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North Shore towns gear up for green homes

by Victoria Espinoza - November 18, 2015

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Program makes it easier for residents to save money

Thermal-test-gun-w — An infrared temperature gun measures the surface temperature of a home. Photo from Neal Lewis

It just got easier for homeowners on Long Island to monitor their energy costs.

The not-for-profit Long Island Green Homes Initiative is a public-private partnership that launched Nov. 10 with the goal of setting up homeowners with a professional energy audit at no cost. The program links residents with the state’s Energy Research and Development Authority to generate savings, stimulate jobs, boost economic development and promote sustainability, organizers said.

The initiative is headquartered at the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College and is partnered with three non-profits: Community Development Corporation of LI, LI Green and United Way of Long Island. A state program that offers similar services has been in effect for several years, but some said it wasn’t getting its message across to enough people.

Neal Lewis, executive director of the Sustainability Institute at Molloy, said some residents argued that the state government website was too confusing to use.

“The conclusion was that the key way to get more participation was to provide resources to homeowners to help navigate the process,” Lewis said.

That was how the Green Homes Initiative was born.

It started with the goal of providing an easy-to-use website coupled with energy navigators who help answer any questions a homeowner has. Lewis said the energy navigators then schedule a free home energy assessment that provides an in-depth analysis of a home’s energy efficiency for each homeowner.

It was crafted after similar programs in neighboring municipalities, but has tweaked pieces of the process with hopes of making it better, supporters said. In an earlier version of this program started in 2008 in Babylon, an average homeowner saved about $1,000 each year in energy costs, according to a press release.

LIGH has also partnered with five towns, including Huntington and Smithtown along the North Shore, to further encourage residents of those towns to take advantage of this program.

“I am proud this newest LI Green Homes Initiative is kicking off in Huntington Station,” Huntington Town Supervisor Frank Petrone (D) said in a statement. “This is a prime example where much of the housing stock dates before the first energy conservation codes were adopted in the 1970s and can benefit dramatically by upgrading insulation and heating systems that are at or near their useful life expectancy.”

Huntington Councilman Mark Cuthbertson (D) said this program incurs few out-of-pocket expenses for homeowners.

Many improvements that require homeowner investment are eligible for cost reductions of up to 50 percent, depending upon household income, according to Cuthbertson.

In an interview, Lewis said the only contractors providing the free home energy assessments were licensed, local, insured, and certified by Building Performance Institute. The contractors test a house’s insulation, heating and hot water systems, ventilation and more.

Once the tests are completed, the homeowner is given a comprehensive report that includes where and how their home can save energy, a fixed cost for each recommended improvement, and projected dollar savings on their utility bills for each recommended improvement.

If a homeowner decides to go ahead with those suggestions, the program would then assign them a performance specialist to do the work on their property.

The LIGH program can pay the entire cost of the improvements, and under a contract with the homeowner, the town sets up a monthly payment plan, Lewis said.

LIGH also structures the payment so that your savings cover your monthly bill. If a homeowner saves $100 a month on energy costs, they only owe the town $90 a month.

“We’re trying to get people to test their homes and make them more energy efficient,” Cuthbertson said.

The Initiative is funded for three years by a Cleaner, Greener Communities competitive grant award from NYSERDA of $2.3 million, and a supplemental grant from the Rauch Foundation in Garden City.

Kings Park volleyball wins fifth straight Suffolk title

by TBR Staff - November 13, 2015

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By Bill Landon

Just call it the fabulous fifth.

The No. 2 Kings Park girls’ volleyball team defeated No. 1 Westhampton Beach in three straight sets Thursday, 25-23, 25-20 and 25-17, to claim the school’s fifth straight Suffolk County Class A title.

The Kingsmen took seven straight points in the first set, and broke out to a 10-6 lead as both teams continued to trade points until Kings Park was ahead 17-12 at the first time out.

The Hurricanes battled back with several long volleys to close the gap to 20-18, but the Kingsmen rattled off four more points to take a 24-20 advantage. Kings Park looked to put the game away, and did, but not before Kings Park took three more points, to win the first set, 25-23.

“Our team is about coming out and doing what we have to do,” Kings Park junior outside hitter Lauren Kloos said. “We come out with so much excitement, so this win is just amazing for us.”

With the teams tied 7-7 in the second set, Kings Park surged ahead 24-17, but Westhampton Beach scored the next three points to trail 24-20. Again, the Kingsmen found a way to dig out the last point, to win the second set 25-20.

Kings Park sophomore middle hitter Erika Benson said her team has a winning formula.

“I think it’s the passion we have for each other,” she said. “All three matches were close, and they played really well, but in the end we came out stronger.”

Westhampton Beach struggled, and fell behind in the third set 8-2 in a must-win set to stay alive. The Hurricanes would not go quietly though, and battled back to close within four points late in the match.

Kloos finished with 14 kills; senior middle hitter Lauren Kehoe added 12 kills and 16 digs; senior outside hitter Jaclyn Wilton had 12 kills and 16 digs; sophomore libero Meagan Murphy had 25 digs; and senior setter Stephanie Cornwell added 31 assists.

