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Shoreham-Wading River junior Alyssa Bell shoots for the Wildcats in the Suffolk A semi-final. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

A year ago, Shoreham-Wading River ended the Kings Park girls basketball season with an impressive win in the Suffolk County Class A final at Stony Brook University to earn the Wildcats their first-ever county championship. 

At Centereach High School Feb. 28, Kings Park sought redemption in a rematch with SWR in the semifinal round, where the Lady Kingsmen ended the Wildcats season with a 48-34 victory.

Kings Park senior Ryan Currier topped the scoring chart with 13 points with teammates Emily Clemens and Gianna Zawol adding 11 points each.

A pair of sophomores led the way for the Wildcats where Kady Keegan banked 11 points and Leslie Jablonski netted 10.             

— Photos by Bill Landon 

METRO photo

By Hon. Gail Prudenti

Hon. Gail Prudenti

Before this decade is over, about a quarter of New York State’s population will be over the age of 60. Meanwhile, the 85-and-up populace is the fastest growing demographic subset in the state. This is a population that is inherently susceptible to abuse and exploitation, and the type of people who would take advantage of these vulnerable citizens know it.

A common con is the “grandma, it’s me” scam: A hysterical young person calls, pretending to be a grandchild and claiming to be in trouble for driving under the influence of cannabis and begging them not to tell the parents. The “grandchild,” whose voice is a little hard to make out because of the fake crying, puts a fake police officer on the phone, who instructs the victim to quickly wire over several thousand dollars for bail. 

I am aware of an elderly couple — well-educated, intelligent people in their mid-80s — who fell for it, thinking their beloved grandson needed their help. They’re out $5,000.

Although as a group those over 65 are much less likely to become crime victims than younger people, the elderly are increasingly victimized by various forms of abuse — physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, abandonment and, most commonly, financial exploitation. Solid statistics, though, are hard to come by since we only know what has been reported and, in many jurisdictions, mandatory reporting laws are either weak or inconsistent.

The federal government’s estimates range from 500,000 to two million incidents of elder abuse annually. In New York, the Office for the Aging cites the incidence of elder abuse at about 300,000 per year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contends one in 10 Americans aged 60 and above have experienced some form of elder abuse in the last year alone.

A study by the New York State Bar Association, Under the Radar: New York State Elder Abuse Prevalence Study, showed that 14 percent of all older adults in New York State experienced some form of elder abuse since turning 60. What’s more, the Bar Association report concluded that for every incident documented by state agencies, 24 went unreported. Tragically, many elderly victims won’t report because they are embarrassed and that includes the couple I mentioned earlier who fell the “grandma it’s me” scam), or because the abuser is their caretaker—the only person nearby that they can “rely” on.

Researchers and experts can’t seem to agree on what “elder” means — over 60? over 65? or is it a matter of mental capacity rather than an arbitrary age? — let along what all constitutes “elder abuse.” What we do know is that the many, many shapes of elder abuse implicate all sorts of laws, criminal and civil.

Our criminal courts increasingly deal with physical assaults, fraud and other crimes perpetrated against an older population.

Our civil courts deal with such thorny issues as competency: Does the elderly person have the capacity to sign a contract, and if not is the contract enforceable?; does the elderly person have the capacity to consent to or refuse medical treatment?; does the elderly person have the capacity to intelligently change his or her will?; does the elderly person have the capacity to consent to marriage—and what standing has the relative convinced that the suitor is trying to work his way into grandma’s estate rather than her heart? These are thorny legal questions, and oftentimes there is no clear answer.

I think we all need to be on the alert for the signs of possible elder abuse. Are there unexplained bumps and bruises, and does the older person become guarded when you inquire? Does the individual suddenly seem withdrawn or scared? Has their personal hygiene declined noticeably? Is the individual transferring assets or writing checks for cash? Is their cellphone off more than it used to be, or are you getting odd responses to texts that may indicate someone else is “managing” their communications? 

The tricky thing is, all of the above could be evidence of elder abuse. Or not.

A bill pending for years in the New York State Legislature would require the state Office for the Aging to develop elder abuse training and offer that training to senior service centers and contractors. However, experts say that elder abuse most commonly occurs in the home, which puts the onus on family, friends and neighbors to know the signs and maintain a watchful eye.

If you witness abuse, call 911. If you suspect someone is a victim of elder abuse, call the NYS Adult Protective Services Helpline at 1-844-697-3505. As with homeland security, if you see something, say something.

Hon. Gail Prudenti is the Former Chief Administrative Judge State of New York and a Partner at Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. focusing her practice on Trusts & Estates. Burner Prudenti Law, P.C. serves clients from New York City to the east end of Long Island with offices located in East Setauket, Westhampton Beach, Manhattan and East Hampton.

