Home Times of Middle Country

Selden man charged with leaving scene of boat crash

by Elana Glowatz - May 29, 2015

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A Middle Country man allegedly left the scene of a Patchogue boat crash that sent a woman to the hospital last week.

The Suffolk County Police Department had been searching for the owner of the boat involved in the crash, and reported on Thursday that officers had arrested 31-year-old Selden resident Mark Tricarico after he surrendered that afternoon at the 5th Precinct. He was charged with leaving the scene of a boating accident involving injury and was released on bail, police said.

Attorney information for Tricarico was not immediately available. Police said he would be arraigned at a later date.

According to police, a 23-foot 1987 Sea Ray boat crashed into the western jetty at the entrance to the Patchogue River on May 24, around 9:20 p.m., sending one of its passengers, 29-year-old Farmingdale resident Danielle Virgilio, to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Witness reports had indicated that up to seven people were aboard the boat at the time of the crash, and several of those people were located near the scene. Police said those people were interviewed but were not cooperative.

Police searched surrounding waters for more potential victims but did not find any, officials said.

The Sea Ray had extensive damage after the crash, which police called a hit-and-run. Authorities secured the boat in place and said the owner was responsible for removing the boat from the jetty.

Anyone with information about the incident may call the 5th Precinct Crime Section at 631-854-8526.

Police blotter: Suffolk County incidents and arrests, May 20-25

by TBR Staff - May 28, 2015

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Costly joyride
A 28-year-old Commack man was arrested in Smithtown on May 21 and charged with second-degree grand larceny of property valued over $50,000. Police said that on May 20 the man entered a fenced yard on West Jericho Turnpike in Smithtown and stole a Ford F250 pickup truck and trailer, loading it with a type of equipment. The man was also charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, third-degree burglary and unlawful growing of cannabis at his Scarlett Drive residence.

Bowled over
A 31-year-old Melville man was arrested on May 21 and charged with petit larceny. Police said that on April 28 at about 9 p.m., the man took cash from a bowling bag.

Assaulter apprehended
A 22-year-old man from Oakdale was arrested on May 21 and charged with two counts of assault, one charge in third degree. Police said that the man kicked a female victim who was lying on the ground at about 2 am at a location on Ocean Avenue in Ronkonkoma. Around the same time he struck a male victim with a baseball bat at the same location.

Senior struck
Police arrested an 18-year-old man from Smithtown on May 23 and charged him with second-degree
assault, injuring a victim 65 years or older. Police said the young man punched a male victim at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove at about 4:45 p.m. numerous times, causing him head and face injuries. The assailant was arrested at his home on Hofstra Drive in Smithtown later that day.

Smash ’n dash
An unknown person smashed the rear window of a 2005 Honda Pilot on Nesconset Highway in Smithtown and stole a backpack and laptop. The incident occurred between 9:30 and 10:15 p.m. on May 21.

Porsche problems
Someone stole Tiffany sunglasses and a child’s pocketbook out of a 2015 Porsche parked at a movie theater in on Route 347 in Stony Brook on May 21. The incident happened sometime between 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Helmet heist
A male complainant told police someone stole his Rangers hockey helmet while he was at Napper Tandy’s Irish Pub on East Main Street, Smithtown on May 20. The incident occurred sometime between midnight and 2 a.m.

Mailbox mischief
Someone pulled a mailbox off its post and damaged it on 1st Avenue in Kings Park on May 23 at 1:30 a.m. There are no arrests.

Drug bust
A 19-year-old woman from Lake Grove and a 17-year-old man from Stony Brook were arrested on May 20 at about 6:40 p.m. in Stony Brook on drug-related charges. Police said the Lake Grove woman was charged with loitering and unlawful use of a controlled substance after being observed in a car on the corner of Shelbourne Lane and Sycamore Circle in Stony Brook with the man, purchasing prescription pills from him without a prescription. Police said the man, who is from Shelbourne Lane, was charged with three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell and fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Car theft
An unknown person scratched the driver side of a 2012 Kia at the beach on Christian Avenue, entered the car and stole cash from a pocketbook inside. The incident occurred between 11:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. on May 24.

Not so bright
A glass sunroof on a 2007 Hummer parked on Woodfield Road in Stony Brook was smashed with a large rock, sometime between 11 p.m. on May 22 and 3 p.m. on May 23.

iSad
Someone broke the driver side window of a 2014 Nissan Sentra parked on Nesconset Highway and stole an iPad mini sometime between 7 and 9:30 p.m. on May 21.

