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Times of Smithtown

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This map depicts the new territories for Tackan and Mount Pleasant elementary schools. The teal and lime green sections were formerly Branch Brook territory. The purple section represented Mount Pleasant territory before the changes. The orange section represented Tackan territory before the changes. The purple and teal sections will make up Mount Pleasant territory beginning in 2017-18, and the orange and lime green will become Tackan territory. Image from Smithtown administration

Branch Brook parents finally have some clarity after months of debate, anger and sadness.

Since November 2015, it has been unclear where Smithtown school district residents who send their kids to Branch Brook Elementary School, one of the district’s eight currently open elementary schools, will be sending their kids when Branch Brook closes ahead of the 2017-18 school year. At a board of education meeting Tuesday, Superintendent James Grossane announced which of his five proposed plans and one parent-proposed sixth option he would be selecting, which he was charged with doing by the board after they voted to close Branch Brook in February.

Grossane chose Option 4, which has been amended since the options were introduced about eight months ago, but includes most of the main points. Fifty-nine percent of current Branch Brook families will be attending Mount Pleasant Elementary in the fall of 2017, while the remaining 41 percent will move to Tackan Elementary School, according to Grossane.

Branch Brook territory is currently bordered to the east by Southern Boulevard, which meets the southern border at Townline Road. The northeastern corner of Branch Brook territory is the corner of Smithtown Bypass and Southern Boulevard. A few neighborhoods north of Smithtown Bypass and east of Terry Road are currently Branch Brook. The western border includes a large chunk of Smithtown Bypass, then splits and heads directly south to meet Townline Road near Helen Avenue.

The new district lines will use Terry Road, which becomes Smithtown Boulevard south of Smithtown Bypass, as a dividing line. Homes east of Terry Road that were Branch Brook territory will now be Tackan, while the west side of Terry Road will be Mount Pleasant, with some exceptions.

Grossane left the door open to the possibility of keeping students who would have been fifth-graders in Branch Brook in 2017-18 together, sending them all to Tackan for that year, though he said that is not ideal.

“There’s going to be quite a few students from Branch Brook in either building in each classroom, so no one will be alone,” Grossane said, which should somewhat ease a concern parents of Branch Brook students raised throughout the process, that changing schools could be traumatic and difficult for young kids.

The redrawing of lines will also alter the feeder system to the district’s two high schools, though Grossane said he will give families the option of keeping their younger children on track to attend one of the two high schools if the family already has older kids at one, to avoid having a family with kids in different high schools.

Grossane said both Tackan and Mount Pleasant will be operating at about 93 percent of their capacity during 2017-18, but the class sizes for both schools should remain below the district’s preferred average size of 28 students.

At least one Mount Pleasant parent and PTA member was glad to hear students in no school other than Branch Brook would be displaced as a result of the closure and subsequent redrawing of district lines.

“Thank you very much Dr. Grossane for not removing any Mount Pleasant students who are currently enrolled, and I want to say welcome to the Branch Brook family,” Deb Phillips said during the meeting Tuesday. “You are going to love Mount Pleasant. … There’s so many great things, and we welcome you with open arms.”

A transitional committee will begin meeting in the coming weeks and months to handle the mechanics of the changes. The committee will include administrators and principals from all three applicable elementary schools.

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Lights Out

A 37-year-old man from St. James intentionally damaged a metal and glass wall-mounted light fixture at the Arden Bar on Main Street in Port Jefferson at about 3 p.m. on June 18, according to police. He was arrested and charged with criminal mischief.

Three drugs, two guys

On Main Street in Port Jefferson near Linden Place, at about 2 p.m. on June 17, a 25-year-old man from Rocky Point and a 35-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station possessed more than one-eighth of an ounce of heroin and more than eight ounces of marijuana and cocaine, police said. They were arrested and each charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a narcotic for the heroin and cocaine and third-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Wild ride

At about 9:30 p.m. on June 18, a 31-year-old man from Punta Gorda, Florida, driving a 1994 Chevrolet on Tyler Avenue in Miller Place failed to stay on the road and swerved onto the lawn of a home, according to police. Police discovered he was intoxicated. While being arrested police said he spit at an officer. He was transported to John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson. He was charged with criminal mischief for reckless property damage, driving while intoxicated and harassment for spitting at the officer.

Bad checks

A 38-year-old man from Rocky Point deposited checks made payable to himself on four occasions in January and February at Suffolk Federal Credit Union in Miller Place despite knowing the checks were from an account containing insufficient funds, police said. He was arrested at 7-Eleven on North Country Road in Rocky Point on June 17 and charged with four counts of petit larceny.

On his own street

On North Coleman Road in Selden on June 17 at about noon, a 41-year-old driver from East Patchogue hit a pedestrian and left the scene without reporting the incident, according to police. He was arrested at a home on North Coleman Road and charged with first-degree leaving the scene. The pedestrian suffered minor injuries, police said.

