The Times of Smithtown - April 7, 2015 by TBR News Media

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Volume 29, No. 6

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Health & Wellness Fest Page B1

Woman escapes Commack car fire By victoria eSpinoza

Skeptical supervisor

Vecchio questions zoning change plan for business property in St. James

Page a3

A 19-year-old woman was able to break free from her Hyundai Elantra before it was fully engulfed in flames just after noon on Saturday, April 2, in Commack. The woman struck a tree while driving on Verleye Avenue, causing the car to overturn and eventually catch fire. Emergency responders from the Commack Fire Department, Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Suffolk County Police Department responded to the crash near Lefferts Avenue. The Commack Fire Department responded with three engines and a heavy rescue truck. Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames and used foam to cover the spilled gasoline. The Commack Volunteer Ambulance Corps transported the teenager to Huntington Hospital. the hyundai elantra after firefighters put out the flames.

Photos from Steve Silverman and Matt Schwier

PAGE A2 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • APRIL 07, 2016

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Meet The Times of Smithtown

The Times of Smithtown will be holding open office hours on Friday, April 15. Managing Editor Phil Corso will be at Starbucks at 1 Miller Pl. between 11 a.m. and noon. If you have story ideas, suggestions, critiques or just want to say hello, here’s your chance. For more information, call Phil at 631751-7744 x130. Let us know if there are other times and places you would like to meet with us. Phil Corso

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APRIL 07, 2016 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A3

St. James residents reject rezoning proposal

Photo by Alex Petroski

The property sits just south of Lake Avenue in St. James, where a potential rezoning has residents wary. By PhiL CorSo

It’s as literal as “not in my backyard” can get. A zoning change request for half of a piece of property in St. James has residents worried that they will not only lose a buffer between their homes and nearby businesses, but also that they would see an unwanted increase in property taxes. A representative of Aldrich Management Co. LLC, of East Meadow, stood before the Smithtown Town Board at its March 17 meeting to make its case for changing the residential half of the property — located on the south side of 6th Street near Lake Avenue, close to Caligiuri’s Patio Pizza — to business zoning, but residents and some elected officials said it could do more bad than good for neighbors. The other half of the property is already zoned for business, and the change would allow for a larger building and a parking lot to be built across the entire parcel. “It seems to me that the property owner is being a hog,” Smithtown Supervisor Pat Vecchio (R) said of the proposal at a work session on Tuesday morning. “Why would we do that?” David Flynn, Smithtown’s planning director, said the potential zoning change could result in a building roughly 900 square feet bigger than the current one on the property, if approved. At the end of the March 17 night meeting, Smithtown Councilman Tom McCarthy (R) asked Flynn to come up with alternatives that would allow the property owner more use within existing zoning rules. Flynn delivered his proposals to the board at Tuesday’s work session. He recommended the town board rejects the proposal because it went against a boardapproved plan decades ago that called for a roughly 50-foot buffer between businesses and homes already present at the site. But under the proposal, that buffer would be reduced to about 10 feet, Flynn said. “It would impact the neighbors,” Flynn

said Tuesday. “It isn’t in concert with the town’s plan. … The only benefit I could think of is that the building would be 20 percent bigger, and therefore the tax ratable would be more.” Vincent Trimarco, who represented the applicant at the March 17 meeting, said there were no set plans for any particular business to take the current structure’s place if the zoning change, which could include almost any commercial purpose, were to be approved. “If it’s retail that is going to go there, the parking requirement would be one parking space for every 100 square feet of building area,” he said. “So, that would be a standalone parcel that right now has no parking and would probably enhance the ability for cars to park.” But Sean Durham, who lives on Sixth Street, said the current setup results in cars parking on his residential road, making the potential of more parking daunting to neighbors. “I’m a concerned neighbor,” he said. “You’re going to be adding parking; what’s going to be there, no idea. It’s already visibly shaken with the infrastructure there that can’t take it.” His neighbor also stood up against the plan. “It’s not about the parking, it’s about the increased traffic,” Anthony Martino said. “And No. 2, I don’t see how we can grant something when we don’t know what is going to be there. This gives them an open book. I don’t want an automotive garage there dumping oil and stuff right in my backyard.” Beyond the parking woes, Martino also said he was concerned about the effect a bigger commercial building would have on his wallet. “I pay $14,000 in property taxes and can’t go in the back part of my yard. The only savior was these little bit of trees that were going to be left. Now you’re going to have to put a septic in if it’s a commercial building,” Martino said. “It’s going to have

be a bigger septic. It’s just more and more use of the property that it’s not [equipped] for. It’s not going to work in that corner.” The Smithtown Planning Department recommended approval for the proposal, so long as the applicant preserved one large tree that stood in the back parking area of the property. Trimarco said he did

not have an issue with such a proposal. Councilwoman Lynne Nowick (R) suggested that the property owner works with the existing structure, a house, instead. “That house could be fixed up and used,” she said. “This [proposal] just allows them to go bigger, which really is not in character with the area.”

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PAGE A4 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • APRIL 07, 2016

Photos by Victoria Espinoza

above, participants focus on their paintings during splashes of Hope’s paint night at the castle event on March 23. Below, Eileen sleckman paints some trees onto her hospital ceiling tile.