Vehicle damaged
An unknown person damaged a 2007 Subaru parked on Cinderella Lane in Setauket-East Setauket sometime between 10 a.m. on May 23 and 10 p.m. on May 25.

Phone jacked
An unknown male went into a female complainant’s pocketbook and took her white iPhone sometime at 2 p.m. on May 20 at Stop&Shop on Route 25A in East Setauket.

Tire trouble
Someone punctured the front passenger side tire of a 2009 Honda Civic parked in a lot on Main Street in Setauket-East Setauket on May 22.

Wallet woes
An unknown person removed a Stop&Shop shopper’s wallet containing cash and gift cards on Route 25A in Setauket-East Setauket sometime between 2:15 and 2:30 p.m. on May 20.

Department store dash
Someone entered Kohl’s on Nesconset Highway and fled with assorted items without paying for them at about 4:50 p.m. on May 21 in Setauket-East Setauket.

Caught with drugs
Police arrested a 26-year-old East Setauket man at about 11 p.m. on May 21 and charged him with second-degree criminal contempt and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Police said the man was arrested on Ringneck Lane for violating an order of protection and was found in possession of heroin.

ID, please
A High Street homeowner in Port Jefferson reported that his employee identification card was stolen out of his 2006 Subaru in the afternoon on May 23.

Unlocked
An unknown person stole items from an unlocked 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee parked inside an open garage on Nadia Court in Port Jefferson. According to police, the person stole a GPS device, a purse, a phone charger and a debit card on May 20.
An unknown person stole men’s sunglasses from an unlocked Dodge Durango parked outside an East Broadway residence in Port Jefferson on May 20.

Double trouble
Two vehicles, a 2003 Ford and a 2014 BMW, were keyed and scratched on May 20 on Old Post Road in Port Jefferson.

First-class crime
A Shore Road resident in Mount Sinai reported on May 22 that their metal mailbox had been damaged.

Look through my window
A Helme Avenue resident in Miller Place reported that a window screen located in the back of their home had been damaged on May 21.

Not playing around
An unknown person pushed an air-conditioning unit into a home on Bayville Drive in Sound Beach in order to gain entrance on May 22 and stole one PlayStation and one Nintendo console.

Uprooted
A Robin Road homeowner in Rocky Point reported on May 24 that someone had removed pots and planters and tossed them throughout the backyard. The resident also noticed a rear gate at the home was open.

Stylish thief
Police arrested and charged an 18-year-old Miller Place woman with petit larceny on May 22 after she concealed various shirts and costume jewelry at the Rocky Point Kohl’s and went to leave without paying for the merchandise.

Taking sides
An unknown person threw rocks at an Oxhead Road home in Centereach and damaged the siding of the residence on May 24.

Getting smashed
A North Coleman Road man in Centereach reported that he found the rear window of his 2004 Chevy smashed by a stone when he got up and went to his car on May 25.

Sliced
An unknown person damaged a garden hose — possibly with a knife — at a Norwalk Lane residence in Selden on May 24.

Dollar dollar bills
Police arrested a 26-year-old Medford woman in Selden on May 23 for stealing assorted goods and personal care products from a Selden dollar store.

Shout!
A Middle Country Road gas station employee reported that a man came into the station’s convenience store and started shouting on May 20. The suspect then got into his car and rammed one of the gas station vacuums, causing damage.

Mad Dogs drop Suffolk County finals game in overtime

by Desirée Keegan - May 27, 2015

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This year’s Class A playoff game looked a lot like last season’s semifinal matchup, as the Middle Country girls’ lacrosse team and West Islip remained tied nearing the end of regulation. However, this time the game went into overtime, but the result was still the same: West Islip came out on top.

“It’s a little bittersweet now that the seniors are gone and to end it like this,” Middle Country head coach Lindsay Dolson said. “We knew what we had to do, and unfortunately we came up a little bit short. They were the better team today.”

Last season, the Mad Dogs went 12-6 overall with a 10-4 mark in Division I, and lost to the Lions, 12-11, with one second left in regulation. This year, the girls improved those records to 18-1 and 14-0, but little did they know they’d be squaring off against the same Lions squad. This time around, the stakes were that much higher, as Middle Country was just one goal away from winning the school’s first Suffolk County title with minutes left in regulation.

“They’re a great group of kids,” Dolson said of her team. “I know they wouldn’t quit on us, and they fought until the bitter end.”

West Islip dominated the draw early and rattled off three unanswered goals in the first three minutes of play before Middle Country won its first draw, and converted that possession into points.

With 21:51 remaining, senior midfielder and attack Nikki Ortega dumped the ball in front off an assist from sophomore midfielder Rachel Masullo, but the Lions won the next possession and grabbed an offensive rebound for a goal and a 4-1 advantage.

