends, family members and clients coming back for more.

While her business is only a few weeks old, Adler has a wide range of brownie flavors including classic, espresso and nutty. Some seasonal flavors include apple pie, s’mores, mint and lavender, which she’s perfected with the help of her children who taste-test the brownies. But their help doesn’t stop there.

Adler’s daughter Melanie, who doesn’t share her mother’s last name, was the first to tell her mom’s story. Now, with the help of Adler’s graphic designer Gary Goldstein, Adler’s clients can read her story on the tag tied to each of her brownies. Goldstein met Adler more than a year ago. Goldstein, an art teacher who is designing Adler’s labels for free, started working with her last November. In that time, he’s seen her tenacity as she works to save her home.

“She deserves this,” he said. “She deserves not only things going well for her, but to be successful because she’s a dedicated mom and she’s hard-working. Like everyone else in life, you have your ups and downs, but this is a woman I envision being successful.”

In 2014, according to www.singlemotherguide.com, nearly 12 million families in America were single-parent families. According to Port Jefferson resident Pat Darling, a friend of Adler, some single parents don’t always pick themselves up when they hit hard times.

“I think when a person is down, instead of staying there they should reach, and they should dream — and she’s reaching for her dreams,’ Darling said. “I hope they all come true.”

Adler doesn’t just want her dreams to come true. She also wants to show her kids and single parents alike what dedication and perseverance can achieve. She said she hopes to create a place for single parents to help them through their hardships once her business takes off.

“Everyday I get up and do whatever it takes to get this done,” Adler said about building her business. “I’m not going to stop until “Miss Mollie’s Brownies” is a household name.”

by -
0 224
Narcan, a drug that stops opioid overdoses. File photo by Jessica Suarez

Concerned that a loved one will overdose on drugs? Suffolk County is hosting training classes over the next few months to teach residents how to identify overdoses of opioid drugs — such as heroin, Vicodin and Percocet — and use the anti-overdose medication Narcan to rescue victims.

The county’s parting gift for people who show up to the program is an emergency resuscitation kit that contains Narcan as well as a certificate of completion.

The first class, on Feb. 4, will be a bit of a hike away, at the Mattituck firehouse on Pike Street from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (RSVP to [email protected]).

There will be another in Greenlawn on Feb. 12, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Harborfields library on Broadway (RSVP to Sheila Sullivan at 631-271-8025 or [email protected]).

A third will take place on Feb. 18 in Wyandanch, at the Wyandanch Community Resource Center on Straight Path from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (RSVP to 631-643-1960 or [email protected]).

Following a March 3 course in Bohemia, at the Connetquot Public Library on Ocean Avenue from 6 to 7 p.m. (RSVP to 631-665-2311), the county is holding one at the Setauket firehouse on Nicolls Road. That event, on Thursday, March 31, will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Participants can RSVP to 631-854-1650 or [email protected].

by -
0 307

Out to pasture
On Jan. 22, police arrested two men from Stony Brook and Setauket for assault with intent to cause physical injury. According to police, the men, ages 22 and 23, punched and kicked another man in the head and face on Sheep Pasture Road in Port Jefferson. The victim was taken to John T. Mather Memorial Hospital while the assailants were arrested at the scene, at 3:08 a.m.

Lean on me
An 18-year-old from Coram was arrested for driving while ability impaired on Jan. 21 after she failed to maintain her lane on Route 25A and was veering onto the shoulder. Police stopped her at the corner of Hallock Landing Road in Rocky Point and arrested her.

Criminal helps police
A drunk driver helped police nab him on Jan. 21 when he mistakenly thought he was being pulled over. According to police, as officers were pulling over another vehicle for a traffic stop at the corner of Route 25A and Chestnut Street in Mount Sinai, the 48-year-old DWI suspect, who is from Ovideo, Fla., also pulled over. Police discovered the man was intoxicated and arrested him at the scene, charging him with driving while ability impaired.

Doing lines to jail
On Jan. 22 at 7:05 a.m., police arrested a man from Centereach on two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance. According to police, the 32-year-old man was in possession of cocaine.

