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Tesla Science Center gets early Christmas gift

by Giselle Barkley - December 22, 2015

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Tesla-Science_2015_01_barkleyw — The Tesla Science Center laboratory site in Shoreham is blocked off while it’s under redevelopment. Photo by Giselle Barkley

Science doesn’t come cheap.

So it was a pleasant surprise for the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe when the New York State Regional Economic Development Councils announced the center will receive two grants totaling $700,000. While the center has yet to receive the grants, the NYSREDC’s 2015 awards notice for Long Island is proof the grants are forthcoming. The state agency did not reply to messages prior to publication.

The center is slated to receive $200,000 through the Market New York grant program, which tackles public relations and increasing tourism, among other responsibilities. The remaining $500,000 will go toward the center’s Wardenclyffe site. The center is currently redeveloping this property and plans to establish the Nikola Tesla Museum and Science Center. The site is the last remaining laboratory of Tesla, a prominent inventor in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

According to Tesla Science Center President Jane Alcorn, the center applied for the grants this past July. Alcorn added applying for the grants is a competitive process as there are many applicants for these grants.

“It’s very exciting to have funds to promote our project and to work on the redevelopment of Wardenclyffe,” Alcorn said in an email.

Initially, the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe was known as Friends of Science East Inc. While its name changed, the not-for-profit mission to develop Tesla’s only existing laboratory site into a science center and museum remained the same.

In 2009, when Brookhaven Town Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro was a Suffolk County legislator and former state Assemblyman Marc Alessi was still in office, the two announced plans to acquire the 16-acre property. Former town supervisor, Mark Lesko, and state Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) were also part of this effort to acquire and preserve the property on behalf of the state and town, according to an article on the Tesla website.

Alessi emphasized its importance as the last Tesla lab in the world. He added that the site was culturally and historically significant as a result.

“We need to ensure that it is protected so that future generations can continue to enjoy this landmark,” Alessi said in the article.

Regardless of these officials’ plans, Friends of Science East purchased the property in 2013. The organization also hoped to preserve the site and make improvements.

Tesla built his facility in Shoreham in 1901-03. It was a small brick building no bigger than a schoolhouse. Yet behind the building was a 187-foot tower that Tesla intended to be a wireless power transmission station, which Tesla claimed would produce wireless electricity.

Now years later, the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe is looking forward to a brighter future for the site, and hopes to be able to do even more.

“We hope to apply for additional grants in the future [that] will assist in the continuation of progress toward the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe opening day,” Alcorn said.

An emotional return to a galaxy far, far away

by TBR Staff - December 22, 2015

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Film review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

By Michael Tessler

THE EXPERIENCE
To many, “Star Wars” is so much more than a film franchise. It’s an expansive sandbox filled to the brim with plastic action figures, toy lightsabers, X-Wing Lego sets, friendships and the imaginations of children everywhere. For me, it’s a return to a simpler time, one without bills, college, work or relationships. A time when my biggest concern was getting off the bus and running across the street to reenact epic lightsaber duels with my childhood best friend, Matthew.

This past Thursday, Matthew (now a soldier in the United States Army) and I reunited for one of the premiere showings of “The Force Awakens.” It had been over a decade since we attended a “Star Wars” film together. Mark Hamill could describe the experience best — “Everything has changed and nothing has changed.” We’ve both grown up. And yet you can’t help but feel six years old when the opening crawl appears and the John Williams score begins playing.

“We’re 32 years worth of excited,” one longtime fan said. “I’ve been to every ‘Star Wars’ premiere since the original film in 1977.” Standing next to him was his grandson. This was his first “Star Wars” premiere. For him, taking his grandson to the movie was the only thing more exciting than seeing the movie itself.

Some three decades ago a young boy by the name of Jeffrey Jacobs got to see “Star Wars” for the first time. Like many children, he was instantly hooked. Today he is the director and co-writer of “The Force Awakens” and the spiritual successor to George Lucas. He was given the impossible task: Make a sequel to the most popular film franchise ever made.

J.J. Abrams was our new hope. And he did not disappoint.