West Islip tacked on another goal before sophomore midfielder Jamie Ortega scored to cut the deficit, 5-2.
Rachel Masullo’s twin sister Amanda, also a sophomore midfielder, scored next off a free position goal, and Nikki Ortega found the back of the net after receiving a backwards pass that caused some confusion in front of the net, to pull her team within one, 5-4.

With 7:12 remaining in the first half, Nikki Ortega passed the ball from the left goalside to sophomore attack Ava Barry, whose goal tied the game, 5-5.

Two minutes later, West Islip broke the tie, and the teams traded goals once more, with Nikki Ortega tallying her hat trick goal off a free position shot to tie the game. But, West Islip maintained the advantage, 7-6, heading into the halftime break.

Jamie Ortega scored two goals in the second half, while Rachel Masullo added another off an assist from Barry to tie the game 9-9 with 7:17 left to play, but neither team was able to score from there, forcing two three-minute overtime periods with no sudden-death victory.

Senior midfielder Christine Gironda won the first draw in overtime, which led to Jamie Ortega’s fourth goal of the game off another assist by Barry to give the Mad Dogs their first and only lead of the game.

With 20.8 seconds left in the first overtime session, West Islip scored to tie it up 10-10, and with 2:18 left in the second three-minute span, scored again, to take the lead, which it preserved despite several Middle Country attempts at an equalizer.

While the team looses six seniors to graduation — with Nikki Ortega, Gironda, and goalkeeper Ashley Miller being impactful players on the three sections of the field — the Mad Dogs will return a significant amount of its goal-scorers next season. They will look to continue the progression in the hopes of taking its postseason game another step further and claim the county title.

“It’s been great,” Dolson said of working with the departing seniors. “They work hard and they gave it everything that they’ve got. They’ll be tough to replace next year, but I’m positive that we’re going to come back the same strong Middle Country team.”

County legislator seeks ‘safe spots’ for Craigslist users

by Erika Karp - May 27, 2015

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Suffolk County Police Department to examine feasibility

Barraga-Muratore-Kennedy1-GOP-Task-Forces-021114-Shapirow — Legislator Tom Muratore, center. File photo by Rachel Shapiro

Following in the footsteps of municipalities across the nation, the Suffolk County Legislature has agreed to explore creating safe spots where residents could conduct private sales transactions like those from websites like Craigslist.

County Legislator Tom Muratore (R-Ronkonkoma) introduced legislation that would direct the Suffolk County Police Department to study the feasibility of creating the safe spots. The Legislature adopted the bill on May 12, and the findings will be reported to the Legislature within 120 days.

“Technology is changing the way people are doing business,” Muratore said in a phone interview.

The former Suffolk County police officer said he drafted the resolution after hearing about a number of violent crimes committed against people who posted or responded to advertisements on Craigslist.

In January, police charged a man who allegedly killed a Georgia couple looking to buy a vintage car, news reports said. In March, a Colorado woman allegedly stabbed and removed the fetus of a woman who was seven months pregnant and had gone to the suspect’s home in response to an ad.

While the national incidents referenced in the legislation are particularly vicious, there are some cases of misconduct closer to home.

Nearly two months ago, Suffolk County police arrested and charged a 24-year-old Medford man with fourth-degree grand larceny after he allegedly stole a quad from a Centereach resident who had posted the vehicle for sale on Craigslist. Police said the suspect responded to the ad and drove off with quad.

Suffolk County wouldn’t be the first to create such spots. The safe havens — sometimes at police departments or in monitored precinct parking lots — have been set up in Columbia, Mo., Hartford, Conn., and in numerous Georgia towns, to name a few.

“If they can do it, why can’t a major police department do something like that,” Muratore said.

The legislator said precinct parking lots, which could be monitored by closed-circuit cameras, would be good locations for the spots, as there are seven precincts spread across the county, plus the department’s headquarters in Yaphank. The study will also examine any equipment and personnel costs associated with establishing the locations, he said.

According to Craigslist’s website, the majority of users are “trustworthy” and “well-intentioned” and the incidence of violent crimes is “extremely low.”

Craigslist offers some guidelines when meeting someone for the first time. The site said meetings should take place in a public place as opposed to a private home; users should take precautions when selling expensive items; tell someone where they are going; and consider having someone accompany them. In addition, it encourages people to make high-value exchanges at a local police station.

SCPD Deputy Chief Kevin Fallon said Tuesday that the department could not comment at this point, but would communicate findings once a report is complete.