Bounced behind bars
A 36-year-old woman from Selden was arrested for grand larceny on Jan. 19 after using another person’s checkbook to write several checks to herself between Sept. 2 and Dec. 10. Police said the incident happened at a bank on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station.

Steal fresh
Between Jan. 20 at 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. the following day, an unidentified person broke into a Subway near Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station and stole the cash register.

Going to the gifts
Police arrested a 50-year-old woman from Bay Shore on Jan. 20 for petit larceny. Police said the woman was in a home improvement store on Middle Country Road in Selden when she took several faucets and falsely returned them for a gift card. The woman received a $475 gift card and left the store without purchasing any items. Police arrested her later the same day.

Make him sweat
On Jan. 18, police arrested a 47-year-old man from East Setauket for petit larceny after he stole two sweaters from a residence on Spyglass Lane. Police didn’t say how the man entered the residence.

Drifting into an arrest
A 21-year-old woman from Smithtown was arrested for driving while ability impaired on Jan. 21. The woman was driving north on Route 25A when police pulled her over for speeding and failing to maintain her lane.

Missing moola
According to police, residents on Old Homestead Road in Port Jefferson reported that money was missing from their home. Police didn’t know how much money was missing but said the incident happened on Jan. 21 at 10 a.m.

Photobombed
On Jan. 23 around 9:30 a.m., someone on Casey Lane in Mount Sinai received inappropriate photos from an unknown person.

Lifting weights, lifting wallets
Someone left their wallet in an unlocked locker at the LA Fitness on Middle Country Road in Centereach. When the victim returned to the locker room for his wallet, it was gone. The incident occurred on Jan. 25 at 5:30 p.m.
Sometime on Jan. 21, someone stole a wallet from a student’s backpack in a classroom at Newfield High School.
On Jan. 25 between 4 and 6 p.m., someone stole a wallet from a student’s bag at Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School in Rocky Point.

Trucked away
Between Jan. 23 and Jan. 24, an unidentified person stole a 1993 dump truck near Route 25A in Setauket.

A fabulous steal
According to police, on Jan. 24 around 12:30 p.m., someone entered the Marshalls at Route 347 and Hallock Road in Stony Brook and stole assorted clothing.

Swerving Saturn
A 27-year-old man from Brentwood was arrested for driving his 2002 Saturn while intoxicated at about 4 a.m. on Jan. 22, according to police. The man was driving on Old Willets Path near Route 25 in Smithtown when he was pulled over, police said. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Credit card swiped
Police arrested a 34-year-old Riverhead woman in Smithtown on Jan. 22 for stealing a credit card. The woman was charged with fourth degree grand larceny for stealing the credit card from a home in Ronkonkoma between midnight on June 12, and 9:30 a.m. on June 13, according to police.

DMV deception
At approximately 3:40 p.m. on Sept. 25, a 57-year-old man from Brentwood entered the Department of Motor Vehicles in Hauppauge and used a fraudulent social security card, according to police. He was arrested on Jan. 20 in Smithtown and charged with possession of a forged instrument.

BMW booked
A 59-year-old man from Commack was arrested on Jan. 22 for driving his BMW while intoxicated, police said. He was driving east on Motor Parkway in Hauppauge just after 3 a.m. when he was pulled over for driving recklessly, according to police. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Skating on grass
Police arrested a 17-year-old man from Hauppauge who was seated in his 2005 Honda outside of The Rinx in Hauppauge just before 10 p.m. on Jan. 22. He was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Hit and ran to jail
At about 9:00 pm on May 12, a 33-year-old man from Central Islip, driving in a 2000 Nissan Maxima on Fifth Avenue in Bay Shore, hit and killed a woman, then fled the scene, according to police. The man was arrested on Jan. 22 in Hauppauge for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, police said.

Pickpocket punished
A 62-year-old woman from East Patchogue was arrested in Hauppauge and charged with grand larceny for taking more than $50,000 in cash from a woman without permission between May 4 and July 2, police said.

Price-conscious jewel thief
An unknown person stole assorted jewelry from Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on January 20, police said.

Fighting Irish pub
According to police, two unknown people got into a fight outside Napper Tandy’s Irish Pub on East Main Street in Smithtown in the early hours of Jan. 21.