The crowd lines up at the AMC Loews in Stony Brook at the premiere of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ last Friday night. Photo by Michael Tessler

THE REVIEW — (SOME MINOR SPOILERS BELOW)
Part of what made the original “Star Wars” so special was the tangibility of it all. Tatooine felt real because it was real. Filmed in the desert sandscapes of Tunisia, you just knew as a child that somewhere that place existed. This sensation was replicated in “The Force Awakens” during our journey to Jakku, a scavenger’s paradise littered with wreckage from the Galactic Civil War. Seeing the massive hull of a Star Destroyer consumed by the sandstorms of Abu Dhabi was both powerful and an excellent metaphor. While the Empire may be long gone, its shadow remains a looming threat over the galaxy at large.

Our story picks up 30 years after “Return of the Jedi.” Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has gone missing, and an evil faction known as The First Order has filled the vacuum the Empire left behind. In opposition is the Republic, a pacifist government, maintaining an uneasy peace with its inevitable enemy. General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) leads a small band of resistance fighters hoping to stop The First Order before it strikes.

Harrison Ford, the clear star of the film, reprises his role as the infamous smuggler Han Solo. He’s old, he’s grumpy and absolutely perfect in his portrayal of the scruffy-looking nerf herder. His banter with renegade storm trooper Finn (John Boyega) is one of the film’s highlights. Co-writer and “Star Wars” veteran Lawrence Kasdan masterfully creates fluid dialogue reminiscent of “Empire Strikes Back” and”Return of the Jedi,” finding the perfect blend between story, wit and comedy.

We also meet newcomer Rey (Daisy Ridley), an orphaned scavenger living in a hollowed out AT-AT on Jakku. She’s full of surprises and is the perfect successor to everyone’s favorite Alderaanian princess. Alongside her is Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), an ace pilot who leads a secret mission at the request of General Leia Organa. He’s accompanied by his trusty astromech BB-8, who’s a true marvel of engineering and a worthy addition to the droid duo of C-3PO and R2-D2.

Perhaps my favorite new cast member is Adam Driver (from “Girls”) who plays the unstable yet wildly entertaining Sith-in-training Kylo Ren. Compared to the refined Darth Vader, he makes for an absolutely terrifying villain. We’re also introduced to Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis), an entirely CGI supervillain whose background largely remains a mystery.

THE VERDICT
‘The Force Awakens” is an emotional cinematic experience unmatched in its ability to make you feel. Though at times the story feels rushed, it is a story worth telling. Plot lines may have been overused and recycled to the point of cliche (SPOILER ALERT: i.e., Death Star = Starkiller Base, intergalactic daddy issues, etc.), yet J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan compensate with a masterful screenplay and perfect casting.

From start to finish you’re on the edge of your seat. There’s no shortage of action and the cinematography is unrivaled. You’re so captivated by the story, effects, music and characters that you’ll overlook the film’s various (but forgivable) plot holes.

All in all this is the film fans have been waiting for. It is a worthy sequel to the most beloved franchise of all time and a perfect reminder of what “Star Wars” is all about. It’s about people, it’s about the underdogs, struggling to find a place in a galaxy of massive proportions. Because hey, if a simple farm boy from Tatooine can take on the whole Empire … then why can’t I?

Michael Tessler is a resident of Mount Sinai, a wannabe X-Wing pilot and an account executive at Times Beacon RecordNews Media.

Rhonda Klch’s holiday gift event reaches hundreds

by Giselle Barkley - December 22, 2015

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Breakfast-with-Santa-Holiday-Dream_2015_03_barkley-w — Coram resident Vincent James, right, poses for a photo with his family members at the Holiday Dream event in Coram. Photo by Giselle Barkley

For the past eight years, Rhonda Klch and her company Equity First have made many dreams come true.

This year is no different with Klch’s annual Holiday Dream event, which provides Christmas gifts for Long Island families in need. On Sunday, residents who registered for the event picked up their Christmas presents at the Coram Fire Department headquarters from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Klch, a Miller Place resident, and event volunteers upped the ante this year by getting gifts for around 250 families from Mount Sinai, Miller Place, Port Jefferson, Port Jefferson Station, Selden, Medford and other towns across the Island.

