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Students from different classes pass each other as they arrive, leave, and pass by the Setauket Post Office during a visit earlier this month. Photo from Beverly Tyler

By Beverly C. Tyler

“I don’t like history, but I like this,” was what a Three Village fourth-grade student said during the Original Settlement Tour.

This past Wednesday and Thursday, all 450 Three Village fourth grade students came to the Setauket School auditorium in celebration of Brookhaven Town Founder’s Day and learned about the history of the Town of Brookhaven through the murals of Vance Locke. Then, for the next two hours, each class, led by guides from the Three Village Historical Society, explored the Original Settlement area of Setauket/Brookhaven. Students were introduced to William Sidney Mount and Abraham Woodhull at the Setauket Presbyterian Churchyard and to Emma S. Clark, Thomas Hodgkins and Ward Melville at the Caroline Church Cemetery. At the Village Green, students learned about the Setalcott Native Americans, Brookhaven’s original English settlers, and the diversity of immigrants who lived and worked here, as well as the varied ancestry of the Three Village-area soldiers whose wartime deaths are memorialized here.

In Frank Melville Memorial Park, the fourth grade students learned about gristmills, millers, blacksmiths, post offices, general stores and one of the original settlement’s 17th century homes. At the Setauket Neighborhood House, students heard about the structure of the building and how it progressed from a hotel, with stagecoach service from the Lakeland Railroad Station, to a tourist home with station wagon service from the Long Island Railroad’s Stony Brook station, and finally to its use as a meeting place for the entire community.

At the Amos Smith House (circa 1740) students learned about the eight generations that lived in the home and how it grew to accommodate the two generations that included seven and nine children. Each fourth grade class discussed the differences shown in the images of the house in 1740, 1900 and today. Donna Smith, Three Village Historical Society director of education and Founder’s Day Committee member heard from one of her tour group students, “ My favorite part was seeing the house Mr. Tyler grew up in and how it is so different. We got to wave to his mother who lives there and she’s 101!”

The stop at Patriot’s Rock, a remnant of the last glacier and a Native American meeting place, provided an opportunity to learn about the Revolutionary War Battle of Setauket and Caleb Brewster, who, as an artillery officer directed the cannon fire and who was an important member of the Setauket-based Culper Spy Ring.

“Founders Day is more than learning about our local history, it is an historical experience for our Three Village fourth grade students. … Learning that the Emma S. Clark Library is not just the place to find books or attend a program, but an architecturally interesting structure that was built by a local resident [Thomas Hodgkins] as a gift to the community, and there really was a person named Emma S. Clark, is enlightening to a fourth grader. Then they walk toward the Caroline Church and see the Hodgkins and Clark headstones — it all comes together in this fascinating look on a student’s face that they have just put it all together,” said Barbara Russell, Brookhaven Town historian and Founder’s Day Committee member.

At the end of the tour, each student received a copy of the walking tour guide prepared by the Three Village Historical Society, courtesy of Three Village Central School District.

Beverly Tyler is the Three Village Historical Society historian and author of books available from the Three Village Historical Society.

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Coldwell Banker offices across Long Island, like the office in Setauket, are helping veterans residing at the United Veterans Beacon House. Photo by Giselle Barkley

The Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage typically help residents find a place to call home. But now, the company is on a mission to help veterans in need, with its Hometown Heroes Linen Drive.

Associate Broker Lorraine Marotta of the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Setauket said the company started the drive earlier this year in January. Coldwell Banker offices across Long Island are participating in this initiative. Their goal is to collect 3,700 sets of linens including twin sheet sets and standard pillowcases, new pillows, new bath towels and new comforters. They hope to collect 700 of each by July 4 of this year.

The linens will go toward the veterans living in homes provided by the United Veterans Beacon House in Bay Shore. Many of these veterans can’t live on their own, Marotta said. Hall-Lane Moving and Storage, which provided each office with large collection boxes, is responsible for picking up and delivering the supplies to Beacon House the associate broker added.

The Beacon House mission is to provide temporary and permanent housing for homeless veterans as well as “emergency, transitional and permanent residence for families” and single individuals. The organization strives for privacy when it comes to its veterans. Some of these veterans are housed discreetly throughout Long Island communities.

Of the organization’s more than 20 housing locations, around nine  homes are designated for veterans. One of these homes is dedicated to female veterans while another is for the frail and elderly, according to the organization’s site.

This isn’t the first time Coldwell Banker has worked with Beacon House and assisted veterans utilizing Beacon House services. In the past they’ve scheduled appointments to visit and provide new flags and a Thanksgiving meal among other items, to these veterans.

On April 14 the organization met with the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage of Long Island and Queens in Huntington to collect the first donations for the drive.

For Marotta caring for veterans hits close to home as her husband is a veteran as well. But her passion for the drive also stems from the fact that it’s a great cause.

“It’s nice to be able to recognize veterans,” Marotta said. “I feel like they’ve just been forgotten. Not only are they lonely they’re so appreciative.”

The community can drop off new linens at their local Coldwell Banker. For more information about the Hometown Heroes Linen Drive call 516-864-8104.

