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Times of Smithtown

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11 girls score, 3 others add assists

Junior midfielder Madison Hobbes turns away from a swarm of Commack defenders. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Ward Melville’s girls’ lacrosse team scored four unanswered goals to start Monday morning’s contest, and held a 10-goal lead with 17:35 left to play. Despite Commack coming back to score eight unanswered, the Patriots hung on, maintaining possession and keeping the ball moving in the final minute to come away with a 15-13 win.

“We were a little inconsistent,” Ward Melville head coach Kerri Kilkenny said. “We had moments of brilliance and some things we can still improve upon. We need to make sure we keep our high level of play the entire game.”

Sophomore attack Jill Becker passes the ball around the cage. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Sophomore attack Jill Becker passes the ball around the cage. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Sophomore midfielder Nicole Liucci scored first after receiving a foul call when a Commack defender ran into her path, and sophomore attack Jill Becker added another with a shot through traffic.

Minutes later, junior attack Kaitlin Thornton landed a foul call of her own and sent her shot home. At the 16:16 mark, junior attack and midfielder Hannah Lorenzen scored up front after receiving a pass from Becker, for the 4-0 advantage.

“We’ve all played together for a really long time, so there’s definitely a connection on our team,” Becker said. “We work together, we all look up, pass to each other and we’re strong with our shot placement — we were able to finish our shots.”

Commack scored its first goal of the game minutes later, and just 30 seconds after, the Patriots pushed back when junior midfielder Kerry McKeever raced past the cage and fed the ball backward to junior midfielder Hannah Hobbes, who swiveled around defenders to get a good look in front. Becker and Lorenzen tallied their second goals of the game, and junior midfielder and defender Kelly Quinn hit her mark for an 8-1 lead.

Freshman attack and midfielder Alexis Reinhardt crosses the ball into Commack's zone. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Freshman attack and midfielder Alexis Reinhardt crosses the ball into Commack’s zone. Photo by Desirée Keegan

“We don’t necessarily have the one or two superstars, we are very well-spread offensively,” Kilkenny said. “If something’s not working for a few players, others can certainly step up and fill the roles.”

A Ward Melville offside call lead to a Commack goal, and the Cougars added another seconds later to close the gap. Ward Melville junior goalkeeper Kathryn Hopkins made a save with less than two minutes remaining in the first, and another with one second on the clock, to keep the score unchanged.

Sophomore attack Kate Mulham scored first in the opening seconds of the second half, and after her team scored two more, the two sides traded goals until Mulham scored her second and third goals of the game back-to-back, giving the Patriots their 10-goal lead with 17:35 left to play.

“We definitely started out strong, making our connections all across the field,” Mulham said. “We have a really deep bench and we can put a lot of different girls out there and we can all still perform together, because the chemistry is there. Each of our individual skills combined are really beneficial to the team.”

Sophomore attack Kate Mulham moves through midfield. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Sophomore attack Kate Mulham moves through midfield. Photo by Desirée Keegan

But the defense struggled to maintain the offense’s advantage, as Commack came back to score eight unanswered goals, the last coming with 6:24 left in the game.

“We definitely did get a little comfortable and once we realized we needed to pull it together, we did,” Becker said. “I think we lost some communication on defense and attack with who has who and making sure we were guarding against the cutters.”

Kilkenny said her team struggled to come out strong in the first half throughout the first few games of the season, but the team has worked on playing each half equally as strong, and especially in the first half, Mulham has noticed a difference.

“We had slow starts and we were down by a few, and we always came back at the end,” she said. “But now, being able to start off strong is putting us in the lead early, making it much less stressful.”

Although the game grew closer at the end, Mulham said she is still confident that if her team can continue to work on improving, it can be tough to compete against.

“I think we can go really far this season if we all continue to work together and address these problems that we’re noticing now early in the season,” she said. “Once we address those I think we can go as far as we want to. I think we’ll be unstoppable.”

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St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center nurses picket Thursday on behalf of patient care through safe staffing as they negotiate a new contract with the hospital. Photo by Alex Petroski

Smithtown residents driving on Route 25A Thursday afternoon likely couldn’t miss the lively, noisy demonstration by countless picketers all dressed in red.

