Portions of World Trade Center steel girders on display during ceremony

(Long Island, NY) United States Air Force Master Sgt. Joseph H Taylor and Brentwood School District Superintendent Levy McIntyre will join local Air Force Cadets and Suffolk County Officials in a rehearsal ceremony in honor of 9-11.

The Junior ROTC Program of Brentwood High School will present the flag that was flown over ground zero. They will be laying a memorial wreath on top of portions of the original steel girders that were part of the World Trade Center. It will take place today, September 10, 2015 at 11:30am at Brentwood Ross High School.

This year marks the 14th anniversary of the attacks that left about 3,000 people dead. The students will be dressed in their navy and white uniforms in preparation of the 9-11 event. The Brentwood Junior ROTC Program is the largest student military program on Long Island. Teachers, students and spectators will be attending todays rehearsal.

WHEN:

• THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10TH at 11:30am

WHERE:

• ROSS HIGH SCHOOL
  TWO 6TH AVENUE
  BRENTWOOD NY

(Long Island, NY) The First Squad reports the details of a Criminal Mischief that occurred on Wednesday, September 09, 2015 at 3:30 A.M. in North Merrick.

According to detectives, an unknown subject did fire one round into a vehicle that was parked on Williams Street, shattering two windows and causing damage to the passenger seat. No injuries were reported.

Nassau County Police reports the details of a Criminal Mischief that occurred on Wednesday, September 09 in North Merrick. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

The investigation is ongoing.

Detectives request that anyone with information regarding this crime to contact the Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.

(Long Island, NY) The Seventh Squad reports the details of an aided case on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at 4:13 A.M. in Massapequa.

According to detectives, Seventh Precinct officers responded for a female aided, 29, at her Beach Street residence overdosed on Heroin.

Nassau County Police reports the details of an aided case on Wednesday, September 9 in Massapequa. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

The aided who was found unresponsive was administered CPR and Narcan.

The aided was transported by Nassau County Police Ambulance to a local hospital and is listed in stable condition.

(Long Island, NY) “We are happy to have had the opportunity to personally speak with each other today.  After our dialogue, we both have an understanding that appropriate measures are being put in place to make sure that all residents will have the ability to attend their places of worship this Sunday.  Working collaboratively is of paramount importance for the Diocese of Rockville Centre and Suffolk County.  We both wish all of the runners well who are participating in the Marathon this Sunday and we thank them for their willingness to support our veterans.  We have agreed that the Diocese of Rockville Centre will join in Suffolk County’s after action review of the marathon to make sure that any issues that may arise on race day are addressed for future events.”

-Bishop William Murphy and County Executive Steve Bellone

(Long Island, NY) Volunteers at Ethical Friends of Children were busy packing up the summer clothes and bringing out the fall items. Ethical Friends of Children, located at the Ethical Society Humanist Society of LI, provides clothing, supplies, equipment and toys to children and families in need. Volunteers are welcome. Jobs may include working with clients and donors, answering phone calls, organizing donations, and hanging/sorting clothing. There is a special need for helpers on Wednesdays between 10 am and 1 pmwhen families come to select items.

Volunteers at Ethical Friends of Children, from front: sisters Pauline and Rebecca, Pat Spencer, Leslie Lazo, Martha Montero, Jim LoPresti, and Judy Rosemarin. Photo Credit: Ethical Friends.

Ethical Friends of Children is located at the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island, 38 Old Country Road, Garden City, NY. Email efoc@ehsli.org. Phone: 516-280-5526. The emails are answered daily; phone messages retrieved only on Wednesdays.

The Talented Singer-Songwriter/Actress Playing NYC’s Arlene’s Grocery, then Heading West for Shows at LA’s Genghis Cohen and Room 5

(Long Island, NY) For native New Yorker Brooke Moriber, having a knack for stage performance came very early on. After garnering the role of Young Cosette in Broadway’s “Les Miserables” as her first audition at age 8, it was clear the young actress had an abundant amount of talent and a bright future in show biz. But “Les Mis” would be just the tip of the iceberg, as her flourishing talents would lead her to the stage yet again as a singer-songwriter at age 15. Flash forward some years later, with seven Broadway shows, roles opposite such stars as Lili Taylor and Kristen Johnston, and a burgeoning recording career–she’ll be rocking NYC’s Arlene’s Grocery Thursday, September 17th at 7:00PM, then getting ready for some West Coast sun and fun with two shows in Los Angeles, CA at Genghis Cohen Restaurant & Music Venue Tuesday, October 6th at 8:00PM and Room 5 Wednesday, October 7th at 7:00PM accompanied by The Babys and former Coward rocker Joey Sykes on acoustic!