“We communicate really well; Meagan Murphy, Lauren Baxter and Kayla Buell played really great defense,” Kehoe said. “Lauren Kloos and Jaclyn Wilton were swinging great and Stephanie Cornwell was serving really well, so it was just a good performance all around.”

It was the third time the teams faced each other this year, and although Kings Park won the second meeting between the two, the Hurricanes handed Kings Park their only loss in the season in the first game of the year.

Wilton said Westhampton Beach is a much stronger team this season compared to last.

“We lost to them in our first game, we’ve been undefeated in my high school career and that first lost hurt,” Wilton said. “I never knew what that felt like, but since then, I knew that I never wanted to experience that again.”

And so far, they haven’t.

With the win, Kings Park advances to the Long Island championship round. The team will return to Suffolk County Community College’s Brentwood campus tomorrow, Nov. 14, to face Wantagh at 3 p.m.

Smithtown football coach turned Three Village athletic director

by TBR Staff - November 13, 2015

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Pete-Melore-w — Former Smithtown East head coach Peter Melore will be Ward Melville’s new athletic director. Photo from Three Village Central School District

Former Smithtown East football coach Peter J. Melore will be the Three Village Central School District’s new, permanent executive director of health, physical education, recreation and athletics. He will replace Nicholas Schroeder, who served the district on an interim basis since the start of the school year.

Throughout his professional tenure, Melore has also worked as a coach at both the high school and middle school levels. In the role of head varsity football coach, he guided Smithtown High School East to the Big Four Championship in 2012 and 2014, as well as the playoffs in 2013. He had similar success when he was the assistant varsity football coach at Farmingdale High School, during which he accumulated 11 Big Four championships, 10 finals showings, five county championships, one Long Island championship and one Rutgers Cup trophy and was named the 2007 Nassau County Assistant Coach of the Year.

Melore comes to the Three Village district from Roslyn school district, has more than 23 years of experience in the field of health education and athletics. He began his career as a middle school physical education teacher in Farmingdale school district and also served in that district as a building and district leader for internship projects as well as lead teacher. His most recent role was as Roslyn’s director of physical education, health, intramurals, athletics and recreation.

Melore earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from SUNY Cortland, Master of Arts in Physical Education from Adelphi University and Educational Leadership Program certificate from Dowling College. Additionally, he renews his CPR and First Aid certifications annually.

Police blotter: Suffolk County incidents and arrests, Nov. 3-9

by TBR Staff - November 12, 2015

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Flying high on the Smithtown Bypass
A 38-year-old man from Amityville was arrested on Nov. 9 at 10 p.m. after police said he had heroin in his possession, pushed a police officer to the ground and then forcefully pulled away while trying to resist arrest on the Smithtown Bypass in Smithtown. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree physical contact and resisting arrest.

Garage door damage
An unknown person damaged a garage door of a residence on Oak Avenue in Smithtown at 4 p.m. on Nov. 6.

Goodbye
A 51-year-old man from Holbrook was arrested on Nov. 6 at 11:15 p.m. after police said he drove into a 2007 Ford van that was parked on Johnson Avenue in Ronkonkoma and fled. He was charged with leaving the scene with property damage.

No more rims
Four tires and rims were stolen from a Cadillac at King O’Rourke Cadillac Buick GMC in Smithtown at 10 p.m. on Nov. 4.

Shed crime
A 19-year-old woman and a 20-year-old woman from Commack were arrested after police said they entered a shed on Lillian Road in Nesconset on Nov. 4 without permission at 7:30 a.m. They were both charged with third-degree criminal trespassing of an enclosed property.

Fake
A 45-year-old man from Commack was arrested on Nov. 7 after police said he pretended to be a police officer by showing a fake badge and saying he was a police officer at 1:30 p.m. on Route 25A in Commack. He was charged with second-degree criminal impersonation of a public servant.

Pot stop
Police said a 18-year-old man from Commack had marijuana in his possession at the corner of Route 25A and Commack Road in Commack at 10:50 p.m. on Nov. 4. He was arrested and charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Flee fail
On Nov. 4 a 63-year-old woman from Commack was arrested after police said she hit a parked 2006 Ford pickup truck on Commack Road at 5:20 p.m. while driving a 2004 Cadillac and attempted to flee the scene. She was arrested and charged with leaving the scene with property damage.

Repair needed
On Nov. 6 around 1:40 p.m. an unknown person damaged the Dano’s Auto Clinic sign on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station.

Cool crime
Between Nov. 3 and 4 an unidentified person stole an air-conditioning unit from Rheumatology Associates of Long Island in Port Jefferson Station.

Inhospitable hit
Suffolk County police said an unknown person broke the front window of the Pax Christi Hospitality Center in Port Jefferson on Nov. 6. The individual used a rock to damage the window.

Starting a garage band
On Nov. 5 an unidentified person stole an iMac computer and a guitar from a building on Riverhead Road in Sound Beach.

