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Legislators not letting Bellone off hook

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. File photo by Alex Petroski

A high stakes political finger pointing battle is ramping up in Suffolk County.

Top Suffolk County officials have been left to answer for the promotion of former Chief of Police James Burke, who in February pleaded guilty to charges of a civil rights violation and conspiracy to obstruct justice, which occurred following the arrest of Smithtown man Christopher Loeb in 2012.

On Tuesday Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) held a press conference at the Suffolk County Legislature in Riverhead where he and fellow legislators, including Tom Cilmi (R-Bay Shore) and Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), called for both County Executive Steve Bellone and District Attorney Tom Spota to resign from their positions.

On Thursday, Bellone joined the list of people including the legislators and Suffolk County Sheriff Vincent DeMarco calling for Spota to resign.

“For refusing to cooperate and work with federal law enforcement to prosecute crime in this county, for refusing and blocking federal law enforcement who were working on the Gilgo Beach serial murder case, for allowing violent criminals to go free to protect political friends, for lying about Jim Burke and conspiring to conceal his past…” Bellone said Thursday afternoon on the steps of Spota’s Hauppauge office. “Tom Spota, you must resign from this office so that we can begin the process of reforming this place governmentally and politically in a way that we can ensure this doesn’t happen again. If you fail to do so, I will call on the governor to exercise his authority under the constitution to remove you from this office.”

Trotta arrived while Bellone addressed the media, and interjected that reporters were speaking with a “co-conspirator.” Trotta reiterated his stance on Thursday that Bellone is as much a part of the political corruption problem in the county as Spota for his role in promoting Burke, and standing by him despite evidence of Burke’s troubled past.

“I have never said that I have never made mistakes in my public career,” Bellone said. “I’ve made many mistakes. But they have never, ever been with ill intent and I’ve learned from my mistakes and I don’t repeat them. When I promoted Jim Burke I consulted District Attorney Tom Spota. When I fired Jim Burke I did not consult Tom Spota.”

Bellone said he promoted Burke not because of recommendations from Spota or others, but because he was a “charismatic” and “impressive” person who made a memorable presentation.

Bellone handed a letter calling for Spota’s resignation to one of his employees inside the office, and Spota later met the media to respond Thursday.

“It’s a very, very difficult day for me,” Spota said in a video of that press conference. “He has delivered to me a letter asking for my resignation. I have absolutely no reason why I should resign, or should I be removed from office.”

Spota fired back at Bellone, suggesting his motivation was a “personal vendetta” against Spota for investigating and prosecuting people Bellone was close to.

On Tuesday, Bellone responded to Trotta, Cilmi and McCaffrey’s calls for his resignation through an email from a spokeswoman.

“Rob Trotta and Tom Cilmi are partisan politicians who just don’t get it,” the statement said. “This is not a partisan issue, this is about sweeping out a culture of abuse and corruption in the district attorney’s office.  I regret that I trusted the word of the district attorney regarding Jim Burke, and I have learned from that error in judgment.”

Trotta made it clear following Bellone’s comments that the county executive should not be let off the hook.

“It was an Academy Award winning performance,” Trotta said of Bellone’s press conference. “Forty-eight hours ago we were partisan, and we were political hacks. Now all of the sudden he responds to a Newsday article, he sees what’s going on and he tries to jump in front of it. It’s ridiculously absurd…He’s a total, unadulterated liar.”

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Lt. Thomas Verbeeck is a pilot serving with Wing 11 of the U.S. Navy. Photo from the U.S. Navy

A 2007 Shoreham-Wading River graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, the largest base in the Southeast Region and third largest in the nation.

Lt. Thomas Verbeeck is a pilot serving with Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11. As a pilot, Verbeeck is responsible for the safe flight of aircraft, navigation and organizing flight plans and missions.

“What I enjoy most about my job is working with proficient and motivated sailors,” Verbeeck said.

Beginning in the 1960s, the P-3C Orion, a land-based, long-range anti-submarine warfare patrol aircraft, replaced the P-2V Neptune fleet. After 50 years of faithful service, the P-3C Orion is being phased out, according to Navy officials.