Paint night brings promise to Smithtown By Victoria Espinoza

North Shore residents are painting it forward, and one of Smithtown’s medical facilities stands to benefit from it. Splashes of Hope, a nonprofit organization that provides murals for patients in medical and social service facilities, hosted a Paint Night at the Castle event at Coindre Hall in Huntington last week that was modeled much like contemporary wine and paint nights, where guests are taught how to paint while sipping wine. But this event was different because guests were not painting on ordinary canvases. “What we are painting tonight are ceiling tiles,” founder and Executive Director Heather Buggee said at the event. “Every hospital has these removable acoustic ceiling tiles in the examination rooms. So they [the participants] are going to be painting ceiling tiles that are going to be installed in hospitals throughout Suffolk County above the examination table.” Buggee said the ceiling tiles would be installed above hospital beds, “where a child lies down and is either being examined or treated with medical procedures.” The plan, she said, was to see them installed at various North Shore hospitals, including Huntington Hospital, St. Catherine of

Siena Medical Center in Smithtown, Stony Brook University Hospital and Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center. “The ceiling tiles are a way of distraction for the children during the examinations,” she said. Buggee said this event was a bit more meaningful than usual paint and wine nights because, “instead of bringing your painting home, you’re donating your masterpiece for a sick child to look at.” Participants painted while enjoying wine and live music. “It’s a very uplifting atmosphere,” said Eileen Sleckman, one of the 15 painters that night. “It sounded like fun, and it’s such a nice opportunity to give back to the community to such a worthy cause.” This was the second Paint Night at the Castle she attended. The first one was held on Jan. 20. Brentwood-based artist Maria Pontillo was the lead instructor and said she encouraged everyone to get as creative as possible. “This is different from a regular paint night [that Splashes of Hope hosts] because they’re not contributing to the same scene… so they get to be creative with it,” she said. “They also get to think about what they would like to see if they needed a distraction.” The next two installments of Paint Night at the Castle are scheduled for May 25 and July 20.

APRIL 07, 2016 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A5

New York closes gap on school aid By Elana Glowatz

New York State is doing away with a funding cut that has kept billions of dollars out of schools, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced last week. Legislators recently agreed on a state budget that would end the Gap Elimination Adjustment, a deduction taken out of each school district’s aid for the last several years, originally enacted to close a state budget deficit. Parents, educators and even legislators have long been advocating for the adjustment’s finish but the push became a shove after state Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport), the majority leader, sponsored legislation to get rid of it. Flanagan called axing the Gap Elimination Adjustment his “top education funding priority” earlier this year. “We will not pass any budget that does not fully eliminate it this year,” he said. The deduction “has been hurting schools and students for way too long and it is past time that we end it once and for all.” Over the past five years, legislators had reduced the total statewide deduction from $3 billion to $434 million. In the next school year, it will be removed all together. “Over the years, the GEA forced many school Over the past five districts to cut educayears, state legislators tional programs and reduce services,” Sen. Ken have reduced the LaValle (R-Port Jeffertotal Gap Elimination son) said in a statement. “This restoration of aid Adjustment from will greatly help local $3 billion to $434 school districts, and our taxpayers, with the budmillion. In the next get funds necessary to school year, it will be educate our children.” removed all together. State school aid is projected to increase to almost $25 billion overall — and Long Island is slated to get $3 billion of that. The New York State School Boards Association noted that the additional aid comes just as the state’s almost 700 school districts are grappling with a “record low” cap on how much they can increase their tax levies, a limit mandated by the state. “The infusion of state aid will help them preserve student programs and services while still keeping property taxes in check,” the group’s executive director, Timothy G. Kremer, said in a statement. However, the association said the state should “make sensible adjustments” to the tax levy cap, suggesting officials no longer use the rate of inflation as the standard for setting the limit each year.

Also included in state budget: According to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, the minimum wage on Long Island will increase to $10 per hour at the end of this year, then another $1 each year after, until it finally reaches $15 at the end of 2021. In Nassau and Suffolk counties, the state labor department estimates, there are 382,236 current workers who will get raises once the minimum wage reaches $15 per hour.

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PAGE A6 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • APRIL 07, 2016

St. James man pleads guilty to illegal dumping charges

POLICE BLOTTER Incidents and arrests from March 27-April 4

by phil Corso

The St. James man accused of illegally dumping tens of thousands of tons of contaminated construction debris in Suffolk County pleaded guilty to felony charges of endangering the environment this week, Suffolk County District Attorney Tom Spota said. Thomas Datre Jr., 42, has been on trial since Feb. 23 for the alleged incident, which dated back to 2013 and 2014. He stood on trial with his father Thomas Datre Sr. and four family-operated companies charged with dumping thousands of tons of contaminated construction debris at four locations in western Suffolk County, and pleaded guilty March 30 to four felony charges of endangering the public health, safety or the environment in the third degree. He will be sentenced to up to three years in an upstate prison and must also cleanup the damaged land, Spota said. According to the terms of the plea, Datre Jr. is responsible for the restoration of Roberto Clemente Town Park in Brentwood to an active playground, soccer field and recreational facility for Brentwood residents, the district attorney said. Datre Jr. is also financially and otherwise responsible for the cleanup and remediation of the environmentally fragile wetlands area on the Islip-Babylon town border in Deer Park and a lot at the corner of Sage Street and Islip Avenue in Central Islip, Spota said. Datre Jr.’s attorney could not be reached for comment. Dangerous toxins, including dieldrin, asbestos and other contaminants classified as “acutely hazardous” or “hazardous” were detected in the dumped debris. Spota said the dumping investigation, which began in April of 2014, uncovered a scheme “based in greed that left Suffolk County with an environmental catastrophe.” “Before the defendant is sentenced, he will clean up at his expense the properties he dumped debris on,” Spota said. “Mr. Datre will report on his progress with the cleanup to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the court and the district attorney’s office.” Datre Jr. also pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor charges of operating a solid waste management facility without a permit. The sentences on those convictions will be served concurrently, the DA said. The charges in the indictment against Datre Sr. were dismissed in satisfaction of the plea of Datre Jr. In addition to Datre Jr.’s guilty plea the family-run busi-

File Filephoto photo

thomas datre Jr.

