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Head of the Harbor voters re-elect village incumbents

by Phil Corso - March 16, 2016

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head-harbor-board-2016w — Members of the current village board of trustees in Head of the Harbor. Photo from the village

The incumbents came up big in Tuesday’s election in the Village of Head of the Harbor.

With Mayor Douglas Dahlgard and trustees Judith Ogden and Gordon Van Vechten approaching the end of their current terms in April, residents voted to keep them on their side in Tuesday’s village vote.

Dahlgard received 187 to beat out 128 votes for challenger John Lendino of the Watchdog Party, who works as deputy commissioner in the village’s highway department.

Incumbent trustees Ogden and Van Vechten received 196 and 211 votes, respectively, beating out trustees candidate John DePasquale of St. James, who received 147 votes.

Four other Head of the Harbor residents received one or more votes as write-in candidates, including Dina Vivan with four votes, Carmela Lazio with two votes, Theresa O’Brien with one vote and John Kelly with one vote.

‘First Date’ takes lighthearted look at romance

by TBR Staff - March 15, 2016

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First-Date-1w — From left, Charles Jacker, Samantha Carroll, TracyLynn Conner, Michael Newman, James D. Schultz, Lauren Gobes and Jeremy Hudson star in ‘First Date’ at the SCPA. Photo by Jordan Hue

By Rita J. Egan

Skip the night of drinks with friends. The musical “First Date,” now playing at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, will provide more laughs than all of your besties’ dating stories combined.

This contemporary romantic comedy, written by Austin Winsberg with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to today’s dating game. With a huge dose of humor, “First Date” deals with a number of issues that arise in dating — from what to talk about during your first encounter to should you Google your date before meeting to who pays the check at the end of the night. And, while the musical is chock full of amusing moments, it also subtlety touches on the deeper issue of people building walls around their hearts.

Directed by Jordan Hue, “First Date,” through witty dialogue and song, tells the story of serial dater Casey and blind date newbie Aaron meeting for drinks at a New York City restaurant. A helpful waiter, as well as restaurant patrons who double as people in their lives, surround the twosome. During the 90-minute play, the lead characters experience an array of emotions from nervousness and cynicism to attraction and hope.

TracyLynn Conner as Casey perfectly embodies the energy of today’s sophisticated single female. She is strong, edgy and sexy as well as guarded and jaded from years of dating disappointments. Her sister has even called her a relationship assassin due to her experiences. However, as the date unfolds, Conner effortlessly portrays the softening of Casey who starts to realize that maybe she hasn’t always made the best decisions when it comes to the men in her life.

TracyLynn Conner and James D. Schultz star in ‘First Date’ at the SCPA. Photo by Jordan Hue

While Conner possesses strong vocals on all her numbers, it’s during the song “Safer” where she truly shines. The actress delivers the song with such great emotion that many women will find themselves connecting with the lyrics and reaching for the tissues.

James D. Schultz as the awkward and nervous Aaron is endearing and lovable. The audience can’t help but root for him as the date progresses. He easily handles the subtle transformation his character experiences as Casey helps him say goodbye to his hope of ever reuniting with his ex-fiancée. During the number “In Love with You,” Schultz gets to show off his singing abilities. What seems at first to be a touching ballad transforms into an edgy upbeat song where the actor really gets to let loose to the delight of the audience.

Michael Newman as the waiter serves up plenty of laughs throughout the musical, and with his song and dance number, “I’d Order Love,” he lightens up the mood after the emotionally charged “Safer” as well as lights up the stage with his charm.

Rounding out the cast are Charles Jacker, Samantha Carroll, Jeremy Hudson and Lauren Gobes who all alternate between restaurant patrons and people in Casey’s and Aaron’s lives, with whom the couple at times has imaginary conversations.

Jacker is hilarious as Casey’s best friend Reggie who keeps calling her to provide her a way out of the date. During the number “Bailout Song,” as well as its reprises, Jacker delivers comedic lines that had everyone in the audience hysterically laughing.

Hudson, as Aaron’s friend Gabe, receives a great deal of laughs, too. As Aaron imagines how his buddy would advise him, Hudson convincingly plays a typical young man giving his friend bad advice all for the sake of getting a one-night stand.

Carroll, who plays Casey’s sister Lauren, is believable as the average suburban wife and mother when Casey pictures what her sibling would say at various moments during the date. However, it’s while playing Aaron’s mother (as he remembers a letter she left him) that Carroll takes center stage as the audience hears her strong soprano during a touching duet with Schultz, “The Things I Never Said.”

