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Fun run will help fund Royals’ education

by Elana Glowatz - April 1, 2016

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fun-run-royal-educationw — Kids relax at a previous fun run for the Royal Educational Foundation. Photo from Jill Russell

The Royal Educational Foundation is hosting its third annual Power of One Family Fun Run on Saturday, April 16, to benefit the Port Jefferson school district.

According to the event flyer, the 2-mile run is meant to “encourage physical activity and is intended to celebrate the positive influence we can have on one another within our families and community.” The course starts at 8:30 a.m. at the Port Jefferson Village Center on East Broadway and goes through the streets of the village, ending at Earl L. Vandermeulen High School on Old Post Road.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward the foundation’s efforts to improve the school district. Each runner or walker is $15, while families cost $50.

People of all ages are welcome to participate, and can register between 7:30 and 8 a.m. at the Village Center. Participants should check in no later than 8:15 a.m. Everyone will get a fun run T-shirt before the start of the race.

Former Royal footballer shuts down rivals at NFL Regional Combine

by Desirée Keegan - April 1, 2016

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Philip-Lanieri-interception-2w — Phil Lanieri intercepts a pass against Hobart College. Photo from RPI Athletics

Phil Lanieri got off to a rough start in college football when, in his freshman year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the Port Jefferson-bred cornerback did not see a single down on the starting squad.

He decided he had two options: “I could keep playing and work as hard as possible, or quit,” he said. “And I wasn’t going to quit.”

That perseverance led to the engineering major earning All-American honors and a chance to participate in the National Football League Regional Combine.

“You can do anything you put your mind to, and I know it’s a cliché, but I really believe that now,” Lanieri said. “There’s nothing I wanted more than to be a great college football player.”

The summer after his freshman year, Lanieri trained as hard as he could to improve. Then, he got his big break. A starter was injured prior to the first game of his sophomore season against Norwich University in Vermont and Lanieri took his place. He had eight tackles in the game, and ended up starting every game from there on out. He finished the season with four interceptions and received an award from his conference, the Liberty League, as a result.

Former Royals Dan Serignese and Phil Lanieri celebrate their college careers together on the same field. Photo from Lanieri

“I was glad I didn’t quit,” he said, laughing. “All of my hard work was finally paying off.”

That sophomore year for Lanieri was also the first for the team’s head coach, Ralph Isernia, who said being from Sachem made for a nice Long Island connection between him and his star defender.

“He’s a coach’s dream,” Isernia said. “Everything you asked out of him, he would give you. He’s extremely hard working, he studies the game real well, he’s always in the film room trying to pick up on tendencies; those are some of the things that made him an outstanding player for us.”

But Lanieri wanted more out of himself.

With six interceptions his junior year, the most in the league, he garnered First Team All-Liberty League, the highest honor given out. But by his senior year, other teams began game-planning against him. His confidence fluctuated as the ball didn’t come his way, until the fourth game of the season against Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.

For his first interception of the season, Lanieri said he blacked out while making his most athletic play ever, but defensive coordinator Dick Maloney remembered it well.

Related video: Lanieri dives for an interception

“His body was parallel to the field and he made the interception with just his hands, hit the ground, rolled over and came up with the ball,” he said. “Phil had that ‘wow’ ability to make the big plays at the right time.”

He tallied his second and third interceptions a couple of games later against the University of Rochester, but the biggest game of his career came when the team played Hobart College. Hobart hadn’t lost on its field since 2011, coincidentally enough to RPI. The Engineers were up by seven points until Hobart made a Hail Mary touchdown pass as the clock reached zero. Instead of taking the game into overtime with an extra-point kick, Hobart went for a two-point conversion. Lanieri said he was playing a zone defense, reading two receivers as his opponent came out in a spread formation. He intercepted the pass in the end zone, his second interception of the game, to snap Hobart’s streak and win the game for his team.