Heroin seized

On June 18, a 28-year-old woman from Selden possessed multiple glassine envelopes containing heroin and prescription medications on Middle Country Road in Selden, according to police. She was arrested and charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Unlicensed hit-and-run

A 43-year-old woman from Port Jefferson Station was driving a 2005 Ford on Terryville Road near Route 347 at about 4:30 p.m. on June 14 when she collided with a 2014 Hyundai, police said. She left the scene without exchanging information. She was later arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, when police discovered her license had been suspended previously, and leaving the scene of an incident with property damage.

Do it yourself

At The Home Depot on Middle Country Road in Selden on June 15 at about 6:30 a.m., a 54-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station stole various hardware items, police said. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Motorbike mischief

On June 15 at about 2:30 a.m., a 37-year-old man from Selden driving a 2004 Buell motorbike on Route 112, near Walker Avenue in Medford, crashed, police said. Police discovered he was driving with a suspended license. He was arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Two hits in one day

On June 19, a 25-year-old man from Mildford was arrested after police said he hit a 2005 Nissan while driving a 2011 Nissan south on Route 231 in Dix Hills and then fled the scene. Later that day, police said he also hit a 2015 Honda while driving on  Route 231, and fled the scene a second time. He was charged with two counts of operating a motor vehicle and leaving the scene with property damage.

Shady crime

A 40-year-old woman from Springfield Gardens was arrested on June 18 after police said she took four pairs of Versace sunglasses from Macy’s Backstage on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington. She was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny valuing more than $1,000 in property.

Shoplifting spree

Police said a 25-year-old man from Commack exchanged a pair of boots he had stolen from Bobs’ Stores Footwear & Apparel on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington for a gift card on June 18. He then stole a Fitbit watch and removed nine rings from a locked display case at Macy’s on Walt Whitman Road. After he was arrested police said they also found heroin in his possession. He was charged with two counts of petit larceny and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Trying to escape in an Escape

A 34-year-old man from Kings Park was arrested on June 18 after police said he was driving a Ford Escape on Pulaski Road and Maple Lane in Huntington with a suspended license. He was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operations of a motor vehicle.

Curses

On June 18 a 37-year-old man from Huntington was arrested after police said he yelled and cursed at a manager of Meehan’s of Huntington on New York Avenue outside of the restaurant. He was charged with disorderly conduct with obscene language and gestures.

He would’ve sold a lot of drugs

On June 17, a 31-year-old from Huntington was arrested on Park Avenue in Huntington after police said he had marijuana, cocaine, packaging materials, scales and MDMA in his possession. He was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of narcotics, second-degree criminal possession of marijuana and two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession with intent to sell.

Spring in his step

A 37-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on June 17 after police said he took a GPS, a GPS power cord and eye glasses from inside a 2011 Hyundai parked on Spring Road. He was charged with petit larceny.

In need(le) of some help

Police said a 32-year-old from North Massapequa was arrested on June 15 after he was found in possession of a hypodermic needle while on Hauppauge Road in Huntington. He was charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument.

You gotta pay for that stuff

Police said two unknown people filled a shopping cart full of merchandise in Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on June 17, and then left the store with it — without paying.

Life’s a beach

Police said an unknown group of people harassed a driver of a 204 Chevrolet on June 19, by yelling and chasing him out of Sunken Meadow State Park in Huntington and then throwing various items at his truck, damaging it.

Thief conducts a search

On June 19, police said an unknown person took various clothing items and a breast pump from Target on Crooked Hill Road in Commack and hid it in a plastic bag under the shopping cart, leaving without paying for it.

Lexus looted

Someone stole a wallet containing credit cards from a 2001 Lexus parked outside of a home on Richard Road in Selden at about 12:30 a.m. on June 19, according to police.

Breaking glass in broad daylight

The rear passenger window of a 2013 Ford was shattered while parked near a home on Dare Road in Selden on June 18 just before noon, police said.

Withdrawal wizard

Someone used the personal information of a Stony Brook resident to withdraw money from a Teachers Federal Credit Union bank account at about noon on June 15, according to police.

Jewel thief

Jewelry was stolen from a home on Dyke Road in Setauket at about 9 a.m. on June 16, police said.

Things heated up at Fire and Ice

A 32-year-old man from Bay Shore was arrested on June 18 after police said he punched someone in the parking lot of Fire and Ice Hookah Lounge on West Main Street in Smithtown and had marijuana on him. He was charged with second-degree harassment with physical contact and unlawful possession of marijuana.

A 26-year-old man from Amityville was also arrested at Fire and Ice Hookah Lounge that night, after police said he yelled and hit a victim and then stole their iPhone. He was charged with second-degree harassment with physical contact and petit larceny.

Caught trying to catch

On June 17, a 32-year-old man from Sayville was arrested after police said he took fishing poles from a residential yard on Peter Road in Lake Ronkonkoma without the consent of the owner. He was charged with petit larceny.

I can’t Chevro-let you have that

Police said a 33-year-old woman from Hauppauge took a 2007 Chevrolet without the consent of the owner while on Woodbury Road in Hauppauge on June 16. She was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle without the owner’s consent.

Not driving 20/20

A 20-year-old man from Nesconset was arrested on June 16 after police said he was driving a 2001 Hyundai Accent west on Route 25 and Meadow Road in Kings Park while impaired by drugs. He was charged with first-degree operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.