Lauren Gobes delivers the emasculating and moody character of Aaron’s ex-fiancée Allison perfectly. During Aaron’s imaginary conversations with her and the number “Allison’s Theme #1,” the actress easily conveys the essence of this woman and why her ex is the way he is when it comes to females.

Another standout number featuring the whole ensemble is “The Girl for You” as Aaron imagines the reaction of his deceased grandmother, played by Carroll, to the fact that Casey isn’t Jewish. Just when the audience thinks the number can’t get any funnier, Jacker, as Aaron’s imaginary future and confused son, joined by Hudson, breaks into a well-delivered rap number.

Hue has skillfully directed cast members who handle multiple roles seamlessly and deliver comedic lines effortlessly. Whether in a relationship or currently single, theatergoers will leave “First Date” feeling a bit more optimistic about their dating life and maybe even able to laugh about their own romantic failures. Before buying tickets though, parents should be aware that the musical includes adult language, so secure a babysitter for the kids and enjoy a grown-up night out of the house.

The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 East Main Street, Smithtown, will present “First Date” through March 26. Tickets are $35 each. For more information, call 631-724-3700 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

Head of the Harbor holds village elections Tuesday

by Phil Corso - March 11, 2016

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Three members of the Village of Head of the Harbor’s elected office will see their terms end in April, but residents will have the chance to re-elect them or say goodbye in a village-wide election scheduled for Tuesday, March 15.

The Head of the Harbor general election will take place from noon to 9 p.m. inside Village Hall, located at 500 North Country Road in St. James.

The vote will determine the fate of Village Party incumbents, Mayor Douglas Dahlgard and trustees Judith Ogden and Gordon Van Vechten, who are being challenged by Watchdog Party mayoral candidate John Lendino, who now serves as deputy commissioner to the village highway department, and board of trustees candidate John DePasquale of St. James.

Smithtown athletic director proposes cross-country split

by Alex Petroski - March 10, 2016

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Tullo_Petroski_030816w — Smithtown cross-country runner Matthew Tullo addresses the Board of Education with members of the team and community standing in solidarity. Photo by Alex Petroski

The Smithtown boys and girls cross-country team is facing the possibility of a split, following the release of Athletic Director Patrick Smith’s budget for 2016-17 which includes a recommendation to separate the one unified team to create individual high school East and West teams. Cross-country is one of four sports in the district that includes athletes from both East and West on one unified team. An online petition to keep the team together had more than 1,100 signatures at the time of this publication.

In a phone interview Wednesday, Smith said that Section XI, Suffolk County’s sports-governing body, encourages the district to split any combined teams within districts with multiple high schools that are not under budgetary, facility or participation constraints. Smith said that none of those factors are a problem for Smithtown cross-country at this time. He recommended splitting the teams as a means to create more opportunities for student athletes. Section XI recommends splitting teams when possible, though Smith said it is not a mandate.

“It’s based on the philosophy of the district,” Smith said. “We wanted to provide more opportunities for kids.”

Smith said allowing more athletes the chance to be starters and share in the spotlight if the teams were separated would only increase the community- and family-feel that the athletes have said they fear losing. Smith also said thinking behind the change was to provide chances for more athletes to earn interest, and ultimately scholarships, from colleges.

Members of the team and parents have attended the last two school board meetings, on Feb. 23 and Tuesday, to voice their opinions about the potential split. About 40 members of the team and the community stood in solidarity with the athletes who spoke during the public commentary period of the meeting Tuesday.

“We, as athletes, find this decision to be devastating to our sport,” sophomore runner Matthew Tullo said on Feb. 23. “Our sport has a sense of community we have created by being unified by the Smithtown team.”

Tullo addressed the board again Tuesday night.

“We just want to know why this is happening,” Tullo said. “We don’t understand it. We’re a family. We act as one. We’re closest as friends can be, and to split this up, it’s nonsense. We all, standing here, showing our support, it should be moving.”

Junior cross-country runner Samantha Catalano expressed a similar sentiment on Tuesday, suggesting that East and West are rivals in most sports. Cross-country, gymnastics, swimming and bowling are the only high school sports that have one team for the two high schools.

“The team is a family, yet it is also an identifying aspect of our community, and keeping it combined simply makes sense,” Catalano said.

