CLOSE
Port Times Record

by -
0 298
Terrill Simmons mugshot from SCPD

By Elana Glowatz

A heroin task force has just busted four people living across the street from the John F. Kennedy Middle School in Port Jefferson Station, including one who was found trying to flush drugs down the toilet, authorities said Thursday.

Terrill Simmons mugshot from SCPD
Terrill Simmons mugshot from SCPD

Agencies within the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Heroin Task Force executed a search warrant at the two-story Jayne Boulevard home on Monday, the DA’s office said in a press release, seizing raw heroin, 100 grams of crack cocaine, 50 grams of powdered cocaine, scales, wax packets and other supplies.

Authorities arrested one of the suspects at the scene, 38-year-old Terrill E. Simmons, charging him with criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of marijuana, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, endangering the welfare of a child and tampering with evidence, after he allegedly was found flushing heroin down the toilet as detectives entered the house.

Police have also charged a father-son pair, 48-year-old Daniel Dumas and 27-year-old Daryl Dumas, with criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. The son also faces charges of criminal sale of a controlled substance and criminal sale on or near school grounds.

Moneke Alexander mugshot from SCPD
Moneke Alexander mugshot from SCPD

A fourth suspect, 38-year-old Moneke Alexander, listed as a legal resident of Rhode Island, was charged with criminal possession, use of drug paraphernalia and endangering the welfare of a child.

A previous attorney for Daryl Dumas, Patchogue-based Daniel Henthorne, said he had not yet taken the defendant’s case, but “if we take the case then we’ll know more information.” Other attorney information for Dumas was not available. Alexander’s attorney, Riverhead-based Annette Totten, did not return a call seeking comment, while Simmons and the elder Dumas are both listed as representing themselves on the state court system’s online database and could not be reached for comment.

According to the DA’s office, each defendant pleaded not guilty to their respective charges in court on Wednesday.

The child endangerment charges stem from the alleged location of the drugs in the house: District Attorney Tom Spota said most of the heroin, crack and cocaine was found in boxes next to a 2-year-old’s bed — they were allegedly in the bedroom of Alexander’s son.

According to the DA’s office, Suffolk County Child Protective Services is caring for the child.

Daniel Dumas mugshot from SCPD
Daniel Dumas mugshot from SCPD
Daryl Dumas mugshot from SCPD
Daryl Dumas mugshot from SCPD

“Dealing drugs across the street from a school and the storage of these dangerous narcotics within feet of a child’s bed tell you all you need to know about these defendants’ disregard for everything other than getting and selling heroin and other drugs,” Spota said in a statement. “The shutdown of this operation is good news for the community.”

The heroin task force, which is made up of investigators from the DA’s office, county sheriff’s office and police department, had been investigating heroin trafficking within Brookhaven Town for several months at the time of the bust.

Bail was set at $15,000 cash or $30,000 bond for Alexander; $35,000 cash or $70,000 bond for Daniel Dumas; $75,000 cash or $150,000 bond for Daryl Dumas; and $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond for Simmons.

by -
0 1419
The Port Jefferson power plant sits along the edge of Port Jefferson Harbor. Photo by Elana Glowatz

A provision in the new state budget sets aside $30 million that could support communities where a power plant has closed and stopped paying property taxes.

According to the budget bill that state lawmakers agreed upon last week, that sum would be available for a local government, school district or special district — such as a library or fire district — where an electric generating facility has stopped operating, causing a reduction of at least 20 percent of the money it owed through property taxes or payments in lieu of taxes, commonly known as PILOTs.

There are limits to the provision, however: The bill says the New York State Urban Development Corporation will distribute the relief funds on a first-come, first-served basis and will not offer the support to a specific group for more than five years. Additionally, in the first of the five years, the corporation will not award funding equal to more than 80 percent of the local entity’s lost revenue.

Port Jefferson Village could possibly be on the receiving end of some of the $30 million in the pot, dubbed the “electric generation facility cessation mitigation fund.” That community’s power plant — which company National Grid owns and operates, and sells the power generated to utility PSEG Long Island for distribution — is old and runs on antiquated technology. For the past several years, village residents have waited to learn the fate of the plant, whether it will be reconstructed to keep serving Long Island or dismantled.