Baymen oppose horseshoe crab restrictions in Brookhaven

by Erika Karp - May 27, 2015

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baby-horseshoe-crabs-w — Young horseshoe crabs at West Meadow Beach, Stony Brook. File photo

Local fishermen came out to Brookhaven Town Hall last Thursday to let officials know they oppose Supervisor Ed Romaine’s push to limit horseshoe crab harvesting.

Earlier that week, Romaine (R) announced he and the town board would consider urging the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which regulates the industry, to ban horseshoe crab harvesting within 500 feet of town-owned property in an effort to protect the crab population and allow them a safe place to mate.

Romaine moved to table the idea after hearing the baymen’s concerns.

The 450-million-year-old species are used for bait and in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries, as their blue blood is used to detect bacterial contamination in products. At a May 19 press conference, officials said if the crab population shrinks, other species — like those that eat the crabs’ eggs — could be negatively affected.

Stony Brook’s West Meadow Beach and Mount Sinai Harbor already have harvesting plans in place, and a ban would broaden the restriction area.

However, the fishermen said the restriction was not based on any facts and the horseshoe crab population is not declining. In addition, they said further regulation would affect their livelihoods.

Ron Bellucci Jr., of Sound Beach, said horseshoe crab harvesting is a vital part of his income. He added that he knows the crabs are important to the larger ecosystem, which he is a part of as well.

“I’m just a man, but I’m a vital part of the food chain and I think I’m at the top,” he said.

According to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, a partnership between East Coast states to protect fisheries, a 2013 assessment of the horsecrab population showed a decrease in the New York and New England regions, while crabs have increased in the southern states — North Carolina through Florida — and remained stable from New Jersey through coastal Virginia.

David Klopfenstein, of the North Shore Baymen’s Association, urged the board to speak with the DEC before supporting a ban. He said there was a lot of misinformation regarding a very complex issue that is already being controlled.

“It’s also the most well-managed fisheries that we have up and down the East Coast,” he said.

The DEC did not immediately comment on the issue.

Centereach residents remember at Memorial Day parade

by Erika Karp - May 26, 2015

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Middle Country Road in Centereach was decked out in red, white and blue on Sunday in honor of Memorial Day. Hundreds watched the vintage cars, marching bands, bagpipers, motorcycles, scouts and military and fire trucks at the hamlet’s Memorial Day parade, which was organized by the Centereach Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4927.

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Police blotter: Suffolk County incidents and arrests, May 11-18

by TBR Staff - May 21, 2015

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Indebted
A Pagnotta Drive resident in Port Jefferson Station reported on May 11 that somebody used her debit card to make unauthorized purchases.

Punches and pies
A man reported a person hit the back of his head without reason while at a Port Jefferson pizza parlor on Main Street on May 16 at around 3:18 a.m. Police said the man suffered a minor laceration and was transported to St. Charles Hospital for treatment.

Possession and public lewdness
A 49-year-old Huntington Station woman and a 45-year-old Port Jefferson Station man were arrested in Port Jefferson on May 15 on public lewdness charges. According to police, the man was touching the woman’s breasts in view of the public. The woman was also charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, the muscle-relaxer carisoprodol.

Sharp objects
An unknown person used a sharp object to damage a 1994 Saturn while it was parked in front of an Ashland Street residence in Mount Sinai between May 13 and May 14.

Rolling
A Huntington Road resident in Sound Beach reported that between May 12 and May 13 a person took tires from his backyard.

Just leafy
A Sunburst Drive resident in Rocky Point reported a verbal dispute between himself and a neighbor, who pushed the complainant to the ground on May 15. According to police, the dispute was over leaves and the complainant wasn’t injured.

Graffiki Action Park
An unknown person spray-painted graffiti in Tiki Action Park on Middle Country Road in Centereach on May 14.

Knock, knock
A Gould Road resident in Centereach reported that on May 13 two males in their early 20s assaulted him after he answered his door. The suspects took cash from the complainant and fled. It was unclear if the victim required medical attention.

Window rocked
A Hammond Road resident in Centereach reported that unknown people threw rocks at her home’s window, shattering it, on May 11.

Tit for tattoo
A 57-year-old Centereach man was arrested for second-degree harassment, third-degree criminal mischief and acting in a manner to injure a child. Police said the man smashed a window, a lighted neon sign and a cigarette bucket at a Centereach tattoo shop during a May 11 incident.

Checked out
A Strauss Avenue resident in Selden reported on May 17 that an unknown person withdrew money from his checking account without permission.

Came out swinging
A man walking on Boyle Road in Selden on May 14 reported that another man got out of his vehicle and started to swing his fists at the complainant.