Phil Lanieri shows what he’s capable of at the NFL Regional Combine in Baltimore. Photo from RPI Athletics

“Taking the knee and piling up in the end zone was a feeling I’ll never forget,” he said. “Every time I think about that game, I get a little jittery.”

The Engineers ended up 9-2 overall, and shared the Liberty League title with St. Lawrence University. Because St. Lawrence had topped RPI in the regular season, RPI didn’t qualify for the NCAA tournament, but instead was invited to the Eastern College Athletic Conference Asa S. Bushnell Bowl.

RPI went up against Buffalo State College in the championship game, with his best friend and former high school comrade quarterbacking that team. Lanieri recorded an interception against his fellow Royal, and the Engineers won the game 20-13.

“All throughout the week I kept telling my teammates that the game was going to be no joke, and we have to really come out and play,” Buffalo quarterback Dan Serignese said. “I know very few people that work as hard as Phil. I couldn’t picture a better way to end my football career than on the same field with him. It’s something we’ll always hold onto and never forget.”

Lanieri finished the season with five interceptions and 19 return yards — while also breaking up nine passes — and had 42 tackles, 23 of which were unassisted, during a season that ended up being the third winningest in RPI’s 129 years of football. Lanieri garnered National All-America First Team honors from the American Football Coaches Association and earned an Associated Press AP Little All-America nod.

“Phil is extremely self-determined, self-motivated and self-committed,” Maloney said. “Phil was an extremely gifted player and a very gifted leader. You look at that work ethic like a Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. He motivated the team.”

Port Jefferson grad Philip Lanieri III grabs an interception for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Photo from RPI Athletics

Teague Florio, another senior defensive back for RPI who is from Southampton, a team Lanieri faced in high school, agreed.

“He makes everyone around him better,” he said. “We could leave him alone and never have to worry about his side of the field because he had it on lockdown.”

Lanieri said being from a small school like Port Jefferson gave him a chip on his shoulder the last four years. When he was overlooked, it motivated him. Now, it’s motivated him to pursue the sport as a profession. At the Regional Combine in Baltimore, he registered the highest vertical jump with 40 inches.

“I made the right decision, I put my head down and I worked as hard as I could,” Lanieri said. “You really have to put your heart into this sport to be successful.”

Village Center hosts art exhibit with heart

by TBR Staff - March 31, 2016

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WPA21-2w — ‘A Stone’s Throw,’ watercolor, by Jeanne Salucci

By Rita J. Egan

Visitors to the Port Jefferson Village Center can view an eclectic collection of artwork from the South Shore-based Wet Paints Studio Group in the center’s gallery. Until April 30, the venue will be hosting the exhibit “From the Heart of the Artist.”

Susan Orifici, head of graphic, archival and special projects at the Village Center, said the exhibit includes approximately 100 pieces from the local artists.

“I love the combination of different things. It’s everything from pencil drawings to acrylics and mixed media,” she said.

Orifici said she’s delighted the center is offering the exhibit, and with the majority of the artists from the South Shore, also providing a venue for the group to share their work with art lovers who may be unfamiliar with Wet Paints.

“It gives their membership the opportunity to give a show where they can reach out,” she said.

‘Port Jefferson Village,’ oil, by June Long-Schuman

Doug Broadhurst, president of the Wet Paints Studio Group, agreed that the Village Center provides the organization a great opportunity to show their work on the North Shore. The artist, who has two portraits in the show, “Lydia” and “Nancy: A Moment in Time,” said when he visited the center in the past to view exhibits, he was always pleased with what he saw.

“It’s a beautiful venue to show at,” he said.

Broadhurst said the group, with approximately 200 members, has been in existence for 67 years and meets every Tuesday in Sayville at the Gillette House. He explained that the first Tuesday is a business meeting, while the second and fourth weeks are dedicated to sketching live portrait models. On the third Tuesday of the month, the group hosts artists’ demonstrations.