More than 100 nurses from St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown gathered on the grounds just outside of the Route 25A entrance to the hospital on Thursday for an informational picket and as a sign of solidarity in their ongoing contractual negotiations. Their previous contract expired in March 2015. Nurses at St. Catherine’s are members of the New York State Nurses Association.

“St. Catherine nurses have worked without a contract for a year, during which time the problem of understaffing has become a crisis,” an April 20 press release announcing the demonstration said. “The nurses are calling for a fair contract, including enforceable staffing ratios and quality protections for patients.”

Lorraine Incarnato, a nurse in St. Catherine’s intensive care unit for nearly 30 years, said the two parties have been meeting only once a month since November. Several nurses at the demonstration said they don’t think St. Catherine’s administration is negotiating in good faith, though Heather Reynolds from the hospital’s public and external affairs department refuted that assessment in an email Friday.

“St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center is in negotiations with the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA),” Reynolds said. “The hospital continues to negotiate in good faith and has made progress in the negotiations. St. Catherine will negotiate directly with NYSNA.”

Incarnato shed some light on the goal of Thursday’s demonstration.

“The mission today is, we’re trying to show the hospital that they need to settle with the nurses,” Incarnato said. “The contract has been negotiated for a year, but since November, they’ve only been meeting once a month. We need staffing ratios that are better adhered to because too many times, we’re very short-staffed, and the mantra in the building right now is ‘do more with less.’”

Incarnato said the ICU needs six nurses to be run effectively, though these days they often have to make do with five, or even four, during a given shift.

“It’s causing a lot of friction between administration and staff,” Incarnato said. “When you have staff working always short [staffed], always extra, and then knowing that there’s not the respect factor there, they’re unhappy. Unhappy staff doesn’t keep patients happy. We try to put on a really happy face, because the patients come first.”

Dawn Bailey, a registered nurse and labor bargaining unit executive committee member of the New York State Nurses Association, said working a shift without adequate staff can be dangerous not only for patients, but for nurses as well.

“You can’t have two people lifting a patient all the time because there’s not that other person available,” Bailey said. “When people are going out with back injuries, then [members of hospital administration] wonder why.”

Other than staffing concerns, the nurses are also unhappy about changes and cutbacks to health care and other benefits.

A similar demonstration occurred on April 8 near St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson, where nurses also represented by the New York State Nurses Association tried to voice the same message.

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Thanks to the efforts of Angela’s House Founder and Executive Director Bob Policastro, the Angel of Hope statue has been in Eisenhower Park since 2008. The Angel of Hope: A Walk to Remember event on May 7 will conclude at the statue. Photo from Angela’s House

By Alex Petroski

The pain of losing a child may never go away, but it can be soothed by the support of others who know what it is like. Parents will have that opportunity on May 7 when the Hauppauge-based nonprofit organization Angela’s House, which was founded in 1992, hosts the first Angel of Hope: A Walk to Remember.

Thanks to the efforts of Angela’s House Founder and Executive Director Bob Policastro, the Angel of Hope statue has been in Eisenhower Park since 2008. The Angel of Hope: A Walk to Remember event on May 7 will conclude at the statue. Photo from Angela’s House
Thanks to the efforts of Angela’s House Founder and Executive Director Bob Policastro, the Angel of Hope statue has been in Eisenhower Park since 2008. The Angel of Hope: A Walk to Remember event on May 7 will conclude at the statue. Photo from Angela’s House

The walk will take place Mother’s Day weekend at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, where the nonprofit’s Angel of Hope statue has stood since 2008 as a comforting symbol to parents who have lost children.

Angela’s House assists families caring for children with special health care needs that are medically fragile, chronically ill or living with a life-threatening illness, according to their website. Founder and Executive Director Bob Policastro said the event would be a nonreligious, yet spiritual gathering.

“I would say different from our support group or even a counselor, the difficulty of those environments [is] you have to be ready and have to talk about your pain and that kind of brings about peace as you talk it through,” Policastro said in a phone interview Friday about the walk and what those interested in attending should expect. “This one I feel has kind of an easier tone to it in the sense that you’re coming to a ceremony and the comfort of seeing others that have also gone through all of this will give people great peace knowing that they’re not alone. They can talk to people if they want to but if they don’t want to that’s fine.”