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Judy Blundell writes under the pen name Jude Watson. Photo from Blundell

She may often write about a galaxy far, far away, but Judy Blundell does so from a home in Stony Brook residents’ own backyard. Blundell, also known as Jude Watson, is a best-selling author of fiction for children and young adults.

She has written somewhere around 70 books since she began writing in the mid-1990s, though she said in a phone interview last week she lost count. More than 40 of those are “Star Wars” novels written in the time that falls before, after and between the stories depicted in the seven films released to date.

Blundell, as she’s known when writing historical fiction stories for young adults, lives close enough to Stony Brook Harbor to hear seagulls and ferries while she sits in her office. She also spent time living in California, New York City, Florida, Washington and Delaware, among others.

“Coming back to Long Island is a place I know really well, and it has really been a joy to wind up in this beautiful place, Stony Brook—it has been wonderful,” Blundell said. She was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Queens.

Her mystery and adventure stories for children, usually in the ages 8 to 12 range, get the byline Jude Watson. The scenery in her hometown coupled with her own curiosity are her major sources of inspiration, she said.

“I think the world around me is a varied and fascinating place,” Blundell said. “I’m always interested in people, overheard conversations, things I witness on the subway if I’m in New York or in Target or wherever. Writers are always looking for characters. And very often, books, for me, start with a character rather than a situation and then you sort of write your way into figuring out what the story is.”

Blundell conceded she has had plenty of days with no inspiration, but her remedy is to power through. She offered that as advice to aspiring young writers: Even if you think what you’re producing is terrible, you have to keep writing. “Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working,” Pablo Picasso once said, and Blundell said she shares that philosophy.

Blundell has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list several times in her career. In 2008, she received a National Book Award for young people’s literature for the first story she ever put her real name on: “What I Saw and How I Lied.”

Blundell’s husband of more than 30 years, Neil Watson, executive director of the Long Island Museum, said he’s her biggest fan.

“I have the highest respect for her and as a writer, I think it’s tremendous that she has gotten the critical and popular acclaim that she deserves,” Watson said of his wife in an interview. “She is a wonderful writer. She’s a very generous person with her craft and with her ideas.”

Together the couple has cultivated a love of the arts in their 15-year-old daughter Cleo, who is a talented artist in her own right. She is a member of the National Junior Art Society.

“It’s just a part of our house,” Watson said of art in their Stony Brook home. “It’s the home of a museum curator and a writer. Music is constantly on—all types.”

Blundell spoke fondly of her foray into the world of Star Wars, but also mentioned she had fun writing her last novel, “Sting,” which was a follow up to a story she wrote called “Loot,” about a successful jewel thief and his son.

“It was difficult to write because it was a ‘heist’ book, so the plots are very tight and obviously I’m not a jewel thief, so there’s a lot to figure out,” Blundell said, laughing. “But they’re meant to be fun to read and they can’t be fun to read if they’re not fun to write on some level, as hard as they are.”

Blundell said one of her goals is to write stories for kids who view reading as more of a chore than a pleasure.

“I consciously wrote [Loot and Heist] for kids that don’t normally like to read, what we call reluctant readers,” she said. “So the chapters are very short, there’s a lot of action, there’s a lot of fun; there’s a lot of jokes for that reason.”

Blundell said she is currently working on a novel that will be geared more towards adults, though that’s the most she wanted to divulge about it at the moment. To learn more about Blundell and her work, visit her website: www.judyblundell.com.

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Stop … or don’t
Police arrested a 29-year-old man on April 17 for driving while ability impaired in a 2006 Nissan. The Port Jefferson Station resident was going north on Jayne Boulevard when he failed to stop at a stop sign, police said.

Live-streaming arrest
On April 23, police arrested a man from Lake Grove for petit larceny. The 59-year-old allegedly stole a Roku TV device from the WalMart at the Centereach Mall. Police arrested him at the scene.

Sleepover supplies
A 36-year-old woman from Farmingville was arrested on April 21 for allegedly stealing condoms, body wash, soap and a toothbrush from the CVS Pharmacy on Main Street in Holbrook. Police arrested the woman at the scene and charged her with petit larceny.

Kicked and punched
Police arrested three 21-year-old men from Smithtown, Port Jefferson and Stony Brook on April 18 for gang assault. According to police, around 3 a.m. that day the men kicked and punched a victim, who was later taken to Stony Brook University Hospital. Police arrested the three men near Schafer’s restaurant on West Broadway in Port Jefferson.

Shop ‘til your caught
On April 20, police arrested a 36-year-old woman from Islip who allegedly took assorted merchandise from the Target on Pond Path in Centereach. Police arrested her at the scene and charged her with petit larceny.

Not your Bud
A 27-year-old man from Yaphank was arrested on April 17 for selling alcohol to a minor. Police said the man sold Bud Light at a store on Route 25A in Rocky Point.

Bump it
Police arrested a 21-year-old man from Smithtown for violent behavior on April 17. According to police, the man was being loud near Schafer’s restaurant on West Broadway in Port Jefferson. When police arrived at the scene, the man chest-bumped an officer. Police arrested him around 3 a.m.