A lot hangs in the balance for the plant’s neighbors: Property taxes from the site fund more than 40 percent of the local school district’s budget and a significant portion of the Port Jefferson Village budget.

“We’d soak up a lot of it,” village Trustee Larry LaPointe said about the relief fund, noting that his government’s budget gets about $1 million in property taxes from the local power plant in addition to the school district’s hefty share. “But we certainly appreciate any efforts” to help mitigate the impact on the community.

The state budget provision specifies that local entities seeking assistance, once a power plant’s owner serves official notice it plans to retire the facility, will be helped in the order they apply for relief, but only after the facilities go offline. The urban development corporation will decide the amount of the annual assistance payments based upon how much revenue is lost.

Port Jefferson schools currently get more than $18 million from the plant, between taxes and PILOTs. Superintendent Ken Bossert said, “We are hoping that a resolution can be found that will not place an unfair burden on the home and business owners … in order to maintain the excellence of the school district.”

by -
0 436

Cocaine sellers stopped

A 26-year-old man and a 23-year-old woman both from Huntington were arrested at about 6:30 a.m. on April 1 on Depew Street in Huntington for possessing cocaine, police said. They were each charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell.

Unlicensed Lincoln

On March 31 at about 11 a.m., police pulled over a 32-year-old man from Huntington Station driving a 2000 Lincoln on Park Avenue in Huntington. He did not have a license, according to police. He was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Driving on drugs

On Spring Road in Huntington at about 7:30 p.m. on March 30, a 21-year-old man from Brooklyn driving a 2012 BMW was speeding and ran a stop sign, according to police. When pulled over by police they said drugs impaired the driver. He was arrested and charged with first-degree operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.

Not quite international waters

A 19-year-old woman from Huntington Station was in possession of marijuana at the Soundview boat ramp in Northport at about 5:30 p.m. on March 30, according to police. She was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

He was thirsty

On April 1 at 7-Eleven on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station, a 24-year-old man stole a beverage, police said. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Trees

At about 6:30 p.m. on April 2, a 24-year-old woman from Melville had marijuana at Arboretum Park in Dix Hills, police said. She was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. A 25-year-old woman from Dix Hills was arrested at the same time and place for possessing marijuana and a medication without a prescription, according to police. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Cocaine, marijuana, Xanax and cash

Police said a 22-year-old man from Huntington Station was driving a 2011 Lexus on Homecrest Avenue near East 23rd Street at about 11 a.m. on April 1 without a license. When he was pulled over, police said he had cocaine, marijuana and Xanex without a prescription, along with money stolen from 7-Eleven on East Jericho Turnpike on March 22. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, fifth-degree criminal possession of cocaine, petit larceny and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Stabbing suspect caught

On Aug. 18, 2015, in front of a home on West 10th Street in Huntington Station, a 20-year-old man from Huntington Station stabbed another man with a knife, police said. The victim was taken to Huntington Hospital. The suspect was arrested on East 2nd Street near New York Avenue on March 31 and charged with assault with the intent to cause physical injury with a weapon.

Saks Seventh-Degree Avenue

On March 30 at about 8 p.m. a 20-year-old man from Commack stole clothing from Saks Fifth Avenue on Walt Whitman Road in South Huntington, police said. When he was arrested police said he had heroin on him as well. He was charged with petit larceny and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

No license, with pot

A 30-year-old man from Huntington Station was driving a 2004 Mazda on Mckay Road near Railroad Street at about 10 p.m. on March 30 when he was pulled over by police, who said they discovered he was driving with a suspended license and had marijuana. He was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Manor Field Park attack

Police said three unknown men attacked a man who was seated in a parked car at Manor Field Park in Huntington Station at about 5:30 p.m. on April 3. The driver drove away and the suspects fled on foot. The passenger was treated for minor injuries at Huntington Hospital, police said.

Retro Fitness mischief

The window of a 2014 Nissan was broken and credit cards were stolen from the car while it was parked at Retro Fitness on East Jericho Turnpike in Elwood at about 1:30 p.m. on April 1, according to police.