The purpose of the event is not to raise funds, according to Policastro, though there is a $25 charge per person to participate.

Policastro said the date was a strategic choice by Angela’s House trustees and volunteers.

“Mother’s Day is always one of those potentially difficult times of the year,” he said. “That will be a good way to kind of help try to bring them peace, almost like a support group. To get together and be around others that have also experienced loss, it’s very comforting.”

Policastro and his wife Angie started the foundation after the death of their daughter Angela. The Angel of Hope is a reference to the book “The Christmas Box” by Richard Paul Evans in which a character frequently visits the grave of her daughter, which is marked with an angel statue. Statues like the one in Eisenhower Park popped up across the country after the release of the book in 1993, Policastro said. He was instrumental in bringing the statue to Eisenhower Park.

The walk is less than a mile long and will follow a path around Salisbury Lake in the park, concluding at the statue. The New Apostolic Church and the Willow Interfaith Woman’s Choir will lead those in attendance in a song, and a nondenominational spiritual ceremony will also be held.

Those seeking more information are instructed to visit www.angelashouse.org/angel-of-hope/.

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Smithtown Board of Education member Grace Plourde, file photo

By Grace Plourde

Recently, the Smithtown Board of Education made a difficult decision. Following months of information-gathering and deliberation, we voted to close one of our elementary schools. During that long period of examination and deliberation, I had accepted as true — as accurate —many of the arguments put forth by the community for keeping Branch Brook open. It is an amazing school. I am not happy about an empty building in the Nesconset community where I was born and where I now raise my own children. And we did have some temporary relief this year, budget-wise, despite what’s projected to be a tax cap of less than 1 percent.

And yet, the decision to downsize was clearly necessary, because of factors which exist both inside and outside our Smithtown community. We must all agree that enrollment has been dropping. This year, once again, we’ll admit a kindergarten class that has about 35 to 40 percent fewer students than our graduating senior class. We anticipate this trend will continue, and so it’s necessary to take advantage of economies of scale where we can, in order to save the funds necessary to preserve our entire educational program going forward.

We also explained, more than once, the fact that school budgeting is no longer the collaborative effort of district staff and school communities; one carefully crafting a program worthy of our kids and the goals we set for them and the other acknowledging the worthiness of such a program with their “yes” votes on the third Tuesday in May.

Now, the process is more like a shoehorn, as districts create, not the program they want, or that their kids deserve, but the one they can “fit” within the narrow confines of an arbitrary metric. I’m talking of course about the tax cap, which, in New York’s case, is simply a bad rip-off of the Massachusetts model. It has none of the safeguards, no infusion of state aid, and no regard for program. It’s a political device, rather transparently aimed at busting unions. Except, schoolkids have no dog in that fight, and it’s beyond shortsighted of Albany to risk their educational destinies in this way.

Our legislature didn’t stop there, either. They gave, or rather took, the Gap Elimination Adjustment as a means to close a statewide budget gap. Instead of raising taxes, for which they might have been answerable to their constituencies, they simply “shorted” state aid to schoolkids. In Smithtown’s case, that meant $30 million of aid we should have gotten, but didn’t, over the course of a half decade or so. And, in a spectacular piece of euphemistic rebranding, the legislature has termed the recent cancellation of GEA-authorized fleecing as a “restoration.” That makes it sound as though they gave us some amazing gift when, in reality, all they did was finally put an end to the shell game.

When you consider that near 80 percent of Smithtown’s annual budget is taken up with professional salaries, and when you understand that those contractual salaries increase at about 2 to 3 percent a year, you can see that a tax cap of less than 1 percent puts us into an immediate deficit situation, unless we can make up the deficit through cuts. And this happens every year now, as the district and the board struggle to keep programs intact and plan for a sustainable future.

To make matters still worse, the state has provided financial incentives to homeowners to vote against any effort to pierce the cap. Do you want your STAR rebate next year? That’s easily done: just make sure that your school district complies with the cap. Never mind that educational programs will be slashed, schools will be closed, and your property values will be put at risk. If you choose to support your school district, and its efforts to maintain a quality program, it will cost you — big time!

