The Times of Middle Country - December 22, 2016

The

Times of middle counTry CentereaCh • selden • lake grove north

Vol. 12, No. 36

December 22, 2016

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North-South bus route proposed Nicolls Road rapid transit buses will modernize the way Long Islanders get around

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Holiday Memories special feature ALSO: New Year’s Eve events and Menorah lightings on the North Shore, review of ‘Rogue One’

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Delivering smiles to doorsteps Local toy drive hand-delivers gifts to cancer patients — A3 Photo by KT Leung

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PAGE A2 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • December 22, 2016

Sky Zone Trampoline Park is located at 269 Route 25A in Mount Sinai.

Jalapeño is hoping for a wonderful new home for the holidays.

Photo from Town of Brookhaven

Free pet adoptions until Jan. 15 The Town of Brookhaven Animal Shelter & Adoption Center will celebrate the holiday season with its “Home for the Holidays” promotion, featuring free dog and cat adoptions from Dec. 15 through Jan. 15.

Each adoption includes free neutering or spaying, vaccinations, microchip, license, heartworm test, and flea and fecal tests.

Pictured is “Jalapeño,” one of the adoptable pets looking for a home this holiday season.

Those interested in adopting a pet this

holiday season should visit the Brookhaven Animal Shelter & Adoption Center located at 300 Horseblock Road in Brookhaven. It is open Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The shelter is closed on Wednesdays.

For more information, please call 631451-6950 or visit www.brookhaven.org/ animalshelter.

Jump for those in blue On the first Wednesday of every month, Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Mount Sinai will be hosting Community Unity Nights.

Sky Zone Long Island is partnering with the Suffolk County Police Department to show support for the men and women in blue, and their families.

H A P P Y H O L I DA Y S!

From 6 to 8 p.m., North Shore residents can join the fun and show support by jumping around on the trampolines with local officers.

The fee is $30 for the two-hour event, but all officers and their children receive free admission.

The TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY (USPS 004-808) is published Thursdays by TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWSPAPERS, 185 Route 25A, Setauket, NY 11733.

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IN THE FOOD COURT

December 22, 2016 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A3

Coram woman’s toy drive supports sick children

By Kevin Redding kevin@tbrnewspapers.com Coram resident Ashley Leung put the drive in toy drive for the second year in a row.

Last year, Leung, 24, wanted to brighten up the holidays for kids who have cancer and other life-threatening illnesses in the community, so she collaborated with some local good Samaritans to create the Kids Need More Toy Drive to go above and beyond to make a difference in children’s lives.

Once all donated gifts were collected at the drop-off station at Corrective Chiropractic in Miller Place, they were loaded up in a fully decorated “holiday cheer bus” and brought directly to the door steps of kids and families in need by Santa — played by Leung’s uncle and local chiropractor Michael Carnes — and a group of volunteer “elves.”

Leung said it was important to her that the delivery was personal.

“We wanted to donate to the children in the area, but also be the ones to deliver those gifts because there’s a lot of different toy drives in New York and nationwide, but no one really knows where the toys go,” she said. “We wanted to document everything ... so for every toy donated, we gave a picture to the donors showing them ‘this is where your donation went.’”

For the second annual Kids Need More toy drive, Leung, Santa and his elves headed back on the bus Dec. 18 for an even bigger and better night of giving.

Leung said this year a total of five buses were launched, as opposed to two last year — two in Suffolk County, two in Nassau and one in New Jersey. The volunteer turnout also increased. The Suffolk buses, for instance, had a total of 40 parents, friends, family and even former cancer patients on board this year, compared to eight to 10 on each bus last year.

Hundreds of gifts were donated by members of the community — everything from Disney Infinity games for PlayStation 3 to stuffed animals and hats. A blue and black mountain bike was donated anonymously and raffled off to a 15-year-old patient.

Young girls especially loved receiving Cancer Barbie. The hairless doll comes with different wigs they’re able to swap out and serves as an inspiration for those undergoing chemotherapy. The girls see a doll that looks like them and suddenly don’t feel different, Leung said.

Many of the kids went home from the hospital just to see Santa.

Photos by KT Leung

Above, a family shows off the new gifts Santa, played by Michael Carnes, delivered.

Left, Santa spreads some holiday cheer throughout Suffolk County.

“We made a really big difference,” she said. “I think the kids we visited this year truly appreciated us visiting them. We really kept the holiday spirit going; I think the kids we saw were honestly shocked.”

Leung’s charity venture spring boarded while she was attending St. Joseph’s College. A professor told her about Camp Adventure, a week-long sleepaway camp on Shelter Island for kids diagnosed with cancer, which remains Long Island’s only camp of its kind. She was excited to get involved

and wanted to immediately.

The year she joined the summer program — which now serves the East Coast and tristate area — as a camp counselor, the organization found itself without funding.

The American Cancer Society had been providing funds for the camp since 1990, but suddenly had to stop in 2013, so a dedicated group of Camp Adventure volunteers began Kids Need More to parent the camp and ensure its longevity.

TOY DRIVE continued on page A9

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PAGE A4 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • December 22, 2016

Trotta to create a bill to limit county ‘backdoor taxes’

Photo by Kevin Redding

Legislator Rob Trotta speaks against the hidden fees in Suffolk’s budget.

By Kevin Redding kevin@tbrnewspapers.com Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) announced a “gift to taxpayers” Dec. 19 in the form of legislation he plans to introduce to place a two percent cap on county fees in an attempt to end “horrifying” backdoor taxes.

“This is meant to wake the public up and let them know what’s going on,” Trotta said at the press conference.

The proposed bill comes in response to a hike in fees in the Suffolk County budget for permits, licenses, registration and other services taxpayers have been struggling to pay for the last year, and would be the first of its kind to address this problem.

