Home Times of Smithtown

Ghostbusters returns to local theaters

by TBR Staff - June 3, 2016

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ghostbusters-aykroydw — From left, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murry and Harold Ramis in a scene from the original ‘Ghostbusters.’ Image courtesy of Fathom Events

Who you gonna call?

Thirty-two years after “Ghostbusters” took the world by storm, Fathom Events and Columbia Pictures invite you to a special screening of the 1984 “Ghostbusters.” Tickets are now available for audiences to revisit the classic in select cinemas on Wednesday, June 8 — the anniversary of the original release date — and Sunday, June 12 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time (both dates).

The film is being re-released in anticipation of the worldwide release of the new “Ghostbusters” starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones and Chris Hemsworth in theaters July 15 and will include an exclusive sneak peek of the remake.

Participating cinemas in our neck of the woods include AMC Loews Stony Brook 17 (631-941-0156), Island 16 Cinema de Lux in Holtsville (631-758-9100) and Farmingdale Multiplex Cinemas (1-800-315-5000). For more information or to purchase tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.

Kings Park school district celebrates its top students

by Phil Corso - June 3, 2016

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Valedictorian-and-Salutatorian-2015-2016w — Timothy Eagen, superintendent; Kameron Sedigh; Julian Ubriaco; and Lino Bracco, Kings Park High School Principal. Photo from Kings Park school district

They’re at the top of the class.

Kings Park High School officials congratulated the class of 2016 valedictorian Julian Ubriaco and salutatorian, Kameron Sedigh this week for their outstanding efforts.

Kameron Sedigh photo from Kings Park school district

Ubriaco will be graduating with a cumulative weighted average of 108.14. He serves as senior class president, Model United Nations president, and captain of the math and trivia teams, as well as vice president of National Honor Society.

Outside of the classroom, Ubriaco is captain of the boys’ tennis team and enjoys volunteering at events such as Relay for Life, the Veterans Day breakfast and the high school blood drive. Ubriaco has spent the last two summers volunteering at Cold Spring Harbor Labs, where he investigates new means of detecting and treating pancreatic cancer.

For his work in the classroom, community and laboratory, Ubriaco has been recognized as a Siemens regional finalist, Intel semifinalist, Junior Science and Humanities Symposium finalist, International Science and Engineering Fair finalist, Coca-Cola Scholar, National Merit scholar and U.S. Senate Youth Program alternate. He will attend Harvard University next year, where he plans to major in applied mathematics.

Sedigh will be graduating with a cumulative weighted average of 105.49. He serves as president of the Independent Science Research Program and Science Olympiad Club, as well as vice president of the senior class, the Quiz Bowl team, and Students Against Destructive Decisions club.

Julian Ubriaco photo from Kings Park school district

He is a three-season varsity athlete as a member of the varsity soccer, track and field, and tennis teams.

Additionally, Sedigh is heavily involved in the music department. He is the Tri-M Honor Society treasurer and plays trombone in the Symphonic Winds, and jazz and marching bands. For the past year, Sedigh has conducted research under Dr. Tonge at Stony Brook University, studying novel antibacterial targets of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.

For his work in the classroom, in the community, in the laboratory, and on the playing field, Sedigh has been recognized as a Coca-Cola scholar, Simons fellow, Siemens regional finalist, Intel STS semifinalist, Maroon and White K recipient, Long Island Young scholar of mathematics, and second place winner in biochemistry at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Sedigh will be attending Duke University as a Robertson scholar, majoring in biomedical engineering.

Exploration of wonders at Caleb Smith Preserve

by TBR Staff - June 3, 2016

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jan-porinchak2016w — Environmentalist Jan Porinchak explores Willow Pond. Photo from Carole Paquette

Naturalist Jan Christopher Porinchak will lead an in-depth exploration of the natural wonders of Caleb Smith State Park Preserve on Jericho Turnpike in Smithtown on Saturday, June 18, at 1:30 p.m. Reserve by calling 631-265-1054. The walk will take approximately two hours and is not recommended for children under ten years old. The event, sponsored by Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve, is free, however, the preserve’s parking fee of $8 will be in effect.

An avid naturalist and environmental advocate, Porinchak will lead participants on a walk through the many landscapes of the park, offering tips on identifying the various plants and animals that will be encountered.

A hike leader for the Long Island Sierra Club, he is also an art teacher at Jericho Middle School and an award-winning natural science illustrator.