So, given the budgetary landscape in which we presently find ourselves, we, the board of trustees, must do what is hardest. I want to you know that it is quite often a demoralizing, spirit-crushing endeavor. But we do it, because 9,450 kids depend on us doing it. It’s no longer the case that budgeting is done as a discrete, annual affair.

We look back, forward and sideways with every decision we make, and we are constantly taking stock. The goal around here has become “sustainability.” It’s a fight for survival. But we will not allow Smithtown to be the first district to fall over that fiscal cliff. And just because we got lucky in a couple of directions this year, does not mean that such luck is guaranteed to us. In fact, we know there are difficult days ahead.

Go ahead, right now, and bet everything you own on the stock market: your house, your anticipated annual income, everything you own. If that sounds ridiculous, recall that school budgeting means having a tax cap that is linked to CPI and bears no particular relation to the needs of the district’s students) and that our contributions to the employee and teacher retirement systems are similarly dictated by the whim of the market. A couple of years after the 2008 crash, we were absolutely devastated by the increase in that number.

Even if things were to stay “stable,” that only means we should expect increases of about 1 percent annually. However, due to factors such as the final payment of some debt service, we expect things to get far, far worse. Stay tuned, because “negative” tax levies have become more than theoretical, as some 80 districts statewide find themselves entitled to a smaller tax levy next year. This is Smithtown’s future.

And then consider that if you were held to the same constraints as your local school district, the state would only allow you to keep in “reserve,” i.e., your household savings, a maximum of 4 percent of your annual household income. You read that correctly: for every $100,000 of household income, you’d be permitted to maintain a mere $4,000 in savings.

If your car engine needed repair or your oil burner failed, you’d wiped out. That’s how school districts are forced to operate. The state will not even permit us to save the funds we need in the form of unrestricted “fund balance” to ride out the storm we know is coming.

As I close, I do want to thank our parents for their comments throughout the process, even those comments that were less than charitable. You can tell your kids you fought with everything you had to keep their school open.

And you can put this one on us, because that’s our job. It’s our job to make sure that the kids who attend Branch Brook right now, and all of our current elementary students, will someday have the high school program they deserve. I know it’s hard to think that far ahead. I urge you to try. And whatever we as a board and a district can do for you and for your kids as they transition, this we must endeavor to do. We will all, all of us together in Smithtown, get through this.

Grace Plourde serves on the Smithtown board of education.

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St. Johnland Nursing Center in Kings Park is celebrating a milestone this year. File photo by Rachel Shapiro

For a century and a half, the name St. Johnland has been synonymous with helping people from all walks of life. Established in 1866, the Society of St. Johnland is celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2016.

In 1866, the Society served as a home for veterans and orphans from New York City, but eventually developed into a self-sustaining industrial village.

Today, the St. Johnland Nursing Center is located on the North Shore near Smithtown Bay in Kings Park and serves as a long-term skilled nursing facility caring for about 300 people every day.

Over the course of 150 years, the role of the facility has changed, but their mission remains the same, according to a press release about the anniversary: “To create a caring and supportive environment committed to the highest standards of quality health care … to uphold the principles of human dignity and worth … affirm the right of every individual to maintain the optimum quality of life.”

St. Johnland Director of Development Cathie Wardell, who has been at the nursing center for 13 years, reflected on the impact St. Johnland has had on the community and people in need.

“The level of care for the people whose care is entrusted to us is very high and it’s amazing to see everyday,” Wardell said in a phone interview.

The nursing center shifted its focus from children to the elderly in the 1950s. Today, their primary focuses are providing care for people with Alzheimer’s, dementia and traumatic brain injuries.

“The fact that this institution has survived and persisted for 150 years focusing on different demographics, the fact that we are 98 to 99-percent full all the time, that we have evolved over the years to make the changing needs of the community with our specialty units and adult day care programs is significant and noteworthy,” Wardell added.

In honor of the anniversary, the society will hold four events during 2016. For all of June, historical photographs of St. Johnland will be on display at the Kings Park Library.

On June 18, people who grew up at the facility around 70 years ago will gather for a reunion.

On Oct. 27, a dinner will be held at Watermill in Kings Park to honor the Fire Department and EMT Squad, and on Nov. 18, town historian Brad Harris will deliver a lecture on the history of the Society.

