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Times of Middle Country

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Stop … or don’t
Police arrested a 29-year-old man on April 17 for driving while ability impaired in a 2006 Nissan. The Port Jefferson Station resident was going north on Jayne Boulevard when he failed to stop at a stop sign, police said.

Live-streaming arrest
On April 23, police arrested a man from Lake Grove for petit larceny. The 59-year-old allegedly stole a Roku TV device from the WalMart at the Centereach Mall. Police arrested him at the scene.

Sleepover supplies
A 36-year-old woman from Farmingville was arrested on April 21 for allegedly stealing condoms, body wash, soap and a toothbrush from the CVS Pharmacy on Main Street in Holbrook. Police arrested the woman at the scene and charged her with petit larceny.

Kicked and punched
Police arrested three 21-year-old men from Smithtown, Port Jefferson and Stony Brook on April 18 for gang assault. According to police, around 3 a.m. that day the men kicked and punched a victim, who was later taken to Stony Brook University Hospital. Police arrested the three men near Schafer’s restaurant on West Broadway in Port Jefferson.

Shop ‘til your caught
On April 20, police arrested a 36-year-old woman from Islip who allegedly took assorted merchandise from the Target on Pond Path in Centereach. Police arrested her at the scene and charged her with petit larceny.

Not your Bud
A 27-year-old man from Yaphank was arrested on April 17 for selling alcohol to a minor. Police said the man sold Bud Light at a store on Route 25A in Rocky Point.

Bump it
Police arrested a 21-year-old man from Smithtown for violent behavior on April 17. According to police, the man was being loud near Schafer’s restaurant on West Broadway in Port Jefferson. When police arrived at the scene, the man chest-bumped an officer. Police arrested him around 3 a.m.

More impaired driving
On April 18, police arrested a 35-year-old man from Bellport for driving a 2000 Ford while ability impaired on County Road 97 near Stony Brook. The suspect crashed into a tree and police discovered the man was high.

Stealing for suds
An unknown person stole soap from a residence on Wynn Lane in Port Jefferson, on April 17 around 3:30 p.m.

Missing battery
Police said someone stole a car battery from a 1994 Chevrolet that was parked on Narcissus Road in Rocky Point on April 23.

Pills, pills, pills
On April 20, someone stole aspirin from the Rite Aid at Jefferson Plaza in Port Jefferson Station.
On April 24 around 3:15 p.m., two people entered the Rite Aid on College Road in Selden and stole pills and other items.

Scam blues
An unknown person called the Smoke Shack Blues on Main Street in Port Jefferson and identified themselves as a PSEG representative. The individual informed the shop that it hadn’t paid its electric bill. The store gave money to the scammer. The incident happened on April 21 around 2:15 p.m.

A real Pro
Police said someone entered an unlocked 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee and stole a MacBook Pro from the car while it was parked on Eisenhower Road in Centereach. The incident happened on April 23.

The unbreakable break-in
Two unknown people in dark hoodies tried to pry open a side door to a business on Route 25A in Setauket-East Setauket and pulled down parts of the ceiling to access the building. The individuals also broke a side window to the business. However, nothing was stolen. The incident happened on April 18 around 4 a.m.

Lumbering thief
Police said someone stole a mat and lumber from a residence on Douglaston Road in Sound Beach on April 19.

Swiping cell phones
Someone stole a cell phone from a Rocky Point student’s purse at the high school on April 22.

Case for concern at Kohl’s
A 49-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested on April 23 after police said she stole clothing, cosmetics, and jewelry from Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack. She was charged with petit larceny.
A 38-year-old woman from Smithtown was arrested after police said she stole jewelry from the same Kohl’s, also on April 23.

Trouble in a Toyota
On April 23, a 30-year-old woman from Ronkonkoma was arrested after police said she had heroin in her possession while inside a 2001 Toyota driving on the Sagtikos State Parkway in Kings Park. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

An arrest of substance
Police said a 23-year-old man from Patchogue had heroin on him while driving 2002 Chevy on Ronkonkoma Avenue in Lake Ronkonkoma on April 23. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
A 24-year-old man from Mastic in the passenger seat in the car was also arrested after police said he had suboxone on him. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance as well.

No squatter’s rights here
A 48-year-old woman from Islip was arrested on April 22 for entering a private residence on Main Street in Smithtown and staying there for five days, police said. She was charged with third-degree criminal trespassing of an enclosed property.