The P-8A is a modified Boeing airframe featuring a fully connected, state-of-the-art open architecture mission system designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

According to Navy officials, Wing 11’s history and reputation remain unparalleled since being commissioned on August 15, 1942. Throughout the decades, Wing 11 has continued to fly combat missions in direct support of the troops on the ground and delivered traditional maritime capabilities, real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

“The U.S. Navy sometimes asks the impossible of our people. It is sailors that make the impossible possible,” said Capt. Anthony Corapi, CPRW-11. “Lt. Verbeeck is one example of a selfless servant of our nation. These heroes ask for very little recognition and perform their daily job with pride and professionalism, defending freedom and our way of life around the world.”

Verbeeck is part of a crew that is preparing for deployment in the future.

“This command has a tight-knit family atmosphere,” Verbeeck said. “I enjoy the camaraderie I have among my fellow crew. Serving in the Navy, I’ve learned that patience is a virtue and it’s important to trust those below you as well as above you. Given time, people will surprise you with the results of their hard work.”

— Navy Office of Community Outreach Public Affairs

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Stock photo

By Ellen Barcel

Recently on the television I heard a newscaster announce that the 17-year cicadas are due to emerge. Sounds ominous, doesn’t it? What effect will this have? Will they damage your plants? Well, not really.

Stock photo
Stock photo

First of all, there are 15 different broods of the 17-year periodic cicadas. They live in the ground for 17 years, each brood emerging during a different year. Brood V is due out this year, Brood VI in 2017, Brood VII in 2018, etc. That means that there is a brood emerging almost every year, but not in the same place. This year’s brood, Brood V, is emerging mainly in Ohio and West Virginia with a small pocket of them on eastern Long Island, around the Wildwood State Park area.

Interestingly, the only place that these 17-year locusts (as they are sometimes known) are found is in the eastern United Sates, nowhere else in the world.

Cicadas live most of their lives, 17 years generally, underground feeding on the roots of plants. Then come spring, usually May, they dig their way to the surface, shed their skin and look for a mate. The males have a high-pitched whine that attracts the females. About a week to 10 days later the females lay lots of eggs. About six to seven weeks later the eggs hatch, the nymphs fall to the ground where they burrow into the soil and feed on plant roots, waiting for 17 years before emerging briefly to mate.

In general, the emerged cicadas don’t do a lot of damage to plants, so there really isn’t a problem, just a lot of noise and a bunch of dead insects when they die off. Mature cicadas are about an inch and a half long, so between the noise and the size you really notice them, that and the strange life cycle. Most of Long Island is home to Brood 10 which is due to emerge in 2021.

A really cool website, Cicada Mania (www.cicadamania.com) has detailed information about not only the 17-year locusts but the 13-year ones as well. Penn State Extension (https://extension.psu.edu) also has detailed scientific information, noting that the 17-year cicadas can do damage to fruit trees, causing slits in the bark when the female lays eggs and taking nutrients away from the fruit trees when the nymphs feed on the roots. If you have weak trees, they could suffer some damage. But, cicadas do not chew on leaves the way other insects do.

Personally, I would be more concerned about aphids on roses and slugs attacking my hostas. Tent caterpillars are sometimes in the area, but, while unsightly, unless the same tree is attacked year after year, the tree usually survives quite nicely. Remember, keep your plants healthy and that keeping the balance in nature is very effective in controlling most pests. Birds in the garden, for example, eat a lot of insects. Praying mantises, while large and scary looking, eat lots of insects as well.

The rule of thumb is that unless more than 10 percent of a plant is affected, you can probably leave the pest alone. Don’t freak out if your hosta leaves have a few small holes in them, but do keep checking to make sure the situation doesn’t get out of control. If it does, use the least offensive way of controlling it. Only if the milder controls don’t work, then use the heavy-duty ones, chemicals. This is known as integrated pest management. For slugs, I find that just hand picking them off the plants at night works quite nicely.

Ellen Barcel is a freelance writer and master gardener. Send your gardening questions to [email protected]. To reach Cornell Cooperative Extension and its Master Gardener program, call 631-727-7850.

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Lorian Prince, Marie D’Elia and Camille Pabon stand outside the storefront. Photo by Desirée Keegan

When Camille Pabon and Lorian Prince aren’t working, they’re still together, whether it be just hanging out or coming back to Del Fiore Italian Market, the business the two sisters own, to make dinner for the family.

“Even on our days off, we still hang out,” Prince said. “But the store is like home base. After work we call each other. People would think, ‘Haven’t I had enough of you yet?’”

The bond the two have makes for a thriving business, both because of the home-style, handmade, all-natural products they put out and because of the atmosphere they create.