Punching at the car wash
At about 10 a.m. on Jan. 21, police responded to a fight at Touch of Class Car Wash on Middle Country Road in St. James. One man punched another man, but no medical attention was necessary, police said.

Department store duped
Four unknown women stole assorted merchandise from Macy’s on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack just before noon on Jan. 21, according to police.

Gas money
At about 7 p.m. on Jan. 22, an unknown person stole cash from a Shell gas station on Commack Road in Commack, police said.

Not playing it straight
On Jan. 22, a 20-year-old woman from Massapequa was arrested after police said she had marijuana in her possession on Straight Path in Dix Hills at 12:15 p.m. She was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Trying to ‘shirt’ the law
On Jan. 24, a 20-year-old man from Huntington was arrested at his residence on Delamere Street after police said he grabbed a man by the shirt and hit him in the head with an unknown object at 4:30 p.m. He was charged with second-degree menacing with a weapon.

You’ve got mail
A resident of Blue Sky Court in Huntington reported that his or her mailbox was damaged by an unknown person between 5 and 9 p.m. on Jan. 23.

Fakin’ it
Police said a 55-year-old man from Jericho used a fraudulent New York State driver’s license while at the 2nd Precinct on Jan. 21 at 4 p.m. He was subsequently charged with first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Riding revoked
A 46-year-old man from Centerport was arrested on Jan. 22 at 10:40 a.m. after police said he said he was driving a 2006 Chevy on Walt Whitman Road with a revoked license. He was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

High tide
A 17-year-old woman from Northport was arrested on Jan. 22 after police said she had marijuana in her possession on Soundview Boat Ramp in Northport at 5:30 p.m. She was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Swerving Lexus
A 63-year-old woman from Dix Hills was arrested on Jan. 23 after police said she was speeding in a 2009 Lexus on Deer Park Avenue in Dix Hills and then swerved across lanes. He was charged with operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of more than .08.

by -
0 1378
Mount Sinai’s administration and board — including Superintendent Gordon Brosdal and BOE President Robert Sweeney — will ask taxpayers to weigh in on a capital bond proposal Dec. 11. File photo by Erika Karp

While the town prepared for snow, Mount Sinai school district is preparing for another school year and another budget.

With the 0.12 state tax cap limiting how much a school districts can increase their budgets for the 2016-17 year, Mount Sinai residents will pay around the same in taxes. The district is maintaining its current programs and necessities, like transportation, with its $57.2 million budget. But it’s a guessing game when it comes to the school’s proposal.

“We’re basically shooting in the dark — not knowing what’s going on with the state,” Superintendent Gordon Brosdal said. “So we try to plan as best we can for what we’re going to be faced with.”

The district budgeted for around $16.5 million in aid, but Sweeney says they don’t know how much state aid they’ll receive. The school is currently following Sen. John Flanagan’s (R-East Northport) effort to nix the Gap Elimination Adjustment.

Since the 2010-11 fiscal year, the GEA has reduced every school district’s budget to combat a fiscal crisis in the state. Mount Sinai is currently losing around $1.24 million per year to the GEA, but it may regain revenue for the 2016-17 academic year if the government repeals the law.

“They owe us eight years worth [of money],” said Robert Sweeney, president of the Mount Sinai board of education.

With a tax cap of nearly zero, the district doesn’t intend on increasing its tax levy. The school district will maintain its $38.5 million levy from the 2015-16 academic year, despite its 0.7 percent budget increase. According to Brosdal, increases in administrative charges were one of several items that affected the budget. The school district is also devoting more money to technology and transportation.

Brosdal added that the district will have to make some cuts before finalizing its budget. He didn’t specify where they will make those cuts, but said they will discuss the budget further during the Feb. 10 board of education meeting. The budget workshop will cover personnel items and special education items.

Despite the low tax cap, the school district plans to stay within the cap, unlike some other districts. Brosdal said “there are many districts that will probably pierce the tax cap” for their 2016-17 budgets. But for now, it’s a waiting game to see how much state aid and wiggle room school districts will have to cater to their budget.

by -
0 279
Current fifth-grade students receive a Silver Banner and certificates for raising money for ALS. Photo by Giselle Barkley

Mount Sinai elementary students are giving Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis sufferers more hope for a cure.