Woman revived by police

Police responded to a call at a home on Oak Street in Central Islip at about 7 a.m. on April 2. When they arrived they found an unresponsive 65-year-old woman being administered CPR by a family member. Members of the Suffolk County Medical Crisis Action Team gave the woman multiple shocks from an automatic external defibrillator and an injection of cardiac medication, which restored the woman’s breathing and pulse, police said. She was taken to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore.

Pants walk out of Macy’s

On April 2 at about 4 p.m., a 38-year-old woman from Islandia stole two pairs of pants from Macy’s at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, police said. When she was arrested at 5:30 p.m. she was found to be in possession of heroin. She was charged with petit larceny and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Serial stealer stopped

A 27-year-old man from Dix Hills was arrested on March 31 and charged with three counts of petit larceny. On March 7, he stole earbuds from Kohl’s in Commack, and on March 4 and 5 he stole two pairs of metal shear tools from Home Depot in Commack, police said.

Police crack down

At about 10 a.m. on April 1, a 34-year-old man from South Setauket driving a 2006 Hyundai on Moriches Road in Lake Grove was pulled over by police, who said they discovered cocaine in the car. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

License and registration, please

On March 31, a 31-year-old man from Kings Park was pulled over by police on Old Dock Road in Kings Park while driving a 2011 Chevy. During the traffic stop, police said they discovered that he didn’t have a license. He was arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Split Cedar sale

On March 31 at about 6 a.m., a 23-year-old man from Riverhead was arrested on Split Cedar Drive in Islandia when police said they found crack cocaine on him. He was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with the intention to sell.

Crack/cocaine possession

On March 31, police said a 46-year-old man from Selden in the driver’s seat of a parked 1997 Nissan near the intersection of Pine Avenue and Expressway Drive North in Ronkonkoma was in possession of crack cocaine. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

ATV drives off

An all-terrain vehicle was stolen from the driveway of a home on Rose Street in Smithtown at about 10:30 p.m. on April 4, police said.

Guns go missing

Police said an unknown person stole a safe containing guns and jewelry from a home on Lawrence Avenue in Smithtown at about 6 p.m. on March 27.

Bait and switch

A Kings Park resident transferred money to a person on Craigslist in exchange for a boat with a trailer at about 3 p.m. on April 1, police said. After the money was transferred, the Kings Park resident could not get in touch with the seller.

Slashed tires

The tires of a 2011 Mazda were slashed while the car was parked at a home on Old Commack Road in Kings Park at about 9 p.m. on March 29, police said.

Three minutes

A 24-year-old man from Coram was arrested for criminal possession of stolen property, fleeing from an officer in a car, criminal trespassing and resisting arrest on April 1. According to police, the man was driving a stolen 2013 BMW and when police tried to pull him over, he fled in the car from Walnut Street to Mead Avenue in Mount Sinai. The man abandoned the car and jumped the fence of a nearby residence, then took a fighting stance and charged at the officers before he was arrested on Osborne Avenue. The entire incident happened in a period of about three minutes, police said.

Tank it

On March 29 at 1:15 p.m., police arrested a man from Centereach for criminal mischief, seven counts of criminal possession of stolen property and three counts of unlicensed operation of a car. Police said the 31-year-old man stole assorted tools and a propane tank from a residence on Richmond Boulevard in Ronkonkoma, then damaged the lawn when he drove across the grass with a 2002 Dodge Ram with a suspended license. While fleeing the scene, the propane tank fell out of the back of the truck and hit a parked car. Police later arrested the man at his home.

Operation denied

A 25-year-old Sound Beach man was arrested on March 30 for unlicensed operation of a car. He had been driving a 2006 Honda Accord on Rocky Point Landing Road when police caught him.

Munchies mishap

On April 3, police arrested an 18-year-old man for criminal possession of marijuana. According to police, the Shirley resident was in the driver’s seat of a car parked in the ShopRite parking lot at College Plaza in Selden when police discovered the teen had the drug.

Bad drivers

On March 31 at 10 p.m., police arrested a 47-year-old woman for driving while ability impaired in a 2002 Honda Pilot. Police said she was going north on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station when she failed to maintain her lane.