More impaired driving
On April 18, police arrested a 35-year-old man from Bellport for driving a 2000 Ford while ability impaired on County Road 97 near Stony Brook. The suspect crashed into a tree and police discovered the man was high.

Stealing for suds
An unknown person stole soap from a residence on Wynn Lane in Port Jefferson, on April 17 around 3:30 p.m.

Missing battery
Police said someone stole a car battery from a 1994 Chevrolet that was parked on Narcissus Road in Rocky Point on April 23.

Pills, pills, pills
On April 20, someone stole aspirin from the Rite Aid at Jefferson Plaza in Port Jefferson Station.
On April 24 around 3:15 p.m., two people entered the Rite Aid on College Road in Selden and stole pills and other items.

Scam blues
An unknown person called the Smoke Shack Blues on Main Street in Port Jefferson and identified themselves as a PSEG representative. The individual informed the shop that it hadn’t paid its electric bill. The store gave money to the scammer. The incident happened on April 21 around 2:15 p.m.

A real Pro
Police said someone entered an unlocked 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee and stole a MacBook Pro from the car while it was parked on Eisenhower Road in Centereach. The incident happened on April 23.

The unbreakable break-in
Two unknown people in dark hoodies tried to pry open a side door to a business on Route 25A in Setauket-East Setauket and pulled down parts of the ceiling to access the building. The individuals also broke a side window to the business. However, nothing was stolen. The incident happened on April 18 around 4 a.m.

Lumbering thief
Police said someone stole a mat and lumber from a residence on Douglaston Road in Sound Beach on April 19.

Swiping cell phones
Someone stole a cell phone from a Rocky Point student’s purse at the high school on April 22.

Case for concern at Kohl’s
A 49-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested on April 23 after police said she stole clothing, cosmetics, and jewelry from Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack. She was charged with petit larceny.
A 38-year-old woman from Smithtown was arrested after police said she stole jewelry from the same Kohl’s, also on April 23.

Trouble in a Toyota
On April 23, a 30-year-old woman from Ronkonkoma was arrested after police said she had heroin in her possession while inside a 2001 Toyota driving on the Sagtikos State Parkway in Kings Park. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

An arrest of substance
Police said a 23-year-old man from Patchogue had heroin on him while driving 2002 Chevy on Ronkonkoma Avenue in Lake Ronkonkoma on April 23. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
A 24-year-old man from Mastic in the passenger seat in the car was also arrested after police said he had suboxone on him. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance as well.

No squatter’s rights here
A 48-year-old woman from Islip was arrested on April 22 for entering a private residence on Main Street in Smithtown and staying there for five days, police said. She was charged with third-degree criminal trespassing of an enclosed property.

Drumming up drama
On April 22, a 23-year-old woman from Fort Drum was arrested for punching another woman in the face three times at Express Drive South and Lake Promenade in Lake Ronkonkoma just before 2:30 a.m., police said. She was charged with second-degree harassment with physical contact.

Lots o’ drugs
Police said a 45-year-old woman from Bay Shore was arrested on April 22 for having heroin and crack cocaine in her possession while inside a parked 2004 Ford pick up truck on Pine Avenue and Express Drive North in Ronkonkoma just before 9:30 p.m. She was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

The Panic in Needle Park
A 28-year-old woman from Hauppauge was arrested on April 21 after police said she had a hypodermic needle in her pocket while on Westwood Lane in Kings Park. She was charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Can’t outrun the police
Police said a 61-year-old woman from Smithtown ignored police officers that were signaling her to pull over to the side of Route 25 in Smithtown while driving a 2016 Honda on April 21, and then intentionally drove into two 4th Precinct-police cars. When they arrested her, police said they discovered she was under the influence of drugs. She was charged with criminal mischief with intent to cause property damage and third-degree fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle.

High times
On April 21, a 22-year-old man from West Babylon was arrested after police said he had heroin on him while on Westwood Lane in Smithtown. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Big break in
Police said an unknown person broke into two Big Brothers Big Sisters bins on Main Street in Smithtown on April 23.

Shop wrong
An unknown person stole food from ShopRite on Nesconset Highway in Hauppauge on April 23, police said.

Watch this
Police said an unknown person stole a DVD player from Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on April 22.

This is not a drill
A 60-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on April 24 at 3:15 p.m. after police said he stole drills and other tools from Home Depot on New York Avenue in Huntington. He was charged with petit larceny.

Not quite hospitable
On April 24, a 61-year-old man from Huntington was arrested after police said he stole money from a waiting room inside Huntington Hospital at 6:30 p.m. He was charged with petit larceny.

Car problems
Police said a 52-year-old woman from Huntington was driving a 2008 Ford south on 11th Avenue in Huntington with a suspended license, and had heroin on her. She was arrested at 4:40 p.m. and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, as well as seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Case for concern at Kohl’s
A 49-year-old woman from Brentwood was arrested on April 23 after police said she stole clothing, cosmetics and jewelry from Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack. She was charged with petit larceny.
A 38-year-old woman from Smithtown was arrested after police said she stole jewelry from Kohl’s on Crooked Hill Road in Commack on April 23.