Drumming up drama
On April 22, a 23-year-old woman from Fort Drum was arrested for punching another woman in the face three times at Express Drive South and Lake Promenade in Lake Ronkonkoma just before 2:30 a.m., police said. She was charged with second-degree harassment with physical contact.

Lots o’ drugs
Police said a 45-year-old woman from Bay Shore was arrested on April 22 for having heroin and crack cocaine in her possession while inside a parked 2004 Ford pick up truck on Pine Avenue and Express Drive North in Ronkonkoma just before 9:30 p.m. She was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The Panic in Needle Park
A 28-year-old woman from Hauppauge was arrested on April 21 after police said she had a hypodermic needle in her pocket while on Westwood Lane in Kings Park. She was charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Can’t outrun the police
Police said a 61-year-old woman from Smithtown ignored police officers that were signaling her to pull over to the side of Route 25 in Smithtown while driving a 2016 Honda on April 21, and then intentionally drove into two 4th Precinct-police cars. When they arrested her, police said they discovered she was under the influence of drugs. She was charged with criminal mischief with intent to cause property damage and third-degree fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle.

High times
On April 21, a 22-year-old man from West Babylon was arrested after police said he had heroin on him while on Westwood Lane in Smithtown. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Big break in
Police said an unknown person broke into two Big Brothers Big Sisters bins on Main Street in Smithtown on April 23.

Shop wrong
An unknown person stole food from ShopRite on Nesconset Highway in Hauppauge on April 23, police said.

Watch this
Police said an unknown person stole a DVD player from Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on April 22.

This is not a drill
A 60-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on April 24 at 3:15 p.m. after police said he stole drills and other tools from Home Depot on New York Avenue in Huntington. He was charged with petit larceny.

Not quite hospitable
On April 24, a 61-year-old man from Huntington was arrested after police said he stole money from a waiting room inside Huntington Hospital at 6:30 p.m. He was charged with petit larceny.

Car problems
Police said a 52-year-old woman from Huntington was driving a 2008 Ford south on 11th Avenue in Huntington with a suspended license, and had heroin on her. She was arrested at 4:40 p.m. and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, as well as seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Case for concern at Kohl’s
A 49-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested on April 23 after police said she stole clothing, cosmetics and jewelry from Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack. She was charged with petit larceny.
A 38-year-old woman from Smithtown was arrested after police said she stole jewelry from Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on April 23.

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Centereach's Sean McGuinness scoops up an infield dribbler. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

With rain coming down, Centereach took to the field against Huntington and the Blue Devils stepped into the batter’s box first for a League IV baseball matchup Tuesday afternoon in Centereach.

Huntington's Luke Eidle releases a fastball. Photo by Bill Landon
Huntington’s Luke Eidle releases a fastball. Photo by Bill Landon

Huntington (1-11 in conference play) struck first when, on a Centereach throwing error, Brian Donnelly crossed the plate for the first run of the game.

Centereach’s Victor Corsaro doubled, representing the tying run in the bottom of the inning, and teammate Kyle Cerbone ripped one through the gap to even the score with two outs.

The rain grew steady though, and when the umpire behind the plate charged the infield to cover the ensuing play, he slipped and fell in deteriorating conditions.

“I saw him slip the first time and he warned me about the field conditions, and I said to him ‘we’ve had this conversation before,’” Centereach head coach Mike Herrschaft said. “This field can’t take a lot of rain and you can see how it’s getting slick out there at shortstop.”

Huntington managed to score another run in the top of the second to take a 2-1 lead, and the Cougars went back to work at the plate. Centereach (2-10) popped the ball up shallow in the infield and the plate umpire approached the play and fell a second time. The official was slow to get up. After a brief conference between both coaches, the umpires left Nick Corsaro in the batter’s box with his team trailing by one with two outs.

“The umpire called the game because of unsafe conditions on the field,” Huntington head coach Bill Harris said. “Where the field transitions to the grass, he slipped and fell.”

Centereach's Matt Hirsch hurls from the mound. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach’s Matt Hirsch hurls from the mound. Photo by Bill Landon

The game was suspended after an inning and a half, so the balance of the game will be completed at a later date.