The district’s Assistant Superintendent for Personnel, Karen Ricigliano, and Smith said the director plans to address the athlete’s concerns publicly at a board work session on Tuesday, March 15. The decision to split or keep the team unified will ultimately be decided by a school board vote.

Police blotter: Suffolk County incidents and arrests through March 6

by TBR Staff - March 10, 2016

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Drug bust

At about 4 p.m. on March. 4, in a parking lot outside of Upsky Long Island Hotel in Hauppauge, two 25-year-old men and a 20-year-old man, all from Lindenhurst, as well as a 26-year-old woman from Greenlawn, all seated in a 2005 Ford, were arrested for having heroin in the car, police said. They were charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. At the same time and place, a 26-year-old man from Patchogue and a 23-year-old woman from Rocky Point, seated in a 2012 Honda, were arrested for having heroin in their car, according to police. They were also charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. A 28-year-old woman in a 2015 Chrysler was also arrested at the same time and place. She was charged with fourth-degree criminal facilitation for enabling another person to sell narcotics.

No license, no drive

A 30-year-old man from Holbrook was arrested on March 4 after he was pulled over for driving a 2009 Hyundai on Motor Parkway in Central Islip with a dark cover over the car’s front license plate just before 2 a.m., police said. He was charged with third-degree unlicensed operation of a vehicle when it was determined he was driving without a license.

Parking lot party

On March 4, a 55-year-old man and a 67-year-old woman from Ronkonkoma were arrested while seated in a 2009 Lincoln outside of Kohl’s in Lake Ronkonkoma. Police said there was crack cocaine in plain sight in the car, and pills found on the man, which he did not have a prescription for. The man was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and the woman was charged with one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

You can run, but you can’t hide

At about 10:20 p.m. on March 4, a 21-year-old man from St. James, a 19-year-old man from Brentwood and a 19-year-old man from Nissequogue were approached by Smithtown Park Rangers while parked in a 2011 Nissan Maxima at Short Beach Town Park in Nissequogue. As the Rangers got closer to the vehicle, the driver took off and eventually crashed into a utility pole and flipped the car into the woods on Short Beach Road, police said. The driver and front seat passenger were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital by St. James ambulances and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The rear seat passenger was transported via Nissequogue ambulance to the same hospital but was listed in critical condition. The driver was charged with first-degree driving while under the influence of drugs and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Headlight out, handcuffs on

On Nesconset Highway in Smithtown, at about midnight on March 3, a 24-year-old man from Medford was pulled over by police for driving a 1999 Honda with one headlight out, police said. He was later found to be driving without a license. He was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Lucky to be alive

A 35-year-old man from Dix Hills crashed a 2012 Acura at about 11 p.m. on March 3 while driving on Johnson Avenue in Ronkonkoma, police said. He was charged with driving while intoxicated with a previous conviction in the last 10 years.

Bug bombed

At about 1 a.m. on March 2, an 80-year-old man from Islip was arrested for throwing three 32-ounce cans of indoor fogger, used to kill insects, through a window of a home on Grand Boulevard in Islip, police said. He was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief with the intent to damage property.

Careful who you steal from

At LA Fitness on Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge, an unknown person stole money and credit cards from a 2014 Jeep parked there on March 5, just after noon, police said.

Put a ring on it

Police arrested a 29-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station for grand larceny, for allegedly stealing an engagement ring from a residence and pawning it on Feb. 22. Police arrested him on March 2 on Route 25A in Port Jefferson.

Axe to grind

On March 3, a homeless man allegedly held a metal axe over his head as he advanced toward another man near a home on Old Post Road in Mount Sinai. Police arrested him for menacing at the scene.

ShopWrong

Police arrested a Hampton Bays resident on March 6 around 10:16 p.m. for petit larceny, after the 36-year-old woman allegedly took assorted groceries without paying from ShopRite at College Plaza in Selden. Police arrested her at the scene.

Bracelet blunder

A 18-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station was arrested for criminal possession of stolen property, after police said the man stole a 14-karat gold bracelet from All Island Jewelry & Loan on Middle Country Road in Centereach on Feb. 29 at 11:15 a.m.

Swiper, no swiping!

A Port Jefferson Station resident was arrested on Feb. 29 for driving while ability impaired. Police said the man was driving a 2000 Toyota Camry when he sideswiped a parked car on Joline Road.