Socket to him

On June 16, a 33-year-old man from Farmingville was arrested after police said he put tool sockets in his pockets while shopping at Sears in the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove and then left the store without paying for them. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Not buying what you’re selling

Police said a 27-year-old from Ronkonkoma had heroin on her while on Express Drive North in Islandia on June 15. She was arrested and charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, narcotics, with the intent to sell.

Struck

On June 15, a 36-year-old woman from Ronkonkoma was arrested after police said she struck and pushed two people while on Haven Avenue in Ronkonkoma. She was charged with second-degree harassment with physical contact.

Crack is whack

A 21-year-old man from Stony Brook was arrested on June 15 after police said he was in possession of crack cocaine and a hypodermic needle while driving a 2004 Toyota on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Zoom zoom

Police said an unknown person stole a 2015 Yamaha motorcycle from an apartment complex parking lot on Elliot Avenue in Smithtown on June 18.

Jewelry grabbed

An unknown person took jewelry from a residence on Blackman Street in Smithtown on June 17.

You gotta pay for that stuff

Police said two unknown people filled a shopping cart full of merchandise on Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack and then left the store with it — without paying.

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Protestors hold up signs along Main Street in Smithtown on Saturday in protest of the Senate failing to vote on GENDA. Photo from Juli Grey-Owens

Activists took to the Smithtown office of state Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport) over the weekend to express their disappointment with the legislature’s failure to pass a state civil rights bill for the transgender community.

GENDA, also known as the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, would have helped restrict discrimination against transgender citizens in areas of housing, employment or public access, which could include things like restaurants or cab rides. The bill, which made it through the state Assembly for nine years straight, died in the Senate when the legislative session ended last week, spurring the Long Island Transgender Advocacy Coalition to protest outside Flanagan’s office on Saturday.

“The transgender community has again been prevented from receiving the basic protections all New Yorkers enjoy” said Juli Grey-Owens, executive director of the Long Island Transgender Advocacy Coalition. “In the past, Sen. Flanagan had said he supported this bill to protect his transgender constituents, but now that he has the power to finally bring the bill to the floor for a vote, he seems to have forgotten his commitment to us.”

The Long Island Transgender Advocacy Coalition is a not-for-profit social justice organization dedicated to advancing the equality of transgender people through advocacy, teaching and empowerment. The group hosted a community forum back in March alongside other activist organizations calling for the Senate to step up and pass the legislation, or at the very least, move the conversation forward.

At that time, Flanagan spokesman Scott Reif said the Senate majority leader “prides himself on being open and transparent,” adding that Flanagan was listening.

“The senator routinely meets with all groups, as he has done for 30 years, throughout his entire public career, regardless of whether he agrees with them or not,” Reif said in an email to TBR News Media in March. “The decision to take a meeting is never influenced by a group’s position on an issue; it is dictated solely by what his schedule will allow.”

Grey-Owens said the transgender community was a constant target of discrimination, and Saturday’s demonstration came less than one week after a gunman opened fire at a gay club in Florida, murdering 49 patrons, in what quickly became the biggest mass shooting in U.S. history.

“The National Transgender Discrimination Survey showed that 26 percent of trans people lost a job due to bias, 50 percent were harassed on the job, 20 percent were evicted or denied housing, and 78 percent of trans students were harassed or assaulted,” Grey-Owens said. “We will continue to fight for our community and the rights that are being denied us.”

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Smithtown and fellow firefighters stop to salute 9/11 hero Lawrence Stack, whose remains were honored during a service at Saints Philip and James Roman Catholic Church in St. James. Photo from FDNY

All of Smithtown came to a stop on Friday as the community said a final goodbye to one of its own.

FDNY Battalion Chief Lawrence T. Stack of Lake Ronkonkoma was laid to rest at Saints Philip and James Roman Catholic Church of St. James nearly 15 years after his death on Sept. 11, 2001. The North Shore native, who died helping others in the horrific terrorist attacks of that tragic day, was never recovered from the rubble, forcing his family to hold out hope for a proper Catholic funeral ever since.

A bizarre twist of fate made Stack’s funeral and burial possible on Friday, on what would have been his 49th wedding anniversary with his wife Theresa. While his remains were never found, two vials of blood he donated to a bone marrow bank nearly six months before his death allowed his family to orchestrate a final goodbye in Smithtown.

Lawrence Stack, 58, received a full line-of-duty service on Friday as Smithtown shut down several streets surrounding the St. James church to accommodate the number of people who stopped to honor him, including Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D), New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) and countless more distinguished guests. It wasn’t until a year ago that his wife Theresa Stack said she remembered she and her husband donating blood about six months before 9/11 with hopes of matching a Long Island boy who was fighting cancer. Upon remembering and pursuing that blood, Theresa Stack said she found it in a Minnesota blood bank. That blood was buried on Friday.

“We’ve always honored him, respected him, loved him, and we never forgot him. But now he will rest with the members of the FDNY and the military at the Calverton National Cemetery,” wife Theresa Stack said. “I’m happy, and my family is happy, that we finally have some place to go to. I want Larry’s story to be out there so people don’t forget that there are families still suffering from that terrible day.”