For more information about the anniversary or any of the events, call 631-663-2457 or visit www.stjohnland.org.

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Pony Boy, who was named after a song by the Allman, will greet visitors on Feb. 13. Photo by Giselle Barkley

He might be under five feet tall but 25-year-old Pony Boy at the Smithtown Historical Society farm has a big presence. For this pony, the farm isn’t just a sanctuary, it is also a place where he can help teach children about animal ownership and farm life.

As the Historical Society’s sole stallion, Pony Boy will extend a helping hoof for the society’s Help a Horse Day events on April 25 and 26.

According to the society’s website, Help a Horse Day is a national campaign started by the ASPCA to raise awareness  of the plight of horses and encourage equine rescue.

Kris Melvin-Denenberg, director of Development and Public Relations at the society said Pony Boy and his companion, a female donkey named Jenni Henrietta, were purchased 14 years ago from a farm that closed in Huntington around that time. The director added that it’s possible the small horse was abused in the past. When Pony Boy first arrived on the farm, he didn’t like any male volunteers to approach him from his left side, which is where people typically approach when greeting a horse or pony.

Pony Boy’s best friend, Peter the sheep, lays in the sun after resting inside the barn. Photo by Giselle Barkley
Pony Boy’s best friend, Peter the sheep, lays in the sun after resting inside the barn. Photo by Giselle Barkley

“He’s a prime example of what a good foster [process] we do,” Melvin-Denenberg said. “Over time he became more and more accepting of men and now there are guys who can put a halter on him, which we could never do before.”

Despite his initial timid disposition Melvin-Denenberg said their pony is always gentle when interacting with children.

Pony Boy didn’t only get used to men or being in the spotlight when kids are near, but he also made a new friend while living at the farm. When Jenni Henrietta passed away several years ago, the stallion gravitated to Peter, a blind sheep living on the farm. Before Peter developed cataracts, the duo bonded. Pony Boy now helps Peter when he needs a farm friend to lean on.

While members of the historical society’s farm animals usually call out to members of their group if they are separated, Melvin-Denenberg said Pony Boy and Peter will sit in close proximity to one another and communicate. She added that horses can form a bond with any animal with whom they share their home.

“They’re herd animals,” she said about horses. “So they are very social and they get very upset if their companions … get separated. They do have concerns — they do worry and look out for each other.”

But the animals aren’t the only ones looking out for each other. Melvin-Denenberg said programs like the Help a Horse Day event teach children how to care for an animal. It also helps them understand the benefits of having a horse on a farm. In the past, horses provided transportation, plowed the crop fields and provided fresh manure for the farmer’s crops. In return, the farmer would care for the horse.

The society doesn’t just want to show families how animals like horses helped on the farm, they also want to encourage people to familiarize themselves with the needs of the animal they wish to adopt. They hope to do so through their programs.

The main difference between ponies like Pony Boy and horses is the animals’ heights. Photo by Giselle Barkley
The main difference between ponies like Pony Boy and horses is the animals’ heights. Photo by Giselle Barkley

“We want [children] to learn about the responsibilities of adopting an animal whether it be a horse, a sheep or a fish. You need to do your research,” Melvin-Denenberg said. “Find out everything you can about the animal. Learn how to properly groom the animal [and] what their veterinary needs are.”

Families can learn more about farm animals like Pony Boy  and horses overall on Monday, April 25, at the Frank Brush Barn, 211 Middle Country Road, Smithtown, at 7 p.m. as Town Historian and Board President Brad Harris presents a lecture titled Famous Horses of Smithtown. Admission is free.

As part of the society’s Spring Break programs, children ages 6 to 12 can come meet Pony Boy, learn  about animal care and how horses helped farmers, and create horse-related crafts on Tuesday, April 26, from 9:30 a.m. to noon in the Frank Brush Barn. Cost is $25 and $22.50 for members and includes a snack and a beverage. Registration is required by calling 631-265-6768.

Finally, children ages 3 to 5 can take part in a child and caregiver horse-themed reading adventure at a program titled Tales for Tots: Horses! on April 26 at the society’s Roseneath Cottage at 239 Main Street, Smithtown, from 11 a.m. to noon. This event is free but registration is required by calling the Smithtown Library at 631-360-2480.