Caught off-guardrail

On March 5, a Stony Brook resident was driving a 2000 Toyota Camry on Route 25A in Setauket when she crashed her car. According to police, the 28-year-old woman struck a guardrail before hitting several trees along the road. Police arrested the woman for driving while ability impaired at the scene, around 2:08 a.m.

People, stop driving impaired!

Police charged a 45-year-old man with driving while ability impaired on March 4. The Lake Grove resident was driving a 2008 Jeep when an officer allegedly saw him speeding on Route 25A. Police pulled over the man on the corner of Route 25A and Hawkins Road in Stony Brook and arrested him at the scene.

Planted into jail cell

A 31-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station was arrested on March 2 after allegedly loitering on Garden Road in Rocky Point. According to police, authorities discovered he was in possession of cocaine and arrested him at the scene for loitering and unlawful use of controlled substances.

Breakfast of champions

On the morning of March 2, police charged a 36-year-old man from Rocky Point with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance. The man was driving a black Toyota Camry on Route 25A in Port Jefferson Station when an officer pulled him over. Police allegedly discovered the man to be in possession of heroin and prescription medication, as well as hypodermic needles.

Emancipating cash

On March 3 around 8 p.m., someone broke the rear window of a residence on Lincoln Avenue in Port Jefferson Station and stole cash from inside.

No photos, please

Police said a man took photos of a female couple on March 4 at Grumpy Jack’s Sports Bar & Grill on Oakland Avenue in Port Jefferson. When the man refused to delete the photos, one of the women hit him in the head with a bottle. The couple fled and the man refused medical attention.

Crazy thief

Between March 3 and 4, according to police, someone pried open the rear door of the Crazy Beans coffee establishment on Route 25A in Miller Place and stole a safe containing money.

Stop that shopping

Police said a woman left her purse in a shopping cart after shopping at Stop & Shop on Pond Path in South Setauket on March 6 and drove off. The purse was stolen before she returned to the store. Police said several credit cards were used.

Rather safe than sorry

Between Feb. 29 and March 4, someone broke into a residence on Magnolia Drive in Selden and stole money from an unlocked safe.

A little housekeeping

Around 1:45 p.m. on March 6, someone stole two blenders and a vacuum from Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket.

Thief is on fire

Police said sometime between March 1 and March 2, someone stole a Kindle Fire and coins from a car parked on Strathmore Gate Drive in Stony Brook.

Sound Beach slasher

Someone slashed the tires of a 2014 Hyundai Elantra that was parked outside a residence on Blue Point Road in Sound Beach on the night of March 2.

I will avenge you!

Around 11 p.m. on March 2, an unknown person damaged the rear window of a 2008 Dodge Avenger parked near Route 25A in Rocky Point.

Suffolk legislator suggests plastic bag ban

by Victoria Espinoza - March 10, 2016

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Plastic-bagw — One Suffolk County legislator wants to see an end to single-use plastic bags. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

One North Shore legislator is looking to make plastic bags a thing of the past.

Suffolk County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport) introduced a bill at the Legislature’s general meeting on March 3 that would ban single-use plastic bags throughout Suffolk. The lawmaker said the idea has already received support from community members, business owners and environmental groups.

“It is something that has been on my radar since I first took office,” Spencer said in a phone interview. “I’ve heard the frustration about how they end up as unsightly litter on our roadways and in our waterways after being used for all of 12 minutes.”

Spencer said that retailers spend $4 billion each year to give plastic bags to consumers — a cost passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. New York City alone spends $10 million disposing of plastic bags annually, he said.

After about 12 minutes of usage, Spencer said, a plastic bag could easily become pollution that litters parks and blocks storm water drains or can pose a serious threat to wildlife.

Spencer there is more plastic than plankton in our ocean.

“Fish eat plastic bags, which cause them to choke,” Spencer said. “An animal could die from that, and the plastic bag will still remain intact, going on to kill another animal. This is killing our planet.”

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, echoed the sentiment.

“Plastic bags pollute our beaches, bays, roadways, parks and neighborhoods,” Esposito said. “They kill thousands of marine mammals and shore birds every year. Last year, volunteers removed 10,500 plastic bags from the South Shore Estuary. The answer to this ubiquitous pollution plague is simple — ban the bag.”

The CCE conducted a survey of more than 650 Suffolk County residents, and 80 percent supported either a ban or fee of plastic bags.

“The time has come to simply ban them and practice BYOB – Bring Your Own Bag,” Esposito said.