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Prime Times senior supplement on 01/25/24.

By Bill Landon

Led by the sophomore Mia Betancourt, the Mount Sinai Mustangs outran visiting Bayport-Blue Point in the Jan. 19 League VI matchup Friday night. Betancourt banked 24 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for the triple-double leading her team to the 78-64 victory. 

Freshman Alexa Cergol netted nine field goals and a 3-pointer from the line for 21 points and Kyla Orlando, a junior, banked 14.

Senior Ashley Sankey did her damage from long range, draining three triples for nine points.

The Mustangs retake the court Thursday, Jan. 25, when they host Center Moriches. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.

The win keeps the Mustangs atop the League VI leaderboard at 6-0, 9-4 overall, with six games remaining before postseason play begins.

Councilman Neil Foley being sworn in by Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico on Jan. 11. Snapshot from the town website

Newly elected Supervisor Dan Panico (R) headed the first Town of Brookhaven board meeting of the new year Jan. 11. Panico opened the meeting with a brief call to recognition of children, noting, “Children in this world do not ask for war and are the most innocent among us.” He urged everyone to “think about the children of our world and what they are enduring.” 

Before the meeting commenced, Panico swore in Councilman Neil Foley (R), for his 10th year in office. Foley serves District 5, which encompasses Blue Point, parts of Lake Ronkonkoma, Holbrook, Holtsville and Medford, North Patchogue, Patchogue, East Patchogue and Davis Park Fire Island. 

Following Panico’s opening acknowledgment, the members of the Town Board addressed their several agendas for the Thursday evening meeting. Each meeting has a built-in time slot welcoming public comments, though this particular meeting had no cards registered for comment. 

Some of the most important topics addressed were:

• Approval of a one-year intermunicipal agreement to provide demolition and disposal services for the Village of Port Jefferson for its blighted properties. Approval of this agreement further addresses Port Jefferson’s vacant, abandoned, derelict and blighted properties needing to be demolished.

• Establishment of a Suffolk County Water Quality Protection and Restoration Program for Cedar Beach Habitat Restoration. The cost of the program is projected around $120,000. The project plans to remove invasive plants, establish native plant species and install wildlife tunnels in order to reduce erosion. Additionally, to promote coastal resiliency, improve water quality in Mount Sinai Harbor and the Long Island Sound and support the improvement of vulnerable local diamondback terrapin populations.

• Approval of various improvements to the Brookhaven Town landfill using proceeds from serial bonds totaling $4.5 million. The funding will go toward the cost of various original improvements including, but not limited to, gas management, odor control and leachate control improvements.

• Improvements to localities such as town parks and recreational areas, town parking lots, road reconstruction and right-of-way improvements, among others, were also approved using bonds. 

• Authorized the issuance of $250,000 in bonds for the development of a Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan for the North Shore. 

More information on this Town Board meeting can be found at brookhavenny.portal.civicclerk.com. The next meeting will be held Feb. 1 at Brookhaven Town Hall.

Local residents gathered Dec. 29 in front of Port Jefferson Harbor to participate in a ceasefire vigil organized by the North Country Peace Group. The event, held amid the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict, aimed to raise awareness and call for an immediate end to the violence in Gaza.

As the clock struck noon, participants displayed signs bearing messages of peace and hope. Speakers from the peace group shared their thoughts on the conflict, urging those present to advocate for diplomatic solutions and humanitarian aid.

“We need to be visible, we need to let people know what our community stands for,” Port Jefferson resident Myrna Gordon said. “We need to let them know that we want a ceasefire, that we want to end these atrocious killings. It’s important for our community to see that we’re here, that we’re not going to go away, and what’s happening now.”

Attendees shared stories of hope, emphasizing the cost of the ongoing conflict.

“We’ve been doing this for over 50 years,” Gordon said. “You do get tired, and you do get worn down by the bureaucracy. But with support like this in our communities, we’re very fortunate to have a very solid community of peace activists, people who are simply working for justice. We just have to stay the course.”

Despite the somber mood, the vigil was also a testament to the enduring human spirit. The shared grief and the collective call for peace created a powerful sense of solidarity among those present.

The ceasefire vigil is just one of many similar events taking place around the world. As the conflict continues, the call for peace grows louder, urging leaders to find a way to end the suffering and bring about a lasting peace.

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Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Second Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate a man who allegedly stole from a Huntington Station store in December.

A man allegedly reached around the counter at Family Dollar, located at 1780 New York Ave., and used the cash register to add approximately $450 to his online PayPal account without paying at approximately 9:05 p.m. on December 9.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.

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Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate two men who allegeldy stole from a Commack store this month.

Two men allegedly stole a Husqvarna leaf blower from Lowes, located at 100 Express Drive North, on November 16 at approximately 11:55 a.m.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.