Some of the fees Trotta said he is concerned with include a 100 percent increase in mortgage fees, with a $200 raise in 2015 and $300 this year; a 95 percent raise in parking, traffic, and red light camera fees, ranging from $80 to $155; and an alarm registration fee, which charges homeowners and businesses when the police are required to respond to false alarms, plus the renewal charge.

Trotta has been one of the most vocal opponents of Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) and his policies, recently being among seven who voted against Suffolk County’s nearly $3 billion 2017 budget. Earlier in the year, he even called for Bellone’s resignation for his role in promoting former Suffolk County Police Commissioner James Burke, who pleaded guilty in February to charges of civil rights violations.

Trotta said, although the county executive insists he’s frozen the county portion of the tax bill, he’s really been increasing taxes 100 percent by disguising — Rob Trotta them as fees and “taking money out of our pockets.”

He called this a deceptive way of taxing the public, and said capping the fees, much like Gov. Cuomo’s two percent property tax cap implemented for all New Yorkers in 2011, will put an end to overspending from legislators and county executives, and ideally, keep people in Suffolk County as opposed to moving out of state.

“We don’t have a money problem, we have a spending problem,” he said. “And the reality is this, [the fees] is one of the main things driving people off Long Island. We’ve ruined our quality of life through these taxes and fees. People are fleeing Suffolk. We have 17,000 pending foreclosures and 2,300 abandoned houses, [and] we have to make drastic steps.”

According to Trotta, companies aren’t coming here anymore.

“Why would they come here when a house costs $400,000 and the taxes are $12,000 a year, when they can go to North Carolina and buy a house for $200,000 and pay $1200 for taxes?”

Smithtown Supervisor Pat Vecchio (R), who was personally invited to the conference by Trotta, said while he couldn’t comment on the legislator’s proposal, he could say that “fees should only be used for the administrative cost of providing the service.”

Trotta echoed his words.

“Fees should not be used as substitute for taxes and that’s what this administration has been doing,” he said.

The legislation won’t be introduced until Feb. 2017.

“Every person in this county should make this a major issue. ... I want the people to know how their leaders are voting, how they’re raising their taxes and fees, and I want this to be resolved in a public vote on Election Day,” Trotta said.

‘The reality is this, [the fees] is one of the main things driving people off Long Island. We’ve ruined our quality of life through these taxes and fees.’

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December 22, 2016 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A5

County Executive proposes bus system for Nicolls Road

By Donna newman Donna@tBrnewspapers.com

LEGALS Legal Notice:

TO THE TAXPAYERS AND INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN, TAKE NOTICE: Louis J. Marcoccia, Receiver of Taxes, in and for the said Town, has received the tax and assessment rolls and warrant for the 2016/2017 Tax Levy and said first half taxes and assessments therein may be paid to the Receiver of Taxes at his office, Brookhaven Town Hall, One Independence Hill, Suite 110, Farmingville, New York 11738-2149 Payments must be postmarked no later than Tuesday January 10th 2017 to avoid penalty.

Offices are open and available for payment at Town Hall during the following hours: Regular office hours are 9:00am to 4:30pm Monday thru Friday • Friday, December 23rd 9am – 12pm • Monday, December 26th Closed • Friday, December 30th 9am- 12pm • Monday, January 2nd Closed • Tuesday, January 10th 8am – 8pm

photo by Donna newman

suffolk county Department of economic Development and planning representative Kevin Luzong explains Bellone’s plan during an informational meeting. es; and connect the commuter or traveler to transit hubs, such as other bus systems, railways and airports.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide information about the proposed road conversion in order to interact with three Long Island Rail Road branches, Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma and Babylon, and facilitate public transportation access to Long Island MacArthur Airport.

Visitors to the exhibit were encouraged to submit feedback in the form of comments and questions via mail-in comment cards or by email to LIinnovationzone@suffolkcountyny.gov.

Representatives were on hand from both the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning and engineering firms that have worked on the

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To Sign Up, Please Visit; www.brookhaven.org/departments/receiveroftaxes.aspx LOUIS J. MARCOCCIA December 1, 2016 BROOKHAVEN TOWN RECEIVER OF TAXES One Independence Hill, Suite 110 Farmingville, NY 11738-2149 631-451-9009 632 12/22 1x tmc,vbr,vth,ptr LEGAL NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Board of Fire Commissioners of Centereach Fire District has canceled the regular Board Meeting for December 27, 2016 and has rescheduled for December 20, 2016 at 7:00 P.M. at Fire Headquarters, 9 South Washington Avenue, Centereach, New York.

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planning stage to further explain the project and answer questions.

Debbie Brown and Stephanie Larkin, self-described PTA moms from Selden, had several concerns.

“Are they adding a lane or dedicating one of the existing lanes,” Larkin asked, adding the road is crowded enough without losing one of its lanes.

“Who, exactly, is going to use these buses?” Brown asked.

Kevin Luzong, a spokesperson for the project, addressed the residents’ concerns.

“The bus lane will be created within the existing roadway in the median or through a repurposing of the shoulder,” he said. As for people who might be interested in using public transportation, he mentioned millennials, like himself, who utilize services

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across Long Island, including colleges, research facilities, and new housing options, like the Ronkonkoma Hub being developed near that railroad station.

Brown was skeptical that Long Island could be converted from a “car culture.”

“We, as parents, would have to get our kids used to buses at an early age,” she said, adding that parents might be hesitant to do so in today’s world.

BRT systems exist in more than 190 cities around the globe, allowing passengers to arrive at their destinations faster, while reducing road congestion.

The proposal did not include a potential cost for the project, though the county is examining grant-funding possibilities to help taxpayers cover the bill if the project comes to fruition.

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Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) is hoping to modernize the way Long Islanders get around.