Sick and tired
A Firestone Complete Auto Care manager in Selden reported damage to the shop’s garage door and window, which occurred between May 12 and May 13. No property was stolen from the store.

My sediments exactly
The owner of a 1998 Jeep reported the driver’s side window was shattered by a rock found in the front seat on May 11. The car was parked on College Road in Selden and no items were taken from the vehicle.

Buzzed driving
A 44-year-old man from East Patchogue was arrested in Stony Brook and charged with driving while intoxicated and first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Police said on May 17, the man was driving a 1990 Mercedes Benz in Stony Brook with a suspended license while intoxicated, and he was involved a motor vehicle crash at about 3:39 a.m.

Shopping spree
Police arrested a 20-year-old woman from Central Islip on May 15 and charged her with petit larceny. Police said she stole women’s accessories from a store at the Smithhaven Mall that day. She was arrested at 2:45 p.m.

Bottoms up
A 55-year-old woman from Centereach was arrested May 15 in East Setauket and charged with operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 of 1 percent, and driving while intoxicated. Police said the woman was driving a 1994 Honda westbound on Route 347, east of Arrowhead Lane in Setauket at about 4:50 p.m. when she rear-ended a van.

Get out of the way
Police arrested a 29-year-old Holtsville man on May 18 and charged him with second-degree reckless endangerment in a case of road rage. Police said he was driving a 1999 Jeep and followed a woman driving a 2014 Hyundai after she got off the Long Island Expressway and headed north on Nicolls Road. She changed lanes and he started tailgating her and honking his horn at her. When she changed her lane, police said the victim told them the man drove up next to her and threw a beer can at her window. Police also said the man pulled in front of her car, stopped abruptly and forced the woman to brake suddenly and drive onto the shoulder of the road. He was arrested at 6:55 p.m. at Nicolls Road and Portion Road in Farmingville.

Window smashed
An unknown person broke the driver-side front window of a 1995 Toyota parked on Stuyvesant Drive in East Setauket on May 17, sometime between 1:15 and 7 a.m.

A bat tip
Someone stole the tip jar next to the register at Se-port Delicatessen on Route 25A in Setauket at 1:25 p.m. on May 12.

Crime spree thwarted
A 21-year-old man from Islandia was arrested at the 4th Precinct on May 17 and charged with two petit larcenies, three grand larcenies and criminal possession of stolen property. Police said the charges stem from crimes that occurred from May 5 to May 17 in Islandia. Police said those crimes included: taking the middle console of an unlocked 2012 Ford F-150; taking a Nintendo game console and three games from an unlocked 2002 Saturn; stealing a Home Depot credit card from a 2005 Chrysler; stealing wallets containing identification and several credit cards from two separate cars; and possessing a stolen Apple iPod. He was arrested on South Bedford Avenue in Islandia.

Busted with heroin
Police arrested a 30-year-old woman from Patchogue on May 15 in Smithtown on Brooksite Drive and charged her with loitering and unlawful use of a controlled substance. Police said that she was loitering at the location at about 11:10 p.m. and she possessed heroin.

Golden arrest
A 60-year-old man from Nesconset was arrested in Smithtown and charged with seven counts of criminal possession of stolen property for various jewels he pawned off at a number of locations dating back to July 24. Police said he pawned off a number of chains, several bracelets, a beaded necklace, earrings and rings at Center Gold Pawn Shop on Middle Country Road in Centereach and Empire Pawn of Suffolk in Bayshore. He was arrested at the 4th Precinct on May 13 at 8 a.m.

Shopping flee
An 18-year-old from East Northport was arrested on May 15 and charged with petit larceny. Police said the man took assorted auto equipment, tools and food from Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack, placed it in a shopping cart and fled the store. He was arrested at the 4th Precinct at 2 p.m.

Not that into you
Police said a 68-year-old woman from Kings Park was arrested in Kings Park on May 15 at 7:35 p.m. and charged with fourth-degree stalking, causing fear. Police said the woman mailed 10 cards and seven gift packages to another woman from Huntington Station sometime between Feb. 1 and May 5. She also hand-delivered three flower arrangements and drove past the woman’s home at least one additional time.

Fishy
Police arrested a Farmingville man on May 18 at 8:10 a.m. at the 4th Precinct and charged him with second-degree burglary. Police said the man entered a West Main Street apartment in Smithtown, smashed the door to the apartment, broke a fish tank, damaged the television and door jam and stole cash.

Wheeled away
An unknown male took a woman’s wheelchair left on the sidewalk in front of her home on Rogers Lane in Smithtown sometime between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. on May 12.