Carol Corbett, vice president of the Wet Paints Studio Group, has been a member for almost 15 years. She said she discovered the organization when her sister came to visit and asked her if she belonged to any art groups. The sisters found Wet Paints while searching online and decided to check out a meeting with sketch pads and pencils in hand.

“It was such a nice group. It was just so good that I never left,” she said.

The group president and vice-president said new artists are always welcome, and Broadhurst explained that sometimes non-artists attend demonstrations or art talks. Corbett said she loves the range of experience in the organization.

An artist reception for ‘From the Heart of the Artist’ will be held on Saturday, April 2, from 3 to 5 p.m.

“You have the whole scope of professional to really, really amateur, and everybody is fine with it, they get along well. The ones who know more teach; the other ones are open to listening. And, sometimes you learn from the ones who are starting out as well,” said Corbett.

While the majority of members live on the South Shore, portrait artist and group membership chairman, Terry McManus, has been making the trip from his Mount Sinai home to the Sayville meetings for 20 years now. Like Corbett, he has found his fellow members to be very welcoming and encouraging.

“They’re very supportive. It’s a wonderful group to be with,” McManus said.

‘Portrait of Lydia,’ graphics, by Doug Broadhurst

For the exhibit, Broadhurst said instead of a theme, the artists simply picked their favorite works of art from their collections or created a new piece. Visitors to the exhibit will find pictures in acrylic, oil paint, pencil, watercolor and more. He said the exhibit artwork also runs the gamut from portraits, landscapes, abstracts and mixed media.

“Anyone who looks at it will find something that they will like.”

Corbett said she saw a number of pieces she thought were wonderful being delivered to the venue while she was there to drop off her two oil seascapes, “Mysterious” and “A Passing Storm.” She said the exhibit, with its various styles, is an example of how the members create art they love. “We’re trying to show our hearts through our art,” Corbett said.

McManus, who has two pastel portraits in the exhibit, “Teenager” and “Puppy Love,” said he finds it amazing to see so many different approaches to art in the exhibit. He explained that various artists can all look at the same landscape or portrait and have a different approach to it. He said the variety of artists present a diversity of styles for art lovers to enjoy at the exhibit.

“I think it’s a talented group. So I think anybody can really enjoy the show,” the artist said.

Corbett hopes the exhibit may inspire some visitors to try an art class or increase their appreciation of art: “Hopefully their hearts will be blessed by viewing it.”

The Port Jefferson Gallery at the Village Center, 101-A East Broadway, Port Jefferson, will host “From the Heart of the Artist” until April 30. A reception will be held on Saturday, April 2 from 3 to 5 p.m. and is open to the public. The building is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and admission is free. For more information on the exhibit, visit the Facilities section of www.portjeff.com or call 631-802-2160. For more information on the Wet Paints Studio Group, visit www.wetpaintsgroup.com.

Police blotter: Suffolk County incidents and arrests, through March

by TBR Staff - March 31, 2016

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Botched burglary
A 30-year-old man from Bay Shore entered through the window of a second-floor apartment on Smith Road in Lake Grove at about 8:30 p.m. on March 26, police said. The man escaped the apartment without taking any items. When approached by police, he gave a fake name and date of birth. He was charged with second-degree burglary and false impersonation.

Hit-and-run
At the intersection of Route 25 and Edgewood Avenue in Smithtown on Jan. 12, a 25-year-old woman from Setauket was involved in a car crash just after 8 p.m., according to police. After the crash, she fled the scene without exchanging contact information with the other driver. She was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.

Reckless driver
At about 4 p.m. on March 25, a 41-year-old man from Brentwood driving a dump truck crossed the white pavement line on Terry Road in Nesconset, hitting a parked 2014 Dodge with the driver inside. No one was seriously injured. The man was charged with reckless driving.