A proposal from the county executive to create Suffolk’s first north-south multimodal transportation corridor to feature dedicated lanes for rapid transit buses running along Nicolls Road between Stony Brook and Patchogue, was presented for public information and comment Dec. 13 at Suffolk County Community College in Selden. Interested residents attended to gain an understanding of the concept of a Bus Rapid Transit service, which unlike traditional buses are not constrained by traffic, and the possible ways the roadway might be configured.

Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) attended the event and said she supports upgrading public transportation on Long Island.

“Suffolk County is working to create a 21st century economy,” she said. “This requires a modern transit system that alleviates the burden of traffic and provides more transit options for a less car-dependent workforce. This is a first look at a proposal for a plan. We need community input to flesh it out more and see where the ‘buyin’ could be.”

Hahn said she believes the idea would have multiple positive economic and environmental outcomes.

“Bus Rapid Transit offers many of the advantages of a light rail system, but at a fraction of the cost — both for the passenger and to the municipality,” a statement from Hahn announcing the county’s first BRT public information meeting said.

The BRT system would feature stateof-the-art Wi-Fi equipped buses; use dedicated “bus only” lanes, with priority traffic signaling; provide boarding at modern, comfortable, secure stations; accept fares with prepaid fare cards or electronic pass-

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PAGE A6 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • December 22, 2016

Man arrested for Lake Grove robbery

By DeSirée keegAn desiree@tbrnewspapers.com Suffolk County Police arrested a Lake Ronkonkoma man Dec. 13 who robbed a Lake Grove restaurant Dec. 12.

Craig Erick entered Subway, located at 781 Hawkins Ave., approached the counter, displayed a knife and demanded money from a store employee. When the victim hesitated, the suspect walked behind the counter and removed cash from the register. Erick fled toward Smith Street. Aviation and Canine Section officers responded and located Erick at his residence a short distance from the scene.

Fourth Squad detectives charged Erick, 26, with 1st degree robbery.

A driver smiles as she realizes she’s being pulled over by Santa Claus.

Photo from SCPD

Suffolk drivers pulled over by Santa Craig erick

Photo from SCPD

By Alex PetroSki alex@tbrnewspapers.com License, registration and wish list please.

Suffolk County Police Officer Alberto Acevedo made several traffic stops throughout Patchogue this weekend, though drivers were surprised with a holiday plot twist.

“Good morning; I’m Santa Claus from the Fifth Precinct,” Officer Acevedo explained as drivers’ faces lit up.

The officer, dressed as Santa, gave drivers holiday cheer and smiles instead of tickets.

In the passenger seat of a Suffolk County Police vehicle, Officer Acevedo picked families to pull over with Officer Brianne Yarborough by his side. Together, they gave away several Target gift

cards and candy to unsuspecting drivers.

“I was getting yelled at at first, then, I noticed it was Santa,” said John Campbell, of Patchogue. Campbell said the traffic stop made his family very happy. “It’s a good start to Christmas and with our son in the car; it’s great.”

The officers also enjoyed the un-routine traffic stops.

“For once it’s a great feeling to pull cars over,” Yarborough said. “A lot of times we pull them over and we’re the bearer of bad news. To see the faces of these children, you can’t beat that.”

Acevedo explained in full Santa garb.

“We’re dropping them a $50 gift card to Target just to say Merry Christmas from the Police Department,” he said.

“It’s nice to see the kids eyes light up and the smiles on their faces; it’s fantastic.”

File photo by Alyssa Melillo

two Coram teenagers were killed in an accident when the driver of a Hyundai Accent crashed into a bus.

Two Coram teens killed in car crash

By DeSirée keegAn desiree@tbrnewspapers.com Suffolk County Police Seventh Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed two people and injured a third person in Middle Island Dec. 16.

David Ruiz was driving a 2012 Thomas Built bus for Rides Unlimited of Nassau and Suffolk eastbound on Whisky Road at the intersection of County Road 21 when the vehicle was struck by a 2015 Hyundai Accent. The Accent passed a steady red light for northbound County Road 21 before striking the bus at 3:50 p.m.

The driver of the Accent, Giovanni

Rivette, 16, of Coram, and one of his passengers, Reynaldo Pena, 19, of Coram, were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where they were pronounced dead. A second passenger in the Accent, Tyrique Copeland, 17, of Coram, was transported to a local hospital for minor injuries.

Ruiz, 49, of Brentwood, was not injured. The bus was occupied by 18 adults and several were transported to local hospitals for precautionary reasons.

The vehicles were impounded for safety checks and the investigation is ongoing. Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Seventh Squad at 631-852-8752.

Defensive driving classes will be held in Shoreham and Mount Sinai.

File photo

Sign up for defensive driving As part of his ongoing efforts to keep Brookhaven Town motorists safe on the roadways, Superintendent of Highways Dan Losquadro (R) announced upcoming defensive driving classes.

In conjunction with American Safety Inc., the Town of Brookhaven will be hosting several classes at its local recreation centers and Brookhaven Town Hall.

Residents are encouraged to choose the time and location that is most convenient for them. All classes are held in two three-hour sessions or one six-hour session; participants taking the two three-hour sessions must attend both classes to receive their certificate of completion.

In addition to saving motorists money on insurance, completion of the course, which provides professional advice on how to avoid accidents, entitles participants to remove up to four points off of their driver’s license.

Classes will be held at the following locations and on the following dates: •Robert Reid Recreation Center, on Defense Hill Road in Shoreham, Jan. 10 and March 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 631-744-2601 to register for one of the classes.

•Rose Caracappa Senior Center, located at 739 Route 25A in Mount Sinai Jan. 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 631-476-6449.

•New Village Recreation Center, located at 20 Wireless Road in Centereach Feb. 7 and Feb. 8 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. each night. Call 631-732-2338 to register.