Police arrested a man from Setauket on March 27 for driving while ability impaired after the 21-year-old was speeding on Route 112 in Port Jefferson in a 2007 BMW. According to police, he also failed to maintain his lane.

Police arrested a 21-year-old Sound Beach woman on April 2 for driving while ability impaired after she got into a car crash while going south on Halesite Drive in a 2012 Subaru. Police didn’t specify what she hit.

Police arrested a 21-year-old man from Mount Sinai for driving while ability impaired after he drove a 1987 Toyota on Strathmore Village Drive and crashed into a parked 2015 Jeep. Police said the man fled the scene but was caught and arrested around 9 a.m. on March 27.

Call me

On March 29 around 2:10 p.m., someone stole two phones from a display case in the Verizon store on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station.

Door needs a bandage

Police said someone damaged the door of Fresenius Medical Care on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station. The incident happened between 2:30 a.m. on April 2 and 8 a.m. the following day.

Lynbroken

Someone damaged the door of a residence on Lynbrook Drive in Sound Beach around 3 a.m. on April 2.

Ring the alarm

On March 31 around 1 p.m., a woman said someone stole her diamond engagement ring after she left it in a tanning room of Sky Tan on Middle Country Road in Selden.

Broadway bandit

On March 27, someone stole a jacket off a chair in the Rocky Point Ale House on Broadway around 10:17 p.m. Police said a wallet was in the jacket pocket.

Open for business

Between 11 p.m. on March 31 and 4 a.m. the following day, an unknown person stole a 2015 Ford Explorer from the Hope House Ministries property on North Country Road in Port Jefferson. Police said the car was unlocked and the keys were inside.

Someone stole multiple sunglasses and money from an unlocked 2015 Mercedes and an unlocked 2014 Jeep. The cars were parked near a residence on Locust Drive in Miller Place. Police said the incidents happened on March 30 around 3:50 a.m.

Making moves

According to police, on April 3 around 2 p.m. someone stole a GPS and its charger, cables, an agility ladder and assorted fitness equipment from a 2013 Mazda. Police said the car was parked in the Marshalls parking lot in Stony Brook.

Cemented steal

On March 29 around 6:30 p.m., someone stole a cement mixer from a 2015 Dodge Ram that was parked on Valley Drive in Sound Beach.

by -
0 328
Port Jefferson High School. File photo by Elana Glowatz

Port Jefferson students lost a young classmate on Wednesday night, according to a message from the school district superintendent.

In a letter to parents and community members on Thursday, Ken Bossert wrote that ninth-grader Dylan Berger had died, and asked people to respect the privacy of Dylan’s family as they grieved his loss.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time,” the superintendent wrote.

It was not immediately clear how the student died.

Dylan was on the Royals wrestling team, competing at the Suffolk County championship this year.

According to Bossert, the school district held a meeting for the students in Dylan’s grade on Thursday morning and is making counselors available to students to help them “cope with this tragedy.”

“Each student is a value member of our educational community and the death of a young person can have a profound effect on the entire school community,” Bossert wrote. “When such loss occurs, students and staff will react in different ways. Any reaction is normal in the grief process and can range from withdrawal to anger. I encourage you to speak with your children about how they are feeling and how to cope with the loss of a classmate. The most important thing we can do is to be supportive and encourage an open expression of feelings.”

The district also plans to provide resources to parents to help support grieving students, he said.

by -
0 2915
The Warriors' Dave Heller dashes for first base. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Comsewogue opened its League VI season with a 7-0 win against last year’s archrival Westhampton, at home Tuesday afternoon, letting their bats do the talking. Pitching ace Mike Stiles went the distance, shutting out the 1-2 Hurricanes.

Mike Stiles hurls a pitch during his 13-strikeout performance for Comsewogue. Photo by Bill Landon
Mike Stiles hurls a pitch during his 13-strikeout performance for Comsewogue. Photo by Bill Landon

Stiles, a senior, was as damaging from the plate as he was from the mound. He threw a four-hitter with one walk and struck out 13, and drove in senior John Braun from third base to give his team a 1-0 lead.

With two outs and two runners in scoring position, the Warriors threatened, but were unable to bring either runner home, settling for a one-run lead to open the second inning.