Brooke Moriber. Photo Credit: Rick Eberle Public Relations.

Growing up down the block from NY’s Washington Square Park in the heart of Greenwich Village–an area known for being an artists haven since the 1960s–its no wonder Moriber was drawn to the stage at such a young age. Celebrated for her “clarion voice” by the Associated Press and as “A ravishing star with a paint-peeling belt”, she’s had the opportunity to work with legendary Broadway director Harold Prince in Parade- a musical in which she originated the role of “lola Stover”.

Continuing the pattern, she soon went on to create original roles on Broadway as “Nadine” in The Wild Party and “Lily” in James Joyce’s The Dead, performed with Cyndi Lauper and Alan Cumming in The Threepenny Opera, played a young opera singer in Follies on Broadway, and even received praise off-Broadway with special mention by The New York Times for her murderous portrayal as “Mindy” in Wallace Shawn’s Aunt Dan and Lemon. Premiering Randy Newman’s “Stupid Little Songs” would follow, where she would play Randy’s first wife in The Education Of Randy Newman.

Brooke Moriber. Photo Credit: Rick Eberle Public Relations.

Though her love for the stage is evident, Brooke’s talents have been summoned in front of the camera as well. Having made several TV appearances on Law and Order: CI, Swift Justice, A Town’s Revenge, Off-Track Betty, Descent, and As The World Turns; she’s earned her many accolades as a dynamic performer.

Check Out Her EPK: HERE

Brooke Moriber. Photo Credit: Rick Eberle Public Relations.

Yet with all that time performing both on and off Broadway as well as her many TV appearances, Moriber had also managed to catch the attention of producers who discovered that she had yet another gift as a talented songwriter.  Piecing together catchy hooks that connected with listeners and turned life’s ups and downs into driving pop/rock tunes, she quickly took to performing with her own band. Having graced the stages of some of NYC’s most legendary venues like The Knitting Factory, Joe’s Pub, and The Cutting Room, and recently two outstanding performances at Pianos–she’s even had six original songs licensed to Nickelodeon. Recent shows featuring songs from Brooke’s new EP have earned her glowing reviews by bloggers and magazines applauding her “huge vocals” and songs that are “destined for high rotation”.

With an already outstanding resume there’s no doubt Brooke Moriber will continue her rise as a stage sensation. With her upcoming EP “Fire” set to debut later this year, she’ll hit the stage at NYC’s Arlene’s Grocery Thursday, September 17th at 7:00PM then head to Los Angeles for TWO shows at Genghis Cohen Restaurant & Music Venue Tuesday, October 6th, at 8:00PM and Room 5 Wednesday, October 7th at 7:00PM!

For more information of Brooke Moriber, go to: www.BrookeMoriber.com

For Press Inquiries, CONTACT: rick@rickeberle.com

New York Botanical Garden Study Found “Devil’s Claw” Supplements From 14 U.S. Manufacturers Contained Wrong Plant

(Long Island, NY) Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced today that his office issued letters demanding that 13 dietary supplement manufacturers cease and desist from the sale, distribution, or marketing of adulterated or misbranded “devil’s claw” supplements. The letters, sent Wednesday, are based on a study from the New York Botanical Garden that used an advanced DNA barcoding technique to conclude that the devil’s claw supplements from these manufacturers contained a cheaper related species that is considered less desirable. Attorney General Schneiderman requested that the companies furnish proposals, where appropriate, for recalling any adulterated devil’s claw supplements, compensating consumers who purchased the mislabeled products, and reforming their approach to quality control.

Attorney General Schneiderman also announced that his office has reached an accord with a 14^thmanufacturer, Nature’s Way, to improve the manufacturing and marketing of its devil’s claw supplements. Nature’s Way committed to ensure that its devil claw’s supplements solely contain the proper plant species and are labeled accordingly. As more fully explained below, Nature’s Way will also refund New York consumers who purchased devil’s claw supplements and continue to extend DNA barcode testing across its herbal product lines with one or two ingredients—one of the first companies in the supplements industry to do so.

“When a scientific study tests numerous herbal supplements manufactured by more than a dozen companies and finds the wrong plant in just about every one, it raises more troubling questions about whether people who buy dietary supplements are getting what they pay for,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “This is yet another sign that weaknesses in the supplements industry’s approach to quality control are having real-world consequences for consumers. The manufacturers receiving letters from my office should follow the lead of Nature’s Way and address these gaps immediately.”