Business owners have also lent their support. Charles Reichert, owner of five IGA grocery stores, including locations in Fort Salonga and East Northport, said he believes all of New York should abide by this bill.

“It’s inevitable, so let’s have a countywide bill,” he said in a statement. “Honestly, I think it should go statewide as opposed to having these different laws, but I’d be happy with a countywide bill.”

For grocery store shoppers who fear they will now have to buy reusable bags, Spencer said fear not. He and several other organizations said they planned to give away many free reusable bags if this bill takes off.

“Plastic bags just came on the scene in the last 30 years,” Spencer said. “We got along fine without them. This is good stewardship of the planet.”

A public hearing for this bill is scheduled for March 22. If adopted, there will be a 12-month period before implementation of the law, and within those 12 months, Spencer said he would propose a companion bill to provide a comprehensive education and awareness campaign to assist the public and retailers with the shift.

“We want to ensure customers and retailers will have a successful transition and are fully aware of the alternatives,” he said. “The campaign will also highlight the pivotal role the public will play in reversing the detrimental effects these plastic bags have had on our planet in such a brief period of time.”

St. Baldrick’s has Commack abuzz for childhood cancer research

by Alex Petroski - March 8, 2016

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Commack School District teachers, administrators, students and community members gathered at the high school on Friday to shave their heads in the name of childhood cancer research.

About 175 people “braved the shave” to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. This is the seventh year that the district has hosted the event, which is organized by Commack High School teachers Lee Tunick and Bill Scaduto. Tunick said that the district eclipsed $500,000 raised since they began the annual event seven years ago, with more than $66,000 and counting coming in 2016. More than 700 people have had their heads shaved at Commack since they began.

“The community feel is terrific,” Tunick said. “The community just gets behind this like you wouldn’t believe.”

Huntington Town Councilwoman Tracey Edwards (D) was in attendance to take part in the festivities as well.

“In comparison to what children are going through with cancer, it’s nothing,” Edwards said about the bravery required to have her head shaved in front of a gymnasium full of people. “It’s breathtaking. It’s easy to write a check. We do that all the time. Not enough people do that probably, but when you’re doing something like this, you’re going for it. You believe in it. You’re passionate about it,” she added.

Commack High School senior Chris Walsh had his head shaved in St. Baldrick’s name for the tenth year Friday. He has personally raised over $20,000.

Scaduto came to the event with a thick mane of brown hair but left with far less.

“We have a lot of quality teachers here who really volunteer their time to make this happen,” Scaduto said. “Administration, kids, everyone gets involved and it’s just amazing.”

Sports memorabilia items were donated to be bid on by Triple Crown Sports Memorabilia in Hauppauge, as another fundraising source.

For more information about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation’s cause, or to donate, visit www.stbaldricks.org.

Second plane in two weeks crash-lands on Long Island

by Elana Glowatz - March 7, 2016

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plane-crash-hauppauge-w — A plane that crash-landed in Hauppauge was still at the scene a few days later. Photo by Greg Pereira

By Phil Corso & Elana Glowatz

For the second time in the last couple of weeks, a plane with engine problems made an emergency landing on the North Shore.

The Suffolk County Police Department said a passenger plane flying into Republic Airport in Farmingdale on Saturday afternoon experienced engine failure while flying at 2,000 feet. The pilot, who was with his daughter and returning from visiting colleges, deployed the plane’s parachute at 1,500 feet before crash-landing at an industrial park in Hauppauge.

According to police, after the plane landed just feet from a building on Marcus Boulevard, the pilot pulled his passenger out of the plane. Police said both father and daughter refused medical attention.

The crash-landing happened exactly two weeks after another in Suffolk County, which occurred when a small plane carrying four people experienced engine trouble and went down in Setauket Harbor near Poquott. That incident did not end as safely.

The Piper PA-28, which had taken off from Fitchburg, Mass., and was heading for Republic Airport in Farmingdale, went down on the night of Feb. 20. All four people exited the plane into the water, police said, but only three were rescued. Authorities are still searching for the fourth passenger, 23-year-old Queens man Gerson Salmon-Negron.

The county police said its marine bureau has been out on the water daily, weather permitting, during daylight hours in search of the man both via the surface on boats and using side scan sonar to scan the floor of the water.

