Suffolk County

Photo from SCPD

The Suffolk County Police Department will host a vehicle auction on September Saturday, Sept. 17 at 9 a.m. at the department’s impound yard, located at 100 Old Country Road in Westhampton.

The auction begins at 9 a.m. and will be held rain or shine. There will be a preview of vehicles on September 15 and 16 between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the impound yard. Vehicles will also be available for preview for one hour prior to the start of the auction.

More than 100 lots will be auctioned with a minimum bid of $300 All vehicles are sold as is.

Smith Point County Park Facebook

Lifeguards to Stay on the Stands for an Additional Two Weekends

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today announced an extended summer season at Smith Point County Park. While Suffolk County beaches are not typically staffed with lifeguards post Labor Day, this year lifeguards will stay on the stands for an additional two weekends to ensure the safety of beachgoers.

Suffolk County beaches and parks provide cherished memories and experiences every summer for both our residents and the countless visitors who flock to our word-class shorelines. This year, more than 300,000 people visited Smith Point County Park.

“While Labor Day marks the unofficial end to summer, in Suffolk summer is not over, and the joy that summer brings will continue to brighten our days,” said Suffolk County Executive Bellone. “Lifeguards will remain on the stands for an additional two weekends, and I encourage all residents to take advantage of our world-class beaches while the warm weather is still with us.”

 “Keeping Suffolk County residents safe while they use our beaches has always been a priority and we’re happy to extend the Smith Point beach season this year,” said Suffolk County Parks Commissioner Jason Smagin.

Lifeguards will remain on the stands from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM on Saturday, September 10th, Sunday, September 11th, Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th at Smith Point County Park.

Additionally, Suffolk County campgrounds, parks and outer beaches will continue to welcome campers and park goers beyond the holiday weekend.

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Suffolk County Police Second Squad detectives are investigating an incident during which a man was seriously injured by a firework in Commack on Aug. 20.

A 67-year-old Commack man was attending a block party and was in front of 5 Diellen Court when a mortar-style firework exploded and struck him in the face at approximately 10 p.m.

The man, whose name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of serious, but non-life-threatening burns and lacerations to his face and head.

Detectives are asking anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact the Second Squad at 631-854-8252.

The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:

Centereach

■ Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported that a known male shoplifter allegedly stole two Splatterball toy guns valued at $192 and a Magma hoverboard worth $144.

■ CVS on Middle Country Road in Centereach reported two shoplifters on Aug. 9. A man and a woman allegedly loaded a shopping cart with Tide detergent, diapers and paper towels before fleeing the store. The items were valued at approximately $300.

■ Walmart on Middle Country Road in Centereach called the police on Aug. 12 to report that a man allegedly stole $563 worth of assorted groceries along with a Roku Express valued at $145.

Commack

■ A resident on Wheatfield Lane in Commack reported that someone broke the window of his vehicle parked in his driveway and stole a wallet on Aug. 13. On the same day a resident on the same street reported that someone entered his unlocked vehicle and removed items and credit cards.

Scam alert! A woman loading groceries in her car in the parking lot of Costco Wholesale on Garet Place in Commack on Aug. 10 reported that she was approached by two men asking for directions and later realized her wallet had been stolen from her pocketbook.

■ Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack reported a shoplifter on Aug. 8. A man allegedly stole three Razor scooters valued at $135 each.

■ Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack reported that a man entered the store on Aug. 11, selected JBL earbuds, Heyday headphones and Tide Pods. He then picked out a backpack to conceal the items and allegedly walked out of the store without paying. The items were valued at approximately $240.

■ North Shore Paving on Townline Road in Commack reported that an unknown man stole a 2000 Ford F350 from the property on Aug. 12. The vehicle, valued at $12,000, had been left unlocked with the keys inside.

East Setauket

■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket reported two shoplifters on Aug. 11. Two women allegedly stole cleaning supplies, jewelry and clothing valued around $300.