On Jan. 20, several Mount Sinai elementary students and faculty members were honored with a Silver Banner for their more than $1,000 donation to ALS research during a board of education meeting. Special guest Christopher Pendergast, an ALS sufferer and the founder of ALS Ride for Life, joined the students, their families, faculty and board members to present the banner in recognition of their effort.

Of the hundreds of schools that participated in the ALS Ride Across Long Island in May 2015, Superintendent Gordon Brosdal said Mount Sinai Elementary School was “one of the select groups to raise over $1,000 … the money raised by these students and staff and community helps provide hope and essential services.”

The students recycled water bottles to raise money last academic year when they were in fourth grade. The group was also part of the student council, which raises money for seven non-for-profits, including ALS Ride for Life. On behalf of the student council, the group also sold one-dollar paper baseballs, which they hung around the elementary school’s cafeteria.

“We’ve been raising money for Mr. Pendergast for over a decade … probably around 15 years,” fourth-grade teacher Kevin Walsh said.

In the past two years alone, Walsh’s students and two other fourth-grade classes have contributed around $2,000 to ALS research. According to student council advisors Mindy Sullivan and Marcella Walker, the council contributes $500 to ALS research annually. About two students from each fourth-grade class are on the council.

For 10-year-old Gabriella Amato, raising money for ALS was personal.

“My grandfather’s friend died because of ALS,” Gabriella said. “So that charity is really important to me.”

Fellow fifth-grader Zekey Huang was happy to help raise money for cause. He said his class collected around 200 bottles and visited other fourth-grade classes during lunchtime to add to the collection. While the 10-year-old enjoyed raising money with his classmates, he wants to see progress in ALS research.

“I hope there’s a cure at least … maybe in a year,” Zekey said.

Pendergast spoke about how raising funds for ALS research helps students learn how to overcome obstacles, persevere and make the world a better place. Pendergast grew up in and went to school in Mount Sinai. While the list of schools he personally visits gets shorter and shorter, Pendergast never fails to visit his hometown and school.

“We like to think that we do a very nice job teaching character education in our schools,” Mount Sinai Elementary School Principal John Gentilcore said during the meeting. “But when [Pendergast] comes to visit, it’s truly a lesson in grace and perseverance that our children learn from each and every year.”

Walsh’s students, alongside two other fourth-grade classes in the school, are currently collecting water bottles to continue raising money for the disease. For Pendergast, their persistence and effort to financially contribute to ALS research was worth highlighting.

“In a climate of negativity and cynicism, Mount Sinai’s schools’ compassion and commitment brilliantly shines as an example of education at its best,” Pendergast said. “The world will be a better place because of this school.”

by -
0 2888
Mount Sinai senior Leon Paul improved his record to 24-2 with a 7-0 decision over his Sayville competitor on Jan. 22. The Mustangs outscored the Golden Flashes 62-15 in the final meet of the regular season, to improve to 6-1 in League VI. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Mount Sinai senior Matt Eisenblaetter tries to escape a hold on his way to pinning his Sayville opponent at 170 pounds on Jan. 22. The Mustangs improved to 6-1 in League VI to end the season in a three-way tie for first place with their 62-15 win over the Golden Flashes. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai senior Matt Eisenblaetter tries to escape a hold on his way to pinning his Sayville opponent at 170 pounds on Jan. 22. Photo by Bill Landon

The Mount Sinai wrestling team is locked in a three-way tie at the top of League VI after taking down Sayville 62-15 on the road on Jan. 22. As the curtain drew to a close in the final meet of the regular season, Miller Place and Elwood-John Glenn also won their final games, knotting all three teams at 6-1 going into Wednesday’s opening round of playoffs.

Mount Sinai came out fast winning four of the first five matches with standout pinning performances from five grapplers, including senior Matthew Eisenblaetter, who laid out his opponent at the 3:39 mark at 170 pounds, and sophomore Jake Croston, who put an end to his match in the first period at 220. There were also two major decisions, highlighted by eighth-grader Mike O’Brien won his matchup 11-2 at 106 pounds.