Just beachy
At Scott’s Beach Club in Sound Beach on Nov. 5, someone damaged a security camera and the arm of the security gate.

Mad hatter
On Nov. 7 someone left the Kohl’s in Rocky Point with a black hat without paying.

Can’t get no re-leaf
Between Nov. 4 and 5, an unknown person stole a leaf blower from a residence on Oxhead Road in Centereach. Police said the leaf blower was inside the home but didn’t specify how the person entered the home.

ShopWrong
An unknown person entered the ShopRite in Selden and stole assorted merchandise on Nov. 7.
A female stole assorted items from the Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket on Nov. 5.

Stony broke
On Nov. 6, an unknown person used another person’s identification without permission. According to police, the victim, who lives in Stony Brook, saw several charges to their bank card.

Drugged up and dreamin’
Police arrested a 28-year-old man from Medford for driving while ability impaired by drugs on Nov. 5, around 4:34 p.m., after he allegedly fell asleep while driving a 2008 Honda Civic west on Canal Road in Mount Sinai. Police arrested the man at the scene.

Wrong way
Police charged a 23-year-old woman on Nov. 5 for driving while ability impaired after she drove a black 2015 Hyundai Elantra the wrong way on a ramp connecting Route 97 and Route 25 in Centereach. According to police, the woman crashed into a tan 2003 Mercedes Benz. Police arrested the woman at the scene.

License to spray paint
Police arrested a 69-year-old man from Selden on Nov. 6 for six counts of criminal tampering. The man allegedly spray-painted the front and rear license plates of a 2001 Toyota Camry, a 2004 Ford Taurus and four other unidentified cars on Oct. 17 and 27. The incidents took place at St. Joseph’s Village For Senior Citizens in Selden.

Low on luck
An 18-year-old man from East Setauket was arrested for petit larceny on Nov. 5, a few days after he took items from a Lowe’s home improvement store in Medford and attempted to return them for store credit.

Caught after the act
A 50-year-old woman from Rocky Point was arrested for grand larceny on Nov. 5, almost a month after she took a wallet from another woman’s purse on West Broadway in Port Jefferson. Police arrested the woman at the 6th Precinct.

In a Garden State of mind
Police arrested a 17-year-old teen from Brentwood on Nov. 6 for operating a car without a license. According to police, the teen was with another individual when he was driving the 2012 Toyota east on Route 25A in Miller Place, and he was in possession of forged New Jersey license plates.

Crash landing
A 23-year-old woman from Sound Beach was arrested on Nov. 7 for driving while ability impaired, after she crashed her 1996 Volkswagen on Rocky Point Landing Road in Rocky Point. Police arrested the woman on Tall Tree Lane.

The Heartbreaker
Coins and cash were stolen from a 2004 Chevrolet, a 2014 GMC and a 2005 Subaru, all parked in driveways on Valentine Lane in Huntington on Nov. 6.

Windshield woes
On Nov. 5 at 10 p.m. a 21-year-old man from Greenlawn was arrested after police said he jumped on a car on the corner of Greenlawn Road and Tilden Lane, and damaged the windshield. He caused injury to a police officer while resisting arrest, and was charged with second-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury to an officer, resisting arrest and intent to damage property.

Electronic troubles
An unknown person entered a gray 1999 Jeep Cherokee on Nassau Road in Huntington and stole a cell phone and an iPod at 1 a.m. on Nov. 7.

Not quite on Target
On Nov. 5, a 21-year-old woman from Huntington was arrested after police said she stole assorted clothing from the Target on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station at 10:40 p.m. She was charged with petit larceny.

Dodgin’ the law
An unknown person entered a 2011 Dodge in a driveway on Vestry Court in Huntington and stole assorted items, including a pocket knife and a flashlight on Nov. 6.

Fake it till you make it
Police said a 19-year-old man from Roosevelt used fake checks at Community Market on Depot Road in Huntington Station on Nov. 4 at 12:30 p.m. He was charged with second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Making a legacy in his Legacy
A 53-year-old man from Freeport was arrested at 10:15 a.m. on Nov. 6 after police said he intentionally hit a police vehicle with his 2015 Subaru Legacy on Rofay Drive in East Northport and then resisted arrest. According to police, he also had heroin in his possession. He was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment, third degree criminal mischief for property damage and fourth degree criminal possession of narcotic drugs.

Tears at Sears
Police said a 35-year-old from Huntington Station stole clothing from Sears on Route 25A in East Northport on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. He was charged with petit larceny.

High on North Hill
A 30-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested after police said he was in possession of marijuana on the corner of North Hill Drive and Pulaski Road in East Northport on Nov. 5 at around 10 p.m.