Greenlawn

■ Greenlawn Fine Wines and Liquor on Broadway in Greenlawn reported two shoplifters on Aug. 12. A man and a woman allegedly stole five various bottles of liquor totally $854.

Hauppauge

■ A catalytic converter was stolen from a 2006 Honda Accord parked in the driveway of a residence on Helen Avenue in Hauppauge on Aug. 11. The part was valued at $800.

Lake Grove

■ Macy’s at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported a petit larceny on Aug. 13. A man and a woman allegedly stole miscellaneous clothing items worth approximately $930.

Melville

■ A guest checking out of the Melville Marriot Long Island on Walt Whitman Road in Melville on Aug. 10 discovered that all four tires and rims had been stolen from his 2019 BMW X2. The vehicle was found sitting on two cobblestone blocks.

Port Jefferson Station

■ A resident on Jayne Blvd. in Port Jefferson Station reported that someone entered her vehicle on Aug. 8 and stole cash, a cellphone, license and credit cards.

■ A vehicle parked in the driveway of a residence on Joline Road in Port Jefferson Station was broken into on Aug. 8. Two wallets containing driver’s licenses were stolen.

■ Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station reported that a man allegedly filled a shopping cart with $250 worth of assorted beer and fled the store without paying on Aug. 12.

Rocky Point

■ A resident on University Drive in Rocky Point reported that his car was broken into on Aug. 9. Assorted tools, karate apparel, headphones and cash were stolen.

■ Over 50 bags of used clothing were stolen from the PAL clothing donation bin in the Stop & Shop parking lot on Route 25A in Rocky Point on Aug. 2. The items were estimated to be worth $900.

■ A resident on Magnolia Drive in Rocky Point reported that someone entered his vehicle on Aug. 9 and stole power tools, hand tools and backpack.

St. James

■ Bruno’s Garage on Middle Country Road in St. James called the police on Aug. 10 to report that someone had stolen catalytic converters from two cars parked in the lot.

■ A resident on Washington Avenue in St. James reported that a catalytic converter was stolen from his 2006 Honda Accord on Aug. 10. Three men were seen exiting a silver Mercedes sedan, lifting the vehicle with a car jack and cutting the converter out before fleeing.

■ A resident on Alo Court in St. James reported that someone entered his backyard on Aug. 12 and stole a Dolphin Premier robotic pool cleaner. The equipment was valued at $800.

Selden

■ Rite Aid on Middle Country Road in Selden reported two shoplifters on Aug. 9. A man and a woman allegedly loaded a shopping cart with paper towels, diapers and baby formula valued at approximately $300 before fleeing the store.

■ Two motorcycles, a Suzuki DR200 and a KTM Duke 200, were stolen from a parking lot at Suffolk County Community College on College Road in Selden on Aug. 7. 

Setauket

■ A woman dining at Mario’s Restaurant on Route 25A in Setauket on Aug. 12 discovered that someone had removed a cellphone, wallet and phone charger from her vehicle.

Smithtown

■ A purple 2016 Dodge Charger SRT 392 was stolen from the driveway of a residence on Nissequogue River Road in Smithtown on Aug. 12. The spare keys had been left inside the vehicle which was valued at $60,000.

■ A muffler was damaged and a catalytic converter was stolen from a 2008 Honda Element  parked in the street in front of a residence on Blydenburg Avenue and a catalytic converter was reported stolen from a 2008 Honda Element parked in the driveway of a residence on Estate Road in Smithtown on Aug. 11. 

■ A resident on Brook Court in Smithtown reported that a catalytic converter was stolen from his 2005 Honda Accord and a catalytic converter was stolen from a 2002 Honda Accord parked on New Mill Road in Smithtown on Aug. 12. 

Sound Beach 

■ Catalytic converters were stolen from a 2001 Honda Accord on Mahogany Road, a 2001 Honda Accord on Rock Hall Lane and a 2002 Honda Accord on Soundway Drive in Sound Beach on Aug. 7.