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Town Assessor Ron Devine, above, said the state abolished the March 1 deadline to apply for STAR exemption, meaning that residents won’t have to wait a full year to receive their exemptions. Photo by Giselle Barkley

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will see an influx in state school tax relief applications after the state revamps its STAR program.

The change affects new homeowners, buyers and those building a home in the Basic and Enhanced STAR Programs. Residents who changed their primary residence from last March onward, must apply to the program, through the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, for an approved exemption. Long Islanders who started constructing their homes within the same time frame are affected, according to Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) and Town Assessor Ron Devine.

Devine said residents who have the program up to the 2015-16 tax year will maintain their exemptions. According to Devine, “anyone who is in the system is in the system.” The town will also maintain its approximate 15,000 Enhanced STAR program holders. These holders will receive renewal letters this fall.

The Enhanced STAR program benefits senior citizens 65-years-old and exempts the first $65,300 of the home’s value from school taxes. The basic STAR program, however, is available for owner-occupied primary residences where the homeowners’ and their spouses’ income is less than $500,000. The program exempts $30,000 of the home’s value from school taxes.

According to Romaine, the change in the application process may only affect 3 to 5 percent of homes in the town. But the supervisor questioned if the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance bit off more than it could chew.

“My big concern is that if they’re not staffed, there’ll be a huge backlog of processing that will occur,” Romaine said during a meeting at town hall. “People won’t get their check on time, and it will put people who are either buying a house or building a house in severe disadvantage.”

But the NYS tax department said this change won’t be an issue. According to the department, it successfully processed 2.4 million tax returns after implementing the initial STAR registration program in 2013. The department typically receives around 150,000 applications annually.

The New York State Legislature passed the law earlier this year to change how towns enforce the program within the state. New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) called for the new application process for first-time homeowners and buyers in his 2017 Executive Budget. The budget was approved on April 1.

“The STAR exemption is the only property tax exemption funded by New York State,” the NYS tax department said in an email. “Therefore, it’s more appropriate and efficient for it to be administered by the state rather than by local assessors.”

According to the NYS tax department, residents can start applying through the department in the upcoming weeks by calling the department or visiting its website. Although residents once received credits on their income tax forms, holders receiving an exemption will get a check in the same amount as their STAR benefit.

For more information about the STAR program, residents can call the Town Assessor’s office at 631-451-6300. New homeowners can apply for STAR with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance by calling 516-571-1500 or visiting its website at www.tax.ny.gov.

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From left, Judith Greiman, vice president for government and community relations at Stony Brook University, with Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro, Stony Brook University President Samuel L. Stanley, State Sen. John Flanagan and Assemblyman Steve Englebright. Photo from Dan Losquadro

The state and town have teamed up and come up big for traffic safety in Stony Brook.

More than $1 million will make its way to the North Shore with help from its elected officials to fund a traffic safety improvement project on Stony Brook Road, officials announced this week. The money, which came largely through state Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport) and state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), will examine a contentious stretch from Oxhead Road to Development Drive in Stony Brook, to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety as well as accessibility to public transportation.

The community surrounding Stony Brook University has been a longtime talking point for North Shore natives as an area in desperate need of improvement.

“I am proud to have worked with Stony Brook University and the Town of Brookhaven to advance this important project that will improve safety for students and residents alike,” said Flanagan, who secured $1 million for the project. “Creating more walkable communities is a move toward the future and I am happy to have contributed to such a worthwhile project.”

Once completed, the undertaking should herald the construction of a continuous sidewalk along Stony Brook Road; the extension of existing bicycle lanes and the installation of new left turn lanes at the existing signalized intersections; installation of a new traffic signal at Development Drive; and pedestrian signal upgrades, ornamental pedestrian-scale lighting, landscaping and ADA-compliant handicap ramps.

Flanagan’s $1 million, coupled with an additional $75,000 in grant funding that Englebright helped acquire, will hopefully reduce the presence of motorized forms of transportation and create a more united community surrounding the university.

“I applaud the ongoing efforts of Superintendent Losquadro and President Stanley to improve safety on Stony Brook Road and am heartened to see this project coming closer to fruition,” Englebright said. “The state funding secured by Senator Flanagan and myself will make a safer road for walkers and bicyclists by providing sidewalks, bicycle lanes, street lighting and a new traffic signal with pedestrian upgrades.”

Samuel L. Stanley, president of Stony Brook University, said pedestrian safety has been a longtime priority for the 25,000-student campus.

Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro (R) said the project was a pivotal step in the transformation of the community surrounding Stony Brook University.

“The addition of sidewalks and bicycle lanes will provide an alternative, safe means of transportation for students and residents traveling to and from Stony Brook University,” he said. “As a graduate of Stony Brook University, I take a lot of personal pride in moving this project forward.” 

The estimated total cost of this project is $1.6 million, officials said. In addition to the $1 million in state funding — which comes from the New York State Dormitory Authority, through its State and Municipal Facilities Capital Program — and the $75,000 secured through the state multi-modal program, the Town of Brookhaven Highway Department is covering the remaining costs.