No room for that at the inn
On Nov. 7, a 34-year-old man from Hicksville was arrested after police said he was in possession of cocaine in a parking lot of Rodeway Inn on West Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station. He was charged with seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Full speed ahead on Railroad Street
A 35-year-old man from Syosset was arrested on Nov. 5 after police said he was in possession of cocaine, marijuana and prescription pills without a prescription and then resisted arrest at 10:15 p.m. on the corner of Railroad Street and West Pulaski Road in Huntington Station. He was charged with two accounts of seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest and fifth degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Smithtown street signs reflect names of heroes

by Phil Corso - November 12, 2015

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SmithtownStreetRenaming20151111_RonaldMonteleone_02w — A scene from the street renaming ceremonies held at the beginning of this month in Town of Smithtown. The signs now sport the names of late firefighters Richard Weisse and Ross Huffer. Photo by Ron Monteleone

Smithtown’s streets have a little bit more valor, thanks to a recent dedication in honor of two firefighters who served the North Shore and the state.

Ex-Captain Richard Weisse Sr., a 42-year member of the St. James Fire Department, was honored on Nov. 1 with the renaming of Fifth Street in St. James to Richard D. Weisse. The ceremony took place with family and friends, Town of Smithtown Councilmen Bob Creighton (R) and Ed Wehrheim (R), and Town Clerk Vincent Puleo. Weisse served as a member of various response groups, including the St. James F.D., the Fire/Rescue/Ambulance Company, Engine Company One and more as a third-generation fireman. His two children have continued the tradition.

On the morning of Nov. 15, 2014, he was conducting a food drive for a local pantry with junior fire department members when he was summoned for an alarm at the local high school. Subsequently, after adjudication of the alarm and completion of the food drive, he collapsed. The St James F.D. was summoned, members initiated lifesaving efforts and then transported him to Stony Brook University Hospital. Lengthy resuscitative efforts at the hospital were performed, but Weisse passed away.

Ex-Chief Ross Huffer, who was a 48-year member of the Nesconset Fire Department, was also honored with the renaming of Mildred Court in Nesconset to Ross E. Huffer. The ceremony took place with Smithtown officials, family and friends, and with members of the department. He was the Nesconset chief of department from 1982-84. He received the Medal of Valor for saving a resident from a house fire in December, 1981. He also received the Smithtown Fire Chiefs Council’s Unit Citation in 1992 and 1994.

Huffer was directly responsible for restoring the department’s 1937 American LaFrance pumper. His restoration of the pumper resulted in the department winning numerous awards. He died from an apparent heart attack when he returned from an alarm.

Huffer’s name was added to the New York State Fallen Firefighters Memorial at the Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany.

Sexting scandal leads to student arrests, suspensions in Smithtown

by Phil Corso - November 10, 2015

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texting-iphone_glowatzw — Senator Chuck Schumer is taking wireless network companies to task for poor service in areas of Long Island. File photo by Elana Glowatz

What started as an isolated “sexting” incident has spread across two school districts in greater Smithtown and led to two arrests and more than 20 suspensions, school officials said Tuesday.

It all started in late October, when two 14-year-old boys from an unspecified high school in Smithtown used a cell phone to record a sexual encounter with a female acquaintance off school grounds, the Suffolk County Police Department said in a statement. That explicit content was later distributed electronically to others in an act referred to as sexting to students at Kings Park High School, which led to widespread suspensions there, Kings Park Superintendent Timothy Eagen said in a statement.

Police did not specify the age of the female or where she attends school, or whether the sexual act was consensual or forced.

Both boys were arrested and charged with two felonies — disseminating indecent material to minors and promoting a sexual performance by a child — and a sexual abuse misdemeanor and were scheduled to appear in family court on a later date, police said. Cops did not release the names of the students because they are minors.

In a statement, Smithtown Schools Superintendent James Grossane confirmed the two boys were high school students within the district, but did not specify whether they attended Smithtown High School East or Smithtown High School West. He said district disciplinary action would be determined pending the outcome of an investigation, and the district was working with the SCPD to find a resolution.

“We are greatly disturbed by these allegations and we express our heartfelt concern to the alleged victim and their family,” Grossane said in a statement, referring to the girl whose image was captured and disseminated. “This is a very serious matter and the district is currently conducting an internal investigation to further explore this incident. We encourage parents to take this opportunity to speak with their children about the long-term negative consequences that the inappropriate use of social media may have on their lives and for parents to monitor their child’s online and cell phone use to the best of their ability.”

Policing the digital realm was not a new topic for the Kings Park schools superintendent. The sexting incident occurred about two months after Eagen hosted an online safety and cyber bullying public forum at Kings Park High School.

“Yes, we do have a serious problem,” Eagen said in a notice posted on the Kings Park Central School District’s website. “However, from my perspective it is that our young people are carrying mini-computers in their back pockets that are both unfiltered and largely unsupervised. This is a shared problem, and more than just an issue of one student, one decision, or one suspension”

In the notice posted online, Eagen referred to modern youth as the “iGeneration,” that has grown up in an era of immediate technological stimulation via smartphones and tablets. He notified parents that students had access to various smartphone applications at their fingertips solely designed for the purpose of concealing pictures and videos, and he suggested changes be made inside the home.

“Some students have shared with us that they sleep with their phone under their pillow,” he said. “This is dangerous and very problematic. The best advice that I was given a few years ago was to create a family electronic device charging station. At night before, bed, all devices go to the family charging station. Something to consider.”

