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Times of Middle Country

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iTunes ransom
Between Jan. 27 and 30, someone called an older woman saying that her son was involved in a car crash in the Dominican Republic and arrested. The men on the phone demanded money from her. Police said the woman was in a Stony Brook Rite Aid when she received the call and even though Rite Aid employees told the lady it was a scam, she paid the men $12,000 in iTunes gift cards.

Not too saintly
An unidentified person stole several bank cards from someone at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson on Jan. 28.

Fit for a criminal
On Jan. 28, between 2:45 and 3 p.m., someone stole a woman’s car keys from her jacket at LA Fitness on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station.

Overlooking jail
A 27-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station was arrested for criminal possession of stolen property on Jan. 25, after he stole a cell phone on Overlook Pass Road in Port Jefferson. He was nabbed at the scene.

Bank crank
Police arrested a man from Centereach for identity theft for allegedly using another man’s identification to open three Bank of America accounts between Aug. 18 and 31 of last year. Police arrested the 54-year-old suspect at his own residence on Jan. 28.

Out of control
On Jan. 27 at 1 p.m., police arrested a 31-year-old man from Centereach for criminal possession of a controlled substance. Authorities said the man was in the front passenger seat of a 2006 Honda when police saw him conduct a drug transaction. He was arrested on Middle Country Road.
Police arrested a woman from Wading River on Jan. 27 for criminal possession of controlled substances after pulling over her 1996 Ford Thunderbird on Prince Road in Rocky Point. The 30-year-old was found in possession of cocaine. She was arrested at the scene.

Headphone heist
A man from Shirley was arrested on Jan. 26 for petit larceny after police said the 46-year-old stole three sets of headphones from a store on Horseblock Road in Selden on Jan. 7 and 9. Police arrested him on Middle Country Road.

Targeted
Police arrested a 64-year-old man from Queens for petit larceny when he stole merchandise from the Target on Pond Path in South Setauket on Jan. 30.

Jamaica me crazy
On Jan. 29, police arrested a man from Jamaica for driving while ability impaired. Police had pulled over the 21-year-old after he failed to maintain his lane while driving west on Smithtown Bypass in a 2004 Hyundai.

Fraud is a full-time job
A 53-year-old woman from Port Jefferson Station was arrested for fraud, a few years after her alleged crime. Between May 23, 2011, and June 3, 2012, police said, she was collecting unemployment even while she had a job. Police arrested her on Jan. 27 at the Walmart on Nesconset Highway in Setauket.

Put a ring on it
Between Jan. 24 and 26, someone entered a residence on Sweetgum Lane in Miller Place and stole a ring.

Cab crime
On Jan. 29 at 10:15 p.m., someone took money from a drawer at the Islandwide taxi stand on Main Street in Port Jefferson.

Leafing the scene
Someone stole two leaf blowers from a residence on Kings Walk in Rocky Point. Police said the incident happened between Jan. 27 and 29.

When push comes to shove
On Jan. 29, two unidentified men got into a verbal and physical fight, pushing and shoving one another on Route 25A in East Shoreham. Police said both men decided not to press charges.

Mirror, mirror
An unknown person damaged the side-view mirror of a 2002 Honda parked on Bonnybill Drive in Centereach. The incident happened on Jan. 29 around 11:08 p.m.

These shoes are made for stealing
A 21-year-old woman from Centereach was arrested on Jan. 27 in Smithtown for stealing shoes from DSW on four separate occasions from December through January, police said. Additionally, police said she stole cosmetics from Ulta Beauty in Patchogue on Jan. 18. She was charged with fourth degree grand larceny and four separate petit larceny counts.

Pathfinder pilfered
Police arrested a 20-year-old woman from Smithtown for driving a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder without the owner’s permission, police said. She was driving on Verbena Drive in Commack on Jan. 27 at about 1 p.m. when police stopped her and she was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle without owner’s consent.

Made off with make up
At about noon on Jan. 18, a 23-year-old man from Centereach stole assorted cosmetic items from Ulta Beauty in Patchogue, according to police. He was arrested on Jan. 28 in Smithtown and charged with fourth degree grand larceny.