Photo from SCPD

ness, 5 Brothers Farming Corp., pleaded guilty to four counts of endangering the environment in the third degree, one felony plea per each of four sites where New York City building rubble was dumped in Suffolk. Datre Jr.’s co-defendant, Christopher Grabe of Islandia Recycling, also pleaded guilty to two felony charges of endangering the environment and two misdemeanor charges of operating a solid waste management facility without a permit. Spota said Grabe, for his role in the dumping of debris at Clemente Town Park in Brentwood and at the Route 111 site in Central Islip will be sentenced to up to six months in jail and five years’ probation. Grabe also pleaded guilty to a tax fraud felony filed by the district attorney’s Tax Crimes Unit in March of last year. Grabe, 38, “from 2011 through 2013 failed to report about $885,000 of income to New York State, resulting in evasion of approximately $57,000 in income taxes, “ Spota said. That defendant is now required to pay the unpaid taxes. In a separate investigation and indictment, Datre Sr. and Clara Datre, representing Daytree at Cortland Square Inc. before Justice Fernando Camacho, acknowledged the firm’s failure to pay prevailing wages to its workers performing tree and stump removal for the Town of Islip. For the plea to the misdemeanor charge failure to pay the prevailing wage, 13 workers employed by Daytree at Cortland Square Inc. will be paid by the company approximately $90,000 in wages that they did not receive while working on the town contract.

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Red Red light light camera camera bandit bandit caught caught A A 26-year-old 26-year-old man man from from St. St. James James put put plastic plastic bags bags over over two two red red light light camcameras eras at at the the intersection intersection of of Main Main Street Street and and Landing Landing Avenue Avenue at at about about 5:30 5:30 p.m. p.m. on on April April 1, 1, police police said. said. He He was was arrested arrested and and charged charged with with two two counts counts of of secsecond-degree ond-degree criminal criminal tampering. tampering. Woman Woman revived revived by by police police Police Police responded responded to to aa call call at at aa home home on on Oak Oak Street Street in in Central Central Islip Islip at at about about 77 a.m. a.m. on on April April 2. 2. When When they they arrived arrived they they found found an an unresponsive unresponsive 65-year65-yearold old woman woman being being administered administered CPR CPR by by aa family family member. member. Members Members of of the the Suffolk Suffolk County County Medical Medical Crisis Crisis Action Action Team Team gave gave the the woman woman multiple multiple shocks shocks from froman anautomatic automaticexternal externaldefibrillator defibrillator and and an an injection injection of of cardiac cardiac medication, medication, which which restored restored the the woman’s woman’s breathing breathing and and pulse, pulse, police police said. said. She She was was taken taken to to Southside Southside Hospital Hospital in in Bay Bay Shore. Shore.

police policeon onOld OldDock DockRoad Roadin inKings KingsPark Park while whiledriving drivingaa2011 2011Chevy. Chevy.During Duringthe the traffic traffic stop, stop, police police said said they they discovered discovered that that he he didn’t didn’t have have aa license. license. He He was was ararrested rested and and charged charged with with second-degree second-degree aggravated aggravated unlicensed unlicensed operation operation of of aa motor motor vehicle. vehicle. Split Split Cedar Cedar sale sale On On March March 31 31 at at about about 66 a.m., a.m., aa 23-year-old 23-year-old man man from from Riverhead Riverhead was was arrested arrested on on Split Split Cedar Cedar Drive Drive in in IsIslandia landia when when police police said said they they found found crack crack cocaine cocaine on on him. him. He He was was charged charged with with third-degree third-degree criminal criminal possession possession of of aa controlled controlled substance substance with with the the inintention tention to to sell. sell.

Crack/cocaine Crack/cocaine possession possession On On March March 31, 31, police police said said aa 46-year46-yearold old man man from from Selden Selden in in the the driver’s driver’s seat seat of of aa parked parked 1997 1997 Nissan Nissan near near the the intersection intersection of of Pine Pine Avenue Avenue and and ExExpressway pressway Drive Drive North North in in Ronkonkoma Ronkonkoma Pants Pants walk walk out out of of Macy’s Macy’s was was in in possession possession of of crack crack cocaine. cocaine. He He On OnApril April22at atabout about44p.m., p.m.,aa38-year38-year- was was arrested arrested and and charged charged with with sevsevold old woman woman from from Islandia Islandia stole stole two two enth-degree enth-degree criminal criminal possession possession of of aa pairs pairs of of pants pants from from Macy’s Macy’s at at Smith Smith controlled controlled substance. substance. Haven Haven Mall Mall in in Lake Lake Grove, Grove, police police said. said. When When she she was was arrested arrested at at 5:30 5:30 p.m. p.m. she she ATV ATV drives drives off off was was found found to to be be in in possession possession of of heroheroAn An all-terrain all-terrain vehicle vehicle was was stolen stolen in. in. She She was was charged charged with with petit petit larceny larceny from from the the driveway driveway of of aa home home on on Rose Rose and and seventh-degree seventh-degree criminal criminal possesposses- Street Street in in Smithtown Smithtown at at about about 10:30 10:30 sion sion of of aa controlled controlled substance. substance. p.m. p.m. on on April April 4, 4, police police said. said.