Eagen said his goal over the coming months was to work with the district’s principals and parents to urge young people “to be good citizens and report problematic behavior to an adult.”

Rotary repairs girl’s heart through Gift of Life on 40th anniversary

by Elana Glowatz - November 10, 2015

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Uerda-Gift-of-Life-40th-Anniversary-Child-2015w — Uerda Zena colors before her heart procedure last week. Photo from Debbie Engelhardt

A 4-year-old girl from Kosovo is recovering after a life-saving heart operation on Long Island, thanks to the work of local volunteers.

Mom Barbara Zena comforts Uerda as she recovers from her heart procedure. Photo from Debbie Engelhardt

It took a village to support Uerda Zena. Rotary groups throughout Suffolk lent a hand to the girl and her mother, Barbara, through the Gift of Life program, which works to provide such stateside heart procedures to children from around the globe. Uerda’s Nov. 4 surgery to repair a hole in her heart the size of a nickel was a milestone effort that celebrated the Rotary program’s 40th anniversary.

The atrial septal defect closure performed on Uerda at St. Francis Hospital in Roslyn will add 60 or more years to the little girl’s life, Port Jefferson Rotary member Debbie Engelhardt explained, but the surgery was not available in her home nation.

Engelhardt, who is also the director of the Comsewogue Public Library, said more than 19,000 children from dozens of countries have received life-saving surgeries since the Gift of Life program was born in Suffolk County four decades ago and expanded through Rotary International.

The medical team that took care of Uerda Zena, including Dr. Levchuck second from right, surrounds mom Barbara Zena. Photo from Debbie Engelhardt

Rotary groups in the county are still going strong with Gift of Life, which is doubling up its efforts by providing doctors and medical staff in other countries with equipment and training to perform the heart procedures themselves.

“It’s a unique, renowned and respected Rotary-run program,” Engelhardt said.

Dr. Sean Levchuck, the pediatric cardiologist who performed the life-saving procedure on Uerda at St. Francis, described it as minimally invasive. To close the nickel-sized hole, he fed a catheter “the size of a coffee stirrer” into a vein in her leg and up to her heart, where the catheter deployed a device that, once placed in the hole, expanded to plug it. The cardiologist had to position the device properly while Uerda’s heart was still beating, mostly using ultrasound imaging to guide him.

Barbara Zena and daughter Uerda have fun at Chuck E. Cheese. Photo from Joe DeVincent

The doctor said the procedure took between 45 minutes to an hour and required a team of nurses, an anesthesiologist and techs to assist with the imaging. The hospital donated the use of its facility and staff for the procedure.

Levchuck does about 15 of those procedures a year for Gift of Life, he said, with a fair number of the child recipients coming from Eastern European countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union. He also sees kids from places like Haiti and Jamaica.

Just like in those other nations, the procedure to repair a hole in a child’s heart is not available in Kosovo, Levchuck said, because the hospitals don’t have the resources to train their staffs to do it. And the kids who are born with those defects are more prone to pneumonia or respiratory infections, which could also be difficult to treat in a developing nation.

“Problems in this country that are seemingly innocent take a whole new look” in places like Kosovo, the doctor said. But he is willing to help: “Keep ‘em coming. … It’s easy to donate time.”

In Uerda’s case, plenty of Long Islanders donated their time, with many people pitching in to make the girl’s medical procedure a reality. Sayville Rotarian Joe DeVincent wrote letters to get the girl a visa, and she and her mother are staying with a host family in Northport while here. DeVincent has also provided transportation to the Kosovan mother and daughter.

Uerda Zena and mom Barbara are all smiles while in the U.S. to repair the girl's heart defect Photo from Joe DeVincent — Uerda Zena and mom Barbara are all smiles while in the U.S. to repair the girl’s heart defect Photo from Joe DeVincent

The endeavor to save Uerda had an additional element of kids helping other kids — students at St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, one of whom is Levchuck’s son, raised funds to bring the girl to the United States from her home in the Kosovan capital, Pristina, where her mother works at a bakery and her father at a public works plant.

“They’re a fine group of students over there that championed a cause,” the doctor said about the St. Anthony’s kids. “When you see something like that, you really get a nice warm feeling about the future.”

Uerda will be staying stateside for a little while longer, and Rotarians are trying to show her a good time. She has already gone on a play date to Chuck E. Cheese and visited a children’s museum, DeVincent said, and this weekend she will go into New York City with her mother and some native Long Islanders to visit Times Square and Rockefeller Center.

“Uerda really enjoys being with her mother,” DeVincent said.

And she has more energy to do these things than before.

After a heart procedure, Uerda Zena is now healthier than ever. Photo from Joe DeVincent

“Her heart’s working better, her circulation’s better,” the Rotarian said. “The kid generally feels better than she has in her whole life. So this is a very happy story.”