Stiles dished a three up, three down performance at the top of the inning, and Comsewogue went back to work in the bottom of the second.

Dave Heller’s bat spoke next, as he smacked a lead-off single and stole second base on the next pitch.

“Today we hit well,” Heller, a junior, said. “We usually struggle with that, but today we were able to hit the ball. We played solid defense like we usually do, and when you can do both, you win ball games.”

Senior Jake Sardinia found the gap in right field to drive Heller home, and the Warriors extended their lead, 2-0.

After a walk put runners on first and second, Justin Virga, Comsewogue’s junior catcher, did his job with a sacrifice fly to right field to advance both runners. With two outs and a full count, Comsewogue senior Jordan Lisco laid off a pitch for the walk and took first to load the bases. With the count 3-0, Stiles followed Lisco’s lead by taking a pitch for the walk, forcing in a run. With two outs, Comsewogue’s bats cracked again. This time, it was Comsewogue junior Vincent Velazquez, the designated hitter, who belted one deep to right field over the outfielder’s head, driving in Sardinia, Lisco and Stiles for a 6-0 advantage.

Vincent Velazquez connects with a pitch, driving in three runs for the Warriors. Photo by Bill Landon
Vincent Velazquez connects with a pitch, driving in three runs for the Warriors. Photo by Bill Landon

“I kept thinking to keep my hands inside the ball and not to try to do too much with it,” Velazquez said. “He gave me a fast ball and I did what I could with it. It felt good and the ball came off the bat.”

Stiles made short work of the next three Westhampton batters, fanning all three for a quick inning.

The Hurricanes, with their first real threat of the game in the top of the fourth, put two runners on base with one out, but the Warriors turned a double play to escape the inning unharmed.

The Warriors couldn’t score in the bottom of the inning, but Stiles remained consistent from the mound and retired the side in the top of the fifth to keep the shutout intact. Stiles did it again in the top of the sixth inning.

“They’re a tough team,” Stiles said of Westhampton. “I had to pound the zone, throw strikes, but it was cold. The seventh inning was a little tough because my hands were cold, but I had a little left, so it was OK.”

Jake Sardinia makes a grab in the outfield for Comsewogue. Photo by Bill Landon
Jake Sardinia makes a grab in the outfield for Comsewogue. Photo by Bill Landon

With Heller in scoring position, Sardinia drove a sacrifice fly to deep right field, plating Heller for the 7-0 lead.

Fresh off a nonleague win against League I’s Longwood, Comsewogue head coach Mike Bonura is pleased with what he’s seen from his players so far,

“It was a nice win for us — just the way we went about it,” he said. “With our pitching and our defense, that’s what our team does.”

With their last at bat, the Hurricanes would not go quietly and opened the seventh with a stand-up double with one out. A rare walk left Westhampton with runners on first and second, but Comsewogue’s defense came through in the clutch, turning a second double play to put the game away.

Bonura said the key to the victory was twofold.

“Today’s game started with Mike Stiles from the mound — he was just cruising,” the head coach said. “And we swung the bats well on a day that was tough to hit in very cold conditions with the wind blowing in our faces. That’s the type of team we have here and I’m happy with how we’re starting.”

Comsewogue traveled to Westhampton Wednesday, but results were not available by press time. The Warriors are back in action today, at 4 p.m., to host Westhampton in the third game of the series.

by -
0 435
Above, Chris McCrary is running for a spot on the Comsewogue library board. His opponent, Richard Evans, did not provide a photo to the library. File photo

Local voters approved their libraries’ budgets on Tuesday night and elected a new community member to serve on one district’s board of trustees.

Comsewogue Public Library residents elected Chris McCrary to their board with 116 votes, as compared to challenger Richard Evans’ 45 votes, Library Director Debbie Engelhardt said in an email. Both men had been vying for the seat of library board President Ali Gordon, who declined to run for re-election.

Gordon is also a member of the Comsewogue Board of Education.

With his win, McCrary, a 49-year-old high school biology teacher and neighborhood soccer and lacrosse coach, will join the board in July for a five-year term.

Related: Library budgets going down, trustee race heating up

Comsewogue voters also passed the library’s $5.4 million budget, 149-25. That 2016-17 budget will raise taxes almost $0.13 for every $100 of  a home’s assessed value.