“I saw him slip the second time and he said he didn’t want to see one of the kids slip and get hurt,” Herrschaft said. “You can’t argue with that, but this is the first time I’ve known a game to be called because of unsafe conditions for the umpires. The kids are wearing spikes and the umpires are wearing sneakers.”

Herrschaft added that both teams will take the mound Friday afternoon for a scheduled matchup and then complete the suspended game for the doubleheader at home.

Centereach traveled to Huntington on Wednesday for game two of the three-game series, but results of that game were not available by press time.

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Town Assessor Ron Devine, above, said the state abolished the March 1 deadline to apply for STAR exemption, meaning that residents won’t have to wait a full year to receive their exemptions. Photo by Giselle Barkley

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will see an influx in state school tax relief applications after the state revamps its STAR program.

The change affects new homeowners, buyers and those building a home in the Basic and Enhanced STAR Programs. Residents who changed their primary residence from last March onward, must apply to the program, through the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, for an approved exemption. Long Islanders who started constructing their homes within the same time frame are affected, according to Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and Town Assessor Ron Devine.

Devine said residents who have the program up to the 2015-16 tax year will maintain their exemptions. According to Devine, “anyone who is in the system is in the system.” The town will also maintain its approximate 15,000 Enhanced STAR program holders. These holders will receive renewal letters this fall.

The Enhanced STAR program benefits senior citizens 65-years-old and exempts the first $65,300 of the home’s value from school taxes. The basic STAR program, however, is available for owner-occupied primary residences where the homeowners’ and their spouses’ income is less than $500,000. The program exempts $30,000 of the home’s value from school taxes.

According to Romaine, the change in the application process may only affect 3 to 5 percent of homes in the town. But the supervisor questioned if the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance bit off more than it could chew.

“My big concern is that if they’re not staffed, there’ll be a huge backlog of processing that will occur,” Romaine said during a meeting at town hall. “People won’t get their check on time, and it will put people who are either buying a house or building a house in severe disadvantage.”

But the NYS tax department said this change won’t be an issue. According to the department, it successfully processed 2.4 million tax returns after implementing the initial STAR registration program in 2013. The department typically receives around 150,000 applications annually.

The New York State Legislature passed the law earlier this year to change how towns enforce the program within the state. New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) called for the new application process for first-time homeowners and buyers in his 2017 Executive Budget. The budget was approved on April 1.

“The STAR exemption is the only property tax exemption funded by New York State,” the NYS tax department said in an email. “Therefore, it’s more appropriate and efficient for it to be administered by the state rather than by local assessors.”

According to the NYS tax department, residents can start applying through the department in the upcoming weeks by calling the department or visiting its website. Although residents once received credits on their income tax forms, holders receiving an exemption will get a check in the same amount as their STAR benefit.

For more information about the STAR program, residents can call the Town Assessor’s office at 631-451-6300. New homeowners can apply for STAR with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance by calling 516-571-1500 or visiting its website at www.tax.ny.gov.

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Reynaldo Macadaeg photo from SCPD

Update, 4.27.16, 9:42 a.m.: Police reported that Reynaldo Macadaeg has been found, unharmed.

An elderly man told his wife he wanted to go to the Philippines before disappearing on Monday, the Suffolk County Police Department said.

Reynaldo Macadaeg, a 77-year-old man with Alzheimer’s disease, was last seen at his home on Centereach’s Strathmore Village Drive around 3 p.m., according to police.

Authorities issued a Silver Alert for the missing man, who also has heart problems and did not bring any medication with him.

Macadaeg is described as Filipino, 5 feet 4 inches tall and about 160 pounds, police said. He has brown eyes and thinning white hair.

At the time he was last seen, when he told his wife about how he wanted to go to the Philippines, he was wearing navy blue slacks, a dark blue coat and black shoes.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call detectives at 631-854-8652 or 911.

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Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone pitches the proposal. Photo from Steve Bellone

Voters in Suffolk County could soon be faced with deciding whether or not they’d like to pay more for their water to improve its quality.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) brought a big crew of environmentalists and lawmakers with him on Monday to announce his plan to address nitrogen pollution in drinking and surface water across the region by charging an additional $1 per 1,000 gallons of water. If it receives the state’s blessing, the plan could go before Suffolk County residents in a referendum vote in November.