•Town Hall, located at 1 Independence Hill in Farmingville Feb. 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Call 631-363-3770 to register.

Class size is limited. The cost is $25 for those 55 and over and veterans and $40 for residents/nonresidents. Participants are asked to arrive 15 minutes prior to class with either cash or two blank checks.

December 22, 2016 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A7

File photo

A Centereach woman critically injured her passenger after crashing her car while driving intoxicated.

Centereach woman arrested for DWI crash that injured passenger

By Desirée KeegAn desiree@tbrnewspapers.com Suffolk County Police arrested a Centereach woman for driving while intoxicated following a motor vehicle crash that critically injured her passenger Dec. 18.

Paige Reddy was driving a 2011 Toyota Prius northbound on Mark Tree Road in Centereach when her vehicle struck a tree just north of School Street at 3:28 a.m.

Reddy’s passenger, Matthew Borkowski,

21, of Centereach, was critically injured and admitted to Stony Brook University Hospital.

Reddy, 21, was transported to SBUH, where she was admitted for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Reddy was charged with driving while intoxicated and will be arraigned at a later date.

The vehicle was impounded for a safety check and the investigation is ongoing. Detectives are asking anyone with information on this crash to call the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652.

File photo

Three Coram men were shot during a vigil in memory of a victim of a motor vehicle crash.

By Desirée KeegAn desiree@tbrnewspapers.com Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating a shooting that injured three people at a vigil in Coram Dec. 19.

Sixth Precinct officers responded to Judith Drive at 9:40 p.m. after a resident reported hearing gunshots. Upon arrival, officers determined three men had been shot during a vigil in memory of a victim of a motor vehicle crash.

One victim, a 25-year-old Coram man,

was transported by a private vehicle to John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Two other victims, a 19-year-old Coram man, the brother of the 25-year-old victim, and a 26-year old Amityville man, were transported by Coram Ambulance to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The victims are not pursing charges.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the shooting to call the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

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Three shot during Coram vigil

PAGE A8 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • December 22, 2016

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December 22, 2016 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A9

Toy Drive Continued from page A3 Kids Need More Camp Adventure is completely free for all kids and siblings who want to attend and involves everything from a day camp, to peer mentoring programs and visits to children’s hospitals.

It even partners with a volunteer pilot organization called Patient AirLift Services that flies patients living in rural areas who need specialized treatment to centers and hospital appointments. For the last two years, PALS has flown kids who live outside of Long Island — like those in Ohio, New Jersey and even in Albany — to the camp for free.

When Leung was working in the Corrective Chiropractic office last year, she began talking to her uncle about wanting to do something to give back to the community, and a partnership with Kids Need More to donate to children in the area seemed like a no-brainer.

According to Melissa Firnes, the founder of Kids Need More, the event has “snowballed” and served 200 kids while making lots of stops.

“These kids love it,” Firnes said. “We show up to their house for caroling and things like that. It’s simple, but very nice.”

She said what matters most is that the organization isn’t asking families to leave their homes.

“We’re actually coming to them, and I think that matters a lot to them,” she said.

“It’s hard for [the families] to get around when there’s somebody sick in the family.

Kids come out to the bus and choose a gift from the volunteer elves.”

She said Leung is willing to do anything Kids Need More needs to be successful, which makes her stand out. “[Leung] is really great at being the cheermeister for the kids and being all enthusiastic, but is also willing to do all the legwork and logistics that’s needed in putting together the toy drive,” Firnes said.

“She’s been such a big part of the organization and has now brought her whole family into it, which is really special too.”

Carnes, who brings Santa to life for the kids, said it’s a wonderful feeling to be able to touch people’s hearts and directly im-

Photos by KY Leung

Above, local volunteers for the Kids Need More toy drive smile in front of one of the buses as it drops off gifts to the homes of local children. Left, children rush out of their homes in excitement to see what Santa brought. pact their lives.

“Children really thought I was Santa when I came up and they would give me a hug and say ‘thank you Santa,’” Carnes said. “Some of these children don’t have much and some families barely have anything, so to bring joy to people is just amazing … it’s the spirit of the holidays.”

He said he believes we can all use more happiness in the world.

Jaime Pacheco, PALS outreach coordinator and cheer bus volunteer, said the toy

drive prides itself on the fact that it’s not about the gift you’re getting, but the time spent with people and the emotional support they provide.

Leung said the toy drive continues to be the best day of her life.

“Just getting off that bus — and some of these kids don’t even know we’re coming — they see Santa at their front door, and they’re just completely shocked,” she said. ”I think that’s the best thing we can give them.”

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PAGE A10 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • December 22, 2016

Cote family gets new lease on life

By Desirée Keegan desiree@tbrnewspapers.com The Cotes are home for the holidays.

On Dec. 14, the owners of the 11th home for returning veterans, Glen and Renée Cote, received the keys to their new home, just in time for 7-year-old Zachary Cote to enjoy his first Christmas in Miller Place.

The house would not have been made possible if it wasn’t for Rocky Point VFW Post 6429 Commander Joe Cognitore and developer and owner of Landmark Properties Mark Baisch.

The Cote family was chosen after Baisch heard Zachary was diagnosed with Grade 4 medulloblastoma, brain cancer, in June 2014, and endured 42 rounds of radiation and nine months of intense chemotherapy, until he was diagnosed with acute intermittent porphyria. His mother suffers from the same rare and painful metabolic disorder that requires expensive biweekly treatments, which she has undergone for 14 years at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital.

If that wasn’t enough, Zachary’s father, who was a U.S. Army combat medic from 1988 to 1992 and specialized in deployment training and immunization for a bulk of army medics in the Gulf War, suffered an on-the-job injury that disabled him.

The family had lived in a home in Sound Beach, until March, when the Cotes were told they were being evicted because the landlord had let the home fall into foreclosure.