Over in Port Jefferson, voters also passed their own budget, 110-10, according to a message posted on the Port Jefferson Free Library’s website.

That $4.2 million spending plan will roughly keep taxes flat for library district residents.

by -
0 1430
File photo

Comsewogue officials have finalized a budget for the next school year, days after the state came through for school districts in a big way.

The school board adopted Superintendent Joe Rella’s proposal for the 2016-17 school year during its meeting Monday night, supporting a $87.2 million budget that maintains all existing programs, thanks in large part to the state axing its Gap Elimination Adjustment.

The adjustment was enacted six years ago in an effort to close a state budget deficit, and deducted funds from each school district’s state aid allotment. Since its inception, it has cumulatively cost Comsewogue about $23 million in state aid, according to Susan Casali, the district’s assistant superintendent for business.

But the new state budget, upon which lawmakers agreed last week, eliminated that deduction, netting Comsewogue roughly an additional $1.3 million in revenue.

“I think it’s great,” Rella said. “I’m glad we got it back. It means we don’t have to make any big cuts. We’re happy about it — it’s significant.”

Rella’s initial budget proposal in January banked on a full aid restoration, despite the fact that, while state legislators had been pushing for it, the restoration was far from a done deal. Other North Shore school districts, such as Huntington and Miller Place, planned for little to no restoration of the funding during their own budget processes.

Had the state budget fallen short in restoring the funding, Comsewogue would have been faced with some difficult decisions on program cuts.

“If that doesn’t happen, then it’s a whole different world,” Rella said in an interview in March. “We’re anticipating it will happen. Albany’s been very quiet about it, and I’m taking that as ‘no news is good news.’”

Casali said the district administration’s faith in state Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport), the majority leader who previously called the aid restoration a “top priority” this year, paid off during the budget process.

“From the very beginning we’ve done the budget assuming that Flanagan and everybody [else who] promised us this GEA, that they were going to make good on their promise, so we didn’t make any cuts in the budget,” Casali said.

School board President John Swenning expressed appreciation for the additional funds because the district can avoid cuts without presenting a budget to residents that would pierce the state-mandated tax levy increase cap.

The district will receive about $30 million in total state aid next year and will collect about $53.5 million from taxpayers.

“We appreciate what we get,” Swenning said on Monday. “Do we want more? Yes. Do we think we deserve more? … Yes, but we’re not going to be greedy and we’ll say thank you for all that we get.”

Residents will vote on the adopted budget on May 17. Polls at Comsewogue High School will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

by -
0 221
Assemblyman Steve Englebright speaks in opposition of the Gap Elimination Adjustment during a 2013 protest against the state school aid cut. File photo by Rohma Abbas

New York State is doing away with a funding cut that has kept billions of dollars out of schools, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced last week.

Legislators recently agreed on a state budget that would end the Gap Elimination Adjustment, a deduction taken out of each school district’s aid for the last several years, originally enacted to close a state budget deficit.

Parents, educators and even legislators have long been advocating for the adjustment’s finish but the push became a shove after state Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport), the majority leader, sponsored legislation to get rid of it. Flanagan called axing the Gap Elimination Adjustment his “top education funding priority” earlier this year.

“We will not pass any budget that does not fully eliminate it this year,” he said. The deduction “has been hurting schools and students for way too long and it is past time that we end it once and for all.”

Over the past five years, legislators had reduced the total statewide deduction from $3 billion to $434 million. In the next school year, it will be removed all together.

“Over the years, the GEA forced many school districts to cut educational programs and reduce services,” Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) said in a statement. “This restoration of aid will greatly help local school districts, and our taxpayers, with the budget funds necessary to educate our children.”

State school aid is projected to increase to almost $25 billion overall — and Long Island is slated to get $3 billion of that.

The New York State School Boards Association noted that the additional aid comes just as the state’s almost 700 school districts are grappling with a “record low” cap on how much they can increase their tax levies, a limit mandated by the state.

“The infusion of state aid will help them preserve student programs and services while still keeping property taxes in check,” the group’s executive director, Timothy G. Kremer, said in a statement.