The proposal would establish what Bellone called a water quality protection fee, which would fund the conversion of homes from outdated septic systems to active treatment systems, the county executive said. He estimated the $1 surcharge would generate roughly $75 million in revenue each year to be solely dedicated to reducing nitrogen pollution — and still keep Suffolk County’s water rates nearly 40 percent lower than the national average.

“What we have seen over the decades is a decimation of our surface waters and the latest numbers showing disturbing trends in the groundwater,” Bellone said. “Clearly, the overwhelming source of that nitrogen pollution is from us. We have 360,000 homes on old septic and cesspool systems.”

Bellone said the proposal would supplement similar efforts from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who established a $383 million investment in expanding sewers in Suffolk County. The governor launched the Center for Clean Water Technology at Stony Brook University and provided funding for the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan over the past several years to help create recurring revenue for clean water infrastructure.

Richard Amper, executive director of the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, endorsed the county proposal as Suffolk County rising to the occasion. He referred to nitrogen as the chief culprit behind the county’s water pollution, coming mostly from wastewater.

“If we don’t take this step, we are putting our collective future at serious risk.”

“Two-thirds of it in Suffolk County is coming from 360,000 homes with 5,000-year-old technology,” he said Monday. “We know what to do about it. We’ve studied it. The public is satisfied that … investment had to be made in studying it. Now it’s time for action.”

Roughly 90 percent of the population in Nassau County operates under an active wastewater treatment system through connections to sewage plants. But in Suffolk County, there are more than 360,000 individual cesspools and septic systems — representing more unsewered homes than in the entire state of New Jersey — that are more likely to release nitrogen into the ground and surface water.

Marc Herbst, executive director of the Long Island Contractors’ Association, said the initiative was necessary for the future of the environment.

“It is about building a wastewater treatment system that ensures the environmental integrity of our county, the underlying foundation of our economy and the value of our homes,” he said. “The Long Island Contractors’ Association supports this proposal because if we don’t take this step, we are putting our collective future at serious risk. It is as simple, and crucial, as that.”

The state must authorize the proposal in order for it to be placed on a ballot in November.

State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) — a known environmental activist — said the measure would do wonders for the state’s water supply.

“We’re really looking at an opportunity to correct some deficiencies that could, if left uncorrected, unhinge our economy, which is based upon people bathing and recreating in our coastal waters, fishing and otherwise enjoying our waters,” he said. “For the first time, we are pulling a program together that integrates both our fresh water and saltwater in one protection initiative, and that is very significant.”

The Town of Brookhaven held a public hearing last Thursday night before adopting a low-nitrogen zone for various properties 500 feet from major water bodies, like Setauket and Port Jefferson harbors, requiring all new development or expansions to install low-nitrogen septic systems rather than standard cesspools. Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) endorsed the county plan as well for not only increasing the momentum away from nitrogen pollution, but also for providing voters with the choice.

“I applaud County Executive Bellone for his leadership in advancing this plan to restore water quality across this county and, more importantly, for proposing that the people of Suffolk decide whether the plan should be implemented,” he said. “Though some may disagree with it, no other elected official has offered a plan to reverse nitrogen pollution on this scale.”

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By Rabbi Mendy Goldberg

Friday night, April 22, Jews the world over will be celebrating the first night of Passover with a traditional meal called the “Seder.” During the Seder, we observe various traditions such as eating the “matzah” (an unleavened bread) horseradish and drinking four cups of wine.

Mendy-GoldbergwAll of these rituals are reminders of the Jewish people’s exodus from Egypt 3,327 years ago, the birth of the Jewish nation. Our ancestor’s miraculous release from oppression to freedom has served as a source of inspiration for many generations and will do so for many more to come.

A central theme of this holiday is asking questions and providing relevant answers so that children will understand the significance of this celebration. I, however, find myself asking year-after-year the same question: What meaning does an ancient story and its associated ceremony hold for the average American in 2016?  How can we look at events that transpired so long ago and still be spiritually inspired by them?

The answer is found in the Talmudic dictum: “In every generation a person must feel as if he or she was liberated from Egypt.” In other words, we have a responsibility to make an ancient experience important to us living in modern times. We achieve this by recognizing that the imprisonment from which the ancient Hebrews sought emancipation is conceptually still present.