At the time the plane was having engine trouble, a student pilot identified as 25-year-old Bronx resident Austricio Ramirez was flying it and turned over the controls to his instructor, 36-year-old Queens resident Nelson Gomez.

Wady Perez, a 25-year-old from Queens, was identified as the other man rescued from the water that night.

Suffolk police were receiving help from the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, the U.S. Coast Guard, local fire departments and the town harbormaster in the rescue, missing person search and investigation in that February incident.

In a report released this week, the NTSP said that aircraft reported low amounts of fuel and had been operated for about five hours since its tank was last filled. The report said the plane’s engine “sputtered” as it approached the Port Jefferson area, spurring the flight instructor to turn on the electric fuel pump and instructing his student pilot to switch the fuel selector to the plane’s left fuel tank as it flew at around 2,000 feet. The sputtering stopped, but started up again about three minutes later, the NTSB said, and then lost power.

That was when the pilot instructor took control of the plane and tried heading to the shoreline, where he believed the plane could safely land, the NTSB report said. But the pilot was unable to see the shoreline due to the darkness and could only guess where the shoreline began by the lights inside of nearby houses, the report said.

He held the plane off of the water for as long as he could before touching down and instructing everyone to grab a life vest and exit the plane, the NTSB said. Neither the student pilot nor the passengers, however, were wearing life vests when they exited the plane, the report said. Emergency personnel were on the scene within minutes and rescued three of the four men.

The airplane floated in the water for about five minutes before sinking nose-first to the bottom of the harbor, the NTSB said.

Divers with the Suffolk County Police Department plunge into Setauket Harbor after a plane crash-landed on Feb. 20. Photo from Margo Arceri

Police blotter: Suffolk County incidents and arrests, Feb. 20-28

by TBR Staff - March 3, 2016

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Hollister hoodwinked

A 34-year-old man from Brentwood was arrested at about noon on Feb. 27 at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove for stealing men’s apparel from Hollister, according to police. He was charged with petit larceny and third-degree burglary. Police said the latter charge was included because he previously signed an agreement that he would not enter the store.

Something smells fitchy

Cologne was stolen from Abercrombie & Fitch at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove on Feb. 27. Police charged a 28-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman, both from East Elmhurst, with petit larceny.

Habitually shady thief

On four separate occasions in February, a 36-year-old man from Central Islip allegedly stole sunglasses from the Macy’s at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove. He was arrested on Feb. 27, police said, and charged with four counts of fourth-degree grand larceny.

Police crack down

A 52-year-old woman from Smithtown was arrested on Feb. 27 at a home on Split Cedar Drive in Islandia because she was found to be in possession of crack cocaine, police said. She was charged with loitering while intending to use a controlled substance.

Caught crack-handed

At about 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, a 53-year-old man from Northport was arrested after it was discovered during a traffic stop on Lincoln Boulevard in Hauppauge that he had crack cocaine, according to police. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

In need of some heel-p

Police said a 35-year-old woman from Centereach was in possession of stolen shoes and a stolen purse from the DSW shoe store on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove. She was arrested on Feb. 26 and charged with petit larceny.

Driving me crazy

A 32-year-old man from Wheatley Heights was arrested at about 10 p.m. on Feb. 26 for driving with a suspended license, following a traffic stop on Motor Parkway in Brentwood, police said. He was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Pot luck

At about 10 a.m. on Feb. 25, a 44-year-old man from Lake Grove was arrested on Hawkins Avenue in Lake Grove when he was found to be in possession of marijuana, according to police. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana in a public place.

Why would you want to stay?

On Feb. 25, at the Suffolk County Traffic and Parking Violations Agency in Hauppauge, a 29-year-old man from Central Islip was arrested after he was asked to leave the office and refused, police said. He was charged with trespassing.

Getting high with gravity

A 32-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested at about 8 a.m. on Feb. 24 after police found him semi-conscious in the driver’s seat of a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee on Terry Road in Ronkonkoma with the engine running, police said. Police found prescription pills and a gravity knife inside the car. He was charged with first-degree operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon with a previous conviction.

Probation possession

During a probation search of the home of a 36-year-old man on Gardenia Drive in Commack on Feb. 27, police said they found prescription pills in a 2007 BMW. The man was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The windows on the bus go …

An unknown person broke the glass door of a bus at about 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, while it was parked at the Centereach Academic Center on Wood Road, police said.