Serial Serial stealer stealer stopped stopped Guns Guns go go missing missing A A 27-year-old 27-year-old man man from from Dix Dix Hills Hills Police Police said said an an unknown unknown person person stole stole was was arrested arrested on on March March 31 31 and and charged charged aasafe safecontaining containingguns gunsand andjewelry jewelryfrom from with with three three counts counts of of petit petit larceny. larceny. On On aa home home on on Lawrence Lawrence Avenue Avenue in in SmithSmithMarch March 7,7, he he stole stole earbuds earbuds from from Kohl’s Kohl’s town town at at about about 66 p.m. p.m. on on March March 27. 27. in in Commack, Commack, and and on on March March 44 and and 55 he he stole stoletwo twopairs pairsof ofmetal metalshear sheartools toolsfrom from Bait Bait and and switch switch Home Home Depot Depot in in Commack, Commack, police police said. said. A A Kings Kings Park Park resident resident transferred transferred money money to to aa person person on on Craigslist Craigslist in in exexPolice Police crack crack down down change change for for aa boat boat with with aa trailer trailer at at about about At At about about 10 10 a.m. a.m. on on April April 1, 1, aa 33 p.m. p.m. on on April April 1, 1, police police said. said. After After the the 34-year-old 34-year-old man man from from South South Setauket Setauket money money was was transferred, transferred, the the Kings Kings Park Park driving driving aa 2006 2006 Hyundai Hyundai on on Moriches Moriches resident resident could could not not get get in in touch touch with with the the Road Road in in Lake Lake Grove Grove was was pulled pulled over over by by seller. seller. police, police, who who said said they they discovered discovered cococaine caine in in the the car. car. He He was was arrested arrested and and Slashed Slashed tires tires charged charged with with seventh-degree seventh-degree criminal criminal The Thetires tiresof ofaa2011 2011Mazda Mazdawere wereslashed slashed possession possession of of aa controlled controlled substance. substance. while while the the car car was was parked parked at at aa home home on on Old Old Commack Commack Road Road in in Kings Kings Park Park at at License License and and registration, registration, please please about about99p.m. p.m.on onMarch March29, 29,police policesaid. said. On On March March 31, 31, aa 31-year-old 31-year-old man man — — Compiled Compiled by by Alex Alex petroski petroski from from Kings Kings Park Park was was pulled pulled over over by by

APRIL 07, 2016 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A7

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Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, who serves as the majority leader, is pushing a bill that would assemble experts to review child fatalities across the county.

Child fatality review team could protect county’s kids By PHiL CorSo

County lawmakers are taking a proactive approach toward keeping Suffolk kids safe. The Legislature unanimously voted last week to establish a 13-member Child Fatality Review Team panel tasked with reviewing all childhood fatalities across Suffolk County deemed to be unanticipated, suspicious or the direct result of physical trauma. Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), who sponsored the bill, said the team’s findings would not be used to assign criminal or civil liability in death cases involving children, nor would they be used for prosecutorial purposes. The main objective, she said, was to make it so similar incidents do not repeat themselves at Suffolk County children’s expense. In a statement, Hahn, who serves as majority leader in the Suffolk County Legislature, said the panel would work to identify the underlying causes of a child’s death and find what resources, if any, could have prevented that outcome. “As a culture, we strongly hold that children aren’t supposed to die,” Hahn said. “When that understanding is challenged by a child’s death, natural or otherwise, there is a reflexive and necessary motivation to uncover the reasons why and ways to prevent similar circumstances from leading to additional losses.” The 13-member panel would be made up of medical, child welfare, social service and law enforcement professionals who would be looking at the facts and circumstances relating to the deaths of children under the age of 18. The deaths would also need to be deemed either unexplainable or the result of violence, including that which is self-inflicted. “Suffolk County takes the public health and safety of all our residents, especially our most vulnerable, very seriously,” the county’s Chief Medical Examiner Michael Caplan said. “By assembling this review team and collaboratively studying the recent losses of life in Suffolk County, we may be able to pre-

vent similar tragedies in the future and provide potentially life-saving services to those who may be in need of them.” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone’s (D) signature is the only thing standing in the way of this bill becoming a law. In a statement, the county executive said he was in favor of the review team and planned on signing it into action promptly. “The public safety of all of our residents, especially our most vulnerable, is of paramount concern to us,” Bellone said. “By creating this review committee, we are creating an opportunity to analyze and review circumstances surrounding violent child deaths in an effort to prevent similar tragedies and provide potentially life-saving services to those who may be in need of them.” Hahn said the team would hold its first meeting within 90 days and quarterly thereafter. The panel’s data would not include any identifiable information and its records would be kept confidential, Hahn said. Any reports generated by the team would also be submitted to the state’s office of children and family services when they are finished. The North Shore is no stranger to incidents that could qualify for the kind of review Hahn’s panel would be seeking. In October 2014, 16-year-old Thomas Cutinella of Shoreham-Wading River High School suffered a fatal head injury after colliding with another player during a football game. In July 2014, a Kings Park man was convicted of beating his 43-day-old son to death. In December 2015, an 11-year-old from Kings Park died just days after a van struck her as she crossed a road in her hometown. The state’s office of children and family services said Suffolk County recorded an average of 12.6 child fatalities annually between 2010 and 2014. The office also found that in the year 2015, average percentage of case workers with more than 15 investigations on their caseload on the last day of each month between July and December was 33 percent.