■ Catalytic converters were stolen from a 2004 Acura TSX parked on Mitchell Drive and a 2005 Honda Accord parked in the driveway of a residence on Sound Beach Blvd. in Sound Beach on Aug. 8. 

Stony Brook

■ A resident on Sanford Lane in Stony Brook reported that someone entered his unlocked car on Aug. 9 and stole a wallet from the center console.

■ A 2021 Toyota Corolla was reported stolen from the driveway of a residence on Sheppard Lane in Stony Brook on Aug. 8. The owner was not sure if the car, which was valued at $15,000, had been locked.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

— COMPILED BY HEIDI SUTTON

Stock photo

The Biden Administration has declared a national public health emergency for the monkeypox outbreak across the country. “This public health emergency will allow us to explore additional strategies to get vaccines and treatments more quickly out to the impacted communities. And it will allow us to get more data from jurisdictions so we can effectively track and attack this outbreak,” the White House said in a statement.

Monkeypox vaccines are available for Suffolk County residents at Northwell Health and Stony Brook Medicine Clinics. For more information, including links to schedule appointments, click here or call 311.

Crab Meadow Beach in Northport. File photo by Rohma Abbas

Suffolk County Department of Health Services announced Aug. 14 that Crab Meadow Beach in Northport is closed to bathing due to the finding of bacteria at levels in excess of acceptable criteria.

The following beaches remain closed: Tanner Park Beach in Copiague; Venetian Shores Beach in Lindenhurst; Knollwood Beach, Huntington Beach Community Association Beach, Baycrest Association Beach, and Wincoma Beach in Huntington; Fiddlers Green Association Beach in Lloyd Nek, Valley Grove Beach in Eatons Neck, Beech Road Beach in Rocky Point; Sound Beach Property Owners’ Association Beach, and Sayville Marina Park Beach.

Terraces on the Sound Beach in Rocky Point; Fleets Cove Beach in Huntington; Steers Beach and Asharoken Beach in Northport; and Hobart Beach and Prices Bend Beach in Eatons Neck have reopened.

According to Suffolk County Commissioner of Health Dr. Gregson Pigott, bathing in bacteria-contaminated water can result in gastrointestinal illness, as well as infections of the eyes, ears, nose, and throat.

Beaches will reopen when further testing reveals that the bacteria have subsided to acceptable levels.

 For the latest information on affected beaches, call the Bathing Beach HOTLINE at 631-852-5822 or contact the Department’s Office of Ecology at 631-852-5760 during normal business hours.

Program information:

http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/HealthServices/EnvironmentalQuality/Ecology/BeachMonitoringProgram.aspx

Interactive map of beach closures/advisories: https://ny.healthinspections.us/ny_beaches/

By Aidan Johnson

The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office and the Town of Brookhaven once again held their National Night Out event at the Fireman’s Memorial Park in Ridge.

National Night Out, an annual tradition that takes place on the first Tuesday in August, is a nationwide event that police officers participate in to raise awareness about police programs in their communities.

The Brookhaven National Night Out, the largest of its kind on the East End, opened by playing the national anthem. As hundreds of families arrived, multiple activities were being held, including tug of war, bingo and an ice cream truck that gave away free vanilla and chocolate swirls.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr., above. Photo by Aidan Johnson

“People always know what the police department does, but sometimes people don’t know what the Sheriff’s Office does, so we have our trucks here,” said Sgt. Paul Spinella of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. “We have our deputies here showing all the different aspects that the Sheriff’s Office is involved in, and hopefully meeting some community members.”

Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. was also on hand during the event. He spoke of the progress that his office has made in bolstering community turnout and educating the public about services offered through his office.

“The way that our National Night Out has grown from almost 250 people at the first one four years ago to now expecting over 3000 people today shows that not only are we having a positive impact on our community, but our community wants to learn more about us,” Toulon said.