Liquid lunch
A 37-year-old woman from Holtsville was arrested on Jan. 28 for driving her 2008 Honda while intoxicated, police said. She was driving on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove at about 1 p.m. when she was pulled over. She was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Picked a fight with police
Police arrested a 61-year-old man from Rocky Point on Jan. 28 for resisting arrest and punching an officer with a closed fist just after midnight at a 7-Eleven on Smithtown Bypass in Smithtown. He was charged with resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.

Unlicensed and unhappy

At about 8:45 a.m. on Jan. 28, a 37-year-old man from Medford was arrested in Smithtown for driving his 2005 Jeep Cherokee on Motor Parkway without a license, police said. He was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Pot possession
A 50-year-old man from Lindenhurst was arrested in Commack at about 11 a.m. on Jan. 29 after police said he had marijuana on him. He was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Hit and ran, but couldn’t hide
Police arrested a 51-year-old man from Lake Grove on Jan. 29 and charged him with leaving the scene of an accident without exchanging contact information. He was driving on Ronkonkoma Ave. at about 2 p.m. near Easton Street in Lake Grove when his 2006 GMC was involved in a crash, police said.

Out of control
At about 7 p.m. on Jan. 29, a 38-year-old man from Coram was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance in Islandia. Police pulled his 2011 Jeep over at the corner of North Connecting Road and Old Nichols Road and then discovered drugs in his possession.

Spare change
At about 11 a.m. on Jan. 28, police said an unknown person entered a car and stole loose change on Weeping Cherry Lane in Commack.

Tax evasion
An unknown person cut wires to a computer server at MVP Tax Services in Hauppauge at about 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 28, according to police.

What a pill
A 35-year-old man from Massapequa was arrested on Jan. 27 at 6:10 p.m. after police said he stole four boxes of acid reducer pills from CVS on Commack Road. He was charged with petit larceny.

Tribal troubles
Police said an unknown person took cash from a register at Tribal Dance Long Island and Caravan on Vernon Valley Road in East Northport on Jan. 28 around 4 p.m.

High hills
Police said a 26-year-old man from Medford was in possession of marijuana during a traffic stop on Dix Hills Road  in Dix Hills on Jan. 27 at 10:50 a.m. He was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Not going down without a fight
On Jan. 26, a 59-year-old woman from Huntington was arrested for multiple charges. At 4:30 p.m. on Edgar Court, the woman interfered with officers as they were arresting someone by grabbing the person with her hands. Then, when police tried to arrest her, she ignored verbal commands to put her hands behind her back, punched a detective and kicked an officer in the right shin. She was charged with second-degree harassment for physical contact, resisting arrest and second-degree obstructing governmental administration.

In need(le) of some help
A 27-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on Jan. 30 after police said he had a hypodermic needle in his possession on West 19th Street at 9:45 a.m. He was charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Oh Lord (& Taylor)
Police said a 27-year-old woman from Brooklyn stole clothing from Lord & Taylor on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington at 6:50 p.m. on Jan. 26. She was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Worst kind of house guest
On Jan. 28, a 51-year-old man from Huntington was arrested after police said he entered a building unlawfully on Prospect Street at 7:55 a.m. He was charged with third-degree criminal trespassing of an enclosed property.

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According to Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, harmful chemicals are also found in telephone poles. Photo by Giselle Barkley

After four decades the government is finally updating the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 with partial thanks to Brookhaven Town officials.

President Gerald Ford signed the act decades ago to regulate the introduction of new chemicals into society, excluding those found in food, pesticides, tobacco, firearms, drugs and cosmetics. The act gave the United States Environmental Protection Agency the authority to require documentation of chemical substances to determine if the chemical is hazardous to humans. The 62,000 chemicals that existed before 1976 were grandfathered into the act and deemed safe for humans and the act wasn’t updated until last year.

The government amended the act with Toxic Substances Control Modernization Act of 2015. Its bill, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act updates the act and requires the EPA to establish a risk-based screening process for new chemicals. Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and his fellow town board officials proposed the bill, which states the EPA must determine if a certain amount of old or new chemicals are safe for humans by a certain deadline. The EPA will reprimand manufacturers who don’t comply with safety requirements by restricting or prohibiting the creation, processing, distribution and disposal of new chemicals.