Mount Sinai head coach Matt Armstrong said his team has been able to hold its own despite having three eighth-graders and 11 ninth-graders on the roster.

“The younger kids wrestle in a lot of tournaments and I have an eighth-grader Matt Campo who’s an absolute hammer,” he said.

Mount Sinai eighth-grader Matt Campo, who is controlling his opponent, improved his record to 24-1 after pinning his Sayville competitor at 99 pounds on Jan. 22. The Mustangs improved to 6-1 in League VI to end the season in a three-way tie for first place with their 62-15 win over the Golden Flashes. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai eighth-grader Matt Campo, who is controlling his opponent, improved his record to 24-1 after pinning his Sayville competitor at 99 pounds on Jan. 22. Photo by Bill Landon

At 99 pounds, Campo dropped that hammer on his opponent with a pin early in the second period. Campo was an All-League wrestler last year as a seventh-grader, and with his win, the underclassmen, whom his coach said is the future of Mount Sinai wrestling, improved his record to 24-1.

Co-captain Shane Walker, a senior at 195 pounds, also ended his match by pinning his rival a minute into the second period for his 14th pin of the season, improving his record to 19-1. Classmate Keith Williams pinned his opponent at the 1:37 mark in the 120-pound weight class.

Two-time All-League player and senior co-captain Daniel Henry defeated his foe in a major decision, 11-3, and at 160 pounds, fellow senior Leon Paul took victory with a 7-0 decision in the 145-pound weight class. Mike Zarif, a sophomore, edged his challenger 5-2 at 126 pounds.

Mount Sinai senior Daniel Henry lifts up his 160-pound competitor during his 11-3 major decision on Jan. 22. The Mustangs topped Sayville 62-15 to end the season in a three-way tie for first in League VI. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai senior Daniel Henry lifts up his 160-pound competitor during his 11-3 major decision on Jan. 22. Photo by Bill Landon

Paul, a two-time All-League wrestler who is now 24-2, said he was somewhat surprised in his matchup, because he expected more from his opponent.

“I was successful in my takedown,” said Paul, adding that he was happy with his overall performance.

Winning by forfeit was Leonel Paul, Leon’s twin brother, at 138 pounds, as did sophomore Robert Christ at 285.

“Sayville did well — they did better than I expected,” Leonel Paul said. “Our team did well, and our heads were in it tonight.”

Armstrong said that the Paul brothers are the hardest workers in the wrestling room, and have won three tournaments this year between them. Leonel Paul added that he’ll go running every day leading up to the start of the playoffs.

Mount Sinai eighth-grader Mike O'Brien maintains control of his opponent on his way to an 11-2 major decision at 106 pounds, against Sayville on Jan. 22. The Mustangs improved to 6-1 in League VI to end the season in a three-way tie for first place with their 62-15 win over the Golden Flashes. Photo by Bill Landon
Mount Sinai eighth-grader Mike O’Brien maintains control of his opponent on his way to an 11-2 major decision at 106 pounds, against Sayville on Jan. 22. Photo by Bill Landon

Also winning by forfeit was Luke Marino, a senior at 182pounds, who talked about what his team will do to prepare for Wednesday’s postseason opener.

“Were just going to be practicing like we’ve done all year” Marino said. “This is a hard working team and I think this is the year that we can do it. We showed that by placing in the top three, which hasn’t been done in 10 years at Mount Sinai.”

by -
0 554
Diane Burkhardt, a member of the North Shore United Methodist Church for the last 11 years, is seen below smiling with children she helps through the organization Life and Hop Haiti. Photo from Hal Low

Don’t let its size fool you — the North Shore United Methodist Church in Wading River may be small, but the variety of outreach and support programs it has reaches across the Island.

“Sometimes there are certain people who are going through a difficult time and I think extending a hand and caring helps restore some hope that things are going to be okay,” said Diane Burkhardt, a member of the church for 11 years who is a retired Shoreham-Wading River middle school teacher. “People are so appreciative and thankful, which makes the whole experience gratifying and fulfilling. It makes you really appreciate what you have, which is humbling.”