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) has been working with the town board to usher in a greater corridor study of Route 25A, which passes through Stony Brook, and said the traffic study project would also help propel the town toward a safer space for foot traffic.

“Safer roads are a great way to promote pedestrian traffic around Stony Brook University,” Romaine said. “This is a perfect example to prove how different levels of government can work together to get things done. I thank Senator Flanagan and Assemblyman Englebright for securing the funding and their commitment to improving the quality of life in Brookhaven town.”

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Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone pitches the proposal. Photo from Steve Bellone

Voters in Suffolk County could soon be faced with deciding whether or not they’d like to pay more for their water to improve its quality.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) brought a big crew of environmentalists and lawmakers with him on Monday to announce his plan to address nitrogen pollution in drinking and surface water across the region by charging an additional $1 per 1,000 gallons of water. If it receives the state’s blessing, the plan could go before Suffolk County residents in a referendum vote in November.

The proposal would establish what Bellone called a water quality protection fee, which would fund the conversion of homes from outdated septic systems to active treatment systems, the county executive said. He estimated the $1 surcharge would generate roughly $75 million in revenue each year to be solely dedicated to reducing nitrogen pollution — and still keep Suffolk County’s water rates nearly 40 percent lower than the national average.

“What we have seen over the decades is a decimation of our surface waters and the latest numbers showing disturbing trends in the groundwater,” Bellone said. “Clearly, the overwhelming source of that nitrogen pollution is from us. We have 360,000 homes on old septic and cesspool systems.”

Bellone said the proposal would supplement similar efforts from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who established a $383 million investment in expanding sewers in Suffolk County. The governor launched the Center for Clean Water Technology at Stony Brook University and provided funding for the Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan over the past several years to help create recurring revenue for clean water infrastructure.

Richard Amper, executive director of the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, endorsed the county proposal as Suffolk County rising to the occasion. He referred to nitrogen as the chief culprit behind the county’s water pollution, coming mostly from wastewater.

“If we don’t take this step, we are putting our collective future at serious risk.”

“Two-thirds of it in Suffolk County is coming from 360,000 homes with 5,000-year-old technology,” he said Monday. “We know what to do about it. We’ve studied it. The public is satisfied that … investment had to be made in studying it. Now it’s time for action.”

Roughly 90 percent of the population in Nassau County operates under an active wastewater treatment system through connections to sewage plants. But in Suffolk County, there are more than 360,000 individual cesspools and septic systems — representing more unsewered homes than in the entire state of New Jersey — that are more likely to release nitrogen into the ground and surface water.

Marc Herbst, executive director of the Long Island Contractors’ Association, said the initiative was necessary for the future of the environment.

“It is about building a wastewater treatment system that ensures the environmental integrity of our county, the underlying foundation of our economy and the value of our homes,” he said. “The Long Island Contractors’ Association supports this proposal because if we don’t take this step, we are putting our collective future at serious risk. It is as simple, and crucial, as that.”

The state must authorize the proposal in order for it to be placed on a ballot in November.

State Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) — a known environmental activist — said the measure would do wonders for the state’s water supply.

“We’re really looking at an opportunity to correct some deficiencies that could, if left uncorrected, unhinge our economy, which is based upon people bathing and recreating in our coastal waters, fishing and otherwise enjoying our waters,” he said. “For the first time, we are pulling a program together that integrates both our fresh water and saltwater in one protection initiative, and that is very significant.”

The Town of Brookhaven held a public hearing last Thursday night before adopting a low-nitrogen zone for various properties 500 feet from major water bodies, like Setauket and Port Jefferson harbors, requiring all new development or expansions to install low-nitrogen septic systems rather than standard cesspools. Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) endorsed the county plan as well for not only increasing the momentum away from nitrogen pollution, but also for providing voters with the choice.

“I applaud County Executive Bellone for his leadership in advancing this plan to restore water quality across this county and, more importantly, for proposing that the people of Suffolk decide whether the plan should be implemented,” he said. “Though some may disagree with it, no other elected official has offered a plan to reverse nitrogen pollution on this scale.”

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11 girls score, 3 others add assists

Junior midfielder Madison Hobbes turns away from a swarm of Commack defenders. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Ward Melville’s girls’ lacrosse team scored four unanswered goals to start Monday morning’s contest, and held a 10-goal lead with 17:35 left to play. Despite Commack coming back to score eight unanswered, the Patriots hung on, maintaining possession and keeping the ball moving in the final minute to come away with a 15-13 win.

“We were a little inconsistent,” Ward Melville head coach Kerri Kilkenny said. “We had moments of brilliance and some things we can still improve upon. We need to make sure we keep our high level of play the entire game.”

Sophomore attack Jill Becker passes the ball around the cage. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Sophomore attack Jill Becker passes the ball around the cage. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Sophomore midfielder Nicole Liucci scored first after receiving a foul call when a Commack defender ran into her path, and sophomore attack Jill Becker added another with a shot through traffic.

Minutes later, junior attack Kaitlin Thornton landed a foul call of her own and sent her shot home. At the 16:16 mark, junior attack and midfielder Hannah Lorenzen scored up front after receiving a pass from Becker, for the 4-0 advantage.