The EPA did not return requests seeking comment by press time.

According to Romaine, the uptick in cancer cases, particularly breast cancer on the North Shore, over the years was troubling. With advancements in science and technology scientists have found that some of the chemicals previously deemed as safe actually pose potential health risks for humans. This includes development of cancers and endocrine and immune system-related complications among other issues.

“We have a concern about the high rates of cancer in children and we’re concerned because people are trying to get answers,” Romaine said.

There were around 142.7 cases of cancer in Suffolk County between 2000 and 2004 according to the National Cancer Institute. The cases increased to around 528 per 100,000 people between 2008 and 2012 according to the cancer institute’s State Cancer Profiles.

County Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), who has focused on the environment and its health effects for more than a decade, said these chemicals could be particularly harmful to children and their health.

“When you’re exposed to something when you’re growing up … it stays in your body,” Anker said. “As you get older something may set off the cancer…It takes decades sometimes for cancer to evolve.”

In a 2008-2009 study from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, scientists found 300 pollutants in the umbilical cord blood of newborn babies. According to the study, children are more vulnerable to chemical pollutants in the environment because of their size and poorer immune systems.

According to Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) these chemicals are found in everyday products like soaps and toothpastes among other items used on a daily basis. There are around 85,000 chemicals that are currently in use. But Zeldin said “the flaws in TSCA have left many of these new chemicals untested and unregulated.”

While Zeldin said the government should update important bills like TSCA, it’s common for some acts to go untouched for several years while others are updated almost annually.

“There are certainly examples of both extremes,” Zeldin said. “TSCA happens to be an example of one of those bills that really should have been updated many years ago, if not decades ago.”

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Holtsville Hal, his handler Greg Drossel and Master of Ceremonies Wayne Carrington make their way onstage to cheers and applause on Groundhog Day. Photo by Alex Petroski

To the delight of about 100 people in attendance on Tuesday, it was announced that famed Brookhaven groundhog Holtsville Hal did not see his shadow, indicating spring would come early this year.

Excited Holtsville Hal fans collected streamers as a keepsake from Groundhog Day. Photo by Alex Petroski
Excited Holtsville Hal fans collected streamers as a keepsake from Groundhog Day. Photo by Alex Petroski

Hal made his yearly Groundhog Day appearance at Brookhaven Town’s Holtsville Wildlife and Ecology center at about 7:30 a.m., before a crowd with fresh memories of being walloped with more than 2 feet of snow in a recent blizzard.

Tradition says that if Hal — or, as he’s known in the Town of Brookhaven as a throwback to the classic Bill Murray movie “Groundhog Day,” the Great Prognosticator of Prognosticators — sees his shadow when he wakes from hibernation on Groundhog Day, the community is in for six more weeks of winter.

“As I stood by my burrow and looked to the ground, there was no shadow for me to be found,” Brookhaven Town Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R) read from a large scroll as Hal was presented to the mass of onlookers. “So kids and their families, put away your sleds and snow blowers.” There were raucous cheers.

Holtsville Hal is presented to a group of young onlookers on Groundhog Day. Photo by Alex Petroski
Holtsville Hal is presented to a group of young onlookers on Groundhog Day. Photo by Alex Petroski

Holtsville Hal was handled by Greg Drossel as he posed for photos with Master of Ceremonies Wayne Carrington, Councilmen Neil Foley (R) and Dan Panico (R) and Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D), members of the Holtsville Fire Department and many others. He even posed for a selfie with one young admirer.

Last year, Hal also predicted an early spring. This year he might be right, if only just for Tuesday, as those who woke up early to attend the event were treated to a mild, sunny morning by the time the groundhog made his much-anticipated appearance.

With the viewers in good spirits, Carrington reminded the crowd to donate whatever they could to the ecology center to support its programs.

This version corrects the spelling of Councilwoman Valerie Cartright’s name.

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Narcan, a drug that stops opioid overdoses. File photo by Jessica Suarez

Concerned that a loved one will overdose on drugs? Suffolk County is hosting training classes over the next few months to teach residents how to identify overdoses of opioid drugs — such as heroin, Vicodin and Percocet — and use the anti-overdose medication Narcan to rescue victims.