For more information about Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve, their events and the park, go to: www.friendsofcalebsmith.org.

Police blotter: Suffolk County incidents and arrests through end of May

by TBR Staff - June 2, 2016

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Drugs in Miller Place
On May 27 at about 6 p.m., a 37-year-old man from Miller Place seated in a 2009 Acura on Tyler Avenue possessed heroin, police said. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. At the same location and time, a 46-year-old man from Middle Island possessed heroin and two different medications without prescriptions, according to police. He was arrested as well and charged with fourth-degree possession of a narcotic drug and two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Cannabusted
At a home on Stanley Drive in Centereach, a 24-year-old man was found to possess cannabis at about 9 p.m. on May 25, according to police. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

How did those get in there?
A 34-year-old man from Wappenger Falls was found in possession of multiple bags of heroin at the 6th Precinct while being arrested on an unrelated charge stemming from an incident on Horseblock Road in Selden at about 10:30 p.m. on May 28, police said. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Garden-variety criminal
A statue and decorative planters were stolen from the front yard of a home on Christian Avenue in Stony Brook at about noon on May 14, police said.

Back to work
Between November 2011 and December 2013, a 30-year-old man from Selden collected unemployment fraudulently, according to police. He was arrested at a home on Paula Boulevard at about 10:30 a.m. on May 27 and charged with fourth-degree insurance fraud.

Dirty job
On May 26 at the Walgreens on Route 112 in Medford, a 44-year-old man from Middle Island stole three bottles of Clorox bleach and a bottle of Tide laundry detergent, police said. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Ruthless robbery
A 21-year-old man from Ronkonkoma approached a woman near the Walgreens on Route 25 in Selden at about 10 p.m. on May 26 and forcefully demanded money from her, according to police. He was arrested and charged with first-degree robbery.

Empty your pockets
While at the 6th Precinct at about noon on May 25 after he was arrested in Selden, a 27-year-old man from Rocky Point was found to possess the drug methadone, police said. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Bike rides off
At about 12:30 p.m. on May 29, someone stole a black and white BMX bike from a home on Olympia Street in Port Jefferson Station, police said.

Cable repairman?
Someone tried to exit the Walmart on Nesconset Highway in Setauket without paying for a television and a pair of pliers at about 2:30 p.m. on May 29, according to police.

Know your parole
A 32-year-old man from Coram was in violation of his parole at about 2 a.m. on May 29, according to police. He was on Main Street in Port Jefferson when he was arrested and charged with the parole violation.

Rock-throwing spree
The rear passenger side window of a 2012 Jeep parked near a home on Avondale Drive in Centereach was smashed by someone at about 8 p.m. on May 27. On nearby Salem Road about 30 minutes later, the rear window of a 2006 Toyota was smashed and a rock was thrown through the driver side window of a 1997 Honda, according to police.

Missing drugs from CVS
Various over-the-counter medications were stolen from the CVS Pharmacy on Middle Country Road in Selden at about 1:30 p.m. on May 28, according to police.

It’s a fixer-upper
Household items were stolen from the Walmart on Nesconset Highway in Setauket at about 2 p.m. on May 28, police said.

Mishaps at Macy’s
A 29-year-old female from Ronkonkoma was arrested on May 29 at 1:10 p.m. after police said she stole merchandise from Macy’s in the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, and had cocaine in her possession. She was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny valuing more than $1,000 and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
On May 28 a 20-year-old man from Riverhead was arrested after police said he stole belts and shorts from Macy’s in the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove. He was charged with petit larceny.

Movie lover
A 57-year-old man from Hauppauge was arrested on May 29 at The Smithtown Library on Smithtown Boulevard after police said he stole movies. He was charged with petit larceny.

Stay sharp
Police said a 20-year-old man from Ronkonkoma threatened a group of people with a knife at the handball courts in Lake Ronkonkoma County Park on May 29, and then an hour later threatened a man with a knife standing outside his house on Smithtown Boulevard. He was arrested and charged with second-degree menacing with a weapon.

Gulf strike
A 23-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested on May 28 after police said he stole money from a Gulf gas station on Express Drive North in Islandia, where he was employed. He was charged with petit larceny.

Takes one to steal some
Police said a 50-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested after police said he stole various tools from a shed on a residence on Oakside Drive in Smithtown on April 30. On May 27 he was arrested at the 4th Precinct, and charged with petit larceny.