“We’ve all played together for a really long time, so there’s definitely a connection on our team,” Becker said. “We work together, we all look up, pass to each other and we’re strong with our shot placement — we were able to finish our shots.”

Commack scored its first goal of the game minutes later, and just 30 seconds after, the Patriots pushed back when junior midfielder Kerry McKeever raced past the cage and fed the ball backward to junior midfielder Hannah Hobbes, who swiveled around defenders to get a good look in front. Becker and Lorenzen tallied their second goals of the game, and junior midfielder and defender Kelly Quinn hit her mark for an 8-1 lead.

Freshman attack and midfielder Alexis Reinhardt crosses the ball into Commack's zone. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Freshman attack and midfielder Alexis Reinhardt crosses the ball into Commack’s zone. Photo by Desirée Keegan

“We don’t necessarily have the one or two superstars, we are very well-spread offensively,” Kilkenny said. “If something’s not working for a few players, others can certainly step up and fill the roles.”

A Ward Melville offside call lead to a Commack goal, and the Cougars added another seconds later to close the gap. Ward Melville junior goalkeeper Kathryn Hopkins made a save with less than two minutes remaining in the first, and another with one second on the clock, to keep the score unchanged.

Sophomore attack Kate Mulham scored first in the opening seconds of the second half, and after her team scored two more, the two sides traded goals until Mulham scored her second and third goals of the game back-to-back, giving the Patriots their 10-goal lead with 17:35 left to play.

“We definitely started out strong, making our connections all across the field,” Mulham said. “We have a really deep bench and we can put a lot of different girls out there and we can all still perform together, because the chemistry is there. Each of our individual skills combined are really beneficial to the team.”

Sophomore attack Kate Mulham moves through midfield. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Sophomore attack Kate Mulham moves through midfield. Photo by Desirée Keegan

But the defense struggled to maintain the offense’s advantage, as Commack came back to score eight unanswered goals, the last coming with 6:24 left in the game.

“We definitely did get a little comfortable and once we realized we needed to pull it together, we did,” Becker said. “I think we lost some communication on defense and attack with who has who and making sure we were guarding against the cutters.”

Kilkenny said her team struggled to come out strong in the first half throughout the first few games of the season, but the team has worked on playing each half equally as strong, and especially in the first half, Mulham has noticed a difference.

“We had slow starts and we were down by a few, and we always came back at the end,” she said. “But now, being able to start off strong is putting us in the lead early, making it much less stressful.”

Although the game grew closer at the end, Mulham said she is still confident that if her team can continue to work on improving, it can be tough to compete against.

“I think we can go really far this season if we all continue to work together and address these problems that we’re noticing now early in the season,” she said. “Once we address those I think we can go as far as we want to. I think we’ll be unstoppable.”

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The Red Cross is highlighting Joe and Lori-Ann Spaccarelli in honor of National Volunteer Week. Photo from Donna Nicholls

The Spaccarelli siblings don’t argue often. But when they do, it’s about preparing people for calamities like house fires through their fire safety programs at the Red Cross.

Last year, Joe Spaccarelli joined the Red Cross after seven children died in a house fire in Midwood, Brooklyn, in March 2015. According to Spaccarelli, the family’s hot plate malfunctioned and the only working smoke alarm was in the basement of the home. The incident was enough to make Spaccarelli quit his job of 27-years to work full-time for the Red Cross as a lead for its home fire safety program. Spaccarelli started volunteering for the Red Cross during Superstorm Sandy, in 2012.

“When that happened, I lifted an eyebrow going ‘huh, it must be a very worthy cause,’” said Lori-Ann, Spaccarelli’s younger sister, about her brother quitting his job to work for the Red Cross.

Lori-Ann Spaccarelli, of Farmingdale, joined the organization as a volunteer last year. She became one of the Long Island volunteer leads for the Home Fire Safety program, after her brother left the position in September to be the program director for Get Alarmed New York City. The Red Cross volunteer and elementary school art teacher in Syosset school district said she couldn’t “say no” to helping a program that her brother loved.

The Red Cross’s Home Fire Safety and Get Alarmed New York City programs don’t only focus on educating people about fire safety and the importance of fire and smoke alarms. Volunteers also install smoke alarms free of charge. The fire safety program aims to reduce home fire-related deaths by 25 percent.

The goal of Get Alarmed NYC is to establish 100,000 smoke alarms in the NYC region within two years. The siblings said they install three to four alarms per home. While they said some homes don’t have an alarm at all, other homes don’t always have one that is working.

“When we go into a lot of these homes, it’s either that the smoke detectors aren’t working, the batteries are missing or the batteries are low,” Joe Spaccarelli said. “It beeps, they take the battery out.”

Spaccarelli added that some residents never get a chance to replace the batteries. Forty percent of the time, fire-related deaths and injuries occur when there isn’t a working alarm in the residence. According to Red Cross CEO Elizabeth Barker, the Red Cross responds nationally to around 70,000 home fires a year. Home fire preparedness isn’t simply about adding smoke detectors and informing people about escape plans, but also about educating young children.