The county’s parting gift for people who show up to the program is an emergency resuscitation kit that contains Narcan as well as a certificate of completion.

The first class, on Feb. 4, will be a bit of a hike away, at the Mattituck firehouse on Pike Street from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (RSVP to [email protected]).

There will be another in Greenlawn on Feb. 12, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Harborfields library on Broadway (RSVP to Sheila Sullivan at 631-271-8025 or [email protected]).

A third will take place on Feb. 18 in Wyandanch, at the Wyandanch Community Resource Center on Straight Path from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (RSVP to 631-643-1960 or [email protected]).

Following a March 3 course in Bohemia, at the Connetquot Public Library on Ocean Avenue from 6 to 7 p.m. (RSVP to 631-665-2311), the county is holding one at the Setauket firehouse on Nicolls Road. That event, on Thursday, March 31, will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Participants can RSVP to 631-854-1650 or [email protected].

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Devin Mollberg steps into mixed martial arts arena

Devin Mollberg, left, trains at Red Dragon Jiu-Jitsu in Centereach. Photo from Mollberg

Some people watch mixed martial arts fights on television and think “that’s brutal,” or “that’s barbaric,” or “that’s too violent.” Some don’t know what it is at all.

But North Shore native Devin Mollberg described the anything-goes, hand-to-hand combat style differently.

“It’s really exhilarating…It’s just an adrenaline rush,” said Mollberg, a 28-year-old Ward Melville High School graduate and a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, about his favorite pastime. Mollberg grew up in Stony Brook, where he returned home from Afghanistan following his second tour of duty in late 2014. His first tour deployed him to Japan and South Korea. During his enlistment, he was stationed in Twentynine Palms, California.

“It’s kind of a tough transition,” Mollberg said in an interview last week about adjusting back to home life after four years in the military. “It’s kind of like, you leave home and then when you come back four years later everything’s a lot different. So it’s kind of tough getting back into the routine of things.”

Mollberg, like countless other veterans, said he realized the importance of finding ways to regain a feeling of normalcy upon returning home. Mixed martial arts has provided him with that.

“I started doing Brazilian jiu-jitsu when I was a teenager,” Mollberg said. “I’d always trained jiu-jitsu and boxing even throughout my entire enlistment. I would train at schools in California.”

Mollberg has been involved in two jiu-jitsu tournaments in his life, one in Okinawa, Japan, and one in 2015 in St. James. He said he decided to use his boxing, jiu-jitsu and military training blend to pursue a mixed martial arts career. Generally speaking, the most successful MMA fighters tend to use a seamless blend of multiple disciplines to create their own style.

He gave MMA a full endorsement as a way for veterans to channel some of their emotions upon returning home.

“It’s definitely a great thing for veterans to get into,” Mollberg said. “It helps you stay calm.”

“Devin’s a goal-setter and a go-getter,” Nick Galatro, a friend of Mollberg’s for about a decade, said in an interview. “When he puts his mind to something he won’t stop until he gets it and he’s probably the most humble guy I know. You will never hear how great he is from his mouth,” Galatro said.

“It’s just an important skill set that I think is something that you should have,” Mollberg said about what initially drew him to fighting. “It’s definitely a passion of mine. I love fighting.” Some of his other passionate interests include rooting for the New York Jets and Knicks. He follows the Jets with the same intensity as a cage fighter.

Though he hasn’t yet been in an MMA “cage fight,” his training and preparation are currently geared toward making that debut in 2016. Mollberg trained for the Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament in 2015 at Red Dragon Jiu-Jitsu in Centereach. He is in the process of selecting a suitable gym for his foray into MMA.

Long Island natives have experienced some success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, mixed martial arts’ most popular governing organization.

Chris Weidman, who fights out of Baldwin, spent time as the UFC middleweight division champion. Chris Wade of Islip won his 11th professional bout in a UFC match Sunday.

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Out to pasture
On Jan. 22, police arrested two men from Stony Brook and Setauket for assault with intent to cause physical injury. According to police, the men, ages 22 and 23, punched and kicked another man in the head and face on Sheep Pasture Road in Port Jefferson. The victim was taken to John T. Mather Memorial Hospital while the assailants were arrested at the scene, at 3:08 a.m.