Not Kohl
On May 27, a 42-year-old man from Brentwood was arrested after police said he stole clothing from Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on multiple occasions. He was charged with two counts of petit larceny.

Adder-don’t
Police said a 30-year-old man from Smithtown had Adderall on him without a prescription while on East Main Street in Kings Park on May 26. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Pocketing piping
A 27-year-old woman from Wyandanch was arrested on May 25, after police said she stole copper piping from a residence on Woodcut Drive in Mastic Beach. She was charged with third-degree burglary with illegal entry.

Car dramas
Police said an unknown person dented a 2011 Mini Cooper parked on Crescent Place in Smithtown on May 29.
On May 29, an unknown person damaged a 2012 Chevy that was parked on 5th Street in Lake Ronkonkoma.
One tire was stolen from a 2016 Honda parked on Gibbs Pond Road in Nesconset on May 29, police said.

Walmart woes
On May 29, police said an unknown person sole cellphone cases, a drill and DVDs from Walmart in the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove.

Dave and bust in
A 2012 Nissan Maxima parked in the parking lot of Dave & Buster’s on Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia was broken into and a purse stolen from inside on May 28, police said.

Whole wallet gone
Police said an unknown person stole a wallet out of a shopping cart at Whole Foods Market on New Moriches Road in Lake Grove on May 28.

Cocaine couple
On May 29, a 21-year-old man and a 46-year-old man, both from Huntington Station, were arrested after police said they had cocaine on them while on New York Avenue in Huntington at about 2:30 a.m. They were both charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Shine some light on the crime
An unknown person shattered the rear window of a 2011 Honda CR-V parked on the corner of Lantern Street in Greenlawn on May 29.

Can’t party here
A 34-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on May 27 after police said he permitted patrons to consume alcohol on the premises at Hola Centro America Grocery on New York Avenue in Huntington Station. He was charged with violation of a special license consumption on premises.

The plastics
Police said a 24-year-old man from Huntington Station had three plastic bags filled with marijuana while on Depot Road in Huntington Station at 3:45 p.m. on May 26. He was arrested and charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

CVS sees things
Police said a 30-year-old man from Commack stole more than $1,000 from CVS on Commack Road while working there as an employee. He was arrested on May 27 and charged with fourth-degree grand larceny.

Not a safe environment for a baby
A 28-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on May 27 after police said he had multiple rounds of ammunition, loaded guns and cocaine in his home on 7th Avenue with a baby in the house. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, acting in a manor likely to be injurious to the welfare of a child and third-degree possession of narcotic drugs with the intent to sell.

Not exactly on a straight path
On May 27, a 20-year-old woman from Lindenhurst was arrested after police said she had prescription pills on her without a prescription while on Straight Path in Dix Hills at 11:50 a.m. She was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Louis on the loose
A 19-year-old man from Melville was arrested on May 26 after police said he stole a Louis Vuitton wallet containing cash and credit cards while at the Walt Whitman Mall in Huntington. He was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny.

West Pulaski Road story
On May 26, a 22-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested after police said he had a quantity of cocaine in his possession while at a residence on West Pulaski Road in Greenlawn. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

An apple a day takes the car away
Police said an unknown person stole a 2011 Ford Focus from the parking lot of Applebee’s on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington on May 29.

Thief conductors a search
On May 29, at the Huntington Station train stop for the Long Island Rail Road, an unknown person approached a woman, grabbed her and took her backpack with cash and medication in it.

Medical product firm opens research facility in Smithtown

by Alex Petroski - June 2, 2016

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RibbonCut2_Petroski_052616w — Christopher Montalbano, left, and Gregory Montalbano, center, cut the ribbon on MIDI medical product development consulting firm’s Smithtown headquarters as Edward Dutton, right, looks on. Photo by Alex Petroski

A more than 40-year-old Long Island based company cut the ribbon on a brand new facility last Thursday.

The medical product development consulting firm MIDI officially opened a new headquarters and innovation center on Main Street in Smithtown in the Village of The Branch as a place to research and develop medical technology. MIDI has worked with clients such as Johnson & Johnson, GE Healthcare, Siemens and also will serve as a resource for Stony Brook University medical students in their new home.