The sheriff also highlighted the steps that he and his office have undertaken to build trust with the broader public.

“I think there’s pretty much a symbiotic relationship between the community and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office,” he said, adding, “I think that members of the community in Suffolk County are extremely supportive of the law enforcement community, which we are very appreciative of. We want to keep our communities safe so that each and every person can live and do the things that they freely want to do.”

One of Toulon’s goals is to establish a closer relationship between children and the police. According to him, law enforcement can offer the necessary guidance to keep children away from bad influences and motivate them to contribute to their community. 

“Our goal is to really make sure that we can keep young kids on the straight and narrow path so that we can show them the positive thing to do,” he said. “Since I’ve become the sheriff, I’ve been in one to two schools per week talking to students about bullying, vaping, opioids and drugs.”

Toulon added that one of his achievements as sheriff has been bringing programs from the Sandy Hook Promise organization to all Suffolk County schools. The organization, which was started by Mark Barden and Nicole Hockley, who lost their children in the 2012 school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, aims to empower kids and adults to prevent violence in schools and their communities.

“We have taught over 30,000 faculty, teachers and students with the programs — the Start with Hello and the Say Something programs,” Toulon said. “We also engage with our middle school students with the gang resistance education and training program. We try to deter kids from engaging in any type of gang activity. We really try to really make sure that our kids are making good choices.”

While many deputies were present during the night, becoming one is no easy task. One deputy shared some of the requirements, including tests, physicals and orientations.

“It’s actually a very long process to become a deputy,” she said. “Honestly, I think it takes about a year.”

Among all of the booths set up was one for the organization New Hour, a nonprofit founded to support women who are either currently or formerly incarcerated and their families. 

“We try to provide donations that include clothing, shoes, cosmetics, toiletries and any donation that we think a woman could benefit from once they’re released or once they have finished their term,” Anitria Blue, the community ambassador liaison for New Hour, said. 

One of New Hour’s major programs is referred to as Empowering Methods for Effective Reentry, Growth and Engagement, or EMERGE. It is a 15-week program that allows women to meet and learn about resources that may help them. The program helps these women become more involved with the criminal and social justice systems and helps them learn to advocate for others. 

While Blue felt slightly intimidated by the turnout of her former corrections officers during the event, she enjoyed the event nonetheless. 

Sgt. Paul Spinella of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. Photo by Aidan Johnson

“I had good relationships with my officers during my 17 years of incarceration,” she said. “It took a while, but they got to know me, so when I see them, I actually see humanity.”

Toulon felt a strong sense of appreciation for everyone who worked for him. “When I look at the [people] who work for me, whether they are deputy sheriffs, correctional officers or civilians, I think that they are heroes because not too many people can do what they do,” the sheriff said. 

As the night went on, a feeling of community connectedness grew among everyone in attendance. “I think we want [people] to know that we’re just like them,” Spinella said. “We’re community members, too. We help the community, just like garbage men and post office [workers]. When they come up to us and ask us for help, we are there for them.”

Photo from SCCC

A nearly $1.5 million grant awarded to Suffolk County Community College will help the college increase the number of low-income, academically talented Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) students who graduate, transfer to a four-year STEM program, or directly enter the STEM workforce.

The Improved Support for Undergraduates in Community College Engaged in STEM Studies (I-SUCCESS) Grant will allow the College to scale up and boost existing resources, developing new student support and cohort-building opportunities, and help students financially.

“Creating a new generation of talented STEM professionals is not just an economic need, it is also a social need. By eliminating barriers facing students who wish to be exposed to STEM, we can broaden the students’ economic opportunities and empower them as agents of change in our communities,” said Suffolk County Community College President Dr. Edward Bonahue.