Lean on me
An 18-year-old from Coram was arrested for driving while ability impaired on Jan. 21 after she failed to maintain her lane on Route 25A and was veering onto the shoulder. Police stopped her at the corner of Hallock Landing Road in Rocky Point and arrested her.

Criminal helps police
A drunk driver helped police nab him on Jan. 21 when he mistakenly thought he was being pulled over. According to police, as officers were pulling over another vehicle for a traffic stop at the corner of Route 25A and Chestnut Street in Mount Sinai, the 48-year-old DWI suspect, who is from Ovideo, Fla., also pulled over. Police discovered the man was intoxicated and arrested him at the scene, charging him with driving while ability impaired.

Doing lines to jail
On Jan. 22 at 7:05 a.m., police arrested a man from Centereach on two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance. According to police, the 32-year-old man was in possession of cocaine.

Bounced behind bars
A 36-year-old woman from Selden was arrested for grand larceny on Jan. 19 after using another person’s checkbook to write several checks to herself between Sept. 2 and Dec. 10. Police said the incident happened at a bank on Nesconset Highway in Port Jefferson Station.

Steal fresh
Between Jan. 20 at 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. the following day, an unidentified person broke into a Subway near Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station and stole the cash register.

Going to the gifts
Police arrested a 50-year-old woman from Bay Shore on Jan. 20 for petit larceny. Police said the woman was in a home improvement store on Middle Country Road in Selden when she took several faucets and falsely returned them for a gift card. The woman received a $475 gift card and left the store without purchasing any items. Police arrested her later the same day.

Make him sweat
On Jan. 18, police arrested a 47-year-old man from East Setauket for petit larceny after he stole two sweaters from a residence on Spyglass Lane. Police didn’t say how the man entered the residence.

Drifting into an arrest
A 21-year-old woman from Smithtown was arrested for driving while ability impaired on Jan. 21. The woman was driving north on Route 25A when police pulled her over for speeding and failing to maintain her lane.

Missing moola
According to police, residents on Old Homestead Road in Port Jefferson reported that money was missing from their home. Police didn’t know how much money was missing but said the incident happened on Jan. 21 at 10 a.m.

Photobombed
On Jan. 23 around 9:30 a.m., someone on Casey Lane in Mount Sinai received inappropriate photos from an unknown person.

Lifting weights, lifting wallets
Someone left their wallet in an unlocked locker at the LA Fitness on Middle Country Road in Centereach. When the victim returned to the locker room for his wallet, it was gone. The incident occurred on Jan. 25 at 5:30 p.m.
Sometime on Jan. 21, someone stole a wallet from a student’s backpack in a classroom at Newfield High School.
On Jan. 25 between 4 and 6 p.m., someone stole a wallet from a student’s bag at Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School in Rocky Point.

Trucked away
Between Jan. 23 and Jan. 24, an unidentified person stole a 1993 dump truck near Route 25A in Setauket.

A fabulous steal
According to police, on Jan. 24 around 12:30 p.m., someone entered the Marshalls at Route 347 and Hallock Road in Stony Brook and stole assorted clothing.

Swerving Saturn
A 27-year-old man from Brentwood was arrested for driving his 2002 Saturn while intoxicated at about 4 a.m. on Jan. 22, according to police. The man was driving on Old Willets Path near Route 25 in Smithtown when he was pulled over, police said. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Credit card swiped
Police arrested a 34-year-old Riverhead woman in Smithtown on Jan. 22 for stealing a credit card. The woman was charged with fourth degree grand larceny for stealing the credit card from a home in Ronkonkoma between midnight on June 12, and 9:30 a.m. on June 13, according to police.

DMV deception
At approximately 3:40 p.m. on Sept. 25, a 57-year-old man from Brentwood entered the Department of Motor Vehicles in Hauppauge and used a fraudulent social security card, according to police. He was arrested on Jan. 20 in Smithtown and charged with possession of a forged instrument.