Slavery finds many forms and takes on various appearances. In days of old, it was depicted by a whip-toting taskmaster hovering over a slave with a chain wrapped around his ankle. Today, bondage is often found in our jobs, relationships and attitudes where we find ourselves addicted to a certain negative trait and find it excruciatingly difficult to “break free.” Sometimes we are trapped in a bad relationship or negative habitual behaviors with no easy way out.  Then there are those who are enslaved to material items and cannot possibly fathom life without them. At times we box ourselves into believing less in ourselves then we are truly capable of. Are these not the modern-day equivalents of slavery?

Therefore, every year as we begin the holiday of Passover and the celebration of freedom, we are reminded that the stories we recount and the rituals we observe are more about a commitment to the present then reminiscing about the past. During this time of year, we once again reaffirm our obligation to fight all forms of bigotry, negativity and slavery, be they within or without, to think and do “out of the box,”  realize and actualize our true potential. And, most important, we devote ourselves to being positive members of society at a time when we all crave the most priceless blessing of all: peace on earth.

Rabbi Mendy Goldberg is the Rabbi at Lubavitch of the East End in Coram.

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Toys“R”Us gift card scam
A 46-year-old man from Medford and a 47-year-old man from Ronkonkoma stole assorted toys from Toys“R”Us on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove and returned them in exchange for gift cards on March 13 and April 16, police said. The two were arrested at about 4:30 p.m. on April 16 in Lake Grove and charged with petit larceny.

Mainline on Main Street
On April 16 in Kings Park at about 8:30 p.m., a 25-year-old man from Kings Park possessed a hypodermic needle on East Main Street, police said. He was arrested and charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Stop & Steal
Police said a 50-year-old man from Brentwood stole assorted grocery items from Stop&Shop on Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia, on April 16 at about 8 p.m. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Come on and take a free ride
A 32-year-old man and a 52-year-old man, both from Brooklyn, were given a ride in a taxi cab in Stony Brook on April 14, police said. At the end of the ride, police said the men refused to pay the cab driver. The 52-year-old man also possessed assorted stolen clothing from Old Navy in Lake Grove, according to police. Both men were arrested and charged with intent to commit fraud for obtaining transfer without paying, and the 52-year-old man was charged with fifth-degree possession of stolen property.

Fifth-degree possession
On April 14 at 7-Eleven on Route 347 in Hauppauge a 20-year-old woman from Commack and a 21-year-old man from Bay Shore were in a parked 1995 Chevrolet, when police said they discovered the woman possessed a hypodermic needle and the man had marijuana. They were arrested and the woman was charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument and the man was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

We don’t need licenses
On April 13 a 39-year-old man from Bay Shore was driving a 2000 Mitsubishi on West Pulaski Road in Kings Park when he was pulled over by police, who said they discovered he was driving without a license. He was arrested and charged with a motor vehicle license violation for driving without a license.

Fashionable crime
A 33-year-old man from Commack stole four bow ties from Kohl’s on Montauk Highway in Shirley at about 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, police said. He was arrested on April 13 in Commack and charged with petit larceny.

Stealing from Sears
At Sears in the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove on April 13, a 19-year-old woman from Middle Island stole assorted clothing, police said. She was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Brand new car scratched
Police said the side of a 2016 BMW was scratched while it was in the parking lot of Stop&Shop on West Main Street in Smithtown at about 3:30 p.m. on April 14.

I think I caught something
An unknown person stole a fishing pole from an unlocked 2008 Jeep parked outside of a home on Cherry Lane in Smithtown at about 11 p.m. on April 14, police said.

Suzuki smashed
The window of a 2011 Suzuki was broken while the car was in the parking lot of Sears at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove at around 8:30 p.m. on April 14, police said.

Supermarket steal
On April 16 at 12:16 p.m., police arrested a 19-year-old Coram resident for petit larceny. According to police, the man stole a purse from a shopping cart in Uncle Giuseppe’s supermarket on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station. The purse contained a wallet and a cell phone. Police arrested the man at the scene.

Petit in a Chevy
A 29-year-old man was arrested for petit larceny on April 12 around 6:40 a.m. Police said the Mount Sinai resident stole money from a 1996 Chevrolet parked on Belle Terre Road in Port Jefferson. He was arrested at the scene.

Rough-and-tumble
Police arrested a man from Commack for gang assault after the 24-year-old kicked and punched another man on West Broadway in Port Jefferson on March 27. Police said two other people helped the suspect. Police arrested him at the 6th Precinct on April 16.