Lawrence Stack’s son Michael, who is a lieutenant with the FDNY with Ladder 176, said he would remember his father as someone dedicated to helping others at any cost. In a statement to the FDNY’s Facebook page, Michael Stack detailed the accounts he received of his father’s last day.

“On Sept. 11, 2001, he was at the safety battalion at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, putting the finishing touches on the [fatal] Father’s Day fire report, when he heard about the plane hitting the north tower,” he said. “He went on the roof, looked through his binoculars, and saw the south tower get hit with the second plane. He put his binoculars down, looked to the other chiefs and firefighters and said, ‘Guys, I think they’re going to need us over there.’”

Brian Stack of Ladder 123 was 30 years old when his father died in the Sept. 11 attacks. He said he was thankful to have been able to spend as much time as he did with his father, and felt for the younger children of other heroes who died that day.

“I understood what happened on September 11 because it’s work, it’s the fire department. Danger is always right around the corner. It’s part of the job. I was 30 years old when he died, and I know that I’m lucky that I got more time with my father than some of the men and women coming on the job now,” Brian Stack said. “They were much younger when they lost their fathers. We were fortunate to have so many years with him in our lives.”

In a statement, the New York Blood Center said it was an honor to help bring peace to the Stack family.

“To every member of the FDNY, NYPD and to every rescue worker: We honor you all,” the center said in a statement on its Facebook page. “We honor those fallen in the line of service and those who serve. You protect life in our communities with determination, vision and courage every single day.”

Lawrence Stack worked with the FDNY for 33 years and was one of 343 FDNY members who died on Sept. 11th. He joined the department in 1968, first assigned to Ladder Company 107 and then Ladder Company 175 in Brooklyn. In 1981, he was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to Ladder Company 35 in Manhattan. Three years later, he was promoted to captain and assigned to Division 7 in the Bronx, and in 1990, he was promoted to battalion chief, working in Queens at the Bureau of Operations and the Safety Battalion. Prior to joining the FDNY, he served in the United States Navy for six years, including a tour of duty in the Vietnam War.

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‘Lily,’ Oil on Linen Board, by Daniel van Benthuysen of Huntington

By Talia Amorosano

On the sunny afternoon of Saturday, June 18, in conjunction with the beginning of summer, the juried art exhibition, Of a Botanical Nature, organized by the Smithtown Township Arts Council, opened at the Mills Pond House in St. James. For the first time this year, the general public was afforded the opportunity to immerse themselves in a gallery full of art representative of the intricacies of local and nonlocal flora. 

‘Camellia,’ Watercolor, by Lynn Kinsella of Brookhaven
‘Camellia,’ Watercolor, by Lynn Kinsella of Brookhaven

The exhibit, which will run through July 20, features 60 works of art from 49 artists, 22 of whom hail from various nonlocal areas of the country including Pennsylvania, Colorado, Texas and California. The remaining 27 represent the Long Island and New York City area. 

The artists
Mark Attebery
Ross Barbera *
Arthur Bernstein *
Stephen Brucker
Carol Ceraso *
Lisa Conway
Caryn Coville *
Debra Crawford
Audry Deal-McEver
Granville C. Fairchild *
Margaret Farr
Beverly Fink
Ingrid Finnan
Kathy Folino
Elizabeth Fusco *
Janice Marie Gabriel *
Kristine Gaier
Kelsey Gallagher
Vivian Gattuso *
Maureen Ginipro *
Patricia Greenberg
Stella Grove
Jillian Hauck *
Katherine Hiscox *
Kathleen Hollan
David Jaycox Jr. *
Lynn Kinsela *
Amanda Lebel
Katherine Lechler *
Madeline Lovallo
Patricia Luppino *
Louis R. Mangieri *
Lucy Martin
Kelly McLeod
Gary Mulnix
Lois Perlman
Pat Proniewski
Judith Scillia
Irene Paquette Tetrault *
Monica Ray *
Lynne Rivellese *
Robert Roehrig *
Alisa Shea *
Gisela Skoglund *
Gunter Stern *
Susan Tango *
Daniel van Benthuysen *
Camille Warmington
Sharon Way-Howard *
*Long Island artists

The works that appear in the show were chosen by Juror Wendy Hollender, a botanical artist, illustrator and author who currently instructs botanical drawing classes at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. An accomplished illustrator, her work has been published in The New York Times and Good Housekeeping magazine and exhibited at the Royal Botanical Gardens in the UK and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. 

Regarding Hollender’s selection process, the executive director of STAC, Allison Cruz, said, “She really picked a broad range of artwork based in reality. She was looking more for realism, but she did take a couple of pieces that are more abstract.” Accordingly, Hollender awarded first and second place to artists whose works exemplify a command of a photorealistic style of portraying traditionally botanical subjects: respectively, Colorado-based artist Patricia Greenberg for her pencil drawing, “The Flower Loves the Rain,” and New York City-based artist Ingrid Finnan for her color illustration, “Blue Hubbard Squash.” These two artists will go on to participate in a winner’s show next year,  which will also be held at the Mills Pond House.