Caddy crash

A 27-year-old man was arrested for unlicensed operation of a car on Feb. 28. According to police, the Port Jefferson Station resident was driving a 1995 Cadillac when he got into a crash on the corner of Nesconset Highway and Davis Avenue. Police arrested him at the scene.

60 percent of the time, it works every time

Police arrested a 43-year-old man from Sound Beach for driving while ability impaired on Feb. 25, after an officer pulled him over for driving a 2004 Mazda pickup without his headlights on. The incident happened at 2:35 a.m. on the corner of Route 25A and Panther Path in Miller Place.

He shall not be moved

On Feb. 21, police arrested a man from Islip for trespassing after he entered a residence on Woodland Road in Centereach and refused to leave the family’s attached garage. Police arrested the man around 9:30 p.m.

Leave a message at the beep

A Riverhead resident was arrested on Feb. 26 for petit larceny. Police said the man stole cellphones from Walmart at Centereach Mall. Police arrested him in the Burger King parking lot on Middle Country Road.

An unhappy ending

Police arrested a 50-year-old woman from Flushing for unauthorized practice of a profession and prostitution, after they say she offered a sexual act to an undercover officer in exchange for payment on Feb. 22, at The Pamper Spot on Middle Country Road in Selden. Police said the woman was also giving massages without a license.

They see me rollin’

According to police, on Feb. 22, a 22-year-old woman pulled alongside and entered an empty 2015 Dodge pickup parked in a parking lot near North Belle Mead Road in East Setauket and stole cash from the car. She was allegedly caught in the act and arrested. Police also said the woman had been driving a 2005 Hyundai Sonata without her interlock device.

Living on the Edge

Police arrested a 21-year-old woman from Bayport for driving while ability impaired in a 2007 Ford Edge, after she was heading south on Hollow Road in Stony Brook and got into a car crash. Police discovered the woman was intoxicated and arrested her at the scene, on Feb. 21 around 4:20 a.m.

Wrong kind of shrooms

A 19-year-old man from Coram was arrested for petit larceny on Feb. 20, after police said the teen stole a bag of dried mushrooms from Wild By Nature on Route 25A in East Setauket. Police arrested him at the scene.

Put it on my tab

On Feb. 20 around 4:30 a.m., police arrested a 58-year-old man from Selden for assault after he got into a verbal argument with another man at Darin’s bar on Route 25A in Miller Place. Police said the victim went to the hospital after the suspect hit him with a metal bar stool.

We build it, you knock it down

According to police, someone damaged the window of Riverhead Building Supply on Hallock Avenue in Port Jefferson Station on Feb. 27, between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. The business couldn’t tell if anything was stolen.

CVS swindler

On Feb. 22 around 5 p.m., an unidentified person stole assorted food, vitamins and cosmetics from the CVS pharmacy on Main Street in Port Jefferson.

Watch out for blue shells

Someone stole an electric go-kart on Feb. 21 from a residence on Oxhead Road in Centereach.

We are not Oak-kay

Police said someone entered a residence on Oak Place in Selden through the rear door and stole cash on Feb. 21.

Hummer bummer

Between 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Feb. 24, someone damaged the rear window of a 2006 Hummer limo. The incident happened on Jackson Avenue in Sound Beach.

He thieved me jewels

Someone entered a residence on Nautilus Road in Rocky Point and stole jewelry. According to police, the homeowner found her back door open on Feb. 25 around 1:03 p.m.

Shark attack

Police said an unidentified person gained access to the Long Island Sound Sharks football field at Shoreham on Feb. 25 and drove across the field. Police said the turf was ruined in the process.

Disaster on Depot

A 48-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested just after midnight on Feb. 28 after police said he was in possession of cocaine on Depot Road. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

If I stay or if I go

On Feb. 28, a 21-year-old woman from Huntington Station would not leave Huntington Hospital after being discharged. At 2 a.m., after being repeatedly told she needed to leave, she was arrested and charged with third-degree criminal trespassing.

Pick pocket with pills

Police said a 25-year-old woman from Huntington Station stole cash from someone’s pocket at the Dolan Family Health Center in Huntington on Feb. 28 just before 2:30 a.m. Once police arrested her, they discovered she was in possession of prescription pills without a prescription. She was charged with petit larceny and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Woke up on the wrong side of the road

On Feb. 28, a 59-year-old woman from Northport was arrested while driving a 2010 Jeep on the wrong side of the road on Asharoken Avenue at 4:17 p.m. She was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Drugs, drugs and more drugs

A 25-year-old man from Wading River was arrested on Feb. 28 after police said he was in possession of 11 hypodermic needles, Xanax, heroin and cocaine on Route 25 in Huntington at 5:35 p.m. He was charged with three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of hypodermic instruments.