However, the association said the state should “make sensible adjustments” to the tax levy cap, suggesting officials no longer use the rate of inflation as the standard for setting the limit each year.

by -
0 629

By Elana Glowatz

A 24-hour substance abuse hotline went live on April 1, providing Suffolk County residents with a new resource to help with battling addiction.

The Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence is operating the new hotline — 631-979-1700 — and will help callers get screenings, referrals and follow-ups, directing them to local resources that will help them or loved ones overcome addiction.

A flyer advertises a new substance abuse hotline. Image from the Suffolk County health department
A flyer advertises a new substance abuse hotline. Image from the Suffolk County health department

Officials announced the initiative at the end of February, calling it a partnership between the county, Stony Brook Medicine and the state’s health department, as well as private and public community partners in the substance abuse field. Those officials said having a single phone number for all those resources is key.

“This initiative will provide [the] opportunity for addicts to reach out during their time of need and access treatment and support options easily,” Suffolk County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport) said in a previous statement. “Often, there is a critical and brief period of time when a person sees clarity and makes the decision to seek help. This hotline can be fertile ground for change and recovery as it can quickly link residents to crucial health care services.”

LICADD itself noted in a recent statement about the hotline that “the time to seek treatment is ‘now’” and that sometimes the “now” is late at night, early in the morning or on weekends or holidays. The agency also said that the period in which an addict is willing to get treatment could close without immediate help, due to “the pathology of denial, obsession and fear which often defines substance use disorders.”

Community leaders have ramped up efforts to fight opioid addiction in recent years while seeing an increase in heroin and prescription painkiller abuse and overdoses across Suffolk County. Those efforts have included more directed police enforcement and informational meetings. Police officers have also started carrying the medication Narcan, which can temporarily stop opioid overdoses and has been used hundreds of times in Suffolk.

Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), who authored the law that put Narcan into officers’ hands, said about the new hotline, “Every second counts to a mother whose son or daughter was found and saved from overdosing. And every hour and every day that slips by trying to find quality, affordable, accessible treatment is critical.”

For 24/7 substance abuse help, call 631-979-1700.

To report drug activity to the police, call 631-852-NARC.

The county health department will provide oversight and analyze data to monitor the hotline’s effectiveness, and identify trends and emerging issues in the community.

At the same time the drug abuse hotline went live, the Suffolk County Police Department announced another phone number, this one a 24-hour tip line for residents to report drug activity in their neighborhoods.

“We are asking the public’s help to fight this scourge, and with the public’s help, we can make a real difference,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini said in a statement.

Residents can call 631-852-NARC anonymously to report information about local drug dealers, and authorities will investigate the tips. Even anonymous callers can receive cash rewards for tips that lead to arrests.

“If you see something, say something and Suffolk County police will do something about it,” Sini said.

by -
0 3115
Superintendent Ken Bossert. Photo by Eric Santiago

Superintendent Ken Bossert announced on Friday that the 2015-16 school year would be his last with Port Jefferson.

According to a letter distributed to the community, he was appointed the new superintendent in Elwood, and plans to submit his letter of resignation to the Port Jefferson school board at its April meeting.

Bossert, a Port Jefferson resident, took over the helm five years ago. Financially, it has been a time of uncertainty, as the school district waits, along with the rest of the community, to learn the fate of the aging local power plant, whose property taxes fund almost half of the school district’s budget.

In addition to receiving Bossert as a new arrival, during his tenure parents and teachers have also seen changes in leadership at each school building.

At the elementary school level, the district brought in Principal Tom Meehan. When former middle and high school principal Roseann Cirnigliaro retired, the district brought in Antonio Santana at the middle school and Matthew Murphy at the high school, both of whom have since moved on to other schools.

Students now have Principal Christine Austen in the high school and Principal Robert Neidig at the middle school.

Bossert said in his farewell letter to the community on Friday, “With the current leadership team in place, I know that the district is in very capable hands.”

He called working in Port Jefferson “an honor and a privilege” and thanked the students, parents and staff for their support over the years.

Bossert will make the jump to Elwood in July. The school board there has appointed him to a five-year term as their superintendent, according to a board agenda posted on the Elwood district website.

Prev1...543544545...598Next Page 544 of 598
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

©