The goal was to get the Cotes into the home on Helme Avenue before Christmas.

“To make this happen in the four months that we had is pretty monumental,” Baisch said before handing over the keys.

“This house is complete. It isn’t like we have to come back and still do some stuff. The flooring is finished, everything’s done, it’s painted. This house is ready for them to move in. In fact, I intend for the Cotes to sleep here tonight.”

The family did sleep there that night and have been enjoying their new home. Especially Zachary, who was already making use of the small crawl space under the stairway in the basement. He said he’ll turn it into a play room for his new friends.

“It’s an incredible feeling; it’s overwhelming to know that this day is here upon us,” Glen Cote said during move-in day.

“It seems so surreal. Until the movers got there this morning, it was just like ‘they’re actually here and they’re putting our stuff in the truck.’ It’s such a blessing [and] I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

The family is excited to celebrate its first holidays in the new home, but Zachary’s parents are even more thankful for the fact that their son will be able to remain in the school district that they said has taken such great care of him.

To be able to do that for the Cotes warms Baisch’s heart.

“What we’re able to do for these families is so good that it would be hard for me to think about not doing this,” he said. “Nobody feels happier than me right now. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

At the end of the celebration, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine (R) just had one final thing to tell the family as it walked through its new front door: Welcome home.

Kevin Redding contributed reporting Photos by Kevin redding

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renée, Zachary and glen Cote, on left, are the 11th family to receive a home from Joe Cognitore and Mark Baisch through their veteran program. They moved into their new home in Miller Place, above, last week.

December 22, 2016 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A11

PeoPle

Sugar, spice and everything nice is universal The Middle Country Central School District’s Unity Drive Pre-K/Kindergarten Center’s classroom community came together as English as a New Language students and their parents got into the holiday spirit by creating gingerbread houses.

The families of Ms. Rudich and Ms. Canevari’s classes used frosting to stick together gingerbread pieces and assorted candy to build and decorate the houses and gingerbread cookie people.

The students exercised their science, technology, engineering and mathematics lessons to efficiently build houses that stand on their own. Simultaneously, the students tapped into their creativity to decorate their houses and gingerbread people in an artistic and unique way.

Photo from Middle Country school district

Unity Drive Pre-K/Kindergarten Center recently brought the classroom together in the spirit of the season as English as a New Language students and their parents made gingerbread houses.

Photo from Middle Country school district

Photos from Middle Country school district

Clockwise from top left, Alyssa Jordan, Bilal Hafeez, Madison McNally, Julia Prigl and Tyler Berns were selected to perform.

Five students selected to perform in All-State concert Five musicians from the Middle Country Central School District were selected to perform in the New York State School Music Association’s All-State Performing Ensembles.

From Newfield High School, senior Tyler Berns was chosen for All-State Symphonic Band, and juniors Bilal Hafeez and Alyssa Jordan were chosen for All-State Mixed Chorus. Centereach High School junior Madison McNally was chosen for the All-State Mixed Chorus and junior Julia Prigl was chosen for the All-State Symphony Orchestra.

The students performed during the NYS-

SMA Winter Conference, held at the Eastman Theatre in Rochester.

More than 6,500 students auditioned for this honor, and the five from the Middle Country area were among the 900 students in all of New York State to be selected.

The district commended the students, and their teachers, Tom Austin, Harold Goldstein, Ed Adams, Kristi Adams, Ashleigh Hahn, Brian Hough, Joan Verdi, Lee Schaarschmidt and Greg Sevian for their commitment and hard work throughout the year.

Rafael Celanti, Jarrett Meyer, Bryan Yanes, Adrian Izaguirre, Anthony Mauri, John Alves and Nick Gomez received awards at the Suffolk County soccer dinner.

Seven soccer players score Middle Country Central School District’s Newfield boys’ soccer team and its coach were honored at the Suffolk County Soccer Awards. The entire team received a plaque for its success this season, finishing as champions of League III. The Wolverines’ head coach, Jamie Santiago was named Suffolk County Large School Coach of the Year.

In addition to the team accomplishments, seven individual players received accolades.

Nick Gomez and Bryan Yanes were named All-League, Jarrett Meyer re-

ceived an All-Conference nod, Rafael Celanti and Adrian Izaguirre were given All-County awards, Anthony Mauri was named Academic All-County, and John Alves was named the season’s Most Valuable Player, All-State and All-Region.

Their trophies and plaques will now be displayed in the high school’s main lobby.

For more information regarding the Middle Country Central School District and its students’ achievements, visit the district’s website at www.middlecountry.k12.ny.us.

PAGE A12 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • December 22, 2016

Bellone: Prepare yourself and your home for freezing winter weather

By Alex Petroski alex@tbrnewspapers.com

County service centers

It’s often called the most wonderful time of the year, but whoever coined that phrase must have been a fan of freezing temperatures. With a mild fall finally giving way to traditional winter weather over the past week, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D) wants residents to make sure they protect themselves, their homes, their loved ones and their pets from the dangers presented by the harsh conditions.

“Although no amount of preparations can prepare us for a natural disaster, we have taken the necessary steps to ensure that Suffolk County is prepared to handle routine inclement weather conditions,” Bellone said at a press conference Dec. 15, where he was joined by Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini and other county officials. “We have been extremely fortunate this winter, but looking at forecasts, it appears our luck is running out.

Now is the time for our residents to make sure they take the necessary precautions to protect themselves.”

Bellone suggested several precautions Suffolk County residents should take to ensure safety and avoid inconveniences during the winter months, including running water to prevent pipes from freezing; keeping portable heaters on flat surfaces and away from flammable objects; driving

gency burner repair.