“My dad remembers everybody’s name and I always marveled at that,” Prince said of Salvatore D’Elia, who opened the first Del Fiore Italian Pork Store in Patchogue with his brother Felice D’Elia and brother-in-law Carmine Galeotafiore in 1971. “He always has some sort of story to go along with each customer, and even today when he comes in, people love the little information that he throws at them from way back when.”

Fresh cold cuts and products like ravioli, meatballs and sausage line the glass cases inside the market and Italian novelties hang above the counter. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Fresh cold cuts and products like ravioli, meatballs and sausage line the glass cases inside the market and Italian novelties hang above the counter. Photo by Desirée Keegan

The sisters have tried to do the same.

“I’m not good with names. I’m really good with faces, and then I feel guilty because I don’t remember their names, but they’re really good with that,” said Heather Crane, a longtime friend of Pabon’s who’s worked on and off with the family for 20 years. “They’re like a second family here. They get along so well and I envy their relationship. I admire it. My family works together and I don’t want to be there with all that chaos, but they’re really cute together.”

The Del Fiore store in Patchogue, which has since moved up the block from its original location, is still owned by the Galeotafiore family, and Felice D’Elia has since moved to Florida and opened up a similar deli there.

Salvatore D’Elia opened up the Rocky Point shop in March 1973 with his wife Marie, who said she used to take time on her lunch breaks from her job at Slomin’s, which was next door to one of the company’s several locations in Massapequa, to stock shelves with her husband.

“It was a first time for me to run a business and first time for him to run a business, and we did well,” she said.

Pabon and Prince started in the Rocky Point store at a young age.

“I wanted to do everything and I started serving customers as soon as I could see over the counter,” Pabon said. “Maybe not very well, but I thought I was doing something.”

Seeing the company pass onto the next generation is something that warms their mother’s heart.

“He and I are very, very proud of them taking over and doing a wonderful job,” she said. “Better than us, actually.”

Camille Pabon and Lorian Prince, who said her mind was blown when she found out other foods besides Italian existed, took over Del Fiore Italian Market 10 years ago. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Camille Pabon and Lorian Prince, who said her mind was blown when she found out other foods besides Italian existed, took over Del Fiore Italian Market 10 years ago. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Modestly, the sisters laugh about doing a better job than their parents. Although Del Fiore closed its doors in several locations like Massapequa, Selden, College Point and Ronkonkoma, business remains in Rocky Point.

“In the summertime, we do a lot of catering, providing some of the wineries with sandwiches — a man does a wine tour and puts out hot food from us every weekend — so we dread the weekends in the summer,” Pabon said, laughing. “We don’t look forward to them at all.”

The sisters make fresh mozzarella, ravioli, fried eggplant, sopressata and meatballs, among other Italian products, at the shop they renamed Del Fiore Italian Market when they took over the company 10 years ago. Their food contains no additives or preservatives, making it one of the only places the family, and even their coworkers, will purchase food from. Italian novelties also hang above the counter, and other shelves are lined with hard-to-find products, like coffee presses, that you may not find at a local supermarket.

Although the business model has changed a bit, as the sisters make more premade foods for those who are too busy to make dishes themselves, the sisters have learned to adapt to the changing culture.

“We were used to people that cooked,” Marie D’Elia said. “They came in and bought the raw supplies and they cooked it. Now, they come in and they want already fried chicken or premade meatballs, croquettes and rice balls. But the girls have brought in new ideas.”

For both sisters, the decision to work at the store after graduating college was an easy one, and said they’re lucky they have the opportunity to work together.

“I tried it,” Prince said. “I worked in a doctor’s office, and then I thought, why work for someone else when you can work for family?”

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Policeman punched
At a home on Cedarhurst Avenue in Selden at about 5:30 p.m. on May 6, a 35-year-old man jumped on top of a police officer and punched him repeatedly in the head, according to police. He was arrested and charged with second-degree harassment. The officer did not require medical attention.

The sock drawer is not a bank
Money was taken from the bedroom of a home on Remington Avenue in Selden at about 1 p.m. on May 7, police said.

Screwed
A 28-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station struck another man in the head with a screw gun at about 3 p.m. on May 7 on Mark Street in Port Jefferson Station, according to police. He was arrested and charged with assault with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon. The victim was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.