“We strongly believe in creating growth opportunities for the medical and biotech industries on Long Island and in the greater New York area,” MIDI Principal and Huntington resident Gregory Montalbano said in a statement. He and his brother Christopher Montalbano are the principals of the Long Island-based firm which was started by their father Anthony in 1972. “Our new Innovation Center will foster new technology and product commercialization efforts for innovations obtained through academic research as well as for concepts developed by our local, national, and international commercial clients.”

The innovation center is equipped with a research, design and engineering studio, a prototyping lab and three-dimensional printing capability for the roughly 30 engineers, designers, software programmers and researchers. MIDI has supported the development of medical technologies over the years including the first commercial MRI scanner, surgical devices, a partial-body MRI, a three-dimensional dental scanner and countless others.

Gregory Montalbano suggested in an interview following the ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday that medical innovation could become a staple of Long Island industry in the coming years, replacing the manufacturing industry, which has slowly left Long Island, he said. Most similar facilities to MIDI’s innovation center are located on the west coast or in the Boston area, according to the firm, though the Montalbanos envision Long Island garnering that reputation in the future.

“Long Island is, in my opinion, becoming a very high-tech medical and bioscience hub,” he said. “In five to ten years, I feel that it will be very prevalent and people will be coming here in order to do that type of business and it’ll just grow from there.”

The look of other buildings along Main Street were taken into account in designing the innovation center, according to Kevin Harney, the principal of Stalco Construction, who served as the general contractor for the building.

“The architecture of the new $5 million, one-story building reflects the colonial feel of the historic Village of The Branch neighborhood, which dates back to the late 1600s,” Harney said in a statement. “The building’s façade features brick face, columns and other ornamental architectural elements prevalent in the landmark structures neighboring the new development.”

Chairman of the Planning Board of The Village of The Branch John Carro thanked MIDI and Stalco for maintaining that consistency.

“What’s very impressive, and we got a tour of the inside, is the high-tech inside of the building, but yet when you go to the outside, you see it matches the 1860s façade of all of the buildings along Middle Country Road here,” Carro said. “We appreciate that design and their working with the village in presenting their building in the proper manner.”

U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin’s (R-Shirley) sent a spokesperson to convey his excitement in the opening of the new facility and the possibilities it presents in the field of medical research and development. State Assemblyman Michael Fitzpatrick (R-St. James) attended the event and expressed a similar sentiment.

Smithtown West walks away from finals with empty hands but full hearts

by Desirée Keegan - June 1, 2016

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Smithtown-West-girls-lacrosse-Kayla-Kosubinsky-1-052116_Keeganw — Kayla Kosubinsky races to the ground ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan

The Smithtown West girls’ lacrosse team walked onto the Dowling Sports Complex field Tuesday donning shirts that said “one team, one fight.”

Although senior midfielder Natalia Lynch stole the show by scoring six goals, it’s what her team had been through all season that made the season special.

Natalia Lynch grabs possession off the draw. Photo by Desirée Keegan

The Bulls never made it to the Suffolk County finals, and although they were the No. 1 seed with a near perfect record, they were overlooked. Smithtown West battled a tough No. 3-seed West Islip team — the only opponent the Bulls lost to in the regular season — and remained neck-and-neck to the end, when the more experienced team battled back to come out on top, 9-8.

“It was amazing — they played phenomenal all season,” Smithtown West head coach Carie Bodo said of the run her girls had. “We played them much better than we did the first time we beat them. We knew, as much as we were the No. 1 seed, that we were the underdogs because they’ve already been here four years in a row. They know how to play this game.”

Lynch tallied a hat trick in the first half with her second goal off an assist from her best friend and longtime teammate Mackenzie Heldberg.

Jessica English defends against a West Islip attack. Photo by Desirée Keegan

“It’s been unreal since first grade, playing with someone as amazing as she is — it definitely made the game easier,” Heldberg said of Lynch. “We just had a special connection on the field that not everyone else has and she’s made me so successful and brings out the best lacrosse player in me.”

Also scoring for the Bulls in the first half were junior midfielder Kayla Kosubinsky and junior attack Chelsea Witteck. Senior converted-goalkeeper Marissa D’Amico made big stops between the pipes to keep the score 5-5 at the end of the first half.

“We did what we thought we needed to do,” Bodo said. “We covered certain people. We knew that if we played them tight, they’d be forced to make tough shots and miss the cage because we swarm them so good, so the defense did an amazing job. We had opportunities at the end to come up with the goal, but we just didn’t come up with it.”