Car-less
Someone stole a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee from the driveway of a Cherry Lane home in Smithtown sometime between May 13 at 5:50 p.m. and May 14 at 5:50 a.m.

Found with needle, pills
A 48-year-old man from Smithtown was arrested on May 16 in Smithtown on Brooksite Drive at 7:20 a.m. on May 16 and charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Police said the man possessed a needle and Vicodin pills.

Failed escape
An 18-year-old man from Huntington was arrested at the 2nd Precinct on May 14 and charged with escape from a detention facility. Police said the man attempted to escape the precinct after being arrested, but cops couldn’t say what the warrant covered. Police said he was also charged with resisting arrest for pulling away from the officer in a violent manner while the officer was trying to arrest him on Broadway in Huntington at about 1:33 p.m.

Be right back
Police said a 30-year-old woman from Bethpage was arrested in East Northport and charged with operating a 2009 Pontiac G6 southbound on Stony Hollow Road and leaving the scene of an accident. Police said the woman struck a tree at Clay Pitts Road and Stony Hollow Road in East Northport on May 16, causing property damage, and left the scene without reporting it, at about 11 p.m.

Trespasser trounced
A 25-year-old man from East Northport was arrested in East Northport and charged with third-degree criminal trespass on May 16. Police said the man placed a metal pole against a fence enclosing Mother Earth’s Landscape & Masonry Supplies on Elwood Road in East Northport and climbed the fence on April 30 at 9:45 p.m. He was arrested at his home on May 16 at 4:01 p.m.

Sprite split at Sev-a-Lev
Someone stole a two-liter bottle of Sprite soda from 7-Eleven on Main Street in Huntington at 6 p.m. on May 16.

Caffeine crash
Police said an employee at Gulf Gas on East Main Street in Huntington reported he was punched near his left eye after telling a teenager who was with three other teens that a coffee cup was not for sale. The incident was reported to have occurred on May 15 at 8:54 p.m.

Bong bong into the room
Two unknown men wearing dark clothing and masks kicked in a side apartment on Tanyard Lane in Huntington at 4:31 p.m. on May 12, and when confronted by the male complainant, fled with cash and a pink bong.

Purse taken
A woman told police her purse was taken from the floor of the passenger side of a Hyundai Accent parked on Truesdale Court in Fort Salonga on May 12 sometime between 12:45 and 3:30 p.m.

Piercing
Police arrested a 19-year-old man from Huntington on May 14 in Huntington and charged him with first-degree criminal contempt and assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon. Police said the man stabbed another man with a knife in the stomach at a home on Lindsay Street in Huntington at 8:30 p.m. The victim required medical attention.

Middle Country Mad Dogs make it back to lacrosse semifinals

by TBR Staff - May 21, 2015

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Middle-Country-lacrosse-Jamie-Ortega-051915-Landon-WJL_8283w — Middle Country's Jamie Ortega beats out the Sachem East goalkeeper for a goal. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

After not playing for a week and a half, the Middle Country girls’ lacrosse team showed no signs of cobwebs. After a bye week, the top-seeded team in Division I easily outscored Sachem East, 16-4, Tuesday.

“Considering we haven’t played in a week and a half, we came out and played the best game we’ve played so far,” Amanda Masullo said. “We played two complete halves today. Sometimes we get tired in the second half, but today we just kept going.”

Middle Country took command of the game from the opening draw, and the Mad Dogs broke out to an 8-0 lead midway through the first half, with the Ortega sisters, Nikki and Jamie, leading the way with two goals each. Sophomores Amanda Masullo and her twin sister Rachel, Ava Barry and senior Alison DiPaola added a goal apiece.

Sachem East lit up the scoreboard for the first time at the 4:41 mark, but midfielder Jamie Ortega scored again two minutes later, for her hat trick goal.

By the halftime break, Middle Country had tacked on four more goals for a 12-1 advantage.

“With the bye week, we had to stay consistent,” senior goalkeeper Ashley Miller said. “We practiced at game level and at game speed, so we could handle whatever they threw at us today. We played well in the second half, we kept up our intensity and we stayed focused because it’s easy to sit back and relax, but we didn’t.”

The scoring fest continued in the second half when Barry served one to Nikki Ortega for her hat trick goal, to break out to a 13-1 advantage. Soon after, the senior struck again, this time off a feed from Rachel Masullo.

Alison DiPaola moves the ball up the field for Middle Country. Photo by Bill Landon

“We had a harder schedule towards the end [of the regular season], so the bye week really helped us, because we definitely needed a rest,” Nikki Ortega said.