The county executive also detailed options for the homeless during times when temperatures can plummet to the point of presenting deadly consequences. Sheltering assistance is available at Suffolk County service centers located in Deer Park, Coram, Hauppauge and Riverhead, and the county also implemented a Safe Beds Program to provide residents in need with warm shelter during the winter. More information about these programs can be found on the county’s website at www.suffolkcountyny.gov.

“Nobody should be left out in this dangerously cold spell,” Bellone said.

• Riverhead Center 893 E. Main Street Riverhead, New York 11901-2542 Telephone: 631-852-3500 • Coram Center 80 Middle Country Road Coram, New York 11727 Telephone: 631-854-2300 • Smithtown Center 200 Wireless Boulevard Hauppauge, New York 11788 Telephone: 631-853-8714 • South West Center 2 South 2nd Street Deer Park, New York 11729 Telephone: 631-854-6600

Photo from Bellone’s office

suffolk County executive steve Bellone and other county officials warn residents of winter weather dangers for people, homes and pets. with caution even without the presence of precipitation; checking on loved ones, especially the elderly; watching for some of the signs of hypothermia, like confusion, memory loss, drowsiness, exhaustion and slurred speech; keeping pets indoors; and disconnecting hoses from exterior lines.

Bellone has partnered with the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless to collect

new or gently used winter jackets for those in need. Coats can be donated at county facilities across Suffolk.

Residents can contact the county’s Temporary Housing Assistance Unit at 631854-9547 or the Department of Social Services Home Energy Assistance Program at 631-854-9100 in the event they run out of fuel to heat their home or require emer-

Metered parking suspended through mid-March in Port Jeff Village

By Alex Petroski alex@tbrnewspapers.com The holidays have come early for anyone who has experienced the frustration of circling Main Street, to Arden Place, to East Main Street, to East Broadway and back to Main Street countless times in search of Port Jefferson’s most sought-after natural resource — a free parking space.

In keeping with annual tradition, Mayor Margot Garant announced the suspension of metered parking in village lots effective Dec. 5 through March 15, 2017, in a video posted on Port Jeff’s website, which had more than 27,000 views at the time of publication. Parking in a village-metered lot ordinarily costs 25 cents per half hour and is enforced from 10 a.m. to midnight, seven

days a week. Parking on village streets is free, though there are varying time restrictions in most areas. Port Jeff Village residents always park for free in metered lots with special stickers on their cars, and for the time being, non-residents are afforded the same luxury.

Garant said, at a board meeting earlier in December, the idea behind suspending metered parking is to encourage visitors in the winter months to shop at and patronize Port Jeff businesses in the traditionally warmweather destination. She added that in previous years the suspension of metered parking has extended into April if the weather in the area is particularly damaging for businesses in a given winter season.

In the video, Garant watches kids ice skate at The Rinx located outside the Village Center. She then slides a blue cover over the meter in the parking lot adjacent to the ice rink.

“During the holiday season and during the winter months, come on down to the Village of Port Jefferson, come visit us, park for free, visit our restaurants and please support our local merchants,” Garant says in the video.

Revenue raised from metered parking is reinvested into various village projects, according to Garant. Deputy Mayor Larry LaPointe, who is also the board’s liaison to the parking committee, estimated the fund from parking meters has about $900,000 in it currently.

If it were unclear how big an issue parking is in Port Jefferson, on the village’s Port Jefferson Facebook page, the pinned post featuring the video had 480 shares and more than three times as many likes

Above photo from Port Jefferson Village website; left file photo by elana Glowatz

Above, Port Jefferson Village Mayor Margot Garant announces the suspension of metered parking through March 15 in village lots. left, meters will be covered and fines will not be enforced. as any other post on the page in December.

Comments on the post indicate most visitors to the village wish parking were free year-round, and others are more likely to visit because of the suspension.

“Love being down Port in the off sea-

son,” Yvette Ortiz-Baugh said.

One commenter suggested the difficult parking deters her from visiting the area.

“Parking has become a big nuisance and we go less often to shop there now,” Sue Korpus Ditkowsky said.

December 22, 2016 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A13

SportS

Photos by Bill landon

Clockwise from above, Ward Melville’s Ben Rojak and newfield’s Evan Sidorowicz reach out to get a touch on one another; Ward Melville’s Regan St. Clair and newfield’s Jake Hempe connect; and Ward Melville’s Mike Schwartz gets a touch on newfield’s Patrick Hyneman.

Wolverines fall to powerhouse Ward Melville

By Bill landon Newfield was searching for its first win of the season, but the Wolverines had their hands full Dec. 19 with a matchup against Ward Melville on the fencing strip.

Ward Melville 19 The PatriNewfield 8 ots dynasty handily outscored its opponent 19-8 to extend their undefeated season to 4-0. Sabreist Jack Rohan defeated his third opponent on the night to give his team the 14th victory out of 27 possible, which put the meet away.

Ward Melville head coach Jeff Salmon flushed his bench to get his nonstarters some experience on the strip, and even those Patriots excelled.

“This year we have a lot of seniors and then there’s a big empty spot, so I’m trying to prepare for the future,” Salmon said. “But I feel pretty comfortable this season. It’s next season that I’m trying to get ready for.”

Sophomore foilist Jake Hempe broke the ice for Newfield in the fifth bout of the evening, defeating Ward Melville’s Regan St. Clair 5-1.

Hempe is undefeated after four

meets, and with his victories over Ward Melville, improved to 15-0 on the season.

“Ward Melville is exactly what I was expecting,” Hempe said. “ I fence with these guys at club, but as far as our performance, we just have to be more aggressive. We have the right actions, but sometimes we’re too slow. We need to come off the blade faster and we have to finish.”

Ward Melville senior epéeist Michael Jaklitsch blanked his opponent 5-0 in the seventh bout to stretch his team’s lead to 6-1.