Two guys, too much pot
A 21-year-old man from Northport and a 22-year-old man from Islip were seated in a parked vehicle on West Main Street in Kings Park at about 5:30 p.m. on March 26 when, police said, they discovered the pair was in possession of more than 25 grams of marijuana. They were charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Mind your own business
At about 10 p.m. on March 26, police said a 34-year-old man and a 37-year-old man both from Ronkonkoma shouted obscenities and threats at police officers and members of the Lakeland Fire Department near a home on West 3rd Street. They were arrested and charged with second-degree obstruction of governmental administration.

Saloon patron slugged
Just after midnight on March 19 at South Beach Saloon Inc. in Nesconset, a 23-year-old man from Ronkonkoma punched another man in the face, police said. He was charged with third-degree assault with the intent to cause physical injury.

iPod stolen and broken
On March 24, a 22-year-old man from Lake Ronkonkoma was found to be in possession of a stolen and damaged iPod on Ronkonkoma Avenue in Islip at about 12:30 p.m., police said. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and criminal mischief.

Stolen from Sears
At about 5 p.m. on March 24, a 41-year-old woman from Lake Ronkonkoma stole assorted electronics from Sears in the Smith Haven Mall, police said. She was later arrested in Brookhaven and charged with petit larceny.

Identity crisis
On March 24 at about 7:30 p.m., a 23-year-old woman from Patterson, N.J., was arrested in Commack for possessing a Pennsylvania driver’s license that did not belong to her, police said. She was charged with second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Fence kicker on the loose
An unknown person kicked in the fence of a home on Morris Avenue in Lake Ronkonkoma at about 3 a.m. on March 27, police said.

Damaged door
On Wheeler Road in Hauppauge at about 2:30 p.m. on March 27, an unknown person dented the driver’s side rear door of a 2000 Toyota, according to police.

You’ll shoot your eye out
Police said an unknown person damaged the screen of a window at a home on Barley Place in Commack at about 11:30 p.m. on March 26 with a BB gun.

Violent encounter
An unknown person approached a man at a Smithtown home just after midnight on March 26 carrying a handgun, police said. The man with the gun demanded money from the victim and then hit him in the head repeatedly with the gun, causing lacerations to the victim’s head, according to police. The man fled on foot.

Dave & busted window
An unknown person broke the driver’s side window of a 2006 Toyota parked at Dave & Buster’s in Islandia on March 24 at about 11:30 p.m., according to police. A wallet with credit cards was taken from the car.

Poor park job
At the Devonshire apartment complex in Hauppauge, an unknown person scratched the driver’s side front and rear doors and tailgate of a 2015 Dodge at about 10:30 a.m. on March 24, according to police.

Caught in a Benz bind
On March 22, an 18-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station was arrested for criminal possession of stolen property, a 2012 Mercedes-Benz. Police pulled over and arrested the man around 4 p.m. on Route 112.

Catching some Zs
A 19-year-old Port Jefferson Station man was arrested on March 26 for driving while ability impaired, after allegdly being caught sleeping in the driver’s seat of his running 2016 Hyundai, which was blocking the intersection of Route 112 and Nesconset Highway. Police arrested the suspect at the scene, around 4:21 a.m.

License revoked
According to police, a Sound Beach woman was arrested on March 26 for petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. Police said on Oct. 11, the 27-year-old woman had stolen jewelry and assorted merchandise from Kohl’s on Route 25A in Rocky Point. She was also using a Florida driver’s license that didn’t belong to her. Police arrested her at the 6th Precinct.

Busted
On March 23, a man from Centereach was arrested for criminal possession of marijuana. The 27-year-old was in his 2012 Mazda on the corner of Blydenburgh Road and Horseblock Road when police discovered him in possession.

Not-so-great escape
A 22-year-old woman was arrested on March 21 for petit larceny. The Yaphank woman allegedly had stolen someone’s phone on Middle Country Road in Centereach several days before.

Mad for meds
Police arrested a 30-year-old man from Rocky Point for two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance after discovering him in possession of two different prescription medications that he wasn’t prescribed. Police arrested him on Westchester Drive in Rocky Point on March 21.
Police said someone stole medication from a store on Route 25A in Miller Place. The incident happened on March 26 around 10:25 p.m.