Heroin bust
At about 8 p.m. on May 6, at the corner of Rosemary Lane and Powers Avenue in Centereach, a 38-year-old man from Coram in the passenger seat of a 2003 Hyundai was found to have heroin on him, according to police. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Gas fraud
A 36-year-old man from Holtsville driving a 2006 Chevrolet stopped at a Gulf gas station on the South Service Road of the Long Island Expressway in Holbrook at about 5:30 p.m. on May 8, police said. He pumped gas into the car, and then charged the amount to someone else’s account. He was arrested in Selden and charged with petit larceny.

Unlicensed hit-and-run
On May 6, a 35-year-old man from East Northport was driving a 2005 Saturn on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station when he collided with a 2010 Nissan, police said. The man fled the scene without exchanging information with the driver of the Nissan. He was arrested in Selden, where police also found he was driving with a suspended license. He was charged with leaving the scene of an incident with property damage and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

… and again
A 53-year-old man from Coram driving a 2008 Dodge on Mount Sinai-Coram Road in Coram on April 9 collided with a 1995 Honda and left the scene without exchanging information, police said. He was arrested on May 5 in Selden and charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle for driving with a suspended license.

Jewel thief thwarted
At a home on Locust Avenue in Coram on April 26, a 28-year-old man entered through a basement window and stole jewelry, police said. He was arrested on May 4 in Selden and charged with second-degree burglary.

Do-it-yourselfer unsuccessful
At about 2:30 p.m. on May 8, a woman attempted to steal a faucet from The Home Depot on Independence Place in Selden, according to police.

Purse pinched
A pocketbook was stolen from the concession stand at North Country Road Middle School in Miller Place at about 2 p.m. on May 7, according to police.

Stay home and watch Netflix
A 2008 Toyota in the parking lot of AMC Loews Stony Brook 17 movie theater had the driver’s side window broken at about 7 p.m. on May 7, police said. A purse containing cash and a backpack were stolen from the car.

Pool equipment missing
On Aug. 30, 2015, an unknown person stole pool equipment, including hoses, a pump and a filter, from a shed at a home on Chereb Court in East Setauket, according to police. The report was filed on May 6.

Cookout
Two men entered Lowe’s Home Improvement in Stony Brook at about 3 p.m. on May 4, placed a barbecue on a cart and exited without paying, police said.

No pain (pill prescription), no gain
On the corner of Huron Street and Roe Avenue in Port Jefferson Station at about 2:30 p.m. on May 4, a 24-year-old man from Port Jefferson driving a 1995 Toyota was found to have Suboxone pain medication without a prescription, police said. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Vehicle ransacked
An unknown person entered a 2014 Ford parked at a home on Shelbourne Lane in Stony Brook on May 4 and stole a GPS, binoculars, a camera and change, according to police.

Someone’s being a pill
A 24-year-old woman from Ronkonkoma was arrested on May 8 just before midnight after police said she was in possession of prescription pills without a prescription while on Autumn Drive in Smithtown. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Receipt deception
A 22-year-old man from Kings Park was arrested on May 7 after police said he took cash in exchange for receipts that were not his from a Rite Aid Pharmacy on Indian Head Road in Kings Park, between April 17 and May 7. He was charged with petit larceny.

Razor sharp
Police said a 38-year-old man from Holtsville stole razor cartridges, a black T-shirt and Neutrogena gel from Walmart in Islandia on May 7. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Morning cup
A 49-year-old man from West Sayville was arrested on May 6 on Route 25 after police said he was in possession of marijuana at 9:15 a.m. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Expensive taste
A 59-year-old man from Coram was arrested on May 6 after police said he stole more than $1,000 worth of merchandise from T.J.Maxx on Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia and more than $300 worth of items from Macy’s in Smithaven Mall in Lake Grove. He was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny.

Can’t pretend it didn’t happen
On May 6 a 16-year-old from Smithtown was arrested for crashing a 2011 Dodge Avenger into a 2001 Lexus parked on East Main Street in Smithtown on April 30. He was charged with leaving the scene with property damage.

No script for that
Police said a 44-year-old man from Mastic Beach was in possession of prescription pills without a prescription on May 5 at a residence on Johnson Avenue in Bohemia. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Our house
A 23-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested on May 5 at the 4th Precinct after police said she entered a residence on Wysocki Court in Nesconset without permission on April 11 just after noon. She was charged with second-degree criminal trespassing.

Phone home
On May 4 a 60-year-old man from Lake Ronkonkoma was arrested after police said he stole a black iPhone 6 Plus from inside a Rite Aid in Lake Ronkonkoma. He was charged with petit larceny.