“We’re a strong team — we fenced really well — so it’s nice when we face a team that may not be as strong, where we can get our new fencers out on the strip,” Jaklitsch said. “The big thing is to get them ready in case we have an injury or someone gets sick.”

Jaklitsch said his squad is shallow in epée, so his focus has been training the new fencers.

Newfield sabreist Patrick Hyneman said, despite being shutout by his opponent, the defeat makes him a better fencer.

“I had fenced them during a tournament, and when I go up against them, I learn so much from these guys,” Hyneman said. “Sure, it’s sad to lose, but to fence these guys — I take what I’ve learned into my next match.”

Newfield head coach Kyle Schirmer said his team is young, with just two seniors and one ju-

nior, and said it’s a sophomore that arelli said. “That’s great to get them out on the strip because they are the stands out on his team.

“Hempe is my captain — he’s future of our team, so it’s good to bring them in early been on the team to see what it’s like since the seventh out there.” grade, he’s a good With the loss, team leader, he’s paNewfield drops to tient and he helps 0-5 and will host anthe other kids,” said other winless team in the coach.

Brentwood, Dec. 22 Ward Melville at 5 p.m. foilist Matthew Chi“My team is very arelli won his first young, so we’re gobout 5-2, but lost ing to work on the his second in a close — Jake Hempe basics right now,” contest, falling 5-4 Schirmer said. “We to Hempe.

“We got a lot of the new fencers face Brentwood next, and it’ll go a in today, which is always nice,” Chi- lot better than it went today.”

‘We have the right actions, but sometimes we’re too slow. We need to come off the blade faster and we have to finish.’

PAGE A14 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • December 22, 2016

OpiniOn

Editorial

Letter to the editor

File photo

A letter written by Sapphire Perera last week said holiday light decorations could disrupt plant photosynthesis; below Perera.

A thank you to our letter writers Last week, the editorial staff received a letter from a young student in one of our coverage areas. She wrote about the effects of constantly having lighted bulbs on trees during the holiday season can have on outdoor trees. Being able to publish this letter was one of the highlights of our week.

When we were in middle school, our thoughts were preoccupied with sports, friends, relationships and whatever else was “in” at the time. If we had any extra time, it was likely not going to be dedicated to the environment or hometown paper. Of course now, as editors of local papers, we’d like nothing more than for students to feel passionately enough about anything to write their opinions in a letter to the editor.

This letter put a smile on our faces. It made us feel proud of the residents in the areas we cover. We hope — and encourage — more young students to write in with their opinions of local, national and international news.

The age-old saying “young people are the future” has not lost its veracity, and we take great pride in being able to offer all community members, including the youngest ones, the ability to have their voices heard.

Of course, we don’t mean to “diss” the rest of our readers.

We thank everyone who sent their opinions to us this year. A community paper is meant to be a reflection of the community it serves, and we enjoy being able to include as many opinions as possible from our community members.

Thank you for keeping in touch with us in 2016. We look forward to continuing the partnership in 2017. Happy holidays!

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 and address for confirmation. Email letters to desiree@tbrnewspapers.com or mail them to The Times of Middle Country, P.O. Box 707, Setauket, NY 11733.

Stock photos

Dealing with the holiday blues As we are in the thick of the holiday season and busy celebrating, I want to reach out to those who are coping with grief. With good cheer all around, those who have suffered a loss may find their heartache to be accentuated and even feel unmotivated to participate in the usual holiday traditions. This lack of motivation may even lead to a sense of guilt, but be kind to yourself and consider some small steps that can be taken to honor your loved one as well as your emotions.

The most important thing is to be patient with yourself.

Grieving does not have an expiration date and often comes in waves. Remember that with time, you will get better at handling the holidays, but until then, permit yourself to mourn.

It is OK to communicate that you’re not in the holiday spirit when invited to dinners or parties; don’t worry about being a downer. If you are undecided, you can take your own transportation so you are free to leave at any time.

Starting a new tradition is a wonderful way to remember your loved one; it is also a powerful healing activity.

Perhaps continue a tradition that your loved looked forward to. Or, light a candle and ask everyone to tell a story about the deceased. This dedicated time will allow you and others to open up and share; tears will come, but it’s an instant elixir to heartache.

The gift of giving is also powerful in lifting spirits and healing the heart. Make a dona-

tion or volunteer for a cause that relates to the deceased. You can also buy a gift your loved one would have appreciated and present it to someone who would appreciated it as well.

This will certainly bring you some joy.

Lastly, find a way to express your emotions. Whether it is with a friend, family member or therapist; have someone you can lean on as you are grieving.

Remember that you don’t have to always hold it all together; it’s OK to cry.

If you are in need of bereavement counseling, you can contact the Suffolk Bereavement Center at 631-666-6873, ext.

200, or 631-666-6863.

County Legislator William Spencer Centerport

May the peace and love of the holidays be with you throughout the year.

•

With warm regards, from all of us at Times Beacon Record News Media.

December 22, 2016 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • PAGE A15

OpiniOn Finding ways to beat the Trumpertime blues

I

’ve heard the phrase numerous times in the last month: What can I do? I’m so upset about X, Y or Trump and I don’t know what to do.

In a world where news of any kind travels incredibly quickly across the globe, it seems that, like it or not, we know about events everywhere. Unfortunately, much of the news we hear about is horrible, filled with hate, anger, frustration, violence, bigotry, racism or other ugly isms.

It’s hard to escape all that

By Daniel Dunaief bad news when it slaps us across the face on the internet, when it comes at us with earnest energy from our TV reporters, and when it shouts from the front, back and everywhere in between

D. None of the above

pages of major national and international newspapers.

I don’t think the answer to the question about how to deal with frustrations or anxieties should be to tune out or to become uninformed. We can’t and shouldn’t try to go back in time because information, much as it might irritate, scare or overwhelm us, allows us to make informed decisions and to remain vigilant about our values.