Lori-Ann Spaccarelli started the Pillowcase Project in her school. The program teaches young kids how to get out and cope with home fires and other hazardous. The Disney-sponsored program began after Hurricane Katrina, when college students in Louisiana packed various items in their pillowcases before heading to a shelter.

According to the Spaccarellis, the program puts children at ease during a tragedy, which also helps parents remain calm.

“The children exiting those [Pillowcase Project] lessons come out with much more confidence and conviction when they go home to let their parents know,” Joe Spaccarelli said. “They know what to do and they’re comfortable.”

While the duo didn’t have any prior experience running these kinds of programs, helping others is in their blood.

Growing up, the Spaccarellis said their parents regularly gave back to their community, which encouraged the siblings to help others as well.

For the siblings, helping others is a family affair and Barker said the pair brings that same vibe to the Red Cross.

“Usually what I have is a husband-wife duo,” Barker said. “It’s been really fun to have this brother-sister dynamic to work with. It makes it feel more like a family.”

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Toys“R”Us gift card scam
A 46-year-old man from Medford and a 47-year-old man from Ronkonkoma stole assorted toys from Toys“R”Us on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove and returned them in exchange for gift cards on March 13 and April 16, police said. The two were arrested at about 4:30 p.m. on April 16 in Lake Grove and charged with petit larceny.

Mainline on Main Street
On April 16 in Kings Park at about 8:30 p.m., a 25-year-old man from Kings Park possessed a hypodermic needle on East Main Street, police said. He was arrested and charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Stop & Steal
Police said a 50-year-old man from Brentwood stole assorted grocery items from Stop&Shop on Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia, on April 16 at about 8 p.m. He was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Come on and take a free ride
A 32-year-old man and a 52-year-old man, both from Brooklyn, were given a ride in a taxi cab in Stony Brook on April 14, police said. At the end of the ride, police said the men refused to pay the cab driver. The 52-year-old man also possessed assorted stolen clothing from Old Navy in Lake Grove, according to police. Both men were arrested and charged with intent to commit fraud for obtaining transfer without paying, and the 52-year-old man was charged with fifth-degree possession of stolen property.

Fifth-degree possession
On April 14 at 7-Eleven on Route 347 in Hauppauge a 20-year-old woman from Commack and a 21-year-old man from Bay Shore were in a parked 1995 Chevrolet, when police said they discovered the woman possessed a hypodermic needle and the man had marijuana. They were arrested and the woman was charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument and the man was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

We don’t need licenses
On April 13 a 39-year-old man from Bay Shore was driving a 2000 Mitsubishi on West Pulaski Road in Kings Park when he was pulled over by police, who said they discovered he was driving without a license. He was arrested and charged with a motor vehicle license violation for driving without a license.

Fashionable crime
A 33-year-old man from Commack stole four bow ties from Kohl’s on Montauk Highway in Shirley at about 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, police said. He was arrested on April 13 in Commack and charged with petit larceny.

Stealing from Sears
At Sears in the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove on April 13, a 19-year-old woman from Middle Island stole assorted clothing, police said. She was arrested and charged with petit larceny.

Brand new car scratched
Police said the side of a 2016 BMW was scratched while it was in the parking lot of Stop&Shop on West Main Street in Smithtown at about 3:30 p.m. on April 14.

I think I caught something
An unknown person stole a fishing pole from an unlocked 2008 Jeep parked outside of a home on Cherry Lane in Smithtown at about 11 p.m. on April 14, police said.

Suzuki smashed
The window of a 2011 Suzuki was broken while the car was in the parking lot of Sears at Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove at around 8:30 p.m. on April 14, police said.

Supermarket steal
On April 16 at 12:16 p.m., police arrested a 19-year-old Coram resident for petit larceny. According to police, the man stole a purse from a shopping cart in Uncle Giuseppe’s supermarket on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station. The purse contained a wallet and a cell phone. Police arrested the man at the scene.

Petit in a Chevy
A 29-year-old man was arrested for petit larceny on April 12 around 6:40 a.m. Police said the Mount Sinai resident stole money from a 1996 Chevrolet parked on Belle Terre Road in Port Jefferson. He was arrested at the scene.

Rough-and-tumble
Police arrested a man from Commack for gang assault after the 24-year-old kicked and punched another man on West Broadway in Port Jefferson on March 27. Police said two other people helped the suspect. Police arrested him at the 6th Precinct on April 16.

Caught looking
A Coram teen struck another person with a baseball bat and was arrested on April 14 for assault with a weapon. Police said the victim needed medical attention. The 18-year-old male assailant was arrested at the scene, on Dawson Place.

Looking sharp
Police arrested a 26-year-old man from Miller Place on April 13 for possession of a hypodermic instrument after police stopped him in a 2005 Honda on Route 25A in Rocky Point. During the traffic stop, officers discovered he was in possession on a hypodermic needle and arrested him.

A shocking call
On April 14 around noon, someone called a resident posing as a PSEG utility representative and told the victim that they hadn’t paid their electric bill. The victim paid around $500 to the scammer. Police said the incident happened while the victim was at Local’s Cafe on East Main Street in Port Jefferson.