A little girl plays with a balloon during Rhonda Klch’s Holiday Dream event. Photo by Giselle Barkley

“These kids feel like they’re walking on a cloud,” said Councilwoman Valerie Cartright (D-Port Jefferson Station), as several children ran around with balloons in the background after receiving their presents and meeting Santa.

Cartright was one of many people Klch called this year when searching for families in need of some holiday cheer. Local schools and churches were also contacted to find these families. While the families don’t need to be homeless to participate in the program, many of these families are financially unable to afford presents around the holidays.

People like Gordon Leonard of Selden said with the recession it’s harder to live on Long Island, making special seasons like the holidays more stressful.

“We came here because some Long Islanders understand the plight of many other Long Islanders, and they’re giving because they know people are struggling just to be New Yorkers,” he said. “We don’t want to leave. What choice do we have.”

While his son Devon received several gifts from the program this year, he said his favorite part about Sunday’s program was spending time with his family.

According to volunteer Priscilla Arena, of Mount Sinai, the event was a success this year.

“The outpour from the community has been tremendous and I’m hoping that it’ll only increase next year,” she said.

Last year, the event helped around 167 families. Arena got involved with the program around a month ago after Klch, a business associate and friend of hers, told her about the event. For Arena, helping the program and the families who benefit seemed natural.

For residents like Tiana Wyche, who lives in a shelter, Holiday Dream was important to bring joy to her children. Wyche is originally from Riverhead but currently resides in Port Jefferson Station.

Rhonda Klch, on right, poses for a photo with volunteer Priscilla Arena at the Holiday Dream event in Coram. Photo by Giselle Barkley

“Unfortunately, financial restrictions impact everybody and it becomes difficult over holidays,” Klch said. “I think people have this perception that just because you live somewhere, you’re doing very well. But unfortunately, people get so blind.”

Klch added that people don’t always realize how many families struggle to live on the Island, much less celebrate the holidays. She started spreading the word about the event among people in the business district. While Holiday Dream is the main event where children pick up their toys and have breakfast with Santa, there are toy drive events prior to Holiday Dream that Klch and her company host to raise more donations.

For Carmen Nunez and her family, who moved from the Dominican Republic to Port Jefferson Station, the program was extra special. Her family wasn’t used to getting presents around this time of year.

“I feel so happy,” she said. “Thank you to [Comsewogue ESL teacher Denise Saul] and everybody who tried to make [the children happy by giving them presents], especially this time for Christmas. It’s beautiful.”

While the family is trying to do the best they can here on Long Island, Saul said they are continuing the event’s mission of giving to others and spreading joy.

“Even though we gave them presents, they’re talking about who they can share [the presents with],” Saul said. “They are selfless themselves.”

According to Cartright, remembering the spirit of giving is important this time of year, and she hopes to keep giving in the future through the Holiday Dream program.

“A lot of community organizations and individuals come together to remind the kids that this is a season of giving,” Cartright said. “The holiday season is not only about receiving. They’re reaching hundreds of kids now, and I can only imagine as the years go by, how many kids we’re going to be changing their lives by letting them know they’re loved and supported by the community.”

Romaine speaks on illegal dumping and sand mining

by TBR Staff - December 22, 2015

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Supervisor offers nine ways to strengthen and protect the aquifer

Ed-Romaine-speaks-at-NYS-Assemblyw — Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine, right, speaks at the New York State Assembly hearing on illegal sand mining and dumping. Photo from the Town of Brookhaven

On Dec. 16, Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) testified at a New York State Assembly hearing on illegal sand mining and dumping, bringing to the forefront the threats that such actions pose to Long Island’s drinking water. Different from the rest of the state, Long Island is completely dependent on its sole source aquifer for drinking water, and the ecological and economic viability of the region is dependent on strong protections for this irreplaceable resource. At the hearing, state officials announced that they plan to release proposed regulations in February of 2016, including cradle-to-grave tracking of construction and demolition debris, that will help to stop illegal dumping.

In his testimony, Romaine said that the Town of Brookhaven worked with law enforcement agencies and took concrete steps to amend the Town Code in 2015 to allow more effective enforcement against illegal sand mining. He applauded the state’s proposal for stricter action and commented that it “must take on the complex task of tracking, monitoring and enforcing statutes that will stop illegal sand mining and illegal dumping on Long Island. The costs of inaction are extraordinary, because water treatment and cleanup of contaminants can easily cost billions of dollars in an area as large as Long Island.”