Case of missing identity
A 38-year-old female from Brentwood was arrested on May 4 after police said she stole clothing from Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack and then gave someone else’s identification while being processed at the 4th Precinct. She was charged with petit larceny and false impersonation.

Snowberry fields forever
On May 6 a 33-year-old woman from Islandia was arrested after police said she had cocaine in her possession while on Snowberry Lane in Islandia. She was charged with third-degree intent to sell narcotics or drugs.
Police said a 34-year-old man from Islandia was driving a 2012 Infiniti on Old Nichols Road in Islandia on May 6 when he hit a parked 2008 Chevy and then left the scene. He was later arrested on Snowberry Lane and charged with third-degree intent to sell narcotics or drugs and first-degree leaving an accident involving injury.

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Mustangs score five unanswered goals in second half to secure 6-5 win over Shoreham

Mount Sinai teammates huddle around Meaghan Tyrrell after she scores what would be the game-winning goal. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Mount Sinai’s motto this season has been “proving people wrong.”

And again, the girls’ lacrosse team did just that. Despite being down 5-1 at halftime, the Mustangs rallied back to score five unanswered goals en route to a 6-5 win over Shoreham-Wading River in the game’s final minutes Monday.

Mount Sinai's Caroline Hoeg scores over Shoreham's Sophia Triandafils. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Mount Sinai’s Caroline Hoeg scores over Shoreham’s Sophia Triandafils. Photo by Desirée Keegan

“It was a great turnaround,” Mount Sinai head coach Al Bertolone said. “Everything that you wanted to have happen in the first half happened in the second half. It was the way I thought we could play.”

But the girls came out flat.

While the Mustangs had trouble getting started, the Wildcats were off to the races. Isabella Meli and Erin Triandafils tacked on two goals each, and Mikayla Dwyer scored once while Jesse Arline assisted twice, to put Shoreham up 5-0.

With 3:28 left in the first half, Mount Sinai senior midfielder Caroline Hoeg dodged opponents as she made her way up the middle and scored unassisted to break the ice for her team.

“I think we started off rocky, but we came out at halftime and knew what we had to do,” she said. “Everyone knew they had to play for the girl next to them and we played our hearts out.”

Mount Sinai's Camryn Harloff reaches between Shoreham defenders for the loss ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Mount Sinai’s Camryn Harloff reaches between Shoreham defenders for the loss ball. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Hoeg helped win possession off the draw to open the second, and from the left side of the cage, passed to junior midfielder Lisa Nonnenmann who scored through traffic up top.

“It’s a gut-check time,” Bertolone said of his team being down. “I told them, ‘are we just going to let someone come in and push us around? Are we going to respond?’ And they did.”

At the 11:12 mark, sophomore attack Meaghan Tyrrell took matters into her own hands when she swiveled around the back of the cage and fired a shot across the front of the net to the far left side. Minutes later, she passed the ball to Hoeg up the middle, who beat out defenders and bounced in a shot that close the gap, 5-4.

“At halftime, our coach was pep-talking us and our captains were great,” she said. “When we came out we knew we had to win the draws to come back, so that was our motive.”

Bertolone called for a timeout and before sending his team back onto the field, the girls shouted “heart,” and continued to play with a lot of it.

The Mustangs won possession off the next draw, and although Nonnenmann had a free position shot soon after, she failed to capitalize. At 3:50, she got another shot, and made it count, tying the game 5-5.

Mount Sinai's Erica Shea makes her way around Shoreham's Isabella Cortes. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Mount Sinai’s Erica Shea makes her way around Shoreham’s Isabella Cortes. Photo by Desirée Keegan

“It was nerve-wracking but we’ve been working really hard this season and it was just great to get out there after we dug ourselves into a little bit of a hole to really work all together, settle the ball and pull it out,” she said. “I think we practice more than anyone else around, we get down to business and it helps us get the job done.”

With 2:06 left on the clock, the Mustangs proved that hard work pays off. From outside, Hoeg passed to Tyrrell at the front of the net, who bounced a shot into the open right side after a goalkeeper misstep, for the 6-5 lead.

“Caroline knew I was open, she knew that was the play, and I saw the goalie’s stick come out and I thought she was going to save it, but I got in there, went around her and shot,” she said. “It was very nerve-racking, but it also felt really great.”