Burkhardt said she is fortunate enough to be the team leader for the church’s outreach program, working on volunteer efforts like the Helping Hands Fund, which includes a food pantry that assists about 50 families in the Shoreham-Wading River area on a regular basis, and its back-to-school project, which provided school supplies to 30 children in need this past September.

Volunteers also deliver food to people’s homes, drive those in need to doctor’s appointments, help out with the church’s thrift shop, and deliver meals to and spend time with residents of Maureen’s Haven, a shelter service for homeless adults on the East End.

The North Shore United Methodist Church in Wading River is involved in a myriad of projects from helping its church members to the needy across Long Island. Photo by Giselle Barkley
The North Shore United Methodist Church in Wading River is involved in a myriad of projects from helping its church members to the needy across Long Island. Photo by Giselle Barkley

“Food is tangible, but what comes with it is the intangible quality of hope,” Burkhardt said. “I’m one of a dozen or so active members that are retired and put in a lot of hours because we feel we were all given gifts and skills that can be put to good use helping people.”

Linda McCall, of Center Moriches, has been attending North Shore United Methodist for four years and said she most enjoys spending her time helping those at Maureen’s Haven in Riverhead, while also volunteering through Helping Hands to provide gifts to children and meals to families around Christmas.

“It’s a very small church, and for such a small church we have so many outreach programs going that I found it almost impossible not to get involved,” she said. “It’s one of the things that keep me happy to be here on the Island. I moved here from Las Vegas, so I don’t have any family here, and the church has become my family. Volunteering fills my days with joy and happiness.”

Priscilla Hartman, a Shoreham resident who has been attending services for the last 35 years, said that as the church’s team leader for its membership care program, she finds it rewarding when she can help someone.

The program helps church members get to the pharmacy when they are temporarily ill, don’t have transportation or otherwise can’t leave the house. Volunteers also cook for them or clean their houses.

“It’s a great feeling when we’re helping a homeless person or someone who is down on their luck and seeing them get back on their feet,” she said. “I’m glad that my church is very ministry-oriented. I think it’s a good way for us to act. We’re a small church, but there’s nothing too large for us to take on.”

One example is the church’s partnering with Life and Hope Haiti, an organization founded by Lucia Anglade of West Babylon, who formed the Eben Ezer School in her hometown of Milot, Haiti.

Donna Eddy, who runs a craft group and is also involved with Maureen’s Haven and the thrift shop, said it’s these relationships people make with other community members and those they help that count in life and define who they are.

“I think we are all wired to need and to learn from each other,” she said. “You can’t love, have forgiveness, experience kindness, faithfulness and unselfishness unless you’re involved in the community. People need other people.”

And one person everyone at North Shore United Methodist agreed they need, is Burkhardt.

The North Shore United Methodist Church in Wading River gets together food for the less fortunate during the holidays. Photo from Hal Low
The North Shore United Methodist Church in Wading River gets together food for the less fortunate during the holidays. Photo from Hal Low

“She has an incredible amount of energy and her enthusiasm is infectious,” Pastor Hal Low said. “Nothing ever seems to daunt her. She’s an inspiration to others, including myself.”

Eddy agrees.

“She’s focused, driven and she makes you want to be the best that you can be and give all that you can, because that’s what she does,” she said. “She’s a wonderful model She gives selflessly her time, her energy. If you need something, Diane will be there. You can count on her.”

But Burkhardt doesn’t want to take any of the credit, because she said without the rest of the organization, there would be no outreach ministry.

“I’m part of a whole congregation and I couldn’t do anything alone,” she said, adding that other churchgoers also help by recycling cans and bottles to raise money for lunches for the children in Haiti for instance. Members are also currently providing dinner to children whose parents are both in the hospital while the father is ill, and have been helping transport a man in Bellport, previously of Maureen’s Haven and a home in Middle Island, to and from Sunday services since 2011.

Burkhardt said that she frequently recalls things Shoreham resident and longtime churchgoer Doris Olson used to tell her when she was heavily involved in outreach in her younger years.