The supervisor also noted that the City of New York uses aerial patrols and watershed police to monitor activities near their reservoirs, and that they “could serve as a model for a Long Island NYSDEC unit dedicated to the protection of drinking water.”

He also made nine recommendations that will strengthen the protection of the aquifer.

The first involves upgrading misdemeanor illegal dumping charges to felonies, and the second, will upgrade illegal sand mining charges to felonies. Romaine also suggested improving legal definitions of sand mining and illegal dumping to make prosecutions easier, and requiring manifest logs for all materials being transported on or off individual sites. The fifth suggestion recommended substantially increasing the number of enforcement personnel. The sixth is creating a dedicated drinking water protection unit to focus on illegal dumping, illegal sand mining and other activities that threaten drinking water supplies. Romaine would also like to see improvements in the sharing of information and coordination between local government and enforcement agencies to curtail illegal sand mining and dumping. Another suggestion involves an increase in monitoring existing legal sand mines to ensure drinking water is protected and that sand mines are fully covered with suitable topsoil and revegetated. The final recommendation is the use of Natural Resource Damage Claims to force the reclamation and restoration of illegal sand mines.

In making the recommendations, Supervisor Romaine said, “I feel strongly that the protection of our water quality is of paramount importance for current and future Brookhaven residents … and I look forward to working … to make the penalties for illegal dumping and sand mining a strong deterrent to these activities,” he said. “We must make certain that all of the progress made to protect our drinking water and surface waters through the expenditure of millions of dollars to purchase open space and to build storm water abatement projects is not undone by allowing criminals to contaminate our water supply by the dumping of toxic waste. We must also ensure that the sand, which is the only natural filter for our drinking water, remains in place.”

Rocky Point edges out Mount Sinai in nail-biting finish

by TBR Staff - December 21, 2015

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Rocky-Point-Mt.-Sinai-basketball-Noah-Wessels-121815-Landon-WJL_9517w2 — Mount Sinai senior Noah Wessels changes direction in a Dec. 18 nonleague loss to Rocky Point, 46-41. Photo by Bill Landon

By Bill Landon

Rocky Point’s s

rry Lynch led his team to victory with 30 points in the Eagles’ come-from-behind win over host Mount Sinai, 46-41, in nonleague boys’ basketball action Friday night.

Rocky Point senior Harry Lynch shoots on his way to a team-high 30 points in a Dec. 18 nonleague win over Mount Sinai, 46-41. Photo by Bill Landon

Lynch, a senior, went to work early in the opening quarter with three three-pointers and two field goals to help put his team out front 17-10 after the first eight minutes of play.

“We came out hot,” he said. “Everyone was setting screens and we were moving the ball. I was lucky I hit a couple of shots.”

On the other side of the court, Mount Sinai senior Nolan Kelly carried the load early for the Mustangs, banking a trifecta, a field goal and a pair of free throws for seven of his teams’ 19 points after two quarters of play.

“Harry Lynch is who we’ve keyed on for the last three seasons,” Kelly said. “We played fairly well, but we missed a lot of shots. Had we shot the way we’ve been shooting, we would’ve pulled this one out.”

Lynch remained unstoppable, as he hit his fourth trey and netted a pair of field goals to help his team to a 27-19 advantage by the halftime break.

“We’re lucky to have Harry [Lynch],” Rocky Point head coach James Jordan said. “He was on fire in that first half and he continued in the second half. He’s our general out there so where he goes, we go.”

The Mustangs were fired up coming out of the locker room, though, and because Rocky Point lost the battle of the boards in the first half, Jordan said it forced some adjustments. As a result, Mount Sinai opened the third quarter with an answer for Lynch, as the team closed within one point at the 5:33 mark, 30-29.

Mount Sinai senior Nolan Kelly attempts a jumper in a Dec. 18 nonleague loss to Rocky Point, 46-41. Photo by Bill Landon

“We came out strong in the first half, but we came out a little flat in the second,” Rocky Point sophomore Alec Rinaldi said. “We’ve been known to do that, but we stuck with them — we weathered the storm; got right back in it.”