Devil’s claw is the commercial name in the United States for the plant Harpagophytumprocumbens, which is marketed by the dietary supplement industry as a treatment for arthritis and other forms of joint pain. The purported therapeutic benefits of devil’s claw are not generally accepted in the medical community or approved by the FDA. Native to the Kalahari Desert, there have long been reports of suppliers mixing or substituting devil’s claw with a related plant,Harpagophytum zeyheri, which contains some—but not all—of the same chemicals. Some of the most sought-after chemicals tend to naturally occur in different ratios and in lower concentrations in zeyheri, which is the cheaper of the two plants.

A federal regulation requires manufacturers to identify plant species using the common name standardized in the trade publication, Herbs of Commerce. That publication defines the common name “devil’s claw” as procumbens. While use of the common name is all that is required by law, most product labels for the supplements tested by the New York Botanical Garden also explicitly referred to the ingredient by its scientific name, procumbens. 

The New York Botanical Garden tested 18 devil’s claw supplements labeled for U.S. sale. The study found that for the 16 supplements for which DNA could be identified, all contained zeyheri, either by itself (81%) or mixed with procumbens (19%).

Attorney General Schneiderman’s cease-and-desist letters target 13 manufacturers, which produced 15 of the test products. These companies include:

• Nutraceutical International Corporation (Soloray);
• Alternative Remedies Health & Herbs;
• The Kroger Co., as parent of Vitacost.com;
• FoodScience Corporation (Food Science of Vermont & DaVinci Labs);
• Biopower Nutrition;
• Thorne Research Inc.;
• NBTY, Inc. (Puritan’s Pride);
• Olympian Labs, Inc. (Prescribed Choice);
• Now Foods;
• Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc.;
• RHG & Company Inc. (Vital Nutrients);
• The Natural Healing Room & End Time Essentials; and
• Shine Supplements

The Office of the Attorney General has not sent a letter to Shine Supplements because the company could not be located through conventional means and is not registered with the Secretary of State to do business in New York.

An additional supplement identified genetically in the New York Botanical Garden’s study was produced by Nature’s Way, which (unlike the other manufacturers) marketed its devil’s claw products as a combination of procumbens and zeyheri.

In a letter responding to an inquiry from the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), Nature’s Way committed to a series of reforms related to the manufacturing and labeling of its devil’s claw products. These commitments are as follows:

• Nature’s Way will continue efforts already underway to employ DNA barcode testing across its entire “Green” and “Purple” herbal product lines, which constitute most of the company’s herbal products with one or two ingredients;
• When scientifically valid DNA barcodes are identified and available, Nature’s Way will employ this technique as an additional method for ensuring that their Devil’s Claw products do not contain Harpagophytum zeyheri.
• Nature’s Way Devil’s Claw products shall contain Harpagophytum procumbens only, and not Harpagophytumzeyheri.
• Devil’s Claw Finished Product labels will identify Harpagophytum procumbensas the sole species contained in the Products.

Nature’s Way has also represented that it will refund the suggested retail price to any New York resident who purchased the company’s devil’s claw supplements between January 1, 2012 and the present and, within three months of the date of the letter, submits a sworn complaint to OAG usingthe form linked here. Refunds will be available one per household, with total refunds not to exceed New York sales of devil’s claw during the period.

The Attorney General opened an investigation into the supplements industry after a study conducted by the University of Guelph in 2013 that found contamination and substitution in herbal products in most of the products tested. That same study also noted that more than half of all FDA Class I drug recalls between 2004 and 2012 were for dietary supplements. Class I recalls are reserved for drugs or supplements for which there is a “reasonable probability that [their use] will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

In February 2015, Attorney General Schneiderman directed four major retailers—GNC, Walmart, Target, and Walgreens—to halt the sale of certain herbal supplements following DNA barcode tests that failed to detect plant materials listed on the labels of the majority of products tested and also detected DNA associated with ingredients or contaminants not listed on the label.

In March 2015, Attorney General Schneiderman announced a historic agreement with GNC to implement landmark reforms for herbal supplements. Under the agreement, GNC, one of the nation’s largest supplement retailers, will use DNA barcoding to authenticate plants used in supplements and adopt new testing standards to prevent contamination. The agreement also imposed reforms to improve transparency for consumers and to promote consumer safety.

This case is being handled by Senior Adviser and Special Counsel Simon Brandler, Executive Deputy Attorney General Marty Mack, and Assistant Attorney General Deanna Nelson.

Progress Updates for Demolition, Naming Rights, and Union Agreement

(Long Island, NY) Since Billy Joel’s final sold-out show at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on August 4, progress continues on Long Island’s future premier entertainment and retail destination.