“Suffolk County Community College has a well-known and respected STEM program,” said Professor Sean Tvelia, the project’s director.  “The additional academic resources, proactive mentoring, and student-centered approach provided through this program will increase success amongst our STEM students,” he said. Tvelia said that students who actively participate in I-SUCCESS will, in many cases, be better prepared for professional careers than students at four-year universities. For those students seeking transfer to four-year colleges and universities, the program also provides networking opportunities, transfer panels, and the ability to meet and work with university faculty.

Tvelia, Professors Richa Rawat Prakash and Joseph Napolitano say the program will support 18 new and 16 continuing students each year with financial support averaging about $10,000 from program entry to graduation.

The $1,499,296 I-SUCCESS grant will provide scholarships; introduce a mentoring program, with faculty positioned strategically across campuses and within STEM disciplines to serve as role models and advisors; increase opportunities for engagement and through remote and in-person activities; make more accessible, discipline-specific faculty tutoring to augment existing support, and provide internship and job coaching to supplement existing career services for STEM careers in the regional workforce and high-impact practices proven effective at promoting retention and transfer, including authentic research experiences and publication and presentation opportunities, will be augmented with opportunities for workforce internships.

Since the 2016-17 academic year, unmet financial need among undergraduates pursuing STEM degrees at Suffolk has increased by approximately 38%.  The I-SUCCESS project includes scholarships totaling $900,900 over 6 years plus $13,800 to support student summer research travel expenses to help address this unmet need.

The project is slated to begin on October 1, 2022.

Students interested in applying to the I-SUCCESS program can visit the college’s I-SUCCESS website, https://www.sunysuffolk.edu/stem/nfs-i-success/ or may contact Professor Sean Tvelia at [email protected].

 

In advance of the early voting dates of August 13-21 and the New York State primary election on Tuesday, August 23, the League of Women Voters of the Hamptons, Shelter Island and North Fork will be holding a Republican Congressional candidates primary debate on Zoom on Monday, August 8, 7-8 p.m., hosted by Southampton Town’s SEA-TV.

Invited to participate are the three Republican Congressional candidates in the newly-drawn 1st C.D.—Michelle Bond of Port Jefferson, CEO of the cryptocurrency Association for Digital Asset Markets; Anthony Figliola of East Setauket, a lobbyist with Empire Government Strategies and former Deputy Supervisor of Brookhaven Town; and Nicholas LaLota of Amityville, chief of staff to the Suffolk County Legislature’s Presiding Officer and former Republican Commissioner of the Suffolk County Board of Elections.

The winner of the Republican primary will face Democratic Congressional candidate Bridget Fleming of Sag Harbor, an attorney and Suffolk County Legislator, in the general election on Tuesday, November 8.

The August 8 debate can be viewed live at 7 p.m. at www.YouTube.com/c/SeaTVSouthampton and can also be seen anytime afterwards on the same YouTube channel, starting the following day, August 9.

The public is invited to submit questions for the candidates. Email them by August 5 to LWV Voter Services Committee chair Barbara McClancy at [email protected]

For those not able to vote in person on the early voting days of August 13-21 or on primary election day, August 23, absentee ballot applications in English and other languages are available on the NYS Board of Elections website at www.elections.ny.gov . After mailing in the absentee ballot application and receiving the actual absentee ballot back, postmark deadline is August 23.

For questions, call the Suffolk County Board of Elections at 631-852-4500.

Scott Martella served as communications director for Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. Photo from Facebook

Join Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone on Wednesday, Aug. 3, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for a blood drive in honor of Scott Martella. Martella was a dedicated public servant who impacted thousands of lives across Long Island. The goal is to help thousands more by donating blood to combat the critical blood shortage. 

There will be four donation sites across Suffolk County: H. Lee Dennison Building Plaza, 100 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge; DSS MacArthur Building Cafeteria; Suffolk County Fire Academy, Room K, 103 East Ave., Yaphank; and the Riverhead County Center Cafeteria, 300 Center Drive Riverhead. . Please join the effort and donate! To schedule an appointment, call 888-933-2566.