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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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Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn is among the lawmakers hoping to use the #MeToo moment not only to change culture, but to change laws. File photo

One North Shore lawmaker is cleaning up the language of Suffolk County’s dry cleaners.

Dry cleaning businesses will no longer be allowed to advertise their services as organic when describing the solvents or methods used in production, thanks to recently approved legislation from Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket). And if they get caught, business owners could face fines of $500 on the first offense to $1,000 on the second, the legislator said.

“A consumer chooses an ‘organic’ cleaning method with the belief that this option is better for his or her health and our environment,” Hahn said in a statement. “Without a universally accepted definition of what constitutes organic services, consumers go through the wringer when making their decisions based upon subjective standards that, in some cases, can be completely contrary to their intentions.”

Under Majority Leader Hahn’s bill, no professional garment cleaning establishment operating in the county will be allowed to describe its services as “organic” in advertising or signage. In a statement, Hahn said the term organic is found in many industries, including dry cleaning, and has come under increased public scrutiny as regulators have not established clear criteria governing the word’s usage in consumer goods and services.

“It is very important that customers understand terms used in dry cleaning advertisements,” said Beth Fiteni, owner of Green Inside and Out Consulting, an advocacy organization committed to empowering the public to find healthier alternatives to common toxins, also in a recent statement. “Organic in this context is a technical term, and does not mean chemical-free. This legislation in Suffolk County helps address possible confusion.”

In her legislation, Hahn said one of the most harmful chemicals used in the dry cleaning industry, perchloroethylene — also known as perc — contains carbon molecules. Carbon is a naturally occurring element and perc is sometimes advertised as being organic, despite its detriment to the environment.

“In some instances there is a significant disconnect between the term organic that has become part of the vernacular and the scientific definition used by industry,” Hahn said. “I want to ensure that Suffolk consumers are making decisions based on intention rather than semantics.”

The state Department of Environmental Conservation has already approved several alternatives to perc for use in non-vented, closed-loop dry cleaning machines that are equipped with a refrigerated condenser, conform to local fire codes and meet the additional specifications required by the alternative solvent manufacturer.

Suffolk’s bill would be nullified should a standard be adopted by state or federal regulatory agencies.

The only thing preventing the bill from becoming official is the absence of a signature from County Executive Steve Bellone (D). Once signed, cleaners would have approximately 60 days to come into compliance.

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Jennifer Anderson is a professor at Stony Brook University. File photo

By Kevin Redding

Jennifer Anderson is a professor at Stony Brook University. File photo
Jennifer Anderson is a professor at Stony Brook University. File photo

A lecture hall at Stony Brook University transported those in attendance back in time between the 17th and 19th centuries, when Long Island mariners left home for years of their lives, set sail into the deep, dark sea, and braved impossible odds in their voyage to hunt for whales.

“Long Island Whalers: Navigating a Changing World,” on April 15, was an all-day, open-to-the-public event that offered new and exciting research on an often-overlooked, hugely important part of Long Island’s heritage. So rather than read passages from “Moby Dick,” a panel of experts in varying fields of history and archaeology spoke at length about the more in-depth aspects of the whaling industry.

“This allows us to be on the front lines of sharing material, as it’s coming hot off the presses,” said Jennifer Anderson, an associate professor of Atlantic history at SBU and co-organizer of the event. “We live on this incredibly diverse island, from really urban and suburban areas to beautiful nature and agricultural history, and it’s easy to forget that there’s this really long human history of people making use of the maritime resources of Long Island — not just going to the beach, but actually deriving their livelihood from the waters surrounding us.”

With topics that ranged from the historical preservation of an important yet forgotten African American whaler named Pyrrhus Concer, and the role of race then and now, to the foreign and economic impact that came from sea travel, it wasn’t difficult to see the relevance this far-gone time has in 2016.

“This history is the basis of the modern Long Island society,” said speaker Frank Turano, who teaches Long Island environmental history at the college. “[We’re] built upon what happened in the past. That’s the key thing for people to understand; these are not just some quaint activities.”