BMW booked
A 59-year-old man from Commack was arrested on Jan. 22 for driving his BMW while intoxicated, police said. He was driving east on Motor Parkway in Hauppauge just after 3 a.m. when he was pulled over for driving recklessly, according to police. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Skating on grass
Police arrested a 17-year-old man from Hauppauge who was seated in his 2005 Honda outside of The Rinx in Hauppauge just before 10 p.m. on Jan. 22. He was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Hit and ran to jail
At about 9:00 pm on May 12, a 33-year-old man from Central Islip, driving in a 2000 Nissan Maxima on Fifth Avenue in Bay Shore, hit and killed a woman, then fled the scene, according to police. The man was arrested on Jan. 22 in Hauppauge for leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, police said.

Pickpocket punished
A 62-year-old woman from East Patchogue was arrested in Hauppauge and charged with grand larceny for taking more than $50,000 in cash from a woman without permission between May 4 and July 2, police said.

Price-conscious jewel thief
An unknown person stole assorted jewelry from Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on January 20, police said.

Fighting Irish pub
According to police, two unknown people got into a fight outside Napper Tandy’s Irish Pub on East Main Street in Smithtown in the early hours of Jan. 21.

Punching at the car wash
At about 10 a.m. on Jan. 21, police responded to a fight at Touch of Class Car Wash on Middle Country Road in St. James. One man punched another man, but no medical attention was necessary, police said.

Department store duped
Four unknown women stole assorted merchandise from Macy’s on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack just before noon on Jan. 21, according to police.

Gas money
At about 7 p.m. on Jan. 22, an unknown person stole cash from a Shell gas station on Commack Road in Commack, police said.

Not playing it straight
On Jan. 22, a 20-year-old woman from Massapequa was arrested after police said she had marijuana in her possession on Straight Path in Dix Hills at 12:15 p.m. She was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Trying to ‘shirt’ the law
On Jan. 24, a 20-year-old man from Huntington was arrested at his residence on Delamere Street after police said he grabbed a man by the shirt and hit him in the head with an unknown object at 4:30 p.m. He was charged with second-degree menacing with a weapon.

You’ve got mail
A resident of Blue Sky Court in Huntington reported that his or her mailbox was damaged by an unknown person between 5 and 9 p.m. on Jan. 23.

Fakin’ it
Police said a 55-year-old man from Jericho used a fraudulent New York State driver’s license while at the 2nd Precinct on Jan. 21 at 4 p.m. He was subsequently charged with first-degree offering a false instrument for filing and second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Riding revoked
A 46-year-old man from Centerport was arrested on Jan. 22 at 10:40 a.m. after police said he said he was driving a 2006 Chevy on Walt Whitman Road with a revoked license. He was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

High tide
A 17-year-old woman from Northport was arrested on Jan. 22 after police said she had marijuana in her possession on Soundview Boat Ramp in Northport at 5:30 p.m. She was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Swerving Lexus
A 63-year-old woman from Dix Hills was arrested on Jan. 23 after police said she was speeding in a 2009 Lexus on Deer Park Avenue in Dix Hills and then swerved across lanes. He was charged with operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of more than .08.

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By Bill Landon

Behind Centereach junior Cassidy Treanor’s 13 points, the Cougars held off a third-quarter charge by Newfield to defeat their crosstown rival 37-24 on their own court Tuesday.

Newfield’s Maria Daume races to the basket. Photo by Bill Landon
Newfield’s Maria Daume races to the basket. Photo by Bill Landon

Centereach broke out to an early lead, 12-5, as Treanor led her team in the opening quarter by scoring a pair of field goals and a three-pointer at the buzzer.

The Cougars controlled the tempo of the game early as senior Katrina Gangji dominated the boards with 11 rebounds on the evening.

The Wolverines fought back and managed to close within six points, mainly due to senior Maria Daume’s two field goals and sophomore Emily Diaz’s three-pointer with 4:55 left in the second period, but the team still couldn’t come any closer than that until the third quarter.

Diaz said her team tries to forget what has happened in the past and only focus on fixing their mistakes. “At the half, coach told us we had to mark up better, hustle back and finish on our shots,” she said. “But it’s always fun playing against them because we’re all good friends.”

Centereach sophomore Erin Tuomey also made her presence known down low with an impressive rebounding performance under the boards.

“Our team had good communication,” she said. “Everyone was talking and I think we were getting in their heads.”