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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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Dominic Pryor scores a goal for Ward Melville through a ton of Smithtown traffic. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Redemption was sweet for the Ward Melville boys’ lacrosse team.

Not only did the Patriots take down the boys of Smithtown East, who knocked them out of the playoffs in the Suffolk County Class A finals last season, but they also handed the Bulls their first loss of this season, 13-12.

Smithtown East was 7-0 coming into the contest, with one of the strongest faceoff kids in the county in senior Gerard Arceri, and two of the leading goal scorers in junior Connor Desimone and senior Dan Rooney. But that didn’t scare Ward Melville.

“We had that loss to West Islip [9-7 on April 8], which was one of our down games, but we knew we had to come back fired up,” Ward Melville goalkeeper D.J. Kellerman said.

“We knew that they were one of the top teams and we really wanted to take them down.”

The Patriots, 7-1, scored three goals in the first seven minutes of play before Rooney, an attack, found the back of the net with 3:09 left in the first quarter to put his team on the board.

“They’re a rival of ours — they’re right across town from us, so obviously intensity and competitiveness is at an all time maximum,” Smithtown East’s Desimone, an attack, said. “Coming out here and not showing up in the first half really killed us, but we’ll get them back.”

Ward Melville's Liam Davenport leads the chase for the ball at midfield. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Ward Melville’s Liam Davenport leads the chase for the ball at midfield. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Rooney followed his goal with his second score of the afternoon, off an assist from junior attack Michael Latini, and junior midfielder Luke Eschbach helped bring the score to 3-3 at the end of the first.

“Obviously Connor Desimone and Dan Rooney, they’re very dangerous, so we did a couple of game-planning strategies for them, but our goalie D.J. Kellerman played outstanding,” Ward Melville head coach Jay Negus said. “We’ve been waiting to play all four quarters all year, and this is the first game that I really feel we did. I don’t like taking my foot off the gas pedal, and that showed today, too. We played quick. I thought we did a good job of managing the game and really dictating the terms to them.”

Despite Arceri winning the opening faceoff of the second stanza, Kellerman still stopped a diving attempt by Desimone in the crease, and Ward Melville senior attack Chris Grillo faked out Smithtown East junior goalkeeper Thomas Harkin and dumped the ball in up top for a 4-3 edge. Kellerman followed with another stop, one of his 14 saves on the day, to keep his team on top.

The Bulls and Patriots traded scores, but Ward Melville senior midfielder Connor Grippe and junior midfielder Dominic Pryor added two goals in the final two minutes to put the Patriots up 7-4 heading into the halftime break.

“We lost to them in the counties last year, so obviously it’s a significant win for us,” Pryor said. “We moved the ball really well and we were very patient. Our defense stood strong with the amount of times they threw the ball in the crease.”

Ward Melville maintained an 11-9 advantage at the end of the third, but Smithtown East wasn’t going to go down that easily.

Latini opened the final quarter with a quick goal less than a minute in, and although Ward Melville countered, junior midfielder Connor Rowan added his second tally of the afternoon to keep it a one-goal game.

Smithtown's Luke Eschbach dives for the ball to beat out Ward Melville players. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Smithtown’s Luke Eschbach dives for the ball to beat out Ward Melville players. Photo by Desirée Keegan

The Bulls gained more time of possession as the game continued, but over the next seven minutes neither team could find the back of the net, as the goalkeepers battled and batted the ball away.

“We won most faceoffs, but couldn’t really take away they’re strong hands on defense, and couldn’t convert on offense,” Desimone said.

Harkin made a save for Smithtown off of Pryor’s initial attempt, but freshman attack Dylan Pallonetti grabbed the rebound in mid air and stuffed it past the keeper for the 13-11 lead. Although the Bulls found themselves down two goals again with minutes remaining, Desimone came through again for his team with another goal off a feed from Latini. Arceri won the final faceoff, but a turnover in the final seconds sealed the Bulls’ fate. The Patriots raced across the field, dropping their sticks and stripping themselves of their gear, and leapt into a pile of victory, smiling from ear to ear.

“We knew that they were going to score goals,” Kellerman said. “We had a feeling it was going to be high scoring, but we scored one more at the end and that’s all that matters. At the faceoff ‘X’ we did a great job neutralizing Gerard Arceri. We weren’t going to win them all, we knew that, but I was confident.”