Bertolone called for another timeout, and told his team, “You don’t want to lose this after coming all the way back. We need to win this draw.”

The Mustangs won the draw, and despite turning the ball over, forced a turnover and held the ball until time expired.

Mount Sinais' Leah Nonnenmann makes her way to the cage ahead of Shoreham's Erin Triandafils and Megan Daly. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Mount Sinais’ Leah Nonnenmann makes her way to the cage ahead of Shoreham’s Erin Triandafils and Megan Daly. Photo by Desirée Keegan

The 2015 state championship-winning team is hoping to get back to Cortland this year, and the team’s resiliency may take them there.

“We practice for days like this,” Hoeg said. “This is what we have to do if we want to get to the next level and we want to get back upstate. We knew that we all had to come together and show people that we can come back from losing our top players and prove people wrong. That was the motto this year — coming out and doing what people think we cant.”

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Donor Robert Frey shakes hands with the Suffolk Sharks mascot. Photo from Suffolk County Community College

A Belle Terre resident opened his wallet to give back to his alma mater last week, donating $1 million to Suffolk County Community College.

Robert Frey, through his Frey Family Foundation, made the gift as the college honored him during its annual Salute to Excellence Gala on May 5, for the foundation’s contributions to SCCC. The college said it was the largest gift from a graduate in its 58-year history.

“I tend to not do these things in the way that gets attention,” Frey said in a phone interview on Monday. But he said he thought the action would “trigger other people” to support the college.

SCCC President Shaun L. McKay, left, orders a $1 million check be unveiled. Photo from Suffolk County Community College
SCCC President Shaun L. McKay, left, orders a $1 million check be unveiled. Photo from Suffolk County Community College

Frey is a research professor at Stony Brook University and the director of its quantitative finance program, within the applied mathematics and statistics department, among other positions at SBU. He is also a businessman, serving as CEO of international investment management firm FQS Capital Partners Ltd. and of his family office, Harbor Financial Management.

He graduated from the college in 1978. His wife Kathy and daughter Megan also graduated from SCCC. After Suffolk, Frey went on to Stony Brook University, where he eventually earned a doctorate in applied mathematics.

“I never would have gotten started without Suffolk,” he said, which is why he wanted to give back.

He grew up in Brooklyn, a “lower middle class Irish-American whose access to education at a price he could afford changed his life.”

He said he hopes the $1 million will be used for capital improvements and scholarships, but he specifically “didn’t want to put too many restrictions on this” because he trusts the college officials’ judgment.

The donor “recognizes the transformative value of his foundation’s contribution and the impact it will have on the lives of our students,” college President Shaun L. McKay said in a statement. “We cannot thank him enough for his generosity and commitment to our institution.”

Frey’s name is familiar to more than just the Suffolk and SBU campus communities — he was previously a member of the Port Jefferson school board, before resigning in 2011 for health reasons. He was also once on the Mount Sinai school board when he lived in that community.

Donor Robert Frey signs the ceremonial check. Photo from Suffolk County Community College
Donor Robert Frey signs the ceremonial check. Photo from Suffolk County Community College

He has worked for his community in other ways as well.

The community college said he has also served on the boards of the nonprofit volunteer safety group The Alliance of Guardian Angels; the Port Jefferson-based nonprofit Hope House Ministries; the National Museum of Mathematics in New York City; the Suffolk Community College Foundation; and the Stony Brook Foundation.

This isn’t the first time the Frey Family Foundation has donated a large sum to a local institution — it has previously given to both Stony Brook University and John T. Mather Memorial Hospital.

In the case of Suffolk Community and why it deserved support, Frey stressed that the courses are high-caliber and the college cares about its students, many of whom would not have had access to advanced education or training without it.

“It does meet the needs of so many people,” he said. “There are probably few things … where your money is going to be used more effectively than in education.”

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Congressman Lee Zeldin, joined by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini, health professionals, community groups, parents, expresses his support for the package of bills coming to the House floor this week. File photo from Jennifer DiSiena

By Phil Corso

Congress is taking unprecedented steps to fight heroin and opioid abuse, and U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) brought the battle to Kings Park to spread the word.

In the company of other lawmakers and activists, Zeldin spoke at VFW Post 5796 last Thursday to discuss a package of bipartisan legislation the congressman has been pushing that addresses different angles of the disturbing upward trend in heroin and prescription opioid abuse on Long Island and across the country. The momentum from his stumping also helped propel several pieces of such legislation to a vote on the House floor by the following week.