Caught looking
A Coram teen struck another person with a baseball bat and was arrested on April 14 for assault with a weapon. Police said the victim needed medical attention. The 18-year-old male assailant was arrested at the scene, on Dawson Place.

Looking sharp
Police arrested a 26-year-old man from Miller Place on April 13 for possession of a hypodermic instrument after police stopped him in a 2005 Honda on Route 25A in Rocky Point. During the traffic stop, officers discovered he was in possession on a hypodermic needle and arrested him.

A shocking call
On April 14 around noon, someone called a resident posing as a PSEG utility representative and told the victim that they hadn’t paid their electric bill. The victim paid around $500 to the scammer. Police said the incident happened while the victim was at Local’s Cafe on East Main Street in Port Jefferson.

A warranted arrest
Police arrested a 31-year-old man from Centereach on April 13 for resisting arrest. According to police, the man was the subject of two bench warrants. When police at his residence on Colonial Place told the man to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back, the man refused.

Stealing for suds
According to police, a man entered the CVS Pharmacy on Route 25A in Miller Place and stole body wash. The incident happened on April 11 around 8:40 a.m.

Lock your darn cars!
On April 13 around 7 p.m., someone stole a briefcase containing credit cards from an unlocked 2005 Ford. The car was parked in the Centereach Mall parking lot.

Something’s fishy
An unknown person stole beer and shrimp from the ShopRite on College Road in Selden on April 15.

Ride on, thief
Between 1 and 2:15 p.m. on April 12, someone stole a ride-on lawn mower from a residence on Noahs Path in Rocky Point.

At least they didn’t key ya
On April 17 around 5:30 p.m., an unknown person damaged the driver’s side door of a 2011 Kia on Caddy Place in Sound Beach.

Yard work
Between April 11 at noon and April 13 at 2 p.m., someone stole two iron pedestal table bases, an iron and copper urn, an iron planter and two cement art objects from a residence on Bayview Avenue in Setauket-East Setauket.

Sacked
Police said someone stole a backpack and a laptop from a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. According to police, the car was parked in a parking lot on Stony Brook Road on April 15.

Swiped in Selden
An unknown person stole a 2013 Toyota Highlander from a residence on Hawkins Road in Selden. The car was parked in the driveway before it was stolen on April 14 around 3 p.m.

Beer me
Police charged a Port Jefferson man on April 11 with petit larceny and unlicensed operation of a car. The 48-year-old man stole four beer kegs from an establishment on Route 25A in Mount Sinai last November, police said, and when he was pulled over on the corner of Barker Drive and Bonnie Lane on Stony Brook, police discovered the man was driving his 2003 Hyundai with a suspended license.

Not-so-minor mistake
A 27-year-old man from Yaphank was arrested for selling alcohol to a minor at Handy Pantry on Route 25A in Rocky Point on April 17 around 10 p.m.

Knifey situation
A 34-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on April 17 for putting a kitchen knife to a man’s stomach and threatening him while at a home on Briarwood Drive in Huntington just before 8 a.m., police said. He was charged with second-degree menacing with a weapon.

In the biz of stealing
On April 17, a 48-year-old woman from Huntington was arrested after police said she stole a handbag containing cash and a credit card from Bagel Biz on Walt Whitman Road in Melville at 2:45 p.m. She was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny valuing property of more than $1,000.

Cocaine caught
Police said a 31-year-old man from Huntington Station had a small plastic bag containing cocaine in his possession on April 17 just before 10 p.m. at East 9th Street in Huntington Station. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, as well as third-degree criminal trespassing in an enclosed property for being inside private property surrounded by a high fence with no permission.

Two times the marijuana
A 16-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy, both from East Northport, were arrested on April 16 after police said they had marijuana in their possession. Police arrested the pair on Cobblestone Court in Centerport at 5:40 p.m. and they were both charged with unlawful possession.

Failing at fleeing
On April 16, a 28-year-old man from Huntington was arrested for leaving the scene of a car crash, police said. The man was driving a 2015 Infiniti on Jericho Turnpike and Broadway when he collided with a 2009 Nissan driving west and then fled the scene, according to police. He was charged with leaving the scene with property damage.