Behind senior Noah Wessels’ six points in the quarter, with four other players contributing, Mount Sinai scored a field goal to give the Mustangs their first lead of the game, 31-30.

The score flip-flopped, and by the fourth quarter it was Rocky Point that was clinging to a one-point advantage, 37-36.

The Eagles looked to finish off the Mustangs, and surged ahead 43-36 with just over three minutes to go, but Mount Sinai battled back and trimmed the deficit to 43-41 with just under two minutes left in the game.

“I didn’t think they were going to be that strong shooting out of the gate,” Mount Sinai senior Vinny Margulies said. “Defensively, we played well the whole game. It’s just that we were shaky shooting throughout the game.”

Rocky Point sophomore Alec Rinaldi drives the lane in a Dec. 18 nonleague win over Mount Sinai, 46-41. Photo by Bill Landon

Mount Sinai had the opportunity to tie the game with 46 seconds left on a 1-and-1 opportunity, but missed. As the clock wound down to 20 seconds, Lynch was fouled and confidently swished both to seal the deal. With 4.4 seconds on the clock, Rocky Point senior Colin Kotarski scored once off his appearance at the charity stripe, to give the game its final score.

“Harry Lynch is an outstanding player and he showed that again tonight,” Mount Sinai head coach Ryan McNeely said. “We played him man-to-man and he was getting real good looks and getting shots, so we changed to a zone where we trapped to keep the ball out of his hands to make someone else hurt us.”

Lynch scored six three-pointers on the evening. Rinaldi banked seven points and Kotarski tacked on six.

Topping the scoreboard for Mount Sinai was Kelly with 12, while Wessels and Margulies tacked on eight points apiece.

Rocky Point will have a week off before hosting Shoreham-Wading River next Wednesday, Dec. 30, at 11 a.m. Mount Sinai hits the road Tuesday for a 6 p.m. tipoff at East Hampton.

Man exposes privates to bus of disabled people

by Elana Glowatz - December 21, 2015

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A Sound Beach man was arrested on Friday morning after he allegedly exposed himself to people on a bus in Ronkonkoma.

The Suffolk County Police Department said the suspect, 26-year-old Shawn Marshal Raghunandan, was sitting in a 1999 gold Infiniti and exposed himself to the adults in a minibus that had come to a stop at the intersection of Route 454 and 13th Avenue in Ronkonkoma.

According to police, the bus was occupied by members of AHRC, a nonprofit that works with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The bus driver called 911 after the 8:20 a.m. incident, police said, and officers located the Infiniti a short time later. They arrested Raghunandan and charged him with public lewdness.

Attorney information for the defendant was not immediately available. He was scheduled to be arraigned at a later date.

Longtime neighbors share importance of history

by Desirée Keegan - December 18, 2015

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Ann-Becker-Edna-Davos-Giffen-w — Ann Becker and Edna Davis Giffen, Mount Sinai and Miller Place community members and historians, recently published a pictorial book showing past and present views of the area. Photo from Ann Becker

“I am one of those believers that if you don’t know your history, your life is not complete,” Miller Place-Mount Sinai Historical Society Archivist Edna Davis Giffen said. “I believe that you need to not just look forward, but you need to look backward to appreciate what was done before, so that you can carry on into the future.”

That’s why she and Mount Sinai Civic Association President Ann Becker decided to collaborate on a single book about the history of the neighboring hamlets that would serve as a continuation of both of the individual books they each previously published.

Becker published a book on the history of Mount Sinai in 2003, while Giffen completed one on Miller Place in 2010. Their latest effort is called “Miller Place and Mount Sinai Through Time” and was released in November.

“I’ve always had a love of history, especially local history,” Becker said. “There wasn’t a lot available for young students to learn about their local community, and the books were provided for the curriculum to look at the documented history of our community and help people understand the rich history here.”

Becker, who received a doctorate in American history from Stony Brook University, is a Long Island history professor at Empire State College who has lived in Mount Sinai since 1982, and has been a member of the civic on and off since 1984, becoming its president four years ago. She was involved in the creation of the Heritage Trust board that was instrumental in creating Mount Sinai Heritage Park.