Middle Country passed the ball crisply and cleanly as they circled the cage looking for an opening. Amanda Masullo found one, and passed to Jamie Ortega on the cut. She drilled home her shot to give her team a 15-1 advantage.

Sachem East still had some life left in them, and managed three unanswered goals in the last 10 minutes of the game. The clock continued to run uninterrupted, and Nikki Ortega drove home the last goal of the afternoon, to put the playoff win into the record books.

“I thought we did an awesome job on our draw control today and when you control the draw, you control the game,” Middle Country head coach Lindsay Dolson said. “Our defense did an outstanding job to hold that team to only four goals. “We’ll work hard, stay focused and watch film to get ready for Smithtown West.”

After crosstown rival and No. 5-seed Smithtown West topped No. 4 Smithtown East Tuesday, the Bulls will get a rematch to avenge a loss at the hands of Middle Country in the Mad Dogs’ last game of the regular season. The semifinal playoff match will take place Friday at Newfield, at 4 p.m.

“We’ll need to be mentally prepared for the next round and forget that we’re undefeated,” Nikki Ortega said. “This is the playoffs. There are no second chances, so our next game is our whole season and we can’t let up.”

Board of education election and budget vote results, 2015

by TBR Staff - May 19, 2015

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Cold Spring Harbor
Voters passed a $64 million budget, 335 votes to 130. Proposition 2, to spend capital reserve money on various projects, passed 318 to 107. Proposition 3, to establish a new capital reserve fund, passed 314 to 114. Board President Anthony Paolano and Trustee Ingrid Wright ran unopposed for re-election and received 366 and 359 votes, respectively.

Commack
Community members passed Commack’s $185 million budget 1,927 to 575.

Comsewogue
The district’s $85.2 million budget passed, 1,024 to 204. Proposition 2, to add bus service for 38 John F. Kennedy Middle School students, passed 1,096 to 134. Three people ran unopposed for board seats and were elected, board President John Swenning, Trustee Rick Rennard and newcomer Louise Melious.

Harborfields
An $80.5 million budget passed with 82.5 percent voter support. Voters also supported a proposition on the ballot to establish a new capital reserve fund, with 79.4 percent in favor. Incumbents Donald Mastroianni and board President Dr. Thomas McDonagh were returned to the board, and voters elected newcomer Suzie Lustig. Candidates Chris Kelly and Colleen Rappa fell short.

Hauppauge
Voters passed the district’s proposed budget, 1,458 to 442. Michael Buscarino and Stacey Weisberg were elected to the board with 1,098 and 1,122 votes, respectively. Candidate Susan Hodosky fell short, with just 984 votes.

Huntington
A $120.3 million budget passed, 1,228 votes to 301. Proposition 2, to spend just over $1 million in capital reserve monies to pay for state-approved projects, passed 1,252 votes to 251. Four people ran unopposed for re-election or election: board President Emily Rogan got 1,193 votes, board members Xavier Palacios and Tom DiGiacomo received 1,139 votes and 1,185 votes, respectively, and newcomer Christine Biernacki garnered 1,189 votes. Rogan, Biernacki and DiGiacomo won three-year terms. As the lowest vote-getter, Palacios will serve the remaining two years on a term of a vacated seat.

Kings Park
Voters passed an $84.7 million budget, 2,065 to 577. A second proposition on the ballot, regarding a school bus purchase, passed 1,998 to 542. A third proposition, regarding a capital project to replace the high school roof, passed 2,087 to 455. Incumbent Diane Nally was re-elected to the board with 1,821 votes, while newcomer Kevin Johnston was elected with 1,886 votes. Incumbent Charlie Leo fell short in his re-election bid, garnering 1,108 votes.

Middle Country
Middle Country’s $236 million budget passed, with 1,863 votes in favor and 579 against. All three school board incumbents — President Karen Lessler and Trustees Jim Macomber and Arlene Barresi — were running unopposed and were re-elected to their seats.

Miller Place
Newcomer Keith Frank won a seat on the school board, edging out candidate Michael Manspeizer, 781 to 287.
“I’m just looking forward to the next three years,” Frank said. “I have big shoes to step into.”
Residents also passed the district’s $70 million budget, with 964 voting in favor and 262 voting against.
Board President Michael Unger said voter turnout was low “as a result of a good budget and good candidates.”

Mount Sinai
Voters approved the $56.7 million budget with 1,241 in favor and 316 against. Newcomer Michael Riggio was elected to the board with 993 votes, followed by incumbent Lynn Capobiano, who garnered 678 for re-election to a second term. John DeBlasio and Joanne Rentz missed election, receiving 624 and 321 votes, respectively.