In need-le of some help

Police said a 22-year-old man from Kings Park had heroin and hypodermic needles in his possession while on Larkfield Road in East Northport at 5:20 p.m. on Feb. 27. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Knuckle sandwich

A 19-year-old woman from Northport was arrested on Feb. 27 on Larkfield Road and 8th Avenue in East Northport after police said she had black plastic knuckles in her possession and heroin. She was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Making a deposit from Home Depot

Police said an unknown person stole assorted tools from Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack on Feb. 28 at 11:35 a.m.

Mamma mia

An unknown person pushed and shoved a man outside of Little Vincent’s Pizzeria on New York Avenue in Huntington on Feb. 28 and gave the victim two black eyes. The victim was treated at Huntington Hospital for minor injuries.

Everything from shoes to a boob guard

At Sears on Jericho Turnpike in Elwood, an unknown person stole jewelry, cologne, a phone charger, shoes and boob guards on Feb. 28, according to police.

Caught crack-handed

Probation possession

North Shore kids have a gift for giving back

by Victoria Espinoza - March 3, 2016

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Gifted-Hearts_02w — T.J and Bella Manfuso sit with students from their recent trip to Costa Rica. Photo from Charlotte Rhee

Two kids from Fort Salonga are focused on giving back.

The Manfuso siblings, 12-year-old T.J. and 11-year-old Isabella, are credited as the founders of Gifted Hearts, a 501(c)(3) charity that provides medical care packages and school supplies to children in need, both locally and internationally.

Their website described it as an organization founded “by kids, for kids,” and the kids have been clearly steering the ship.

T.J. and Bella invited their friends to partake in packing parties throughout the year, where all the care packages Gifted Hearts donates to needy children are gathered and assembled. T.J. said there are usually about 20 friends helping out at these parties.

Bella and T.J. Manfuso smile while wearing their Gifted Hearts shirts. Photo from Charlotte Rhee

“The packaging parties are a lot of fun,” Bella said in a phone interview. T.J. added that it was most fun to be able to have a party while also helping people.

Recently, Gifted Hearts had a packing party at Ben & Jerry’s in Huntington Village, where Suffolk County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (D-Centerport) also paid a visit.

“I was so impressed with the giving hearts, vision and organization of these young people,” Spencer said in a statement. “It’s inspiring to see them taking the lead to provide for the needs of other children throughout the world.”

Parents Charlotte Rhee and Paul Manfuso have been taking their kids on adventures with them around the world since they were about 5 years old, and they said the kids were always encouraged to learn and give back to the places they visit.

“We want our kids to see that traveling isn’t just about ourselves,” Manfuso said in a phone interview. “We want to promote giving back to where we go and making connections with the kids they see, so we don’t just drop off supplies and go.”

The family has traveled to Ecuador, Costa Rica and more, stopping at schools to meet students T.J. and Isabella’s age and hand out school and medical supplies and backpacks.

“My favorite part is to see the smiles on everyone’s faces when we deliver the packages,” Bella said.

T.J. said he loves learning new things when he travels to these places and seeing how other people live.

“I’ve found it so different; people over there are less fortunate than us, but they are very happy,” he said in a phone interview. “It’s a different way than how we live, but they’re totally happy with it.”

Suffolk County Legislator Doc Spencer smiles with members of Gifted Hearts during a packing party at Ben & Jerry’s. Photo from Elizabeth Alexander

Rhee said Gifted Hearts is also community-oriented, and the kids like to focus on helping their neighbors as much children abroad.

“There are so many needy kids in our own backyard,” Rhee said. “You don’t always need to go to other countries.”

Gifted Hearts donated winter coats, boots and Christmas gifts during the holidays this past year, which they gave to the Junior Welfare League of Huntington Inc.

Right now, the family is personally funding all the donations they give to children at home and overseas, however they said they are hoping to start organizing fundraising events in the near future.

T.J. said his future sights are also set on Bhutan, a country in South Asia. He said he and his family hope to travel there soon with supplies.

“They are really motivated and grateful for all they have,” Rhee said of her kids. “And their friends help out a great deal. They continue to help Gifted Hearts grow.”

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