Less-glamorous bank heist
On March 22 around 3:08 p.m., police arrested a 31-year-old man from West Babylon for grand larceny. According to police, the man stole money from the Capital One bank on Route 25A in Setauket after he deceived the teller. Police didn’t expand upon what the man did to acquire the money.

Breakin’ down the cars
Between March 25 at 9 p.m. and March 26 at 6:30 a.m. at Broadway, Port Jefferson Station, an unidentified person broke the front passenger window of a 2015 Ford pickup truck.

Boozing for bucks
According to police, someone entered the L.I. Pour House on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station on March 23 at 2:30 a.m. and stole a metal box that contained cash.

Put ’em up
On March 26 around 3:47 a.m., an unknown person punched a man near the Junior’s Spycoast bar on Main Street in Port Jefferson.

‘The Wicker Man’ sequel
According to police, someone stole a wicker chair from the front yard of a residence on Broadway in Rocky Point. The incident happened on March 25 around 8 p.m.

Unlocked and loaded
Between March 21 at 6 p.m. and March 22 at 7 p.m., an unknown person entered an unlocked 2006 Nissan Altima and stole cash and several gift cards. Police said the incident happened at a residence on Oak Street in Centereach.

Noise turns dangerous
On March 26 at 10:20 p.m., a man left his residence on Newton Avenue in Selden to investigate a noise when an unknown person approached the man and threatened him. Police said the complainant was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital after the suspect cut the man in the stomach.

Backpacking thief
Someone broke into a 2015 Maserati parked near the AMC Loews theater on Nesconset Highway in Stony Brook and stole backpacks and two passports. Police said the incident happened on March 24 around 9:03 p.m.

Hearthstone hit-and-run
On March 27 at about 8:30 p.m., a 46-year-old man from Dix Hills was driving a 2004 Mercedes on Vanderbilt Parkway near the intersection of Hearthstone Drive when he crashed on the side of the road and then fled the scene, police said. He was later arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.

Heroin bust
Police said a 38-year-old man from Huntington Station possessed heroin near the intersection of Cooper Avenue and Route 25 at about 10:30 p.m. on March 25. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Library budgets going down, trustee race heating up

by Elana Glowatz - March 30, 2016

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Chris-McCraryw — 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

Comsewogue and Port Jefferson readers will vote on their libraries’ budgets on April 5, as well as one board trustee.

Ali Gordon, the library board president in Comsewogue who also serves on the school board, is not running for another term and two candidates are vying for the library seat she will vacate at the end of June, following a seven-year stint on that board.

Richard Evans, 50, is running for the five-year seat because, “I would like to be of service to my community,” according to a candidate profile on the Comsewogue library website. He listed his occupation as a special agent with the U.S. Secret Service, saying that role has given him experience interacting with the public.

In addition, he said, “My experience as a computer forensic examiner gives me insight and growth of electronic media and its uses.”

He has lived in the district since 2011, and is an assistant coach with the Terryville Soccer Club.

Chris McCrary, 49, on the other hand, is running because, “Comsewogue Public Library has been a huge part of my life since I joined the summer reading club in 1971.”

According to his own candidate profile, the longtime resident and high school biology teacher wants to share his passion for reading and show kids “the tremendous resource they have in our own backyard.”

McCrary’s name may be familiar to some voters — in addition to coaching soccer and lacrosse in the area over the years, he has run a couple of times for the Comsewogue school board, albeit unsuccessfully.

Comsewogue budget

As residents vote for a trustee, they will also be asked to cast ballots for a proposed $5.4 million budget.

While that number represents a decrease from last year’s budget total, taxes would go up slightly, mainly because the library would pull less money from its reserves to fund the budget. According to a library brochure, the district is asking to collect 1 percent more in taxes in 2016-17 — a number significantly less than its state-mandated levy cap of 1.48 percent would allow.