Nassau Events Center (NEC), led by Bruce Ratner, developer of Barclays Center, and Brett Yormark, Barclays Center and Brooklyn Nets CEO, has a Project Labor Agreement with the Nassau and Suffolk Building Trades Council that is awaiting signature. The agreement is for all of NEC’s construction.

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Photo Credit: Nassau Events Center.

The construction team has fully mobilized on site, the exterior façade signage has been removed, and pre-demolition activities, such as food service equipment disconnects and furniture and fixture removals, has begun.  In addition, following an extensive program of environmental testing, demolition is scheduled to start this fall.

The renovation of the 43-year old Nassau Coliseum and construction of its surrounding retail center is expected to create more than 1,035 direct construction jobs, and more than 570 additional indirect and induced jobs in Nassau County.  Construction will also generate more than $330 million in economic activity for Nassau. During permanent operation, the destination will employ more than 2,700 local residents and provide more than $500 million in projected rent and sales taxes to the County over 30 years.

NEC has also secured in principle a naming rights partner for the entire project and will make that announcement this fall.

“This preparation and on-going activity are important steps forward in our efforts to bring Long Islanders the re-imagined venue they deserve,” said Ratner. “As we continue with our development plans, I am thrilled that the work will be done by the men and women of the local unions. We wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano stated, “Transforming the Nassau County Veterans Memorial Coliseum into a world-class arena is the largest economic development project in the region and I commend NEC and the Nassau and Suffolk Building Trades Council for reaching an agreement that employs local workers.  Nassau County is one step closer to transforming the Hub into an economic generator that creates and retains new jobs along with a vibrant, attractive destination for Long Islanders and those visiting our region.”

“We are excited about getting back to work on the renovation of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and creating jobs for our members,” said Richard O’Kane, President of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Nassau & Suffolk Counties. “We look forward with pride to be able to add this most significant project to a long list of marque projects on Long Island.”

“I am thrilled to see so much progress on this project,” said Norma L. Gonsalves, Presiding Officer of the Nassau County Legislature. “Nassau residents have a lot to look forward to once this first class entertainment venue is open for business.”

“We are pleased to have formed an agreement in principle with a valued naming rights partner for Long Island’s future entertainment and retail destination,” said Yormark. “With our naming rights partner, we are committed to making Long Island better.”

As part of an effort to bring the best programming to the reimagined Nassau Coliseum, Barclays Center recently opened a Los Angeles office and hired a prominent music executive who will begin to reintroduce the entertainment industry to Long Island.

(Long Island, NY) The National Association of Puerto Rican Hispanic Social Workers (NAPRHSW) has named Dr. Sylvia Diaz, executive director of the Suffolk Community College Foundation, as its Social Worker of The Year. Diaz was informed of the award in an August 19 letter from Ruth Negron Gaines, president of NAPRHSW.

Gaines lauded Diaz in her award letter, saying, “The Association’s Social Worker of the Year Award is an award given to a social worker professional who has demonstrated commendable social work practice and involvement with other professional, civic, and community organizations. You exemplify the best of the profession’s values and achievements through specific accomplishments. You demonstrate exceptional qualities that make you stand out beyond the expectations of your profession.”

“This recognition is an honor. My life has always been about giving back what was so freely given to me and watching people’s lives transformed. It’s what my colleagues and I are lucky enough to do every day,” said Diaz who lives in Smithtown.

Diaz will be presented with the award at the Annual Hispanic Culture and Heritage Brunch Celebration at the Brentwood Country Club on November 7.

The Suffolk Community College Foundation is a non-profit corporation that raises money to enable the college to provide student scholarships,  minority scholarships, honors scholarships, and awards based on financial need and academic merit.

The Foundation also funds emergency student loans, special projects for professional staff development, support for unique academic enrichment programs, and efforts to enhance the community’s awareness of the college and its services.

Last year the Foundation distributed more than $650,000  in scholarships and student aid.

UPDATE: Nikos Inslee has been located, unharmed.

Below is the original Silver Alert.

(Long Island, NY) The Suffolk County Police Department has issued a Silver Alert for a missing Centereach teen who suffers from bipolar disorder, may be suicidal and is in need of medication.

Nikos Inslee, 15, is white, 5 feet 7 inches tall and approximately 145 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a red T-shirt with a Crooks Castle logo, red, black and white sweatpants and black shoes.

Suffolk County Police have issued a Silver Alert for Nikos Inslee, 15, a missing Centereach teen. Photo Credit: SCPD.

Anyone with information on Inslee’s whereabouts is asked to contact Sixth Squad detectives at 631-854-8652 or call 911.

As a reminder, Silver Alert is a program implemented in Suffolk County that allows local law enforcement to share information with media outlets about individuals with special needs who have been reported missing.