Uerda will also appear at a Taste of Smithtown, an event in St. James on Nov. 17, where there will be food from restaurants along the North Shore. The 10th annual event will run from 6 to 9 p.m. at Mercedes-Benz of Smithtown on Middle Country Road and will benefit the Gift of Life program, along with the Smithtown Emergency Food Pantry and the Smithtown Children’s Foundation.

The plan is for the Zenas to head home on Nov. 22, to be reunited with Uerda’s father and her 18-month-old brother.

“Her mother is in touch with her family in Europe through her cell phone and … Uerda has spoken to her brother over the cell phone,” DeVincent said. “She’s actually very maternal toward her younger brother.”

It is a happy ending for both the Kosovo family and Suffolk County Rotarians.

“When you’re doing something like this with an adorable 4-year-old child, it brings you tremendous satisfaction,” DeVincent said. “This is the best way to spread happiness, certainly for these children and their parents but also for yourself. Nothing that I do or have done in my life has brought me as much joy.”

Police charge unlicensed driver in fatal motorcycle crash

by Elana Glowatz - November 9, 2015

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Police-car-siren-SCPD-grassw — File photo

A young Kings Park man was killed in a motorcycle crash early Saturday morning when he collided with a minivan, whose driver was charged with driving without a license.

The Suffolk County Police Department said Christopher Colella, 26, was riding a blue 2004 Suzuki GSX-R600 south on Indian Head Road in Commack when a 1999 Chevrolet Venture turned in front of him and he struck the vehicle.

The minivan had been making a left turn from the northbound side of Indian Head Road onto Somers Lane shortly before 7 a.m.

Colella was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The minivan’s driver, Marino Guillen, a 57-year-old Brentwood resident, was charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and was treated for minor injuries at St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown.

Attorney information for the defendant was not immediately available.

Police impounded both vehicles for safety checks.

Detectives from the SCPD’s 4th Squad are investigating the crash.

Long Island charity boxer fights to give back

by Giselle Barkley - November 5, 2015

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Rhonda Klch stepping into the ring again to raise money for charity

Rhonda-Klch_2015_01_barkley-w-prev — Mike Murphy, a boxing trainer, poses for a photo with Rhonda Klch. Photo from Klch

Don’t let her 4-foot, 11-inch stature fool you — Rhonda Klch is a force to be reckoned with.

This Long Island native, who was born in Smithtown and lives in Miller Place, opened her first business, American Investors and Collectors, at the age of 19, and saved up enough money from that business to purchase three houses when she was only 23 years old. Now, nearly two decades later, this mother of five runs her own business in the mortgage industry, caters to her family and finds the time to give back to her community through the five charities she is involved in.

As part of giving back, Klch joined Long Island Fight for Charity, and is putting on some boxing gloves and plans to step into the ring, again — a notion that was out of Klch’s comfort zone.

“[I] knew it would grab the attention in the business community,” Klch said when asked why she joined the charity, which provides money to organizations like Long Island Community Foundation, a nonprofit that connects donors with charitable organizations within their community, and PinkTie.org., a network of real estate professionals that raise funds for breast cancer research. “[It] became a buzz, which allowed me to express and to advocate for what the charities were doing.”

Klch trained and fought for the organization last year, raising $3,800. Although she is currently nursing a minor injury, she is accepting donations while she hopes to compete in her next match for Long Island Fight for Charity scheduled for Nov. 23.

Rhonda Klch left the ring with a victory last year. Photo from Corbett PR

Klch is now the president and CEO of her company, Equity First, which assists business residents who are experiencing financial difficulties. She established her current business in October 2003, but her goal wasn’t simply to make money and grow her demanding business, it was also to give back to her community — starting with those experiencing financial hiccups.

“There’s a bunch of people who have amazing resources,” Klch said. “If you’re not utilizing your resources for good, it goes to waste.”

Around seven years ago, Klch became more involved in community service. She worked alongside Building Hope, a charity that renovates the homes of families facing a crisis — families who may need wheelchair ramps in their homes upon a devastating injury were accommodated. But renovating the homes wasn’t an issue for these families, sustaining the home was the issue. According to Klch, no one checked the financial status of these families — some families risked losing the home following the renovations. Now Klch’s company conducts financial reviews for these families to ensure they don’t lose the house.

“Her commitment to giving back to her community is second to none,” Mark Legaspi said about Klch. “She really thinks of other people before she thinks of herself.”

Legaspi is the president of Legaspi Associates Inc, which aims to provide quality service regarding life insurance. Legaspi is also a board member, alongside Klch, for a veteran-minded charity called Easter Seals.

When Klch first decided to become involved with Long Island Fight for Charity, her family thought she was crazy.

“You don’t want to watch somebody get hurt,” said Klch’s husband Stephen. “But at the same time, because it was for charity … it’s not to bash somebody, but the concern was there because it’s a real fight.”

Klch and her husband got married 16 years ago. For several years, Klch was the main breadwinner, while her husband catered to the kids. According to Stephen Klch, he left his job and didn’t have to worry about hiring a babysitter to help look after their children. Now he works for his wife’s company, handling the budget and fixing up the homes.

While giving back to the community was important to Klch’s wife, helping others became a family affair as the children got older.