Honorable mentions were awarded to Margaret Farr for various botanical illustrations, Gary Mulnix for a larger-than-life wooden sculptural representation of “Lupine” and Lois Perlman for a richly saturated color illustration of a “Parrot Tulip.”

‘Cactus Flower,’ Oil on Canvas, by Louis R. Mangieri of Mount Sinai
‘Cactus Flower,’ Oil on Canvas, by Louis R. Mangieri of Mount Sinai

According to Cruz, this exhibit features a particularly wide range of artistic mediums. In addition to two-dimensional works in watercolor, acrylic, oil, wash on paper and colored pencil, the show includes six three-dimensional sculptural works made of bronze, black walnut wood, glass mosaic, steel and clay, among other materials.

Subject matter depicted ranges from close-up, scientific-looking views of individual flowers or plants with monochromatic backgrounds (Kelly McLeod’s “Wilted Alstroemeria,” Kathleen Hollan’s “Autumn Leaves”), to still life images of staged indoor plants (Katherine Hiscox’s “From the Garden,” Granville C. Fairchild’s “Reaching to Heaven”), to garden landscapes (Pat Proniewski’s “Morning Azaleas,” Carol Ceraso’s “Spring Affair”), to abstract representations of natural subjects (Lisa Conway’s “Grey Swan,” Arthur Bernstein’s “Sprout”).

However, all of the pieces in some way reflect the organic spontaneity of life in the natural world within the ordered structures of scientific classification, together forming a show that fosters an appreciation for the small examples of natural beauty that often go unnoticed in our day-to-day lives.

Cruz said, “There are a lot of watercolors by the nature of most of the flower illustrations, but it really is a broad range … I have everything in this show except photography and digital art. It’s a beautiful mix of media.”

The Smithtown Township Arts Council will present Of a Botanical Nature at the Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James through July 20. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. (closed July 3). Admission is free. For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.stacarts.org.

‘Dahlia Sunrise,’ Transparent Watercolor, by Alisa Shea of Northport is on view at STAC’s Of a Botanical Nature exhibit
‘Dahlia Sunrise,’ Transparent Watercolor, by Alisa Shea of Northport is on view at STAC’s Of a Botanical Nature exhibit

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Photo by Alex Petroski Tom Suozzi speaks to voters. Photo by Alex Petroski.

Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) is one of five candidates vying for the Democratic nomination in the 3rd Congressional District to win the right to face off against Republican Jack Martins (R-Mineola) in November.

The seat was previously held by U.S. Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington), who announced in January he would not seek re-election after 15 years in the seat. Suozzi will square off with Suffolk County Legislator Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills), former North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman (D-Great Neck), North Hempstead Town Board member Anna Kaplan and attorney Jonathan Clarke in the June 28 primary.

Suozzi served as Nassau County Executive from 2002 to 2009 and mayor of Glen Cove from 1994 to 2001, but has been out of politics for about six years. He is a certified public accountant and is currently of counsel to Harris Beach law firm in Uniondale. He lives in Glen Cove with his wife Helene and their three children. In his time in office, Suozzi said he fought to root out corruption in state politics and was named environmentalist of the year by the New York League of Conservation Voters, a statewide environmental organization.

The candidate spoke to voters from Kings Park last Thursday at a town hall at American Legion Post 944. He pledged to display two important traits to voters: a willingness to take on the status quo in politics and a desire to cooperate across the partisan aisle.

“If there’s one thing I’m convinced of, it’s that everyone is sick and tired of politics,” Suozzi said. “People have just had it with government. They’re frustrated. They see too many problems in their lives that are not being addressed in the political arena.”

“If there’s one thing I’m convinced of, it’s that everyone is sick and tired of politics.”
— Tom Suozzi

He vowed to take on corporations and special interests that have a stake in government policies remaining status quo.

A main topic of conversation at the town hall was affordable health care.

Suozzi said he would be in support of a voucher program that would create a hybrid health care system, allowing taxpayers to choose the best option for them, be it Medicare/Medicaid or a private insurance. In 2004 he fought to create a cap on local Medicaid expenses.

Suozzi also said he believes an ideal candidate is a moderate one that doesn’t swing too far to either side of the issues.

“To win a democratic primary you’ve got to go way to the left,” Suozzi said. “To win a republican primary you’ve got to go way to the right. So people end up in office who are at these two extremes and they won’t do anything in the middle to actually solve the problems. All they’re doing is yelling at each other. We have to figure out how we can get people of good will who actually care about doing these jobs, who also actually do something, not just get the job, but do the job, to come together and actually solve some problems.”

Care for veterans was another issue raised by a Kings Park voter at the event.

“I believe that the number one obligation that government has … is to take care of veterans,” Suozzi said. “We have to figure out how to create a program where there’s a transition from the armed forces back into society again and it has got to be made a priority.”

Suozzi was also pressed about drug addiction on Long Island.

He said he’d like to see addiction to substances like heroin treated more as a disease than a crime, with an emphasis on prevention at younger ages, rather than simply treatment after the fact.

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File photo

A man was electrocuted while working in a tree on a residential street on Sunday.