Lynch gained possession off the draw, like she had done all night, to open the second half, and after passing it to Heldberg, received a feed from her friend in front of the cage and dumped in her fourth goal of the game.

Chelsea Witteck leads the team in celebration of her goal. Photo by Desirée Keegan

D’Amico made back-to-back saves after a West Islip goal to maintain the stalemate, and on a diving play, Lynch fired her fifth goal of the game. She won possession off the next draw, but wouldn’t impact the play again after being sidelined for two minutes, with 2:21 left to play.

“She played an amazing game,” Bodo said of Lynch. “It was a killer, she got that penalty at the end. She played a great game.”

Witteck netted her second goal of the game off an assist from Heldberg, for the only other score of the second half, to put the team up 8-6 with 7:03 left in the game, but West Islip rallied back with three unanswered goals for the 9-8 lead with 1:24 left to play. The Lions raced up and down the field until time expired to seal the victory.

“I’m super proud of them,” Bodo said of her team. “For us it was a win. We were ranked No. 3 in the preseason and Newsday didn’t even rank us, MSG Varsity doesn’t ever give us anything, so no one thought we would do anything. For us, we did it for ourselves. We didn’t do it for Newsday’s publicity or MSG Varsity’s publicity; we worked hard all season to prove it to ourselves.”

The players said they were proud of how far they’ve come.

Mackenzie Heldberg charges toward the cage. Photo by Desirée Keegan

“The loss hurt a lot, but for a team who never got much credit for anything we did — just making it to counties and playing a hell of a game against a team as talented as West Islip, there is nothing to hold our heads down for,” Heldberg said. “Coming here and experiencing this for the first time in Smithtown West girls lacrosse history was truly something amazing and something to be proud of.”

Although she, Lynch and D’Amico, along with three other senior nonstarters will be leaving the team, Bodo is excited for the future now that the Bulls are starting to move in the right direction and continues to make playoff strides each season. Kosubinsky said that after all of the doubt, Smithtown West lacrosse showed what it’s really made of.

“I know I’ve never seen Smithtown West girls lacrosse play with so much heart, and even with a loss, I’ve never been so proud of my team,” Kosubinsky said. “We had an amazing season and every single person contributed to that. Tonight we walked off the field with our heads held high because we know we played our hearts out.”

Open governments on North Shore, not excuses

by TBR Staff - May 31, 2016

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PJ-building-planning-department-files_Glowatzw — Reclaim NY is requesting various public documents from governments and school districts across Nassau and Suffolk counties, including Port Jefferson Village and Commack school district. File photo by Elana Glowatz

By Brandon Muir

Long Islanders deserve better than excuses from politicians, and bureaucrats. It’s time they took the lead on making government more open. That’s why Reclaim New York launched our transparency project.

Using the Freedom of Information Law to open spending records from governments across Long Island is the first step toward ensuring all citizens can hold their local government accountable.

This effort may ruffle some feathers. It seems this happened with Port Jefferson Mayor Margot Garant. Rather than just fixing Port Jefferson’s FOIL failures, we saw a smoke screen.

On March 7, we filed a FOIL request for the 2014 village expenditures, since this public record is not posted on the village website. We intend to share this information publicly to empower citizen-driven oversight of government.

The documents did not arrive.

Excuses don’t make up for not following the law’s timelines, or completing a FOIL request late. The law provides for extensions; a government simply has to ask for it. When this doesn’t happen, the FOIL is considered denied.

The mayor recently claimed we never filed an appeal and didn’t reach out to the village. Both statements are incorrect. The appeal is documented, and was sent on April 11, to the mayor’s own address, exactly as Port Jefferson asked.

We simply followed the law, as anyone can see at our transparency project portal: NYtransparency.org. If the mayor does not like FOIL’s requirements, she should attack the law, not Reclaim New York.

To be clear, the village has now sent the records. But more than 75 percent of Long Island localities fulfilled their legal obligations on time. We’d like to work with the village to improve their transparency process.

Here’s how we can make that happen: The village can post the names and contact information for the Records Access Officer, and Records Appeals Officer online. These designations are required by law, and this would clear up confusion.

When a FOIL request is denied, or ignored — as in this case — the law allows for an appeal, sent to the Appeals Officer.