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PAGE A8 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • APRIL 07, 2016

Hotline goes live to help fight addiction By Elana Glowatz

A 24-hour substance abuse hotline went live on April 1, providing Suffolk County residents with a new resource to help with battling addiction. The Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence is operating the new hotline — 631-979-1700 — and will help callers get screenings, referrals and follow-ups, directing them to local resources that will help them or loved ones overcome addiction. Officials announced the initiative at the end of February, calling it a partnership between the county, Stony Brook Medicine

and the state’s health department, as well as private and public community partners in the substance abuse field. Those officials said having a single phone number for all those resources is key. “This initiative will provide [the] opportunity for addicts to reach out during their time of need and access treatment and support options easily,” Suffolk County Legislator William “Doc” Spencer (DCenterport) said in a previous statement. “Often, there is a critical and brief period of time when a person sees clarity and makes the decision to seek help. This hotline can be fertile ground for change and recovery as it can quickly link residents to

a flyer advertises a new substance abuse hotline.

Image from the Suffolk County health department

crucial health care services.” LICADD itself noted in a recent statement about the hotline that “the time to seek treatment is ‘now’” and that sometimes the “now” is late at night, early in the morning or on weekends or holidays. The agency also said that the period in which an addict is willing to get treatment could close without immediate help, due to “the pathology of denial, obsession and fear which often defines substance use disorders.” Community leaders have ramped up efforts to fight opioid addiction in recent years while seeing an increase in heroin and prescription painkiller abuse and overdoses across Suffolk County. Those efforts have included more directed police enforcement and informational meetings. Police officers have also started carrying the medication Narcan, which can temporarily stop opioid overdoses and has been used hundreds of times in Suffolk. Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket), who authored the law that put Narcan into officers’ hands, said about the new hotline, “Every second counts to a mother whose son or daughter was found and saved from overdosing. And every hour and every day that slips by trying to find quality, affordable, accessible treatment is critical.” The county health department will provide oversight and analyze data to

For 24/7 substance abuse help, call 631-979-1700. To report drug activity to the police, call 631-852-NARC. monitor the hotline’s effectiveness, and identify trends and emerging issues in the community. At the same time the drug abuse hotline went live, the Suffolk County Police Department announced another phone number, this one a 24-hour tip line for residents to report drug activity in their neighborhoods. “We are asking the public’s help to fight this scourge, and with the public’s help, we can make a real difference,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini said in a statement. Residents can call 631-852-NARC anonymously to report information about local drug dealers, and authorities will investigate the tips. Even anonymous callers can receive cash rewards for tips that lead to arrests. “If you see something, say something and Suffolk County police will do something about it,” Sini said.

Westy Special Offer: ONE MONTH FREE RENT

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140677

APRIL 07, 2016 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A9

Smithtown-based car show revs up for special 11th year

Photos from John Forlenza

Residents peruse the selection of classic cars and trucks at a previous year’s event.

The St. Patrick School Car Show, now in its 11th year, is scheduled for Sunday, April 17, with a rain date on April 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of St. Patrick Church and School in Smithtown. It will include a huge variety of cars, trucks and motorcycles as well as a large section of movie replica cars and monster trucks. Admission is $5 for adults, children free. Show car admission is $15 and motorcycles $5. The impressive list of attendees for this year’s show includes a wide range of replica cars such as the Long Island Ghostbuster’s Supernatural TV Show Replica Car, Herbie the Love Bug, Smokey and the Bandit, Kitty Knight Rider and the Sheriff Buford T. Justice Car. The car show will also feature the 9/11 American Patriot Tribute Car, the Suffolk Sheriff’s Department with drunk buggies and the BAT DWI Mobile Unit, a 1958 Plymouth Tribute to Christine, the 1956 Chevy Crankenstein, the 1957 Dragon Wagon, Sal’s Monster Truck and Primetime Trucking’s show truck: Blueprint. In keeping with its tradition of being a day of “fun for the whole family,” the show will offer activities for children and young people from Jump Around Enter-

tainment. A variety of vendors will offer shopping opportunities for the shoppers in the family. DJ Night Train will provide music, “blowing the dust off your most fondest memories.” Raffles, giveaways and food will be available and, as the show takes place on the grounds of a church, a special blessing will be offered for all vehicles present. St. Patrick Church is located at 280 E. Main St. in Smithtown. For more information or if anyone would like to display a car or reserve vendor space, call John Forlenza at 631-588-2696. — Phil CoRso

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PAGE A10 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • APRIL 07, 2016

Trotta sponsors bill to limit campaign contributions By ALex PeTRoSki

At least one Suffolk County Legislator believes that money in politics can be linked to corruption in local government, though he said he’s yet to gain any support from other lawmakers. Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) introduced a bill in March that would limit donations to $2,000 per election cycle to elected officials running for office from contractors and public employee unions that do business with the county. The bill would limit the hundreds of businesses and unions that have contracts for services with the county. A full list of contracts can be found on Suffolk County’s website. “It is not uncommon for people and organizations doing business with Suffolk County to make donations to the political campaigns of county officials and candidates seeking county office,” Trotta said in press release on March 23. “Such contributions can be interpreted by the public as a ‘pay to play’ that results in government contracts being awarded on the basis of connections and contributions.” Trotta said in a phone interview Monday that he hoped to gain support from other legislators, though so far he hasn’t gotten any. “This bill is the first step in trying to clean up the cesspool that is county

government,” Trotta said. “Anybody who says the money doesn’t affect them, they’re lying.” Trotta said the indictment and guilty plea of former Suffolk County Chief of Police James Burke is an example that a lack of oversight on county government has allowed corruption to run rampant. Trotta was a member of the Suffolk County Police Department for 25 years, according to his page on the county’s website. Trotta also referenced Edward Walsh, the Suffolk County Conservative Party Chairman, who was found guilty of defrauding the Sheriff’s Office on March 31. Walsh could be sentenced to up to 30 years in jail, according to a release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. “I’m trying to take the money out of politics,” Trotta said. “Clearly, there’s a conflict there. This is why you’re seeing all of this corruption.” Trotta said the unanimous county Legislature vote to approve the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association contract in October 2012 was another example of potential corruption. He said he introduced a bill shortly thereafter that would shine more light on county organizations like the police department, though it didn’t gain any traction. “It makes no logical sense that there is no oversight,” Trotta said.

Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta says county campaign donations need reform.

The Suffolk County PBA and a media representative for County Executive Steve Bellone (D) did not respond to requests for comment. Trotta said he did not pour money into his own campaign to get elected to represent the 13th legislative district in 2013. He said he does not accept donations from

File photo

unions, and the largest donation that he has received was about $2,500 from a friend. “I have to thank my constituents for giving me the ability to do this,” Trotta said. He added that he is fortunate to be from a strong, well-versed community who elected him despite his modest campaign spending.

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APRIL 07, 2016 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A11

PEOPLE Smithtown West’s Baffo recognized for service

Smithtown High School West senior Alexandra Baffo has been honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award for her volunteer service. The award recognizes those who have volunteered significant amounts of time to serve their communities. It is granted by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program on behalf of U.S. President Barack Obama. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is presented to middle level and high school students across the United States for their outstanding volunteer service. By putting a spotlight on their volunteer activities, the hope is to motivate other students to contribute to their community. Photo from Smithtown school district

Smithtown High School West senior Alexandra Baffo is honored for her volunteer service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award. She is pictured with Principal John Coady.

OBITUARIES Carmela Geisler

inski and the late Lorraine Harvey. She is survived by Carmela Geisler, 90, formany other family members merly of Staten Island and Lev- and friends. ittown, died on March 17. Arrangements were entrustShe was the beloved wife of ed to Branch Funeral Home the late John; loving mother of Smithtown. A funeral Mass of Alice (James) McDonough, was celebrated at Our Lady John (Ann) and Theresa (Paul) of the Snows in Floral Park. Guleksen; and dear grandCremation was private and inmother of Eric, Hannah, Reed, terment followed at Calverton and Meaghan. National Cemetery. Arrangements were entrustAn online guest book is ed to Branch Funeral Home available at www.branchfh.com. of Smithtown. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Patrick’s Phyllis Pagnotta R.C. Church in Smithtown and Phyllis T. Pagnotta, 94, of interment followed at Long Smithtown, died on March 18. Island National Cemetery in She was the beloved wife of Farmingdale. the late Carmine; cherished Her family requests donamother of Cathy (Carl) Impertions to the American Heart/ American Stroke Association, ato, Rosanne (Marc) Vorrasi 1 Union St., Suite 301, Rob- and Tommy Pagnotta; loving grandmother of Jeneane binsville, NJ 08691. (Richie), Carlene and Kristen; An online guest book is available at www.branchfh.com. and great-grandmother of Richie, Alexa and Gianna. She is survived by many other famCarol Harrison ily members and friends. Arrangements were entrusted to Branch Funeral Home in Smithtown. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Patrick’s R.C. Church in Smithtown and interment followed at Calverton National Cemetery. An online guest book is available at www.branchfh. com. Carol Harrison, 86, of Hauppauge, died on March 3. She was the beloved wife of the late Robert; cherished mother of Donna (Donald) Maresca and Christine (Randall) Comp; loving grandmother of Daniel, Douglas, Peter and Noelle; great-grandmother of Andrew, Alexis, Jacob and Kathleen; and dear sister of the late Donald Brzez-

Funeral Home. A funeral Mass available at www.branchfh. was celebrated at St. Patrick’s com. R.C. Church in Smithtown. Internmanet followed at Alice Guzzone Washington Memorial Park in Mount Sinai. If you would like to make a donation in memory of Edward P. Molloy, the family requests donations to: Lupus Foundation of America, 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20036 or The COPD Foundation, 3300 Ponce de Leon Blvd., Coral Gables, FL 33134. An online guest book is available at hawkinsanddaAlice Guzzone, 89, of Tinvisfh.com. ton Falls, New Jersey, passed away peacefully on March 8. She was the cherished Rosa Distefano mother of Sally (Howard) Fischer, Nicholas (Mindy) and Lisa; loving grandmother of Michael, Nicholas, Nicholas, Jeanne, Jonathan, Matthew and nine great-grandchildren. Alice is survived by many other family members and friends. Arrangements were entrusted to Branch Funeral Home in Smithtown. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Leo the Rosa Domenica Distefano, Great Parish in Lincorft, New 90, of Nesconset, died on Jersey, and entombment folMarch 27. lowed at Greenwood Cemetery She was the beloved wife in Brooklyn. of the late Rocco; cherished An online guest book is mother of Margherita Romaavailable at www.branchfh. no, Mauro, Joseph and Anthocom. ny; and loving grandmother

Anthony. He is survived by many other family members and friends. Arrangements were entrusted to Branch Funeral Home in Miller Place. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Mark’s R.C. Church in Shoreham and private cremation followed. An online guest book is available at www.branchfh. com.