Frank Turano is a professor at Stony Brook University. File photo
Frank Turano is a professor at Stony Brook University. File photo

Starting at 9 a.m. and ending around 6 p.m., the room was consistently full of people, all engaged in the presentations that followed. In particular, Robert T. Chase, a history professor in attendance, had a significant connection to the event’s subject matter, as a direct descendant of Owen Chase, First Mate aboard the Essex whaler. That ship’s wreckage by way of a behemoth sperm whale, and Owen Chase’s firsthand account of it, was the inspiration for Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” and the subject of Nathaniel Philbrick’s bestseller “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex.”

However, Robert Chase said he was more interested in the broader interracial movement going on at the time. According to him, people of color were central to the role in the industry, and often not talked about. “Sadly, they were the first to die because they were the least fed on the boat,” he said. “It’s really wonderful that this conference explores their history [further].”

In between panels, Stephen N. Sanfilippo sang the mid-1800s songs and recited the poetry of the Long Island whalemen. A teacher at Maine Maritime Academy, Sanfilippo’s been playing this music for 40 years. Rather than choose songs and poems about on-board debauchery and sea fights, he instead wanted to challenge the stereotypes surrounding the whalers. “I wanted to show that at least some whale men were mindful and sentimental,” Sanfilippo said. “I hope all of you will immerse yourselves in, what we have come to see as, the extraordinary lives that were, in their own time, the ordinary lives of ordinary Long Islanders.”

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The Long Island Museum. Photo by Phil Corso

Two landmark Three Village institutions have received a landmark gift.

The Long Island Museum in Stony Brook and the Setauket Presbyterian Church were named beneficiaries of a $100 million charitable trust through the Kingsley Gillespie Charitable Trust, giving both groups a financial boost from a family that loved its community. The gift carried on the philanthropic contributions that both the Kingsley and Kenyon Gillespie families have made, keeping the arts, community service and faith strong.

The charitable trust came as a result of Kenyon Gillespie’s death in March 2015, which built upon the success of his father Kingsley Gillespie and mother Doris Kenyon, who both died in the 1980s. Every year, the beneficiaries will receive slices of the income earned by the $100 million trust, bringing in millions of dollars in gift money.

Neil Watson, executive director of the Long Island Museum, said the gift came at an exciting time as it approaches 80 years since the museum’s inception.

“This is a very significant gift for us — one of the biggest in our history,” he said. “It allows us to chart our own future.”

Watson said the charitable gift would allow the Long Island Museum to better maintain its 14 buildings, balance its $2.4 million budget and provide better programming for the North Shore community. Looking ahead, he said the museum would be working on launching new programs to attract new visitors, reopening the facility’s gift shop at its headquarters and investing in capital improvements to its carriage museum, which houses a 125-person meeting room dedicated to the Gillespie name.

“The board of trustees and the museum’s staff are overwhelmed by the Gillespies’ generosity,” Watson said in a statement. “This tremendous gift strengthens the LIM’s existing endowments and solidifies the museum’s financial foundation. We are forever indebted to the Gillespie family for their foresight and their belief in the important of the LIM and its place as a cultural leader in our community.”

The Setauket Presbyterian Church, founded in 1660, will also benefit considerably through the charitable trust. The institution, located on the village green at Caroline Avenue in Setauket, has been a longtime home for more than 500 people of faith.

Doris Kenyon was born in 1900 in Brooklyn, but spent summers as a child in Old Field before moving there in the 1930. She had a lifelong affection for the Three Village community, the Long Island Museum said in a press release. She was married to Kingsley Gillespie, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the two built their family in the Three Village area before retiring to Florida.

Other beneficiaries of the charitable trust include MIT and various Stamford, Conn., institutions.

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Dominic Pryor scores a goal for Ward Melville through a ton of Smithtown traffic. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Redemption was sweet for the Ward Melville boys’ lacrosse team.

Not only did the Patriots take down the boys of Smithtown East, who knocked them out of the playoffs in the Suffolk County Class A finals last season, but they also handed the Bulls their first loss of this season, 13-12.