If the budget passes, residents would pay almost $0.13 more for every $100 of their homes’ assessed values.

The library plans to spend more on its materials and programs next year and less on staffing and mandated expenses.

According to library Director Debbie Engelhardt, both library visits and overall circulation of library materials has increased since last year.

Port Jefferson budget

Over in Port Jefferson, the library is proposing a nearly $4.2 million budget, which also represents a decrease from the current year’s spending plan. In this library’s case, however, taxes would remain about the same in 2016-17.

According to a library brochure, Port Jefferson has seen savings from retirements. In addition, “a reasonable conclusion of collective bargaining negotiations also helps keep costs in line.”

One budget line that would increase is in programs, which would go up almost $18,000, while costs for books, audio and visual materials and periodicals would all decrease. The brochure said further movement toward cheaper digital formats has contributed to that shift.

If the budget is approved, each resident would pay about $12.54 for every $100 of a home’s assessed value.

Voting at the Comsewogue library on Terryville Road in Port Jefferson Station will take place on Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Polls will be open at the Port Jefferson library on Thompson Street from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Shopping initiative puts Port Jeff on sale

by Elana Glowatz - March 30, 2016

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Starbucks-drink-coffee-Rohma_Glowatzw — Shoppers can start their crawl with a free coffee at the Starbucks on Main Street. File photo by Elana Glowatz

Port Jefferson is trying out a new business initiative on Saturday, April 2, in which shoppers can get free drinks.

The Greater Port Jefferson Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the event, called “Port Jefferson On Sale,” from noon to 5 p.m. that day. Participants can start their “shopping crawl” with a free coffee at Starbucks on Main Street and then head to any three businesses in the village, including retail and service businesses.

According to a chamber flyer, shoppers who make purchases at three different locations can bring their receipts to Schafer’s restaurant on West Broadway or to Tommy’s Place on Main Street to get a free drink. As part of the event, some village businesses will also offer their own shopping incentives, such as discounts and freebies.

Barbara Ransome, the chamber’s director of operations, said other places in Suffolk County have seen positive results from shopping crawls.

“We are trying to encourage more foot traffic for the village and get a level of economic stimulus,” she said.

If this pilot program goes well, the chamber could hold another one to kick off the holiday shopping season in December, according to Ransome.

For more information, call the chamber of commerce office at 631-473-1414.

North Shore fighters react to state’s MMA approval

by Alex Petroski - March 30, 2016

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Chad-Lupinacci-and-former-UFC-Champion-and-Long-Island-native-Chris-Weidman-in-Albanyw — Fighter Chris Weidman shakes hands with state Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci. File photo

Discussion of mixed martial arts elicits a wide range of opinions, though very soon one thing will be indisputable: it will be legal in New York.

The state Assembly passed a bill on March 22 that will lift a near 20-year ban on the sport with a 114 to 26 vote, almost two months after the state Senate approved the measure. New York is the only state in the country where it is illegal to take part in a mixed martial arts event.

The bill will become law after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs off, though he has expressed support in the past. Assemblyman Mike Fitzpatrick (R-St. James) was one of the 26 who voted against the bill.

“The legalization of mixed martial arts fighting in New York is the perfect example of what former Sen. Patrick Moynihan would characterize as ‘defining deviancy down’ and normalizing a dangerous blood sport in the name of economic development,” Fitzpatrick said in a press release. “This is not the economic development our state needs. I am concerned about the health of fighters and what message normalizing and lauding violence sends to our children and families. Just because 49 other states do it doesn’t make it right for New York. Legalizing MMA is the wrong move for our state.”

Assemblyman Chad A. Lupinacci (R-Huntington Station) cosponsored the bill.

“I am thrilled that the Assembly has finally passed legislation to bring this highly skilled sport to the arenas and venues across New York State,” Lupinacci said in a press release. “There are many fighters native to New York who have been forced to leave the state to pursue their dream of competing professionally. Legalization will allow them to stay in their hometowns and compete in front of their families and friends.”