To those who find the prospect of a Trump presidency terrifying, I suggest reading and understanding the Constitution. That incredibly important document which created our government guaranteed us inalienable rights. We can and should use them, either by speaking to our representatives or by sharing our concerns and observations with the world. Much as the future president might prefer that people not criticize him, we have the right to speak our minds, just as he has the responsibility to lead and represent the nation.

Our system of government has at its core a system of checks and balances.

Sure, having one party in control of two branches of government — and potentially a third with Supreme Court Justice nominations coming down the road — seems daunting. Still, those representatives know they have to answer to the people for their actions, decisions and inactions.

Trump clearly was an independent voice that became stronger through opposition. Other politicians who use that same playbook might also find favor with an electorate seeking an independent voice and a promise of success.

OK, so, what else can we do? Well, we can make our own world a better place. Worried about the environment?

Stop sitting at the train station, outside the school or at a track meet while idling your engine. I have waited at train stations for 10 or 15 minutes, in temperatures well below freezing, with my engine off. The car doesn’t get that cold. Besides, I’m dressed for the cold, so I don’t need constant heat.

We can also encourage people to disagree without shouting, bullying or berating. The internet has unleashed

anonymous voices filled with rage, hate and criticism. We can suggest to our friends and to our children that they can disagree without needing to resort to ad hominem attacks.

We can also do what teachers, coaches and parents focus on every day. We can be role models and examples for our children, our nieces and nephews, and our grandchildren. We can take an extra moment to make someone feel better, to give someone the tools for self-expression, or to learn to laugh at himself or herself.

We can’t fix the world by snapping our fingers or by wanting things to be different. We can, however, take small steps to make our communities happier, safer and more welcoming.

As we prepare to make those New Year’s resolutions, let’s include smaller ideas that reflect who we are. If we feel we need to do something, we can and should, whether that’s reading the Constitution or giving someone else a hand, even after the holidays.

A holiday memory: moving forward on the ski slopes

M

y husband and the father of our three sons died 29 years ago just before the holidays. After the funeral and the well-wishers had gone, we went back to our routine lives, my sons to their schools and I to the newspaper, doing the things we were supposed to be doing but in a kind of trance.

Our shock and grief made us sleepwalk each

By Leah S. Dunaief through day, numb to the world. Elsewhere in the newspaper, in the Arts & Lifestyles section, you can find a selection of most vivid memories at holiday time, and they are well worth reading. When asked for mine, my thoughts instantly returned to that dismal time, and I offer them now in the spirit of the letter written to us by county Legislator William “Doc”

Between you and me

Spencer on the opposite page. Perhaps our experience can be of some help for those dealing, at this time of public gaiety, with grievous loss.

My sons were on Christmas break, I had a few days off from work, and as we sat around my husband’s empty chair at the breakfast table, hollow-eyed and lifeless, I got what seemed to be an outrageous idea. “Let’s go skiing,” I said, “up to Vermont.”

My children suddenly focused.

“When?”

“Now. Right now,” I answered, caught up in some kind of frenzy.

“Go pack and we’ll stay for a few days at our favorite inn.”

“Can we afford it?” one of them asked.

“Yes!” I lied, thinking of my credit card. “Yes we can. Now go. We’ll leave as soon as you are ready. I’ll call ahead and make the reservation.”

“Without dad?”

“Yes, without dad. This is something he would want us to do.”

And so we went, inviting the young woman who was to become

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my oldest son’s wife a couple of years later to join us. Now for those of you who don’t ski, I can tell you that it takes your full concentration to navigate a slope, especially in the east, where sections of the trail can unexpectedly have turned to ice. Moguls, rocks, tree roots all have to be avoided, as well as other skiers and snowboarders.

The air is frigid, but we are not cold because we are exercising strenuously and are wearing protective layers of insulated clothing. The sky is deep blue on a perfect ski day, and we seemed to have lucked out with the weather that week. The view from the mountaintop is fantastic, with fallen snow resting lushly on the limbs of the evergreens just below the crest.

We ski in a line, perhaps my oldest son in the lead and I bringing up the rear as we snake our way down, the only sound the swoosh of our skis against the snow as we turn left then right to break our speed. We meet at the bottom, exhilarated from the exercise and the fresh air, and join the lift line to go back up and

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Leah S. Dunaief GENERAL MANAGER Johness Kuisel MANAGING EDITOR Desirée Keegan EDITOR Desirée Keegan

LEISURE EDITOR Heidi Sutton SPORTS EDITOR Desirée Keegan ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ellen Recker ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kathryn Mandracchia

do it again. And again. Our muscles rejoice, although they will later pay a price for the unexpected movement.

But by then we are in a hot Jacuzzi, pampering each ache before ravenously devouring dinner. We laugh about the day’s individual incidents, the spills, the almost-spills, the gravity defying leaps off the edge of the biggest moguls.

I look around at my family, enjoying their animated conversation.

We are together and we are alive.

For the moment, it feels wonderful, pushing away the grief. That is the way we will move forward now, tightening the circle.

Later there will be tears, coming in gushes at unexpected times, triggered by small reminders, by birthdays and holidays and by nothing at all. Slowly we will become emotionally unfrozen, no longer zombies, our minds finally accepting the new order. With our memories, we will move on because there is no other choice.

And we have. But that bittersweet ski trip, so outlandish an idea then, remains forever in my heart.

ART AND PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Beth Heller Mason INTERNET STRATEGY DIRECTOR Rob Alfano

CLASSIFIEDS DIRECTOR Ellen Segal BUSINESS MANAGER Sandi Gross CREDIT MANAGER Diane Wattecamps CIRCULATION MANAGER Courtney Biondo

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PAGE A16 • THE TIMES OF MIDDLE COUNTRY • December 22, 2016