Ann Becker and Edna Davis Giffen, Mount Sinai and Miller Place community members and historians, recently published a pictorial book, above, showing past and present views of the area. Photo from Ann Becker

“I love local history,” she said. “History has always been important to me. It’s nice for people to realize that there are dedicated volunteers working hard presently to maintain the quality of life here.”

Community members like Brad Arrington, the civic vice president and corresponding secretary, have noticed Becker’s passion.

“She’s very civic-oriented and I think that’s not a term that people really use or appreciate anymore, in the sense that she really wants to do the best she can for the Mount Sinai community,” he said. “All the work she does, including the book, shows how much she cares about the community and how much she wants to help preserve our heritage.”

He said being civic-minded shapes how she addresses local problems and informs her opinions about the future growth and development of the town.

“I think the book is wonderful,” he said. “I think particularly for folks that might not have lived in Mount Sinai for decades to see the character of Mount Sinai. It also helps show people what’s left from the past and can help galvanize community members to help preserve those pieces of history that remain in our community.”

Giffen, who is a 12th-generation Miller Place resident now living in Mount Sinai, has been a member of the historical society since 1980 and became president when the restoration of the William Miller House was first beginning in that decade.

“I enjoy being part of the history,” she said. “We’ve developed so much since the 1960s that people don’t realize how much country there was here.”

Sharing this information with residents was something that drove her to work on her books.

“It needed to be done,” she said. “Lots of people don’t know what this place was like before the major settlement. I thought it was quite interesting working on the books, because when you see [the area] every day, you don’t pay attention to how much has changed.”

Becker said with the new book, the idea is to have an old picture and a new one side-by-side, to compare what the area used to look like and what it is now.

“We had fun taking the pictures to compare to the old ones that we had in the archives,” Becker said. “It’s a new look at Mount Sinai and Miller Place through time. It gives you that historical context, but it’s bringing us up to modern time. We thought it was important for the community to understand that being involved can have some really good results.”

The two authors received information and pictures from various people to help construct the book and Ann Donato, who has been on the historical society board for 15 years, said the book holds substantial importance.

“This area is so rich in history, going back pre-Revolutionary War,” she said. “We really need to let people know our past so we can understand the present and also the travels that we have taken as a nation.”

She believes Giffen is important to the community as well.

“Edna is so knowledgeable,” she said. “If anyone ever calls me with a question about the area or about a house, Edna has it at the tip of her fingertips. Edna is a treasure to our society.”

Although the two are experts and important in preserving and spreading the history of the area, they do it simply because they believe it’s vital.

“People should know about where they live,” Giffen said. “Everything in the future is based on the past.”

Mimi Hodges: North Shore visions in black and white

by TBR Staff - December 17, 2015

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Many of us may think that black-and-white photographs are not interesting. Mimi Hodges, an enthusiastic photographer and Sound Beach resident, doesn’t agree. She likes to take black-and-white photographs of local places. As she puts it, “color can sometimes be a distraction.”

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Police blotter: Suffolk County incidents and arrests, Dec. 8-13

by TBR Staff - December 17, 2015

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Benzing the rules
On Dec. 10, police arrested a man from Miller Place for unlicensed operation of a car. The 32-year-old man was driving a 2007 Mercedes down Route 25A in Miller Place when police pulled him over and found the man’s license had been suspended 10 times before.

Not what the doctor ordered
Police arrested a 26-year-old man from Shoreham for criminal possession of a controlled substance on Dec. 10, after pulling him over on Echo Avenue in Sound Beach for an unknown reason and discovering prescription medication in his car that had not been prescribed to him.

A holiday steal
A 30-year-old woman from Selden was arrested for petit larceny on Dec. 12, after she allegedly stole toys and clothing from the Kmart on North Ocean Avenue in Farmingville two days before.

Impaired judgment
Police arrested a 51-year-old man from Selden for driving while ability impaired on Dec. 11. He had been driving a 2000 Toyota down Route 25 in Selden when he failed to maintain his lane and police pulled him over. He has had previous DWAI convictions in the past 10 years.