“We kind of live in a bubble,” Klch said. “We want them to have a reality check on what is in their neighborhood and what other families are struggling through.”

According to Stephen Klch, his children partake in events like Equity First’s project called Holiday Dreams. The company established the initiative last year and aims to provide holiday cheer to homeless children or those in transition. This year will be the second time the company is holding the event. Last year, they helped 200 children. This year, the company is committed to helping 250 children and 50 veterans, according to Rhonda Klch.

From her business to her family life and participation in several charities, Klch credits time management and delegation skills for her ability to balance her busy life. Her nonstop attitude when taking on and executing projects is one reason Maria Frey, president and founder of Executive Consultants of New York, clicked with Klch.

Frey said people like Klch show that there are still people who care about those around them.

“[Rhonda] solidifies to me that there are other people in the community who want to make a change and want to help, and she is definitely one of them,” Frey said. “I feel honored to know her.”

Police blotter: Suffolk County incidents and arrests through Nov. 1

by TBR Staff - November 5, 2015

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Tire mischief
On Oct. 30 around 8:25 p.m. police arrested a 31-year-old man from Farmingville for criminal mischief. According to police, the man slashed the front and rear tires of a 2008 Nissan Frontier in a parking lot on Old Town Road in Port Jefferson Station. Police said the man was arrested at the scene.

Accidental arrest
A 24-year-old man from Smithtown was arrested and charged with driving while ability impaired on Oct. 31. Police said he was driving a 2010 Acura TSX when he got into a car crash on the corner of East Broadway and Main Street in Port Jefferson around 11:45 a.m. Police said the man was under the influence of heroin prior to driving and was arrested at the scene at 12:23 p.m.

Drop box theft
Suffolk County Police Department said a 19-year-old man from Rocky Point was charged with petit larceny. The man entered the Kohl’s at 346 Route 25A in Rocky Point on Oct. 24 around 3 p.m. and took cash from a drop box. The man was arrested a week later at the same location around 11:30 a.m.

Repeat suspension
On Oct. 31 at 12:15 p.m. a 42-year-old woman from Selden was charged with operating a car with a suspended license. The woman was driving a 2003 Jeep Liberty when she got into a car crash near Middle County and Nicolls Road in Centereach. Police said her license was suspended and arrested the woman around 1:30 p.m. Police also said the woman had her license suspended 23 times on 11 different occasions.

False reports
A 27-year-old man from Coram was arrested and charged with falsely reporting an incident. According to police, the man called the cops and falsely claimed he was robbed because he didn’t want them to know he bought drugs. The incident and arrest took place on Oct. 31 around 10:55 p.m.

Bobs burglary
Police arrested a 53-year-old man from Setauket for burglary. Police said the man entered a residence on Bobs Lane in East Setauket and attempted to steal a scarf around 7:22 p.m. on Nov. 1. Police caught the man in the act and arrested him at 7:51 p.m.

Why’d you do that?
A 31-year-old man from Shirley was arrested on Oct 28 around 7 p.m. and charged with harassment after he struck another man with his open hand at 101 Nicolls Road in Stony Brook. Police said they didn’t know why the man hit the other individual.

Trashed taillights
According to police, an unknown person was in the Port Jefferson Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership parking lot at 5130 Nesconset Highway and damaged the taillights on three Dodge Ram vehicles and one Jeep Grand Cherokee. The incident happened on Oct. 31 around 1 a.m.

Beat at a bar
An unidentified man was taken to Mather Hospital on Nov. 1 around 12:30 a.m. after someone struck him at Schafer’s bar in Port Jefferson. Police didn’t specify where the victim was hit or why the suspect struck him.

Seven years of bad luck
Police said someone shattered a mirror on Oct. 31 around 2 a.m. at a home near West Broadway in Port Jefferson.

iPad problems
An unknown person broke the rear passenger window of a 2014 Infiniti and stole an iPad from the passenger seat on Oct. 30 around 6 p.m. The incident occurred in a residence’s driveway on Crystal Brook Hollow Road in Mount Sinai.

IRS request
According to police, on Nov. 1 around 10 a.m. a Port Jefferson Station resident was near Nesconset Highway in Mount Sinai when he received a phone call from someone who identified himself or herself as being from the IRS. The caller demanded money from the resident.

Jewelry gone
Police said an unknown person entered a residence on Nov. 1 on Henearly Drive in Miller Place and stole jewelry.

Purse problems
On Oct. 30 around 11:50 a.m., a woman reported that someone stole her purse while she was putting groceries into her car in the Stop and Shop parking lot on Route 25A in East Setauket.

Dirty crime
According to police, on Nov. 1 around 4 a.m., someone entered the backyard of a residence on Robinhood Lane in East Setauket. Police said the suspect destroyed the lawn with a dirt bike.

A spooky steal
On Oct. 30 around 10:30 p.m., someone entered the locker room of the Halloween City at 2304 Nesconset Hwy. in Stony Brook, and stole an employee’s purse. The police didn’t know if the suspect also worked at the store.