According to the Suffolk County Police Department, victim Oscar Diaz, identified as a 39-year-old employee of GA Island Landscaping Corps and a Brentwood resident, was killed while working in a tree in a Commack home’s front yard around 10:30 a.m.

Police said Diaz came into contact with power lines at the Roberta Lane home and was electrocuted. A physician assistant from the Suffolk County medical examiner’s office pronounced him dead at the scene.

According to police, both the Commack Fire Department and utility PSEG Long Island also responded to the scene on Sunday.

SCPD Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding Diaz’s death, police said.

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Brig. Gen. Richard Sele speaks on the importance of treating veterans with care. Photo by Alex Petroski

In Suffolk County, veterans who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law now have a rehabilitation resource in a peer setting.

Veterans returning home from military service abroad often struggle assimilating into everyday civilian life. Suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder and other emotional difficulties, some land in prison — for crimes such as those related to substance abuse — because of difficulty coping with the transition.

Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent DeMarco (C) announced the Incarcerated Veterans Re-Entry Initiative at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Yaphank last week. DeMarco spearheaded the new initiative along with Suffolk County Legislator Bill Lindsay (D-Holbrook), Judge John Toomey of the county’s Veterans Treatment Court, and veteran mentors from the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 11.

A block of cells, also known as a pod, within the correctional facility will now be comprised completely of veterans, who will have access to mentors and other services provided by the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center and others, as well as the added benefit of being around others with similar backgrounds and experiences.

“I don’t know of any population of citizens that we would rather have reintegrated into our communities and into our society.”
—Thomas Croci

According to the sheriff, about 8 percent of inmates in the United States have served in the military. And there are about 174,000 military veterans living on Long Island alone.

DeMarco said in an interview after the event that Vietnam veterans have been approaching the sheriff about establishing a dedicated jail pod for many years, similar to what has been done for the adolescents who are separated from the rest of the jail population, but the county’s overcrowded facilities made it a challenge.

“Veterans who have served our country and have been honorably discharged, the lowest point of their lives [is] if they get incarcerated,” DeMarco said, adding that the program will focus on getting incarcerated veterans treatment through various nonprofits for PTSD, addictions or any other mental health problems their experiences in the service contributed to.

“I think we owe that to them. They put their lives on the line for us.”

Brig. Gen. Richard Sele was the keynote speaker and said it is important to treat these veterans with sympathy.

“As soldiers, in addition to the wide range of regulations and policies that we follow, we hold our soldiers accountable to values — very high values,” Sele said. “As a leader and someone who has commanded at various levels, I’ve done so in a very firm and fair manner. But one thing I’ve learned over the years is that you also have to show compassion. You can still be firm and fair and show compassion.”

Ralph Zanchelli, of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 11, has been visiting jails on Long Island to serve as a mentor to veterans for about 16 years, and he spoke on behalf of the group.

“Housing veterans together is so very, very important,” he said. “They will be able to communicate with each other and support each other. We should never forget, when someone serves the country they sign a blank check, pledging to protect and serve the people of the United States of America, willing to give up their lives — and many have.”

“Veterans who have served our country and have been honorably discharged, the lowest point of their lives [is] if they get incarcerated.”
—Vincent DeMarco

New York State Sen. Thomas Croci (R-Sayville) spoke about the importance of rehabilitating returning soldiers with mental health issues.

“I don’t know of any population of citizens that we would rather have reintegrated into our communities and into our society,” he said. “These are exactly the people that we want back in our communities, running our businesses, sharing their experiences in school as teachers, and in law enforcement.”

DeMarco addressed the possible criticism that everyone should be held accountable for breaking the law without preferential treatment.

“They’re being held accountable for their crimes, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “They have to go to court. They’re going to be charged. They’re going to be sentenced. They’re not getting off easy. We’re just giving them a better place and services while they’re incarcerated.

DeMarco likened this jail block to a similar one established in 2011 for 16- to 22-year-olds, which included rehabilitative efforts and mentoring. He said the incarcerated population from that demographic has dropped 75 percent since then.

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Daniel Claxton gets over the bar. Photo from Kathie Borbet

Junior high jumper Daniel Claxton’s track and field career has already come full circle.

As a freshman at Smithtown East, he qualified to compete in the state championship, where he finished fifth in Division I and eighth overall, which includes public, Catholic and city schools. Last weekend, he was back at the state championship for the third time, but found himself back at the same Cicero-North Syracuse High School track he competed on two years ago.

“It felt pretty good to come back to this meet two years later,” he said. “The end of the season couldn’t have gone more perfect. It was a whole different story.”

Claxton finished first in Division I and second in the federation.

“You put your time in as a coach and to have the athletes who buy into the sport and are of that quality and come through every week is pretty amazing to see,” Smithtown East head coach Kathie Borbet said. “It makes you feel good as a coach to have some succeed that well.”

Liam Hendricks winds up to hurl the discus. Photo from Kathie Borbet
Liam Hendricks winds up to hurl the discus. Photo from Kathie Borbet

Teammate Liam Hendricks, a shot put and discus thrower who placed first in every dual meet and invitational in discus, placed third in Division I and sixth overall. Although capable of throwing 178 feet, which is the new school record he set this season — breaking his own previous marks — he threw 168 at the state tournament.