If the village says the mayor fills this role, and tells a FOIL filer to use a particular email address to submit an appeal to her, the mayor should not publicly claim she hasn’t received an appeal and blame it on the sender.

Additionally, ensure village employees understand the time limits for FOIL requests.

The first response, within five days, should acknowledge receipt and indicate when the request will be completed. If you need more time, request an extension.

In the initial response to Reclaim New York, the village said they would outline production costs for fulfilling the FOIL request. Then they stopped responding to our requests without providing a clear timeline.

It’s important to note that it’s not the filer’s responsibility to follow up with calls, though in this case Reclaim New York did. But the law does require that a village respond within 10 business days to an appeal.

The ultimate transparency goal for any government: proactively posting information in a searchable format online.

Every citizen should be able to see how government is spending public money. There’s no need to wait for someone to ask. Provide this information openly, and Port Jefferson will truly be leading the way toward open government.

Brandon Muir is the executive director for Reclaim New York.

Photos: Long Islanders remember fallen heroes on Memorial Day

by TBR Staff - May 30, 2016

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Long Islanders came together on Memorial Day to remember all the people throughout American history who gave their lives for their country. Events were held on May 30 across Suffolk County, with neighbors using wreaths, flags and rifle shots to pay tribute to the fallen heroes.

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Kings Park parade committee selects 2017 St. Patrick’s grand marshals

by Phil Corso - May 30, 2016

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KingsParkStPatsParade201620160306_MarkDAngio_04w — A scene from this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Kings Park. Photo by Mark D’Angio

The parade may be over, but the Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee has been keeping busy, working on the preparations for its 2017 Grand Marshal Ball and 2017 St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Within three weeks of the 2016 parade, one of the largest on Long Island, committee members were reviewing various phases of the 2016 parade. The first order of business was to select a grand marshal. In an unprecedented move, the McWilliams Sisters — Cathy Donnelly, Barbara Griffin and Marge Stajk — were named to lead the 2017 St. Patrick’s Parade.

This honor is believed to be unique, as three siblings were named grand marshals, the organizers said.

The McWilliams sisters were selected based on their Irish heritage, community spirit, and personal demeanor. Their parents, Edward and Margaret McWilliams, moved from County Carlow, Ireland, settling in Kings Park, where the parents opened the Park Diner in 1944. The family consisted of three sisters, Catherine, Barbara, and Margaret, and three brothers, Edward, Joseph, and Ronald.

The sisters attended St. Joseph’s School until the 8th grade, graduated from Kings Park High School, and raised their families in Kings Park. The parade committee noted that each sister donated time and efforts toward various charitable endeavors, especially as members of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 3.

The Grand Marshal Ball will be held at Flowerfields, on Friday, November 18. The event will consist of the presentation of the “McWilliams Sisters,” Irish music and dance, raffles, and live band. The Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017.

The committee thanked Kevin “The Professor” Denis for his extraordinary efforts as its chairman. As one of the Parade’s founders, he excelled at raising the necessary funding for the parade, which features more than 20 bagpipe bands, fire departments, floats, and organizations. During the past six years, the Kings Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade has become one of the largest parades on Long Island. Denis will continue to aid the committee. Kevin Johnston was named the committee’s new chairman.

Victim attacked, thrown out of moving vehicle

by Elana Glowatz - May 27, 2016

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7-Eleven_Police_OldTown01_Melillow — File photo

A man was violently robbed and thrown out of a moving car earlier this month, and police have recently arrested three suspects in the case.

While at a bar on Hawkins Avenue in Ronkonkoma on May 6, three men allegedly offered a ride to the victim shortly before 4 a.m., the Suffolk County Police Department said.

They headed north into Lake Grove but during the ride, police said, the trio punched and choked the man, then stole his jewelry, wallet, cell phone and cash before throwing him out of the moving car.

The victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Stony Brook University Hospital, police said.

A few weeks later, detectives arrested three local men in connection with the crime, on three separate days: 36-year-old Jason Mikalauskas, of Lake Grove, on May 23; 21-year-old Michael Masterson, of Centereach, on May 24; and 23-year-old Dominic Dentici, of Ronkonkoma, on May 26.

All three were charged with second-degree robbery, and Mikalauskas is facing additional charges of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was also arrested on an active warrant, police said.

Attorney information for Mikalauskas and Dentici was not available on the New York State court system’s online database. Masterson was listed as representing himself and could not be reached for comment.

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