The proposed legislation would review and update guidelines for prescribing opioids and pain medication, and require a report to Congress on the availability of substance abuse treatment in the country, among other provisions.

In his remarks last week, the congressman cited an alarming statistic from the Centers for Disease Control: more than 28,000 overdose deaths were recorded in 2014 as a result of heroin or opioid abuse — the highest number on record. Zeldin, who joined the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic in November, said Suffolk County recorded one of the highest rates of overdose deaths across the state, and needed a multi-pronged approach to address it.

“Next week, the House of Representatives is dedicating a full week to passing legislation aimed at addressing this epidemic, with a package of several bills to combat the growing heroin and opioid crisis,” Zeldin said. “Addiction and overdose deaths on Long Island and across our country are skyrocketing as a direct result of the increase in heroin and opioid abuse.”

In a phone interview, Zeldin said this was the first time the House had taken such unified measures to combat the problem, as its consequences were becoming impossible to ignore. The congressman used strong language when outlining the heroin addiction problem to drive it home.

“The rates that overdoses are increasing, and the fact that it’s not isolated to any one kind of community, has led many to describe this as an epidemic,” he said.

Joining Zeldin was Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini, who has been working on the front lines of the addiction problem, as Suffolk County suffered 103 fatal heroin overdoses in 2015 alone — more than double its neighboring Nassau County, which recorded 50. Sini also used the term “epidemic” to describe the fight he and his fellow officers have been facing.

“The heroin epidemic that our nation is facing is the number one public health and public safety issue here in Suffolk County,” Sini said. “Partnerships between local law enforcement and our federal representatives is a crucial tool in the battle against this scourge.”

And North Shore natives who felt the hurt of that “epidemic” stood beside Zeldin and Sini to throw their support behind legislative resolutions. Kim Revere, president of the Kings Park in the kNOw Community Coalition, and Linda Ventura, founder of the Thomas’ Hope Foundation, both said there were several different approaches lawmakers must take to address addiction, from prevention to rehabilitation.

“I believe wholeheartedly that prevention should begin at home,” said Revere, referring to the legislation as a wakeup call. “I am seeing many adults abusing alcohol and [prescription] drugs and that does not bode well for our children. I would like to see permanent evidence-based prevention programs implemented in school grades kindergarten through 12.”

Ventura, whose son Thomas died at age 21 from a drug overdose four years ago, said measures like Narcan, a medication which is administered to help reverse the effects of a heroin overdose, were important but not the only tool emergency responders should lean on.

“The United States needs to commit every resource imaginable to fight this insidious disease. The lifesaving tool Narcan needs to be accessible to all concerned to help save a life in the interim of an overdose to find treatment,” she said. “Treatment needs to be the appropriate level of care at the earliest intervention possible. Prevention — we must start educating and empowering our youngest of children with coping skills, relaxation techniques and communication skills.”

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By Elana Glowatz

Desperate times call for desperate budget measures.

For the first time in four years, a northern Suffolk County school district is taking aim at its tax levy cap, looking to bust through that state budget ceiling as more districts around New York do the same in tight times.

The New York State School Boards Association said the number of school districts seeking a supermajority of voter approval — 60 percent — to override their caps has doubled since last year. The group blames that trend on inflation.

tax-cap-graphicwThe state cap limits the amount a school district or municipality can increase its tax levy, which is the total amount collected in taxes, from budget to budget. While commonly referred to as a “2 percent tax cap,” it actually limits levy increases to 2 percent or the rate of inflation — whichever is lower — before certain excluded spending, like on capital projects and pension payments.

This year, the rate of inflation was calculated at just 0.12 percent and, after other calculations, the statewide average for an allowed tax levy increase will be 0.7 percent, according to NYSSBA.

“The quirks and vagaries of the cap formula mean it can fluctuate widely from year to year and district to district,” Executive Director Timothy G. Kremer said in a statement.

More school districts are feeling the pressure — a NYSSBA poll showed that 36 districts will ask voters to pass budgets that pop through their caps, double the number last year.

It may be easier said than done: Since the cap was enacted, typically almost half of proposed school district budgets that have tried to bust through it have failed at the polls. That’s compared to budgets that only needed a simple majority of support, which have passed 99 percent of the time since the cap started.

In 2012, the first year for the cap in schools, five districts on Suffolk’s North Shore sought to override it, including Mount Sinai, Comsewogue, Three Village, Rocky Point and Middle Country. Only the latter two were approved, forcing the others to craft new budget proposals and hold a second vote.