“You don’t always throw your best at the opportune time,” Borbet said. “But he was pretty close to the 178-mark all season. He had one throw that was just foul that would’ve been like a 180 throw. It just missed the mark.”

But throwing coach Mike Schilling, who joined the team just for this season since retiring after 41 years with Half Hollow Hills, said Hendricks was a bit nervous, adding he’s a really good thrower when he can keep calm.

“My job was not really to get him to set records, although he did, but it was more to get him to be able to compete consistently,” he said. His reputation preceded him. I knew who I was going to be able to coach this year and it was really good. He was there every day, he’s a hard worker, and he does all the things he’s supposed to be doing to get to where he is. He’s very talented.”

His team of throwers, including Dominik Oramas, Chris Perrier, Shaun DeGennaro and Kevin Murphy also helped the Bulls excel this season. Especially shot-putter Oramas, who won every dual meet and just missed going to states. The group never lost a meet, according to Schilling, and didn’t give up more than 10 points total the entire season, when throwers can garner a total of 18 points at each meet.

Claxton also finished first in all but one meet this season. According to high jump coach Kurt Margraf, new plyometric training was introduced to help him reach his goal of seven feet.

“When he hits for higher heights, you have to get your hips up at a certain points and kick your legs over,” Margraf said. “Your head has to be positioned in a certain way and your shins have to hit your chest at a certain point. It’s really technical.”

Although he didn’t reach 7 feet, he reached 6 feet and 11 inches this season, to break his own school record. He finished the state meet with a 6-foot-8 mark, so while Margraf said he may be a little disappointed knowing he could do better, he’s adapted well to his new training and he’s focused on continuing to strive for greater success.

“He was that determined back in his freshman year, when he wanted to reach 6 feet and ended up with a 6 foot-4 mark during the state tournament,” the coach said. “And it’s carried over without a doubt. He’s still determined, and that’s huge. He’s focused on getting the higher heights.”

Claxton is hoping to reach his target his senior season, and said his coaches have been providing him with ways to strengthen his body and mind to do it.

“It’s an honor to see my hard work pay off,” he said. “I will continue to strive for goals — ones I have set, others I haven’t set yet, and others I will try to break. The sky’s the limit.”

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Did you see the news

On June 12, a 24-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested at Andrea’s 25, a restaurant on Route 25 in Commack, after police said he stole more than 100 copies of Newsday throughout the course of three months. He was charged with four counts of petit larceny.

Over exposed

A 43-year-old man from Riverhead was arrested on June 12 after police said he exposed himself at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove. He was charged with lewdness for exposing his body in public.

How’s it hanging

Police said a 20-year-old man from Inwood was hanging from a water pipe inside Hypnosis 8.0, a nightclub on East Main Street in Smithtown on June 12, and caused water damage inside the business. He was arrested and charged with criminal mischief with reckless property damage.

Apartment swiper

A 30-year-old man from Smithtown was arrested on June 11 after police said he entered an apartment in Kings Park and stole a laptop and a television, then drove a 1996 Ford Sedan with a suspended license west bound on Motor Parkway in Hauppauge. He was charged with second-degree burglary and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Leggo my Legos

On June 11, a 26-year-old man from Smithtown was arrested after police said he stole multiple Lego sets from stores on Middle Country Road and Veterans Highway in Commack. He was charged with two counts of petit larceny.

All for some detergent pods

Police said a 27-year-old man from Miller Place stole detergent pods from ShopRite on Garrett Place in Commack on June 11. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Knock knock

A 31-year-old woman from Kings Park was arrested on June 10 after police said she kicked in the front door of a residence on Commack Road and entered without consent. She was charged with criminal mischief intent with intent to damage property.

Caught with cocaine

On June 10, a 30-year-old man from Islandia was arrested after police said he was in possession of a clear glass pipe with cocaine residue in it while on Veterans Memorial Highway. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Weed is whack

A 19-year-old man from Kings Park was arrested on June 10 after police said he had marijuana in his possession while in a 2015 Nissan on Indian Head Road in Kings Park. He was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Tool stealing tools

On June 9, a 34-year-old man from Deluca was arrested after police said he stole tools from Pep Boys Auto Parts & Car Repair on Middle Country Road in St. James. He was charged with petit larceny.

His future is sealed

Police said a 43-year-old man from Farmingville refused to listen to officers who told him to freeze after attempting to arrest him for stealing three envelopes filled with cash from a business on Middle Country Road, on June 9. After he was caught, he struggled with officers and tried to resist arrest. He was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and resisting arrest.

Razor rift

Police said an unknown person stole two Razor Scooters from a residence on Washington Avenue in St. James on June 12.

Picking a fight with police

A 23-year-old man from Coram screamed at and made threatening movements and gestures toward multiple police officers during an incident at about 1 a.m. on June 12 on North Street in Mount Sinai, according to police. He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct for violent behavior.

Hello, officer, my name is John Doe

At Sylvan Avenue Park in Miller Place at about 8 p.m. on June 9, a 23-year-old man from Holtsville possessed heroin and hypodermic syringes, police said. When questioned by police, he provided a false identity and birthdate to avoid arrest for violating his parole, according to police. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and false impersonation.