Trailing 20-12 opening the second half, Newfield abandoned its zone defense and went man-to-man, which caught Centereach off guard.

“It’s pretty tough,” Newfield senior Muariana Milano said of the crosstown competition. “People talk about it so much, but it’s a rivalry — everybody knows each other. We usually play zone, but coach told us to get up in their face and we’re not used to playing like that.”

The Wolverines’ swarming defense turned the tables as Centereach struggled for open looks, forcing them to shoot from outside.

Centereach’s Cassidy Treanor drives the baseline. Photo by Bill Landon
Centereach’s Cassidy Treanor drives the baseline. Photo by Bill Landon

“We cut it to four points near the end of the third quarter, but then I think we lost a little energy,” Newfield head coach Jamie Santiago said. “We were dead tired going man-to-man the whole time to try to get back in the game.”

Newfield clawed back from another deficit to trail 29-22 to open the final quarter, but didn’t come any closer the rest of the way.

“Our team tends to play to the other team’s speed, and when that happens, the coach always tells us to slow down,” Treanor said. “Coach told us at the half that we play our best when we play our game, and that’s when you get the win.”

Centereach made an adjustment in the final eight minutes of play, and was able to hold Newfield to just two pints as a result, while Gangji, Treanor and senior Erica Medina combined for eight points to put the game away.

“Defensively, we played very, very well in the first half,” Santiago said. “If we could have made a couple of easy layups and a few free throws, the score would’ve been a little closer.”

Centereach head coach James Steigele said the crosstown rivalry is important.

“It’s always an important game, because both teams come out to play and they play hard,” the coach said. “It’s always a nail-biter.”

With the win, Centereach improves to 6-4 in League III, while Newfield falls to 2-8. With four games remaining in regular-season play, the Cougars are back in action Friday night when they hit the road to take on Huntington at 6:15 p.m. The Wolverines host West Islip on Thursday, Jan. 28, with a 5:45 p.m. tipoff scheduled.

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From left, Councilmembers Valerie Cartwright (D-Port Jefferson Station) and Dan Panico (R-Manorville), Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R), Handler Greg Drossel with Hal, Councilman Kevin LaValle (R-Selden) and Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro celebrating Groundhog Day in 2014. Photo by Elyse Sutton

Pennsylvania may have the legendary groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, but New York has Malverne Mel, Holtsville Hal, Sweetbriar Sam and even Staten Island Chuck and Dunkirk Dave.

In the Town of Brookhaven, the great prognosticator of prognosticators, Holtsville Hal will be the star of the day as the Brookhaven Wildlife and Ecology Center will celebrate with its annual Groundhog Day event on Feb. 2 with the gates opening at  7 a.m. Wayne Carrington will return as the master of ceremonies and Hal will be handled by Greg Drossel.

According to tradition, if a groundhog sees its shadow after stirring from hibernation on Groundhog Day, there will be six more weeks of winter weather; if not, spring should arrive early. After a relatively mild season until this past weekend, anticipation into what Hal’s prediction will be is building. Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro will serve as “Mayor of the Day” and reveal Hal’s famous forecast at approximately 7:25 a.m. in an official ceremony.

“Groundhog Day at the Ecology Site is always an enjoyable tradition for so many local families,” said Losquadro in a press release. “After the last two winters, we’re hoping Hal will not see his shadow and predict an early spring. I want to thank the employees at the Ecology Site for making this a much-anticipated event each year in Brookhaven Town,” he added.

“Town residents have been braving the cold weather to celebrate Groundhog Day for years,” said Supervisor Ed Romaine in the same press release. “Last year’s weather caused Holtsville Hal’s public appearance to be canceled. This year, I look forward to some good news from Hal.”

Following the ceremony, visitors are welcome to enjoy some free hot chocolate and visit the more than 100 animals that live at the animal preserve, which will remain open until 3 p.m.

The Brookhaven Wildlife and Ecology Center Animal Preserve is located at 249 Buckley Road, Holtsville. Parking is free. For more information, call 631-758-9664.

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Grave markers and headstones at the Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery have been desecrated. Photo from SCPD

Historical grave markers and headstones were damaged earlier this month and police are searching for whomever is responsible.