“Whenever I’m dealing with someone that can maybe be hard to deal with, she always said, ‘God made that person, too,’ and that brings me right back in touch with what I’m really doing and why I’m going it,” Burkhardt said. “Every day, try to be a blessing to someone else.”

by -
0 184

Sister, Sister
A 20 year-old woman from Trumbull, Conn. was arrested on Jan. 17 just before 6:30 a.m. after police said she parked her 2002 BMW on the Northern State Parkway in Commack in the right lane of travel and then discovered she was drunk. At the 4th Precinct she gave her sister’s name instead of her own and had prescription pills in her possession without a prescription. She was charged with second-degree forgery of a public record, seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and driving while intoxicated.

Oh no-se
On Jan. 17, a 19-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested after police said she punched a woman in the face and fractured her nose on Garet Place in Commack at 8:05 p.m. She was charged with third degree assault with intent to cause physical injury.

Can’t focus
Police said a 27-year-old man from East Setauket was driving drunk on Jan. 16 at 2:30 a.m. He was originally pulled over while speeding and failing to maintain inside his lane while driving a 2012 Ford Focus on Route 25 in Smithtown when police said they discovered he was driving drunk. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Crook on Crooked Hill
Police said a 30-year-old woman from Brentwood was driving a 2003 Lincoln Navigator with a suspended license on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on Jan. 17. She was arrested at 10:45 a.m. and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Trying to dodge the law
A 34-year-old man from Kings Park was arrested on Jan. 15 at 3:10 a.m. after police pulled him over for failing to signal when he was making a left onto Enfield Lane in Kings Park while driving a 1998 Dodge pickup truck. Once he was pulled over, police said he was driving drunk and charged him with driving while intoxicated.

Suspicious activity
On Jan. 17, a 20-year-old woman from Commack was arrested at 3:30 a.m. after police said she was driving suspiciously in front of a business on Indian Head Road in Commack that was recently burglarized, and then realized she was driving drunk. She was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated.

Not very family like
At Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace on Route 111 in Smithtown on Jan. 14 at 3:30 p.m., police said an unknown person stole property from an unlocked 2010 Dodge Ram including an iPod, change, a pocketknife and prescription medication.

Take care
On Jan. 14 at 9 p.m., police said an unknown person stole personal care items from CVS on Smithtown Boulevard in Nesconset and then fled the scene.

Polo pocketed
An unknown person stole men’s Ralph Lauren Polo clothing from Macy’s on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack on Jan. 15 at 12:12 p.m.

Not a sign of the crook
Police said an unknown person damaged a business sign at St. James Island Health Care on Lake Avenue in St. James on Jan. 14 at 7:19 p.m.

Naptime
Police arrested a 39-year-old man from Medford on Jan. 15 for driving while ability impaired in a 2011 Chevrolet, after officers found him parked on the shoulder of Route 25A in Mount Sinai with the engine running. Officers discovered the man was intoxicated and arrested him.

A phone-y check
On Jan. 11, police arrested a 28-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station for criminal possession of stolen property. He allegedly stole an iPhone 6 from the GameStop on Nesconset Highway on Sept. 26. Police said the man also deposited a stolen check into his account at the Teacher’s Federal Credit Union bank on Sept. 28. Authorities arrested the man at his residence.

What a fake
A 42-year-old man from Port Jefferson was arrested on Jan. 15 for using a forged license, after he was pulled over on Terryville Road. A police spokesperson didn’t specify what caused the traffic stop.

Not-so-sweet surprise
A Sound Beach woman was arrested for criminal mischief on Jan. 17. According to police, the woman smashed a window of a 1991 Chevrolet Corvette on Honey Lane in Mount Sinai.

Manipulative suspect
Police arrested a man from Centereach for burglary on Jan. 16, after the 34-year-old man manipulated a garage door at the Meineke on Middle Country Road in Coram before breaking into the store and taking money from the cash register. He was collared at the scene.

Greeted at the garage
On Jan. 13, a woman was opening the garage at her residence on Ledgewood Circle in Setauket-East Setauket when someone tried to steal her backpack, purse and sorority bag. Police said the suspect dragged the woman before fleeing with her bags, which contained cash and a driver’s license.