Cigarette crook caught
Police said a 30-year-old man from Dix Hills stole a Chase debit card and used it to purchase a package of cigarettes from 7-Eleven in Deer Park and had hypodermic needles on him on April 16. He was arrested at 12:40 p.m. and charged with petit larceny and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Jeep-ers
An 18-year-old man from Melville was arrested on April 15 after police said he had a burning marijuana cigarette while inside a 2002 Jeep parked on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

He got more than a slice of ‘za
A 22-year-old man from East Northport was arrested on April 15 at 2:30 a.m. after police said he punched someone in front of Little Vincent’s Pizza on New York Avenue in Huntington, knocking the victim to the ground and causing him or her to go to Huntington Hospital and seek medical treatment. He was charged with third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury.

High times
On April 15, police said a 29-year-old man from Deer Park had a burning marijuana cigarette inside a 2014 Toyota on North Road in Huntington. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Train thief
Police said an unknown person smashed the driver side window of a 2010 Audi Q7 parked in the Cold Spring Harbor train station parking lot on April 17 and stole $50 in cash.
An unknown person broke the front driver side window of a 2008 Mercury parked in the Cold Spring Harbor train station parking lot on April 17, police said.

Unfriendly driving neighbor
On April 16, police said an unknown person driving a Jeep Wrangler was following a woman driving a 1990 Nissan Sentra on Pulaski Road in East Northport and started flashing their lights and making obscene gestures. Eventually the Jeep driver got out of the car and kicked her driver side door, as well as damaging her front headlight.

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Rachel Masullo moves through traffic. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Middle Country made quick work of Commack Tuesday, scoring five unanswered goals in the first five minutes of the contest, and despite losing its opening power, came away with a 15-10 win.

“We were kind of flat — there wasn’t a lot of intensity and it definitely showed,” Middle Country head coach Lindsay Dolson said. “It has to do with our warm-up, and certain teams they take lightly. We’ve talked about it — not to do that. Good thing we didn’t get caught today, but it definitely could’ve happened.”

Jamie Ortega gains possession off the draw. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Jamie Ortega gains possession off the draw. Photo by Desirée Keegan

After gaining possession off the draw, junior midfielder Jamie Ortega beat out two defenders and stuffed the ball into the left side of the cage for the early advantage just 30 seconds in. She won possession off the draw again, and scoring next was junior midfielder Ava Barry. The two connected for the third goal of the game, when Ortega passed to Barry, who dumped it in up front.

“Jamie’s been doing an awesome job on defense and offense for us,” Dolson said. “She definitely leads the team in that aspect. She’s doing a great job.”

At the 20:42 mark, Commack was fouled for shooting space, and freshman midfielder Sophie Alois raced to the center of the field in front of the crease and scored to the left side for the 4-0 lead. Ortega and Barry connected for the final goal before Commack put its first point on the board, when Ortega couldn’t find an open lane and moved outside and away from a defender to be able to send a quick pass to Barry in front of the cage.

“We’re good at moving the ball around and finding the open girl quick because a defender comes on her, but on defense we could’ve crashed earlier,” Barry said.

Defense is where the Mad Dogs struggled most. Once Commack began winning possession off the draw, Middle Country wasn’t able to turn the ball over and the Cougars collected points as a result.

Sophie Alois contains after scooping up a ground ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Sophie Alois contains after scooping up a ground ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan

By the end of the first half, Middle Country still had a substantial lead, 11-5, and jumped out of the gate again to start the second half, scoring three unanswered goals before Commack countered at the 13:33 mark, and scored twice more to trail 14-8.

Middle Country junior midfielder Amy Hofer found the back of the cage for the Mad Dogs’ final goal of the game, but Commack scored three more.

Ortega finished the game with four goals and three assists, while Barry ended with a hat trick and two assists. Twin juniors Amanda and Rachel Masullo added two goals apiece, and Barry’s younger sister Jen, a freshman, tacked on a goal and an assist.

“We need to win, and we can’t always win by playing the way we played today,” Ortega said, who added that it’s been difficult playing without her sister, Nikki, the team’s leading scorer last season. “We lost a lot of important players from last year, but we’re still close, we’re still a family and we connect. It helps.”

Ava Barry shoots past Commack’s goalkeeper for the good goal. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Ava Barry shoots past Commack’s goalkeeper for the good goal. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Her coach is still seeing improvement though, as the mixed team, with seven freshmen and seven juniors, looks to reach the county finals level that last year’s did.