Gun and drug charges

On June 9 at about 2 a.m., a 23-year-old man from Mastic Beach was found to possess a loaded 9-mm semiautomatic handgun without a permit outside of a home on North Washington Avenue in Centereach, police said. He was also in possession of cocaine, according to police. He was arrested and charged with second-degree and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fourth-degree possession of a narcotic.

No one wants to see that

A 61-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station exposed himself in the woods near a public park on Route 25 in Selden at about 3 p.m. on June 4, and again while seated in a Nissan Sentra in the parking lot of People’s United Bank on Route 112 in Coram at about 7 p.m. on June 9, according to police. He was arrested on June 9 and charged with public lewdness and exposing his body in public.

Liar, liar

Near Sam’s Club on Horseblock Road in Medford at about 9 a.m. on May 20, a 47-year-old woman from Mastic Beach filed a police report stating her 1996 Toyota had been stolen, according to police. She was arrested on June 10 when it was discovered that her car was on the side of Horseblock Road in Medford and she knew that was where it was, yet still filed the false report, police said.

Toothbrush bandit

On six occasions in 2016 — at CVS Pharmacy on West Main Street in Smithtown, CVS Pharmacy on West Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station and CVS Pharmacy on West Main Street in East Islip — a 36-year-old homeless man stole multiple electronic toothbrushes, according to police. He was arrested on June 9 and charged with six counts of petit larceny.

Dump truck driver dumps license

A 32-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station was driving a Ford dump truck on Oakmont Avenue in Selden at about 1:30 p.m. on June 9 when he was pulled over, police said. They discovered he was driving with a suspended license. He was arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. His license had been suspended 10 times prior to the arrest, according to police.

Front runner

On June 8 at about 2 p.m., a 30-year-old man from Ronkonkoma stole two New York Yankees jerseys and one New York Giants jersey from Bob’s Stores at College Plaza in Selden, police said. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Pills pilfered

At a home on Overton Street in Sayville, a 47-year-old woman stole various prescription pills on June 2, according to police. She was arrested on June 10 in Selden and charged with petit larceny.

Pizza parlor patron’s passport pick-pocketed

Cash and a passport were stolen from a 2008 Chevrolet parked outside of Port Jeff Pizza on Main Street in Port Jefferson at about 9 p.m. on June 11, according to police.

Missing mailbox

A mailbox was stolen from outside a home on Sheep Pasture Road in Setauket at about 8 p.m. on June 11, police said.

Covert operation

Headphones for the video game Call of Duty on the Playstation 4 system were stolen from Walmart on Nesconset Highway in Setauket on June 12, according to police.

Shoplifting at Kohl’s

Clothing, four picture frames and three necklaces were stolen from Kohl’s on Nesconset Highway in Setauket at about 1:30 p.m. on June 12, according to police.

Knife-y situation

A 45-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on June 13 after police said he held someone up in Manor Park in Huntington Station with a knife and stole their black wallet with a credit card and cash inside. He was charged with first-degree robbery with use of a dangerous instrument.

In need(le) of some help

On June 13, a 32-year-old man from North Massapequa was arrested on Hauppauge Road in Commack after police said he had a hypodermic needle in his possession. He was charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Hit and run

Police said a 20-year-old man from Dix Hills struck the rear passenger side door of a 2008 Lexus and fled while driving his 1996 Mercedes Benz on Bagatelle Road in Dix Hills on June 13. He was charged with leaving the scene with property damage.

It’s clear to all

A 29-year-old woman from Huntington was arrested on June 12 after police said she had a clear bag of marijuana in her possession while on Milton Place in Huntington. She was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Weed on wheels

On June 10, a 19-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested after police said he had marijuana in his possession while inside a 2004 Honda Accord on East 2nd Street in Huntington Station. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Hide your bike

On June 9, a 19-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested after police said he was in possession of a stolen 2008 Yamaha mini bike while on Old Country Road. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Not egg-zactly legal

Police said a 41-year-old man from Huntington Station threw an egg at a residence at 2 a.m. on Broadway in Greenlawn on June 10. He was arrested and charged with second-degree harassment with physical contact.

Heroin hand out

A 26-year-old man from Dix Hills was arrested on June 10 after police said he was selling narcotics, including heroin, on Dix Hills Drive in Melville. He was charged with third-degree criminal selling of a controlled substance narcotics.

Shady situation

Police said a 24-year-old woman from Centerport stole Ray Ban and Wildfox sunglasses from Lord & Taylor on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington on June 10. She was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

iDon’t think you can do that

On June 10, a 46-year-old man from Smithtown was arrested after police said he stole an iPhone 5S and an iPhone 6 Plus from Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack. He was charged with two counts of petit larceny.

No king in King Kullen

A 29-year-old woman from Huntington Station was arrested on June 10 after police said she stole various grocery items from King Kullen on West Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station. She was charged with petit larceny.

You can’t have that Yamaha

A 16-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on June 9 after police said he was in possession of a stolen Yamaha ATV while on Park Avenue in Huntington. He was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property valuing more than $1,000.

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