Middle Country barely squeaked by, with 60.8 percent of the community approving that budget, and Comsewogue just missed its target, falling shy by only 33 votes.

Numbers from the school boards’ association that year showed that more Long Island school districts had tried to exceed their caps and more budgets had failed than in any other region in the state.

But four years later, Harborfields school district is taking a shot.

Officials there adopted a budget that would increase its tax levy 1.52 percent next year, adding full-day kindergarten, a new high school music elective and a BOCES cultural arts program, among others. Harborfields board member Hansen Lee was “optimistic” that at least 60 percent of the Harborfields community would approve the budget.

“We’re Harborfields; we always come together for the success of our kids and the greater good,” Lee said.

The school boards’ association speculated that more school districts than just Harborfields would have tried to pierce their levy caps if not for a statewide boost in aid — New York State’s own budget increased school aid almost $25 billion, with $3 billion of that going specifically to Long Island.

Now that New York school districts have settled into the cap, Long Islanders’ eyes are on Harborfields, to see whether it becomes an example of changing tides.

Next Tuesday, Harborfields will see if it has enough public support to go where few Long Island districts have ever gone before, above and beyond the tax levy cap.

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The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program’s future at Mount Sinai may be nonexistent if the school can’t get the necessary funding. File photo by Barbara Donlon

By Kevin Redding

In 2013, the Mount Sinai School District and Port Jefferson School District partnered up for a new college-level program that would give their high school students an opportunity to study a wide range of science-oriented subjects and utilize the available resources at Stony Brook University.

The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program was set up largely due to the efforts of the districts’ superintendents, Gordon Brosdal of Mount Sinai and Kenneth Bossert of Port Jefferson, and New York State Senator Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) — who helped fund the program through grants since its inception. Now entering its third year, the STEM program — which consists of about 20 bright students in total from both high schools and lasts a few weeks each semester — includes four workshops, covering a wide range of topics that include botany, physics, computer modeling, electrical engineering and penguin research. Students get early on-campus experience at Stony Brook University, working under professors and advisers, and learning to apply their skill sets through research and hard work to make an impact on the world.

“Beyond just the cool things and getting us passionate about science, it’s taught us [amazing] life skills,” says Ben May, a junior at Mount Sinai who’s been in the program for two and a half years. “When I came to high school, I wanted to [pursue] politics. What these courses have taught me is that not only could I help the world by passing legislation, but that I could pass laws based on my knowledge of science, and the environmental issues I’ve learned, to help the general population.”

Even though the program itself is extremely beneficial, its future is not quite secured.

After New York State passed the Smart Schools Bond Act of 2014, which allocated $2 billion for school districts in the state to help provide students with the most up-to-date educational technology like Apple computers and tablets in the classroom, mostly in anticipation for online testing, LaValle’s grant for STEM per school district took a drop: $25,000 became $12,500. Since the program is not funded by the district’s budget, the two school districts pay for it themselves from the money LaValle supplies them. Without LaValle’s additional funding, the school districts must put it up to a budget vote, leaving the decision of whether to keep the program going or not to people who may not fully appreciate what the program does.

According to Brosdal, the trimmed funding might get them through the year, but it’s still worrisome. There’s also added uncertainty when it comes to the continued partnership between Mount Sinai and Port Jefferson — their transportation splits are making the program very costly. Bossert is leaving Port Jefferson to become superintendent at Elwood school district, and there’s no guarantee that his replacement will share his views on the importance of the STEM program.

“We rely on [Port Jefferson] and we’ve enjoyed this relationship with them, but the new superintendent might have different priorities,” Brosdal said. “You never know, and we don’t know if LaValle is going to continue the funding. That was a warning sign last year when our funds were cut in half.”

Brodsal said he hopes the funding does not end, because if it was unsuccessful from the start, he believes Stony Brook would have cancelled it instead.

“They wouldn’t let us back on the campus if they didn’t see that the money went to good use, but they do, and it’s a good experience, so I’m hoping it continues,” he said. “I would love to continue the STEM program, but if that’s not possible, I’d like to give money to form a science research club first, before we make a science research class. … to see if we have student interest. That’s my plan at present.”

Brosdale will meet with LaValle at the end of the week for an update on the funding situation, as well as find out who will be the new superintendent at Port Jefferson.

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