To the left, to the left
A man from Stony Brook was arrested on Dec. 11 for driving while ability impaired in a 2003 Subaru on North Country Road in Setauket-East Setauket after he made a left turn from a no-turn lane. Officials saw the 30-year-old make the turn and arrested him at the scene.

Window pains
On Dec. 12, police arrested a 23-year-old man from Stony Brook for criminal mischief. Police said the man cut a window screen of a residence on Christian Avenue an hour before his arrest.

Smoking green on Greenhaven
Police arrested an 18-year-old from Centereach on Dec. 9 for criminal possession of a controlled substance after catching him smoking marijuana in a 2000 Lincoln Town Car on Greenhaven Drive in Port Jefferson Station.

Coke to cuffs
A 22-year-old man from Middle Island was arrested for criminal possession of a controlled substance on Dec. 10 on Mount Sinai Avenue in Mount Sinai. Police officers had allegedly found cocaine in his car.

East Broadway brawl
Police arrested a 55-year-old woman from Centereach for harassment around midnight on Dec. 12, minutes after she shoved someone and made harassing comments at Danfords Hotel & Marina on East Broadway in Port Jefferson.

Parking lot larceny
An unidentified person entered a parking lot on East Main Street in Port Jefferson and stole a purse, iPod and phone charger from a parked car. Police didn’t specify the car’s make and model or if it had been unlocked at the time of the Dec. 12 incident, but there was no sign of a break-in.

Grinch steals Christmas again
On Dec. 12, an unknown person stole holiday decorations and extension cords from the front yard of a residence on North Country Road in Mount Sinai.

You’ve got mail
Someone stole a mailbox from a residence on Glenwood Avenue in Miller Place on Dec. 13, around 4:13 a.m. On that same day, between 2 and 11 p.m., someone stole a mailbox from a residence on Devon Road in Sound Beach.

A lesson in stupidity
Someone stole a 2015 Honda from a 7-Eleven parking lot on Middle Country Road in Selden. Police said the car was on when it was stolen. The incident happened on Dec. 12 between 6:55 and 7:03 a.m.

Go home, caller
According to police, a Home Depot employee received a harassing phone call while at work on Dec 12, at the location on Pond Path in Setauket-East Setauket.

Needed money for books
Between Dec. 9 and 10 someone used another person’s bank card to withdraw money from a Teacher’s Federal Credit Union account. The incident was reported on Circle Road at Stony Brook University around midnight.

Chores and cartoons
Police said someone stole a washing machine and a television from a residence on Eos Road in Rocky Point on Dec. 11 around 10 a.m.

Scholarly slash
On Dec. 12, someone slashed the two rear tires of a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee while the car was parked on Harvard Road in East Shoreham.

Knife strife
A 33-year-old from East Meadow was arrested at the corner of Main Street and New Street in Huntington at 3:30 a.m. on Dec. 12 after police said he was recklessly waving a black folding knife in the air on a public sidewalk and alarming pedestrians. He was charged with disorderly conduct for violent behavior.

Necklaces nabbed
Police said a 25-year-old man from East Northport stole jewelry from someone on Cornflower Lane in East Northport at 8 p.m. on Nov. 23. He was arrested on Dec. 10 at the 2nd Precinct and charged with third degree grand larceny.

Wallet woes
On Dec. 12, a 28-year-old man from Huntington was arrested at the 2nd Precinct after police said he stole a wallet from someone’s purse on Nov. 2 at 11:47 p.m. on New York Avenue in Huntington. He was arrested just before 5:30 p.m. and charged with petit larceny.

Rocking out
Police arrested a 34-year-old man from Huntington on Dec. 9 for a previous incident on Oct. 19 at 5:50 p.m. where he threw a rock through a storefront glass door on Gerard Street in Huntington. He was charged with second degree criminal mischief.

FedEx theft
On Dec. 11, at 6:50 a.m., an unknown person stole a FedEx package left at the front door of a home on Mechanic Street in Huntington.