Ward Melville hosted Riverhead on Wednesday, but results were not available by press time.

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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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Workin’ at the car wash

On April 8 at 8:57 p.m., police arrested a 32-year-old homeless man for petit larceny after he took cash from a car wash business on Route 347 in Port Jefferson Station.

Bagged it

A 19-year-old man from Lake Grove was arrested for unlawful possession of marijuana. According to police, on April 7 the man was parked in a church parking lot near Pond Path in Setauket. Officers discovered the man, who was in the passenger seat of the car, had a bag of marijuana in the car. Police didn’t know why officers first approached the man but said he was arrested at 8:25 p.m.

Robber on the run

Police arrested a 37-year-old for third-degree burglary on April 8, after the Centereach man stole an iPod, cash and a sweater from a store on Market Street. Police said officers already had a warrant for his arrest after he violated his parole. They arrested him at the scene, at 4:40 p.m.

Going to the dogs

Between 12:30 a.m. and 7 a.m. on April 4, someone damaged two tires on a 2008 BMW. The car was parked near a residence on Dogwood Drive in Stony Brook.

Sneaky

On April 4, a woman from Lake Ronkonkoma stole two pairs of sneakers, two iPhone cables, a power pack and phone accessories from the Walmart in Centereach. Police said the 40-year-old fled the scene in a Hyundai, and witnesses saw the car and gave officials the license plate number. Officers stopped the woman along Middle Country Road in Selden and arrested her for petit larceny at 3:47 p.m.

Impaired driver

A 47-year-old man from Mount Sinai was arrested on April 6 for driving while ability impaired with a child in the car after he hit a telephone pole along North Country Road in Stony Brook. Police discovered the man was intoxicated while driving with his 8-year-old child, and arrested him at the scene at 7:42 p.m.

Lock it out

Police said that on April 4 around 10 a.m. someone tried to break down a door to a residence and damaged the lock. The incident happened on Parkside Avenue in Miller Place.

Smoke break fix

On April 6 around 4:15 a.m., someone broke the glass door of the Rite Aid on Nesconset Highway in Mount Sinai. The person stole assorted cigarettes and fled.

Gone with the goods

Between April 5 at 9 a.m. and April 8 at 5 p.m., someone stole jewelry, a laptop and prescription medication from a residence on Crossover Road in Centereach.

On April 4 at 8:45 a.m., someone stole an iPhone from an unlocked 2006 Hyundai Odyssey that was parked at a gas station pump when the victim went to pay for gas. The incident happened near Middle Country Road in Selden.

What a steal — almost

Police said someone stole three iPad cases while shopping on April 10 in the Walmart on Nesconset Highway in Setauket-East Setauket. When a security guard approached the individual, the suspect dropped the items and fled the store.

Pickup the pieces

Between April 7 at 7:30 p.m. and April 8 at 7 a.m., someone shattered the rear passenger side window of a 2004 Ford pickup truck. The incident happened near the Frank Carasiti Elementary School in Rocky Point.

Merchandise missing

A 47-year-old woman from Lake Ronkonkoma was arrested at about 5 p.m. on April 9 for stealing assorted merchandise from Kohl’s in Lake Ronkonkoma, police said. She was charged with petit larceny.

Sky-high at Upsky

Police said a 28-year-old man and a 31-year-old man, both from Queens, had marijuana on them while sitting in a 2012 Chevrolet in the parking lot at Upsky Long Island Hotel in Hauppauge on April 9. They were arrested and each charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Drugs & Buster’s

On April 9 at about 8:30 p.m. in the parking lot of Dave & Buster’s in Islandia, a 31-year-old man from West Islip, in the driver’s seat of a 2013 Chevrolet, possessed marijuana, police said. He was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Coke in a Caddy

On April 8, police said a 51-year-old man from Middle Island was seated in a 2004 Cadillac at the Gulf gas station on the North Service Road in Islandia and in possession of cocaine. He was arrested just after 6 p.m. and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Driver snaked by police

Near the intersection of Serpentine Lane and South Bedford Avenue in Islandia on April 8 at about 8 p.m., police said a 30-year-old man from Islandia was driving a 2012 Chevrolet without a license. He was arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

Clothing stolen

On March 11 at about 5 p.m., a 43-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man, both from Riverhead, stole about 65 items of clothing from Khol’s in Lake Ronkonkoma, police said. They were arrested in Smithtown on April 8 and both charged with fourth-degree grand larceny.