“They definitely have been growing and going in the right direction,” Dolson said. “Today, I think, was a little bit of a setback, but hopefully we’ll pick up from this in practice tomorrow and get ready for Northport on Thursday. They’re going to come with very aggressive defense. We need to handle that pressure and we have to put together a whole game.”

Middle Country takes on Northport Thursday at 4 p.m.

Barry said that if her Mad Dogs can limit the turnovers, get to the ground balls and continue to work on the draws, they’d have a good shot against Northport.

“I feel pretty strongly,” she said. “If we practice hard tomorrow and we warm up strong, we’ll play a better game.”

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Brookhaven Councilwoman Valerie Cartright, right. File photo by Elana Glowatz

Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station) is continuing her Community Connect Campaign to stay in contact with residents and will hold mobile office hours in which she will meet with constituents in different locations throughout her council district so that they don’t have to travel all the way to Town Hall.

The first mobile office will be at New Village Recreation Center at 20 Wireless Road in Centereach on April 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The councilwoman will go to the Setauket Fire Department station at 394 Nicolls Road in East Setauket on May 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

From there, on June 16, she will head to Comsewogue Public Library at 170 Terryville Road in Port Jefferson Station from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Those who want to stay informed through email can sign up for both emergency alerts and updates on town-related business affecting the 1st Council District by visiting that district’s page under the “elected officials” section of the town’s website, at www.brookhaven.org, and completing the “Join Councilwoman Cartright’s Mailing List” form.

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File photo
Grace Marie Damico, St. JamesGrace-Marie-Damico-Presidential-Primaries_2016_05_barkleyw
Q: Will you vote in the primary?
A: Yes.
Q: Why?
A: Because I think that the country is in dire straits right now, and the more people that get out and vote for who they prefer, the better the country will be. Hopefully we can bring this country back.



John Hayes, CoramJohn-Hayes-Presidential-Primaries_2016_04_barkleyw
Q: Will you vote in the primary?
A: Yes
Q: Why?
A: Because it’s too dangerous not to vote. It’s a very important election. I believe Donald Trump is a very dangerous man. I believe that every vote counts against him. If you don’t vote, it’s a vote for Donald Trump.



Charles Spinnato, Port JeffCharles-Spinnato-Presidential-Primaries_2016_06w
Q: Will you vote in the primary?
A: Yes. I want to choose who I want to vote for [and] who I want to be the nominee for the Republican Party. So I would vote in the primaries to make that choice. [It’s a] very interesting election this year.



James Turrill, MasticJames-Turrill-Presidential-Primaries_2016_01_barkleyw
Q: Will you vote in the primary?
A: I’ve never voted in the primaries before but I want to.
Q: Why?
A: I’m fed up with politicians. Look what [U.S. President Barack] Obama has done to this country. He’s destroyed it. I want somebody not like him.

By Giselle Barkley

The 2016 U.S. presidential candidates from both sides of the aisle made their way to New York to continue rallying support this week.

And by next Tuesday, New Yorkers can make a difference when they vote for their nominee in the closed primary.

Suffolk County Republican Chair John Jay LaValle said this is the first primary in three decades where New York State’s vote is this relevant.

“By the time the vote gets to New York, it’s usually over and it’s a functional exercise when the candidates run,” LaValle said.

When asked how running in New York differed from campaigning in other states, LaValle said, “New Yorkers like to hear it straight.” The Republican chair added that voters in this state are very engaged, intelligent and are more skeptical when it comes to casting a vote.

But Lillian Clayman, chair of Brookhaven’s Democratic Committee said “unless there’s this huge ideological chasm with the candidates,” running in New York isn’t much different than in other states.

The presidential primaries allow voters to help determine the presidential nominees for their respective parties. Of the nominees, GOP frontrunner Donald Trump is doing well on Long Island, LaValle said. He added that people are getting tired of hearing the typical political rhetoric they hear from the other 2016 presidential candidates.

Although Clayman said she doesn’t know what’s to come for next week’s primaries, she said Democratic nominees, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) have energized residents, even those who usually don’t vote during the primaries.

Registered voters can choose their nominees on Tuesday, April 19.

Visit elections.ny.gov for more information on deadlines and where residents can vote.

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