Feeling blue on Blue Goose Lane
A 36-year-old man from Northport was arrested on Dec. 8 after police said he had marijuana on him at the corner of Little Plains Road and Blue Goose Lane in Huntington Station at 4:20 a.m. He was charged with fifth degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Crack is whack
On Dec. 11, a 47-year-old man from Coram was arrested on Maplewood Road in Huntington Station after police said he was driving without a license and was in possession of crack cocaine at 10:34 a.m. He was charged with seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Gone in a flash
An unknown person stole camera equipment from a 1995 Honda Civic parked on Mechanic Street in Huntington on Dec. 9 at 1 p.m.

May-day on May Street
Police said an unknown person stole a wallet and cell phone charger from a 2011 Hyundai parked on May Street in Huntington Station on Dec. 11 at 11 p.m.

High road
A 27-year-old man from Brentwood was arrested on Dec. 10 after police said he had heroin in his possession at 1 p.m. on Walt Whitman Road. He was charged with third degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Resident of fence-ded
On Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. an unknown person stole parts of a fence from the back of a pickup truck parked in a driveway on Old Northport Road in Commack.

Flee attempt
A 59-year-old woman from Kings Park was arrested on Dec. 13 after police said she hit a 2013 Mitsubishi while driving a 2013 Toyota on Lou Avenue in Kings Park at 1:23 a.m. and then tried to flee the scene. She was charged with operating a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of a crime with property damage.

Screwed
On Dec. 13 a 42-year-old woman from North Babylon was arrested at the 4th Precinct after police said she tried to return deck screws for store credit from Wood Brothers Air Compressor on Express Drive in Brentwood that she had taken from the sales floor just before 3 p.m. on Oct. 27. She was charged with petit larceny.

Santa Claus isn’t coming to town
On Dec. 10 at 1:30 p.m. an unknown person stole a five-foot singing and dancing Santa Claus on display on a resident’s front porch on Orchard Street in Hauppauge and fled in a red Jeep.

Ring ring
Police said a 37-year-old man from Moriches made threatening phone calls to another person at 7:05 p.m. on Dec. 9. He was arrested on North Country Road in Smithtown and charged with first-degree criminal contempt by telephone.

Blown away
A 79-year-old man from Fort Salonga was arrested on Dec. 11 after police said he used a leaf blower to blow leaves and ash residue onto someone’s parked car on Woodmere Drive in Fort Salonga repeatedly at about 2:20 p.m. He was charged with second-degree criminal contempt and second-degree harassment.

Bowling lane blues
An unknown person damaged a 2005 Honda parked in AMF Commack Vet Lanes parking lot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack on Dec. 10 at 1:45 p.m. Police said the car’s rear driver-side window was damaged and a leather shoulder bag, cash, laptop, wallet and credit cards were stolen out of it.

Xanax bust
On Dec. 10 a 21-year-old man from Hauppauge was arrested at about 11:30 a.m. on Townline Road in Hauppauge after police said he had Xanax in his possession without a prescription. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Motor Parkway market
Police said a 21-year-old man from Brentwood sold heroin and crack cocaine on Motor Parkway in Brentwood on Nov. 17 and 18 and Dec. 1 and 4. He was arrested on Dec. 10 after police said he tried to flee the scene just before 9 a.m. and charged with four counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, one charge of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.

Santa pays the Heritage Center another visit

by Giselle Barkley - December 15, 2015

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Santa’s been sticking around the Heritage Center in Mount Sinai for the last few days.

On Sunday, Santa paid a special visit to the park for its annual breakfast. Year after year families get a closer look at Santa. Lori Baldassare, President of Heritage Trust, says residents also bring nonperishable food items that are donated to local pantries.

Tuscany Gourmet Market provided a buffet breakfast, and families met with Santa and could receive a professional photo by Faraz and Patricia Zaidi from Aw Snap Booths from Selden. Children were also given food for Santa’s reindeer to help jolly ole St. Nick find his way around the neighborhood on Christmas day.

Baldassare started Breakfast with Santa 21 years ago when she was the president of the Mount Sinai Civic Association. The event was held in the Handlebar restaurant in Mount Sinai — the restaurant owners sold the property 2008. In 2003, when the park was still in it’s early construction phase, Baldassare left the civic association for Heritage Trust, and the event followed.

“The community place is the perfect place to hold the event because it was created to be the [community’s] gathering place,” Baldassare said. “It signifies the tradition of [a] community.”

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