Cash and cocoa
An unknown person smashed a window of Margaret’s Florist on Route 25A in Miller Place on Jan. 16. Police said the suspect stole assorted gourmet chocolates and money from the business.

More stealing, more doing
On Jan. 13, a 26-year-old man from Bohemia was arrested for one count each of petit larceny, criminal mischief and grand larceny. Police said the man stole a drill from the Home Depot in Independence Plaza in Selden that day. Officers also discovered the man was in possession of prescription medication that wasn’t prescribed to him. According to police, the man was involved in a previous theft — he allegedly stole rings and paintings on Dec. 11 from a residence on Cleveland Street in Selden.

Scam scare
Police said a woman received a call from an unknown person saying that her husband was involved in an accident and that they would hurt him if she didn’t send them money. The woman didn’t send money to the unknown caller. She received the call on Jan. 12 on Nesconset Highway in Stony Brook.

Energized and arrested
Police arrested a man from Centereach on Jan. 17 for petit larceny. The 44-year-old man had entered the Walmart in the Centereach Mall and took two knives, multipurpose tools and several energy drinks. Police arrested the man at the scene at 12:45 p.m.

St. James speeder
A 19-year-old man from St. James was arrested for driving while ability impaired after driving a 1999 Chevrolet south on Pond Path in Setauket at 55 miles per hour, in a 30-mile-per-hour zone. Officers discovered the man was intoxicated and arrested him at the scene.

Ninja-like thief
On Jan. 15, police arrested a man for criminal possession of stolen property, a 2013 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle. The motorcycle was parked in the victim’s driveway on Van Buren Street in Rocky Point on Nov. 17 when the man allegedly stole it. Police arrested the suspect at his residence.

Privately pocketed
On Jan. 17, an unknown person stole a woman’s pocket book at a private catering event at Schafer’s restaurant in Port Jefferson.

Powerful criminal
Police said an unidentified person damaged a 6-foot chain and a 20-foot fence at North Shore Power Lawn Equipment in Mount Sinai. The incident happened on Jan. 17 at 8:45 p.m.

Not the best friendship
On Jan. 14, someone stole a driver’s coat from a Lindy’s Taxi cab. Police said the woman’s coat contained money and was stolen on Friendship Drive in Rocky Point.

Smoked Samaritan
According to police, on Jan. 17 someone tried to break up a fight at a hookah bar on Middle Country Road in Selden when he was stabbed. Police said he was taken to  Brookhaven Memorial Hospital.

Into the Woods
A 55-year-old man from Manorville was arrested on Jan. 16 at midnight after police said he entered a home on Woods End Road in Dix Hills without permission. He was charged with third degree criminal trespassing in an enclosed property.

Two puppies to go
Police arrested a 17-year-old woman from Syosset on Jan. 14 at 11 a.m. after they said she stole two puppies from Selmer’s Pet Land on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station. She was charged with third degree grand larceny.

High times
An 18-year-old man from Huntington was arrested on Jan. 15 at 8:25 p.m. on the corner of Lawn Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Greenlawn after police said he had Xanax in his possession without a prescription. He was charged with seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Pricked by the law
On Jan. 16, a 27-year-old man from Deer Park was arrested on Old Brook Road in Dix Hills after police said he had heroin and a hypodermic needle on him. He was charged with seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Coat crook
Multiple coats were stolen from Bloomingdales on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington on Jan. 15 at 10:20 a.m., according to police.

Losing the value
Police said an unknown person left her cell phone on the counter at Value Drugs in Huntington on Jan. 16 at 3:15 p.m. and when she went back to retrieve it, the cell phone was gone.

Bad deal for DVDs
On Jan. 16, a 22-year-old man from Rosedale was arrested after police said he assaulted a woman while entering her property on Lenox Road in Huntington Station. Once he was arrested, police found marijuana in his possession as well as 22 counterfeit DVDs. He was arrested at 4:45 p.m. and charged with third degree trademark counterfeiting, third degree assault with intent to cause physical injury and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Prev1...473474475...510Next Page 474 of 510
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©