Smithtown East was 7-0 coming into the contest, with one of the strongest faceoff kids in the county in senior Gerard Arceri, and two of the leading goal scorers in junior Connor Desimone and senior Dan Rooney. But that didn’t scare Ward Melville.

“We had that loss to West Islip [9-7 on April 8], which was one of our down games, but we knew we had to come back fired up,” Ward Melville goalkeeper D.J. Kellerman said.

“We knew that they were one of the top teams and we really wanted to take them down.”

The Patriots, 7-1, scored three goals in the first seven minutes of play before Rooney, an attack, found the back of the net with 3:09 left in the first quarter to put his team on the board.

“They’re a rival of ours — they’re right across town from us, so obviously intensity and competitiveness is at an all time maximum,” Smithtown East’s Desimone, an attack, said. “Coming out here and not showing up in the first half really killed us, but we’ll get them back.”

Ward Melville's Liam Davenport leads the chase for the ball at midfield. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Ward Melville’s Liam Davenport leads the chase for the ball at midfield. Photo by Desirée Keegan

Rooney followed his goal with his second score of the afternoon, off an assist from junior attack Michael Latini, and junior midfielder Luke Eschbach helped bring the score to 3-3 at the end of the first.

“Obviously Connor Desimone and Dan Rooney, they’re very dangerous, so we did a couple of game-planning strategies for them, but our goalie D.J. Kellerman played outstanding,” Ward Melville head coach Jay Negus said. “We’ve been waiting to play all four quarters all year, and this is the first game that I really feel we did. I don’t like taking my foot off the gas pedal, and that showed today, too. We played quick. I thought we did a good job of managing the game and really dictating the terms to them.”

Despite Arceri winning the opening faceoff of the second stanza, Kellerman still stopped a diving attempt by Desimone in the crease, and Ward Melville senior attack Chris Grillo faked out Smithtown East junior goalkeeper Thomas Harkin and dumped the ball in up top for a 4-3 edge. Kellerman followed with another stop, one of his 14 saves on the day, to keep his team on top.

The Bulls and Patriots traded scores, but Ward Melville senior midfielder Connor Grippe and junior midfielder Dominic Pryor added two goals in the final two minutes to put the Patriots up 7-4 heading into the halftime break.

“We lost to them in the counties last year, so obviously it’s a significant win for us,” Pryor said. “We moved the ball really well and we were very patient. Our defense stood strong with the amount of times they threw the ball in the crease.”

Ward Melville maintained an 11-9 advantage at the end of the third, but Smithtown East wasn’t going to go down that easily.

Latini opened the final quarter with a quick goal less than a minute in, and although Ward Melville countered, junior midfielder Connor Rowan added his second tally of the afternoon to keep it a one-goal game.

Smithtown's Luke Eschbach dives for the ball to beat out Ward Melville players. Photo by Desirée Keegan
Smithtown’s Luke Eschbach dives for the ball to beat out Ward Melville players. Photo by Desirée Keegan

The Bulls gained more time of possession as the game continued, but over the next seven minutes neither team could find the back of the net, as the goalkeepers battled and batted the ball away.

“We won most faceoffs, but couldn’t really take away they’re strong hands on defense, and couldn’t convert on offense,” Desimone said.

Harkin made a save for Smithtown off of Pryor’s initial attempt, but freshman attack Dylan Pallonetti grabbed the rebound in mid air and stuffed it past the keeper for the 13-11 lead. Although the Bulls found themselves down two goals again with minutes remaining, Desimone came through again for his team with another goal off a feed from Latini. Arceri won the final faceoff, but a turnover in the final seconds sealed the Bulls’ fate. The Patriots raced across the field, dropping their sticks and stripping themselves of their gear, and leapt into a pile of victory, smiling from ear to ear.

“We knew that they were going to score goals,” Kellerman said. “We had a feeling it was going to be high scoring, but we scored one more at the end and that’s all that matters. At the faceoff ‘X’ we did a great job neutralizing Gerard Arceri. We weren’t going to win them all, we knew that, but I was confident.”

Ward Melville hosted Riverhead on Wednesday, but results were not available by press time.

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