Reactions to the vote reverberated across the MMA community.

“I truly appreciate the New York State Assembly as a whole to finally get this bill passed,” Baldwin native and active Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Chris Weidman said in an email through his media contact. UFC is the premier MMA governing body in the world.

“Along with the UFC, I campaigned very hard to get this done and made sure the people of New York were educated about mixed martial arts and how important it is for the sport to be regulated in our state,” Weidman added. “The people of New York have spoken and I think in the very near future I will be able to showcase my craft and my hard work to the people of New York. I’m sure the UFC has big plans for the first UFC event in New York in history. I have no idea what they’ve got in the works, but I think an event at Madison Square Garden has to happen. I would love nothing more than to defend my title on my home turf in that arena.”

North Shore native and United States Marine Corps veteran Devin Mollberg, who has trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and boxing as a pastime since his return from service in Afghanistan in 2014, offered his perspective on the decision. Mollberg, 28, has said he hopes to pursue a career in mixed martial arts.

“It’s about time,” Mollberg said in an interview. “It’s a great thing for all N.Y. fighters and definitely a positive thing for the state. It should have happened a long time ago but now there is nothing but good things to come from here.”

The decision will generate 525 permanent jobs and about $70 million in annual spending, according to Lupinacci’s release. Assemblymen Andy Raia (R-East Northport) and Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) both voted in favor of the bill.

Local authors to talk writing at Port Jeff Library

by Melissa Arnold - March 29, 2016

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erika-author-photo-bj-enrightw — Erika Swyler will be the featured author at the local author panel. Photo by BJ Enright

By Melissa Arnold

It’s pretty common to hear a creative soul say wistfully, “Someday, I’m going to write my book.” If this sounds familiar, an event this weekend might give you the motivation you’re looking for.

The Port Jefferson Free Library invites writers of all kinds to join them on Sunday, April 3, for a discussion and meet and greet featuring five local authors.

The panel, titled “Writing: The Process Within” will explore all aspects of writing, from brainstorming to publishing and everything in between.

This is the first time in several years the library has hosted a panel like this, and librarian Salvatore J. Filosa hopes it will have wide appeal to the area’s budding community of writers.

“We have a local author collection comprised of people who have visited over the years, and it’s definitely growing. There are so many aspiring writers and people who appreciate writing nearby, and even a number of writing groups throughout the county,” Filosa said.

There is a wide range of experience among the panel’s five authors — some work day jobs while others write full time; some are traditionally published while others pursued self-publishing; and they all have their own unique regimens and writing style.

Included on the panel are Stony Brook University creative writing professor Kevin Clouther; award-winning children’s book writer Thomas Whaley; journalist, playwright and author Joe Beck; nonfiction writer, novelist and history buff Ralph Brady; and novelist Erika Swyler.

Swyler, who now lives in Sound Beach, has earned national attention over the past year with the debut of her first novel, “The Book of Speculation.” Set in a fictional Long Island town, the book follows a young librarian who is sent a mysterious book that holds ominous, magical secrets about his troubled family’s past and future.

“The Book of Speculation” was featured as part of Barnes & Noble’s Discover program, and it was also named one of the best books of 2015 by both Amazon.com and Buzzfeed.

“It’s all very surreal,” Swyler said of the experience in a recent interview. “When you write a novel, you feel like it’s just going to sit in a drawer and only be read by your mom or your spouse. Knowing the book has gone so far is amazing.”

As a child, Swyler’s parents encouraged their children to explore both the arts and sciences equally. Growing up, Erika was an enthusiastic reader who frequented the Port Jefferson Free Library.

Her journey to becoming a novelist was a winding one. Swyler attended theater school and spent several years acting and writing scripts. Eventually, she said, those ideas became too big for the stage, which led her to pursue short stories and novels. Later, she was contacted by an agent who discovered one of her short stories online. The novel was published nearly a decade after that.