Grave markers and headstones at the Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery have been desecrated. Photo from SCPD
Grave markers and headstones at the Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery have been desecrated. Photo from SCPD

The desecrated graves were at Lake Ronkonkoma Cemetery on Hawkins Avenue, according to the Suffolk County Police Department, and include some grave stones dating back to the Civil War.

Police said Tuesday that the suspect or suspects did the damage between Jan. 4 and 8, desecrating 14 grave makers and headstones.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and detectives from the SCPD’s 4th Squad are looking for the public’s help to identify and locate the cemetery vandals. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-TIPS.

Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest.

The cemetery is located at the corner of Hawkins Avenue and Smith Street in Lake Ronkonkoma, behind the United Methodist Church.

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The Kousa dogwood fruit has a surprising sweet tropical flavor. Stock photo

By Ellen Barcel

Well, it’s finally winter with real winter weather. However, I just heard on the news that the first hurricane of 2016 has formed — yes, I know they don’t normally start until June 1 and the last time a hurricane formed in January was in 1938. According to CNN, it’s only the fourth known hurricane to arrive in January since records have been kept starting in 1851. Weather has been really weird this past year. The cherry tree I wrote about in December was still blooming on January 1. It will be interesting to see what spring brings.

Passionflower vines produce fruit late in the growing season. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Passionflower vines produce fruit late in the growing season. Photo by Ellen Barcel

Well, now that the cold weather is finally here (sort of), we can’t really do much in the way of gardening, except, perhaps repair some tools or clean out the garage. But, it is a great time to put your feet up by the fireplace, look out the window at the snow outside, leaf through the gardening catalogues which invariably come this time of year and plan your new garden. Perhaps you wish to make some jams or jellies from produce in your garden but want to focus on landscaping plants. Here are some possibilities. All make unique jellies and jams.

Kousa dogwood
Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa), Japanese dogwood, is sometimes recommended as a replacement for our local dogwood (C. florida), since it is more resistant to a tree blight, anthracnose, which can kill our local species. One of the nice things about Kousa dogwood is that the fruit is edible and can be used to make jelly — I’ve tasted it and it really is good. There are a number of recipes online. The berries can also be used to make muffins. The tree does well in our acidic soil and produces beautiful white flowers in spring. It’s a small tree so won’t take over your landscaping.

Beautyberry
Like the Kousa dogwood, the beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) bush is deciduous. It is known for its brightly colored purple berries that can remain on the plant into winter providing winter interest. The berries, which have a metallic luster, will be eaten by birds, but they don’t appear to be their favorite food. Squirrels, raccoons and other small animals seem to enjoy them. The berries are edible and can be used to make jelly.

Beautyberry produces berries in the summer, but the berries stay on the plant even when leaves have fallen and winter snows fall. Photo by Ellen Barcel
Beautyberry produces berries in the summer, but the berries stay on the plant even when leaves have fallen and winter snows fall. Photo by Ellen Barcel

I planted the bush just because I like the look of the berries. The plant can grow four to eight feet tall and about as wide. It prefers light shade and a well-drained soil. This is not a problem with Long Island’s generally sandy soil. While the plant can be a specimen plant, a row of them makes an interesting, informal hedge. Remember, however, that since it is deciduous, the screening benefits will only be provided during the growing season. While it is mildly drought tolerant, it does need about an inch of water a week. So, if we go for more than a week or so without rain, water should be supplemented.

Passionflowers
Passionflowers are native to both the Americas and Asia, there being in the neighborhood of 500 species in the genus. Most have edible fruit that can be made into jelly. The vines, depending on variety, can grow up to 30 feet tall, so this is a plant that needs a trellis of some sort or can be grown as a trailing plant in a hanging basket. The flowers of Passiflora incarnata are exotic in appearance. Generally, they are purple, but some are purple and white. P. alata ‘Ruby Glow’ is purple and dark maroon — absolutely gorgeous. The plant is hardy in zones 5 to 9, and does best in full to partial sun.

Yes, there are a number of other landscaping plants that can be used to yield jelly, such as roses and sunflowers. You can also use the flowers of Queen Anne’s lace and dandelions. Remember to always check out whether the flower you are interested in is edible. If in doubt, don’t consume it.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions and/or comments to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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