A bleach outlook
A 50-year-old man from Smithtown was arrested on Oct. 31 after police said he purchased a bottle of bleach and poured it on the floor at a 7-Eleven on 25A in Kings Park at 7 a.m. He was charged with third-degree criminal tampering.

Driveway mischief
An unknown person stole a shotgun and a steel combo lock from the driveway of a residence on Southern Boulevard in Nesconset on Oct. 31 at 10 p.m.

Credit card confusion
On Oct. 29 a 44-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested after police said she made purchases on someone else’s credit card. She was arrested on Wicks Road in Commack at 10:20 p.m. and charged with fourth-degree unlawful use and possession of a credit card.

Killed Kia
A man reported that one of the tires of his 2008 Kia had been slashed on Oct. 31 at 1:40 p.m. while parked in the New York Community Bank parking lot in Nesconset.

Wrong items
Police said a 30-year-old woman from Mastic was arrested on Oct. 28 at North Ocean Avenue in Ronkonkoma at 11:30 a.m. after police said she was found in possession of a knife switchblade, a hypodermic needle, Xanax and heroin. She was charged with three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Cashless in the classroom
An unknown person stole cash from a classroom at Developmental Disabilities Inc. in Smithtown on Oct. 31 at 3 p.m.

iPhone iLost
On Nov. 1 police arrested a 31-year-old man after they said he stole an iPhone 5 at 12:40 a.m. on Bennett Avenue in Smithtown. He was charged with petit larceny.

Drug driving
A 21-year-old man from Nesconset was arrested after police said he was driving a 2009 Honda Civic on Middle Country Road in Nesconset while impaired by prescription drugs at 2:50 p.m. on Oct. 29. He was charged with first-degree operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.

Belgium blocks be gone
An unknown person stole four Belgium blocks surrounding a resident’s mailbox on Everit Place in Smithtown on Oct. 28 at 1 p.m.

Cat burglar at Kohl’s
On Oct. 29 a 23-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested after police said she stole assorted jewelry from Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack at 6:10 p.m. She was charged with petit larceny.

Five-sipper discount
An unknown person stole a soda from a cooler at a register at Walmart in Commack and left the store without paying for it on Oct. 31 at 5:45 p.m.

Man killed in motorcycle collision
Michael Awamy, 52 of Huntington, was killed after colliding with a car while riding a motorcycle on Oct. 30 at 4:15 p.m. He was driving a 2008 Kawasaki Ninja east on Jericho Turnpike when he hit a 2008 Nissan Sentra that was attempting to make a left turn on Sweet Hollow Road in Huntington. Awamy was transported to Huntington Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the Nissan Sentra was not injured.

Not using his head
A 56-year-old man from Huntington was arrested after police said he struck another man in the head with a crowbar, causing lacerations that required medical attention on Oct. 31. He was arrested at 1 a.m. on 10th Avenue in Huntington Station and charged with assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon.

ID swiped
Someone broke into a 2009 RAV4 parked in a High Street driveway in Huntington at 11 p.m. on Oct. 28 and took an ID card.

Probation problems
On Oct. 28, a 32-year-old Huntington woman was charged with fugitive arrest without a warrant. Cops said at 8 a.m. she was arrested at the 2nd Precinct and charged with both violating her probation and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Borrowing from Barrow Court
An unknown person broke into a house on Barrow Court in Huntington and stole cash on Oct. 28 at 9:45 p.m.

Breaking a leg
Police said a 51-year-old Huntington man stabbed a victim in the leg, causing wounds, on Oct. 31 at 4:15 a.m. on Railroad Street in Huntington Station. He was charged with assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon.

But I got a fake ID
On Oct. 31, a 59-year-old Elmhurst man was arrested after police said he possessed a fake driver’s license and a fake credit card. He was charged with second-degree possessing a forged instrument and arrested at 5:22 p.m. at the 2nd Precinct.

Swiper is swiping in Fort Salonga
A 21-year-old Brooklyn man was arrested on Oct. 30 at the 2nd Precinct after police said he entered a home on Fort Salonga Road through a window and stole electronics sometime between Sept. 16 and Sept. 18. He was charged with second- degree burglary.

Heroin on NY Ave.
On Oct. 29, a 21-year-old Cold Spring Harbor woman was arrested after police said she was in possession of heroin on New York Avenue in Huntington at 10:30 a.m. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Gray skies ahead for a gray Chevy
A 52-year-old Fort Salonga man was arrested on Oct. 28 at 9 a.m. on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington after police said he was driving a gray 2002 Chevy SUV with a suspended license. He was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

High times
Police said a 28-year-old Huntington man was driving while ability impaired by drugs at midnight on Oct. 28. He was driving a 1995 Ford on East Pulaski Road in Huntington Station when cops said they pulled him over for driving at a high speed. He was charged with driving while ability impaired.

Faking it at Lord & Taylor
Three unknown men entered a Lord & Taylor on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington and used a fraudulent credit card to make miscellaneous purchases on Oct. 30 at 2:00 p.m.

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