“Read as much as you can and write as much as you can,” urges Swyler. “There’s never going to be a moment where you think, ‘Oh, this is perfect!’ The important thing is to get the idea down on paper.”

The author panel will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at the Port Jefferson Free Library, 100 Thompson Street. Light refreshments will be provided. The event is free but registration is requested by calling 631-473-0022 or visit www.portjefflibrary.org.

Legislator hopes to create child fatality review team

by Phil Corso - March 28, 2016

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Kara-Hahn-2015_Keeganw — Kara Hahn photo by Desirée Keegan

County lawmakers are taking a proactive approach toward keeping Suffolk kids safe.

The Legislature unanimously voted last week to establish a 13-member Child Fatality Review Team panel tasked with reviewing all childhood fatalities across Suffolk County deemed to be unanticipated, suspicious or the direct result of physical trauma.

Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), who sponsored the bill, said the team’s findings would not be used to assign criminal or civil liability in death cases involving children, nor would they be used for prosecutorial purposes. The main objective, she said, was to make it so similar incidents do not repeat themselves at Suffolk County children’s expense.

In a statement, Hahn, who serves as majority leader in the Suffolk County Legislature, said the panel would work to identify the underlying causes of a child’s death and find what resources, if any, could have prevented that outcome.

“As a culture, we strongly hold that children aren’t supposed to die,” Hahn said. “When that understanding is challenged by a child’s death, natural or otherwise, there is a reflexive and necessary motivation to uncover the reasons why and ways to prevent similar circumstances from leading to additional losses.”

The 13-member panel would be made up of medical, child welfare, social service and law enforcement professionals who would be looking at the facts and circumstances relating to the deaths of children under the age of 18. The deaths would also need to be deemed either unexplainable or the result of violence, including that which is self-inflicted.

“Suffolk County takes the public health and safety of all our residents, especially our most vulnerable, very seriously,” the county’s Chief Medical Examiner Michael Caplan said. “By assembling this review team and collaboratively studying the recent losses of life in Suffolk County, we may be able to prevent similar tragedies in the future and provide potentially life-saving services to those who may be in need of them.”

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone’s signature is the only thing standing in the way of this bill becoming a law. In a statement, the county executive said he was in favor of the review team and planned on signing it into action promptly.

“The public safety of all of our residents, especially our most vulnerable, is of paramount concern to us,” Bellone said. “By creating this review committee, we are creating an opportunity to analyze and review circumstances surrounding violent child deaths in an effort to prevent similar tragedies and provide potentially life-saving services to those who may be in need of them.”

Hahn said the team would hold its first meeting within 90 days and quarterly thereafter.

The panel’s data would not include any identifiable information and its records would be kept confidential, Hahn said. Any reports generated by the team would also be submitted to the state’s office of children and family services when they are finished.

The North Shore is no stranger so incidents that could qualify for the kind of review Hahn’s panel would be seeking.

In October 2014, 16-year-old Thomas Cutinella of Shoreham-Wading River High School suffered a fatal head injury after colliding with another player during a football game. In July 2014, a Kings Park man was convicted of beating his 43-day-old son to death. In December 2015, an 11-year-old from Kings Park died just days after a van struck her as she crossed a road in her hometown.

The state’s office of children and family services said Suffolk County recorded an average of 12.6 child fatalities annually between 2010 and 2014. The office also found that in the year 2015, average percentage of case workers with more than 15 investigations on their caseload on the last day of each month between July and December was 33 percent.

Port Jefferson eggs on Easter with parade and hunt

by Elana Glowatz - March 28, 2016

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The chamber of commerce’s annual Easter parade and egg hunt returned to Port Jefferson on Sunday, March 27, bringing big smiles to the faces of local children. After walking through the village’s downtown area, the procession headed to the harborfront park so the kids could collect Easter eggs full of treats.

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