Northport-East Northport
The $159.6 million budget passed, 3,281 to 788. Proposition 2, to spend $1.2 million in capital reserves, passed 3,561 to 504. Incumbent David Badanes, former trustee Tammie Topel and newcomer David Stein were elected to the board, with 2,446 votes for Badanes, 2,130 for Topel and 2,548 for Stein. Incumbent Stephen Waldenburg Jr. fell short of re-election, with 1,290 votes. Newcomers Peter Mainetti, Josh Muno and Michael Brunone missed the mark as well, with Mainetti garnering 1,018 votes, Muno receiving 542 votes and Brunone getting 1,039 votes.

Port Jefferson
Voters passed a $42.4 million budget, 491 to 130. Proposition 2, to create a new capital reserve fund that would help replace roofs throughout the district, passed with 467 votes in favor and 122 against.
Trustee Vincent Ruggiero was re-elected to the board with 468 votes. Write-in candidates Tracy Zamek, a newcomer, and Trustee Mark Doyle were elected with 246 and 178 votes, respectively. There were a number of other community residents who received write-in votes, including former board member Dennis Kahn, who garnered 58 votes.

Rocky Point
The $78.7 million budget passed with 788 votes in favor and 237 against. Board Vice President Scott Reh was re-elected to a third term, with 679 votes. Newcomer Ed Casswell secured the other available seat with 588 votes. Candidate Donna McCauley missed the mark, with only 452 votes.

Shoreham-Wading River
The school budget passed, 910 to 323. Michael Fucito and Robert Rose were re-elected to the school board, with 902 and 863 votes, respectively.

Smithtown
Smithtown’s $229.5 million budget passed, 2,582 to 762. School board President Christopher Alcure, who ran unopposed, was re-elected with 2,295 votes, while newcomer Jeremy Thode was elected with 2,144 votes. MaryRose Rafferty lost her bid, garnering just 860 votes. A second proposition on the ballot, related to capital reserves, passed 2,507 to 715.

Three Village
Voters passed a $188 million budget, 2,401 to 723. Incumbents William F. Connors, Jr. and Deanna Bavlnka were re-elected, with 2,200 and 2,052 votes, respectively. Challenger Jeffrey Mischler fell short, garnering only 1,095 votes.

Town seeks to limit horseshoe crab harvesting

by Erika Karp - May 19, 2015

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Horseshoe_crab_Romaine_Graves_051915_KARP2w — A horseshoe crab no more than 4 years old. Photo by Erika Karp

With its horseshoe crab population dwindling, Town of Brookhaven officials are calling on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to ban harvesting within 500 feet of town property.

At the Mount Sinai Stewardship Center at Cedar Beach on Tuesday, Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) announced the Brookhaven Town Board is poised to approve a message in support of the ban at Thursday night’s board meeting.

A horseshoe crab no more than 4 years old is the center of attention at a press conference on Tuesday. Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine is calling on the state to ban the harvesting of the crabs within 500 feet of town property. Photo by Erika Karp

Horseshoe crabs are harvested for bait and medicinal purposes, as their blue blood, which is worth an estimated $15,000 a quart, is used in the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries to detect bacterial contamination in drugs and medical supplies, due to its special properties.

While there is already a harvesting ban in place for Mount Sinai Harbor, Romaine is seeking to expand the restriction across the north and south shores so the crabs have a safe place to mate.

The crabs take about nine years to reach sexual maturity.

“We think it is time not to stop or prohibit the harvesting of horseshoe crabs … but instead to say, ‘Not within town properties,’” Romaine stated.

Brookhaven’s Chief Environmental Analyst Anthony Graves and clean water advocacy group Defend H20’s Founder and President Kevin McAllister joined Romaine at the Tuesday morning press conference.

Graves said the ban would help preserve the 450-million-year-old species’ population.

Preserving the species affects more than just the crabs: If the population continues to shrink, other species — like the red knot bird, which eat the crab eggs — will suffer.

“They are in some ways an ecological keystone species,” Graves said. “That means that they serve a function beyond their individual existence.”

East Coast waterways are the epicenter for the crabs and, according to McAllister, states like New Jersey, Delaware and Virginia have already enacted harvesting limits. The crabs’ nesting season starts in mid-May and lasts until the end of June. Officials said the crabs are oftentimes harvested at night and illegally.

Romaine said he has asked all of the town’s waterfront villages to support the measure. If the DEC moves forward with the ban, Romaine said the town could help the department with enforcement by establishing an intermunicipal agreement.

A DEC representative did not immediately return a request for comment.

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