A warranted arrest
Police arrested a 31-year-old man from Centereach on April 13 for resisting arrest. According to police, the man was the subject of two bench warrants. When police at his residence on Colonial Place told the man to get on the ground and put his hands behind his back, the man refused.

Stealing for suds
According to police, a man entered the CVS Pharmacy on Route 25A in Miller Place and stole body wash. The incident happened on April 11 around 8:40 a.m.

Lock your darn cars!
On April 13 around 7 p.m., someone stole a briefcase containing credit cards from an unlocked 2005 Ford. The car was parked in the Centereach Mall parking lot.

Something’s fishy
An unknown person stole beer and shrimp from the ShopRite on College Road in Selden on April 15.

Ride on, thief
Between 1 and 2:15 p.m. on April 12, someone stole a ride-on lawn mower from a residence on Noahs Path in Rocky Point.

At least they didn’t key ya
On April 17 around 5:30 p.m., an unknown person damaged the driver’s side door of a 2011 Kia on Caddy Place in Sound Beach.

Yard work
Between April 11 at noon and April 13 at 2 p.m., someone stole two iron pedestal table bases, an iron and copper urn, an iron planter and two cement art objects from a residence on Bayview Avenue in Setauket-East Setauket.

Sacked
Police said someone stole a backpack and a laptop from a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. According to police, the car was parked in a parking lot on Stony Brook Road on April 15.

Swiped in Selden
An unknown person stole a 2013 Toyota Highlander from a residence on Hawkins Road in Selden. The car was parked in the driveway before it was stolen on April 14 around 3 p.m.

Beer me
Police charged a Port Jefferson man on April 11 with petit larceny and unlicensed operation of a car. The 48-year-old man stole four beer kegs from an establishment on Route 25A in Mount Sinai last November, police said, and when he was pulled over on the corner of Barker Drive and Bonnie Lane on Stony Brook, police discovered the man was driving his 2003 Hyundai with a suspended license.

Not-so-minor mistake
A 27-year-old man from Yaphank was arrested for selling alcohol to a minor at Handy Pantry on Route 25A in Rocky Point on April 17 around 10 p.m.

Knifey situation
A 34-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on April 17 for putting a kitchen knife to a man’s stomach and threatening him while at a home on Briarwood Drive in Huntington just before 8 a.m., police said. He was charged with second-degree menacing with a weapon.

In the biz of stealing
On April 17, a 48-year-old woman from Huntington was arrested after police said she stole a handbag containing cash and a credit card from Bagel Biz on Walt Whitman Road in Melville at 2:45 p.m. She was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny valuing property of more than $1,000.

Cocaine caught
Police said a 31-year-old man from Huntington Station had a small plastic bag containing cocaine in his possession on April 17 just before 10 p.m. at East 9th Street in Huntington Station. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, as well as third-degree criminal trespassing in an enclosed property for being inside private property surrounded by a high fence with no permission.

Two times the marijuana
A 16-year-old girl and 17-year-old boy, both from East Northport, were arrested on April 16 after police said they had marijuana in their possession. Police arrested the pair on Cobblestone Court in Centerport at 5:40 p.m. and they were both charged with unlawful possession.

Failing at fleeing
On April 16, a 28-year-old man from Huntington was arrested for leaving the scene of a car crash, police said. The man was driving a 2015 Infiniti on Jericho Turnpike and Broadway when he collided with a 2009 Nissan driving west and then fled the scene, according to police. He was charged with leaving the scene with property damage.

Cigarette crook caught
Police said a 30-year-old man from Dix Hills stole a Chase debit card and used it to purchase a package of cigarettes from 7-Eleven in Deer Park and had hypodermic needles on him on April 16. He was arrested at 12:40 p.m. and charged with petit larceny and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Jeep-ers
An 18-year-old man from Melville was arrested on April 15 after police said he had a burning marijuana cigarette while inside a 2002 Jeep parked on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

He got more than a slice of ‘za
A 22-year-old man from East Northport was arrested on April 15 at 2:30 a.m. after police said he punched someone in front of Little Vincent’s Pizza on New York Avenue in Huntington, knocking the victim to the ground and causing him or her to go to Huntington Hospital and seek medical treatment. He was charged with third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury.

High times
On April 15, police said a 29-year-old man from Deer Park had a burning marijuana cigarette inside a 2014 Toyota on North Road in Huntington. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Train thief
Police said an unknown person smashed the driver side window of a 2010 Audi Q7 parked in the Cold Spring Harbor train station parking lot on April 17 and stole $50 in cash.
An unknown person broke the front driver side window of a 2008 Mercury parked in the Cold Spring Harbor train station parking lot on April 17, police said.

Unfriendly driving neighbor
On April 16, police said an unknown person driving a Jeep Wrangler was following a woman driving a 1990 Nissan Sentra on Pulaski Road in East Northport and started flashing their lights and making obscene gestures. Eventually the Jeep driver got out of the car and kicked her driver side door, as well as damaging her front headlight.

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