Beauty kit bandit busted

Police said a 46-year-old woman from Kings Park stole a Clinique beauty kit from T.J. Maxx in Islandia at about 1:30 p.m. on April 7. She was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Craigslist bait and switch

On March 25, an unknown person accepted payment for an excavator on Craigslist but never delivered it, police said. Money was transferred from the buyer’s T.D. Bank account in Lake Grove to the seller’s account, but the item was never sent, according to police.

Insufficient funds

On Jan. 25 at about 9 a.m., an unknown person used someone else’s bank account number to withdraw money from T.D. Bank on Arlington Avenue in Saint James, police said.

Robin Hood for pets

A 29-year-old man from Brentwood stole pet medication from Walmart in Commack at about 7 p.m. on April 8, police said. He was issued a field appearance ticket.

Kohl’s, but no cigar

At Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack at about 7 p.m. on April 8, a 31-year-old woman from Central Islip stole clothing and jewelry, according to police. She was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Smoke up

On April 8 at about 10 p.m., a 30-year-old man from Smithtown stole a pack of cigarettes from Walgreens on West Main Street in Smithtown, police said. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Abandoned Home Depot Road

Police said a 19-year-old woman from Huntington Station was trespassing in an abandoned house on Depot Road in Huntington Station at about 3 p.m. on April 10 and had marijuana in her possession. She was arrested and charged with second-degree criminal trespassing, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Wrench wielder wrangled

On April 10 at a home in Huntington Station, a 57-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested for pointing a wrench and waving it at another man he was arguing with, police said. He was arrested and charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon with intent to use it and second-degree menacing with a weapon.

Five-finger discount filet

Police said a 33-year-old man from Huntington Station took multiple steaks and other assorted meats from Stop & Shop on Wall Street in Huntington at about 5:30 p.m. on April 8 and attempted to leave without paying. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

I miter saw that

A 23-year-old man from Huntington Station stole a Dewalt miter saw from Home Depot on New York Avenue in Huntington on April 9, police said, along with a Home Depot charge card number belonging to someone. He was arrested and charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and petit larceny.

Mini bike — major crime

On April 8 at a home on Old Country Road in Huntington Station, police said they discovered a 19-year-old man from Huntington Station in possession of a 2005 Kawasaki motorbike and a mini motorbike, which had previously been reported stolen. He was arrested and charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Busted at Bloomingdale’s

At Bloomingdale’s on Route 110 in Huntington Station at about 4:30 p.m. on April 8, a 30-year-old woman from Huntington Station stole handbags and cell phone cases, police said. She was arrested and charged with third-degree grand larceny.

Rite Aid sells cologne?

A 58-year-old man from Huntington stole Dolce & Gabbana cologne from Rite Aid on West Main Street at about 7 p.m. on April 9, police said. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Tried to steal some zzz’s

Police said a 28-year-old man from Port Washington stole bed sheets from Macy’s Backstage on Walt Whitman Road in Melville on March 31 at about 7 p.m. On April 9 he was arrested in Huntington and charged with petit larceny.

Drugs on Starlit

At the corner of Norwood Road and Starlit Drive in Northport on April 9, a 21-year-old woman from Northport had Xanax pills without a prescription, police said. She was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Missing drugs

An unknown person stole drugs and other items from a home on Carrol Place in Greenlawn at about 1:30 p.m. on April 9, police said.

Knife pulled on walk home

A man from Huntington Station was walking home from a store on Depot Road at about 9 p.m. on April 9 when two men asked to borrow his cell phone, police said, and then after the phone was used, one of the two suspects pulled out a knife. The victim grabbed the knife and suffered a cut on his hand that required stitches at Huntington Hospital. Police said no arrests have been made yet.

That’s a lot of change

The glass window to the garage door at Laurel Service Center auto repair shop in East Northport was broken at about 5:30 p.m. on April 7 according to police. An unknown person stole about $50 in change and a machine valued at about $1,500.

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