Howard Beck

Howard H. Beck, 86, passed away peacefully on March 15. He was a proud veteran of the United States Army. He was the beloved husband of Marion; cherished father of Virginia (Gerard) Beck Curran, Barbara (James) Beck Rieger and Douglas; and loving grandfather of six. He is survived by many other family members and friends. Arrangements were entrusted to Branch Funeral Home Edward Molloy and great-grandmother. She is in Smithtown. A funeral Mass Edward P. Molloy, 60, of Anthony Nocella survived by many other family was celebrated at Sts. Philip & Kings Park, died on March 26. members and friends. James R.C. Church in St. James Anthony R. Nocella, 75, of He was the beloved husArrangements were entrust- Ridge, passed away peacefully and interment with military band of Diane; loving father ed to Branch Funeral Home in on March 10. honors followed at Calverton of Meaghan; cherished son Smithtown. A funeral Mass was National Cemetery. He was the beloved husband of Edward and Anna; dear celebrated at Holy Cross R.C. An online guest book is of Vitina; cherished father brother of Kelly, Tommy, Jerry Church in Nesconset. Entombavailable at www.branchfh. of Gina (Dave) Sardella, Lisa and Kenny; and beloved uncle ment followed at St. Charles Nocella and Lori (Paul) Russo; com. to many nieces and nephews. Cemetery in Farmingdale. and loving grandfather of AlArrangements were entrustAn online guest book is exandria, Bryanna, Haley and ed to the Hawkins & Davis

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PAGE A12 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • APRIL 07, 2016

WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR

YOU CAN CELEBRATE YOUR ANNIVERSARY ALONG WITH US! COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE Coming April 28, 2016

1976 to 2016

How old is your business?

You can request your ad position on a page adjacent to the news of the year that you started your business, or the year that your business celebrated a significant anniversary. Placement will be given on a first-come, first served basis.

Distribution In schools, libraries, real estate agencies, as a free offering in all copies of the full run of all six Times Beacon Record newspapers, and on our website, tbrnewsmedia.com.

40 years of local news, history, photos and opinion from THE VILLAGE TIMES HERALD will be published in this special issue. The deadline is April 7 for reservations and copy.

APRIL 07, 2016 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A13

‘If you win the draw you can control the game, so I knew I had to do my best in order to get the ball on offense.’ — shannon KavanaGh

Photos by Desirée Keegan

Clockwise from left, Hunter roman passes the ball to the left side of the cage; stephanie Burton takes a shot between two Commack defenders; and shannon Kavanagh moves the ball up the middle off the draw.

Red-hot Bulls start 3-0 Girls’ lacrosse

Smithtown East . . . . 12 Commack . . . . . . . . . . 9 By Desirée Keegan

Smithtown East’s Shannon Kavanagh stole the show. Winning draws and taking the ball to goal, the junior capitalized three times for a hat trick, and added four assists in the Bulls’ 12-9 win over Commack Tuesday. Kavanagh won the opening draw and after passing the ball around the cage, it wound up in the stick of freshman Isabella Costa, who scored in front of the net for the 1-0 advantage just over a minute into the game. “I knew that the draws are a really important part of the game,” Kavanagh said. “If you win the draw you can control the game, so I knew I had to do my best in order to get the ball on offense.” The junior won the ensuing draw for her team, and passed the ball behind her back to eighth-grader Hunter Roman, who scored to make it a 2-0 game. After Commack gained possession, the team scored a quick goal to cut the deficit in half, 2-1, but Kavanagh won the draw again. She took it to the cage, but her shot hit the left goal post. She set up the next play with a feed to junior Julia Smith, who rocketed the ball to the back of the net. Kavanagh recorded an assist on the next goal, passing to junior Stephanie Burton, who scored up top

for the 4-1 advantage. Costa went around the back of the cage and beat out the defender to stuff the ball in the right side with 17:53 left to play in the first half. Smith did the same thing on the next play, but to the opposite side. She scored in front again off a feed from Kavanagh for her hat trick goal and a 7-1 lead. “Shannon was winning a lot of draws, we worked on our fast break and slow break, we stayed calm and we ran our plays well,” Smith said. “We’ve been playing for four years together and we’re only juniors, and we’re on the same travel team, so we connect. We’re always look for each other on the field.” Commack scored twice, but freshman Gabby Schneider bounced the ball in with 3:23 left in between the goals, to bring the score to 8-3. Kavanagh scored unassisted on the following play, and found the cage again off a feed from Burton. Commack scored twice in the final minute, and cut the lead in half, 10-5. “We were trying some different things, but we still won, which is good,” Smithtown East head coach Ann Naughton said. “There are lots of things we learned today, which we’ll practice and work on. I think draw control was definitely a strength for us, especially in the first half. We changed some things up, so we lost some momentum here and there, and some of our shot placement affected us as well, but they played with composure even though Commack made a run.” Naughton told her team at halftime that

the Cougars were scoring off her Bulls’ disorganization. Kavanagh tried to redeem the team for its miscues when she scored her hat trick goal for the first score of the second half, but her team still had some trouble handling the ball and making clean passes. “We played really well in the first half, but we got too comfortable in the second half,” Kavanagh said. “We were a little sloppy, but I think if we work hard on stick skills in practice and our defense, it’ll be a lot better.” But the team has multiple offensive threats, which will come in handy against tougher opponents. “If all seven attackers can score, that’d be ideal,” Naughton said.

he Kings Park softball team traveled to West Babylon Tuesday and made short work of its opponent.

Schneider scored the final goal for her team, and Commack closed out the game with three unanswered tallies. Smithtown East hosts West Islip today at 4 p.m. West Islip is the reigning Suffolk County, Long Island and New York State champion from last season, but Smithtown East narrowly fell 9-8 to the Lions last season. “I think they’re doing a great job,” Naughton said. “We have a lot of speed and a lot of young talent, and some older talent, too, so we’re just trying to put everything together to make it consistently work throughout the entire game. We have a big game on Thursday against West Islip, so hopefully we’ll be ready to go.”

Kings Park . . . . . . . . . 15 West Babylon . . . . . . . 2

PAGE A14 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • APRIL 07, 2016

OPINION

File photo

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo

EdiTOriAL

Education relief The state has finally rescinded a cut to education funding that has been costing our schools billions of dollars — now it’s time to rebuild. But we can only rebuild if we move up from here. We cannot afford any more setbacks. Ending the Gap Elimination Adjustment will allow our school districts to collect more financial aid than they have been able to for several years now. The total deduction statewide started as high as $3 billion and was eventually reduced to $434 million before being cut altogether. This was great news for education advocates across the state. however, this new balance needs to be preserved in order for education to truly recover, because of the timing in which the cuts were installed. Around the same time the state started slashing education dollars, school districts were forced to adhere to tax levy cap regulations imposed under New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (d). The Gap Elimination Adjustment was already an enormous deficit for our schools, but adding the cap on top of it made it much more difficult for districts to find their footing. Because of this terrible timing, the true damage done to our districts cannot be measured in just dollars and cents — they’re going to need some time to reposition themselves in the coming years. Kids are our most important assets and we’re already falling behind other countries when it comes to educational performance. We need our legislators to stay true to their current position when it comes to education spending and invest in higher standards for our students. We’re gratified that our legislators finally got on board with slashing the Gap Elimination Adjustment cuts. They should have never enacted it in the first place.

Photo from Alaine Robbins

The Dynamics Baton Twirling Organization, based out of Smithtown, competes its way to the titles of state, regional and national baton twirling champions. They won the Silver Medal at the International Championships in Canada in 2015.

Taste of Smithtown TO ThE EdiTOr: Smithtown is hosting its third annual Taste of Smithtown and raffle auction. The event will be held on Thursday, April 21, 2016, at the Smithtown Landing Country

Club from 6 to 9 p.m. Enjoy tastings from over 20 local restaurants. More than 70 fabulous raffle baskets worth $50 and up of new items and gift certificates. Proceeds to benefit the Smithtown-based dynamics Baton Twirling Organization,

which will be sending its team to Sweden this year and Croatia in 2017. This is a fundraiser to raise money for travel. Gina Pirozzi Smithtown

got an opinion? discuss it @ tbrnewsmedia.com

Letters …

We welcome your letters. They should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for length, libel, style and good taste. We do not publish anonymous letters. Please include a phone number for confirmation. Email letters to phil@tbrnewspapers.com or mail them to The Times of Smithtown, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733.

The opinions of columnists and letter writers are their own. They do not speak for the newspaper.

APRIL 07, 2016 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • PAGE A15

Facing off in front of the mirror

D. None of the above BY DANIEL DUNAIEF

news@tbrnewspapers.com

orgive me for smiling. In my head, I see a face. It could be the face of a mother, father, sister, brother, neighbor or even the face in the mirror. I think of all the range of expressions and emotions from that face. It can be ecstatic that a son or daughter was born, it can be pushing hard to

bring that baby into the world, it can be straining with all its might to cross a fi nish line — or it can be waiting anxiously at an elegant eatery for an eHarmony date to appear while trying to appear casually indifferent. With my quality time often involving my wife and children, I picture the faces of the parents who attend a concert or sporting event, while also envisioning the faces of the kids battling against each other, the clock, their instruments or some confounding assignment. The part about the faces that’s bringing a smile to my own is envisioning a scrambler button, mismatching the words and expressions to the situation. Instead of a face and tone that showed rapturous glee after getting a ticket to a live performance at Madison Square Garden, I’ve imagined that same elation at the beginning of a class. “Yes, children, please put

your notebooks away,” a teacher might say. “We have a surprise quiz today.” “Oh, seriously? That’s awesome. Oh, man. I can’t wait to tell my friends on Snapchat that we got a surprise quiz. Th is is the best. I mean, we sometimes have regular quizzes that we know about in advance, but a surprise quiz is a huge bonus. I imagined surprise quizzes when I was younger, but this is the real thing. You are the absolute best teacher I’ve ever had and I’m sure I’ll remember this quiz for a long time.” Now, I know those of you with adolescent children can hear sarcasm in that conversation. I prefer to imagine unbridled enthusiasm. The scrambler button may be used in different circumstances. Perhaps our boss described our work as “moronic.” Let’s dial in the goofy uncle trying to get a nephew to giggle. “Oh, yeah, who’s a great

boss?” you might say as your voice rises. “Come on. Who? Oh, wait, where’d you go?” you ask, as you cover your eyes. “Where’s that great boss of mine? Did you disappear? Where’s the boss? Where is the most spectacular boss anyone has ever seen? There he is ... peekaboo! If you’ve ever been to a volleyball tournament, you know that even the most stoic and reserved girl screeches through the match. The team comes together after each point in the center of the floor, putting their arms around each other and congratulating themselves. “Ladies and gentlemen, your train is delayed due to switching problems,” an announcer might say over a loudspeaker to a group of commuters. “Yeah, cool,” the commuters might scream as they come together in a circle of delight on the platform, tossing their briefcases to the side and

I envision a scrambler button, mismatching the words and expressions to the situation. jumping straight up in the air and pumping their fists. Or, perhaps, you’re an enthusiastic coach and you’ve asked your child to pass the salt. “Good job, kid, good job,” you might say in a voice that’s way too loud for an indoor meal.“Now, keep the salt in your right hand. Stay balanced. Focus only on the salt. Don’t shake it, don’t think about not shaking it or you’ll start to shake it. Now, ease it over here. Way to go, kid, you’re doing great. You’re almost there — that’s some great clutch salt passing. Now, after the meal, don’t forget to shake hands with the pepper and tell it that you had a good meal.”

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PAGE A16 • TIMES OF SMITHTOWN • APRIL 07, 2016