(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Police Pattern Crime Unit detectives are investigating a bank robbery that occurred in Lindenhurst on Saturday, September 05.

A man entered Capital One Bank, located at 300 South Wellwood Ave., at 12:07 p.m. and handed a teller a note demanding cash. The teller complied and gave the suspect cash from the drawer. The man fled on foot northbound on Wellwood Avenue.

Suffolk County Police are investigating a bank robbery that occurred in Lindenhurst on Saturday, September 5. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

The suspect was described as white or Hispanic, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall with dark hair, facial hair and a medium build. He was wearing jeans and a black long sleeve shirt.

The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information on the bank robbery is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

(Long Island, NY) The Suffolk County Police Highway Patrol Bureau arrested 11 people and seized one vehicle during an overnight sobriety checkpoint in the Patchogue area.

Police officers from the Suffolk County Highway Patrol Bureau conducted a sobriety checkpoint on westbound Route 27 Sunrise Highway Service Road at Waverly Avenue, Patchogue.

Suffolk County Police arrested 11 people and seized one vehicle during an overnight sobriety checkpoint in the Patchogue area. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

The operation was conducted for the prevention of injuries and fatalities associated with driving while ability impaired by alcohol and drugs, particularly during the Labor Day holiday weekend.  A total of 651 vehicles went through the checkpoint.

The following people were charged with Driving While Intoxicated:

• Pil Young Yoo, 40, of St. James
• Kenneth Lindsay, 60, of Central Islip
• Richard Bocklet, 59, of Islip
• Heather Yutesler, 35, of Patchogue
• Emily Torrez, 21, of Islip Terrace
• George Ghossn, 54, of East Islip
• Leo Skorupski, 32, of Massapequa Park
• Francine Anzalone, 55, of Holbrook
• Danny Hernandez, 53, of Patchogue

The following people were arrested for Driving While Ability Impaired:

• Heriberto Gonzalez, 37, of Brentwood
• Kristine Schultz, 35, of North Massapequa.  Schultz was additionally charged with Criminal Possession of Marijuana 5^th Degree.

The above individuals will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on September 5.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

(Long Island, NY) The Nassau County Police report the arrest of a Port Washington woman for Driving While Intoxicated that occurred on Friday, September 4, 2015 at 6:47 p.m. in East Norwich.

According to police, Second Precinct officers responded to a call for a disturbance on Northern Boulevard and Oyster Bay Road. Upon their arrival they discovered Whitney K. Gold, 34, outside her 2015 Cadillac Escalade having a verbal argument with a female friend.

Nassau County Police report the arrest of Whitney K. Gold, 34, of Port Washington for Driving While Intoxicated that occurred on Friday, September 4 in East Norwich. Photo Credit: NCPD.

In the vehicle at the time were two children, a 9 year old female and a 7 year old male. During the investigation it was determined that Gold had been operating the vehicle and was intoxicated. She was placed under arrest without incident. The children were released to a family member at the scene.

Gold is charged with Driving While Intoxicated, Operating a Motor Vehicle above .1%, two counts of Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child passenger (Leandra Law), two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Operating a Motor Vehicle without a License. She will be arraigned on Saturday, September 05, 2015 at First District Court in Hempstead.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Police Vehicular Crime Unit detectives are investigating a crash that killed a pedestrian in Bay Shore on Saturday, September 5.

An male pedestrian was struck by a vehicle that was traveling eastbound on Redington Street, east of Brook Avenue, at approximately 3:10 a.m. The victim was transported to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore where he was pronounced dead.

Suffolk County Police are investigating a crash that killed a pedestrian in Bay Shore on Saturday, September 5. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

Elvin Ponce, 30, of Brentwood, has been identified as the pedestrian who was killed.

The vehicle that fled the scene is described as a dark-colored, four door sedan with possible front end damage.

The investigation is continuing.

The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact Vehicular Crime Unit detectives at 631-852-6555 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

The Village of Mastic Beach to consider amending Blighted-Homes Law and triple its fines from $2,500.00 to $10,000.00 a year

(Long Island, NY) Blight and abandoned homes have long been a problem on Long Island and the local Village government of Mastic Beach is coming up with impressive ways to combat these eyesores.

The Village of Mastic Beach is considering a local-law amendment that would triple fines to $10,000 a year for abandoned homes that are not properly maintained within the boundaries of the Village.

“These penalties will be attached to the property’s tax bill if left unpaid,” said Deputy Mayor Bruce Summa.

Mastic Beach Village Mayor Maura Spery explained, “It is a privilege to live in the Village of Mastic Beach. This means if you own property here it has to be kept clean and neat. This Village has some of Long Island’s most beautiful shoreline and boasts historic Early-American landmarks. It is the best Village on Long Island, and we intend to have all property owners respect and preserve our Village’s natural beauty.”

The Village is working to fix problems as quickly as possible by enforcing local codes through its Public-Safety Department headed by new Code Supervisor Patrick McCall.

For example, a house that scores 100 points or more on the Village’s blighted-scoring metric results in that property being added to the Village’s blighted-home registry. The bank, corporation or individual who owns these abandoned properties is then given thirty (30) days to respond to the Village before a fine is levied. Under the Village’s current law, a $2,500.00 annual fine is attached to the blighted-home’s Village-tax bill for each year the home is blighted upon its annual inspection.

Spery added, “This area has started to attract the interest of young families seeking home ownership and new businesses wishing to be a part of Main Street’s revitalization. Addressing our vacant-home issue is yet another way we are restoring the splendor of our coastal Village.”

The Village Board will be holding a public hearing at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2015, at Village Hall, 369 Neighborhood Road, Mastic Beach, NY, for the purpose of receiving public input about raising the annual fine for blighted homes.

A comedy with songs! September 19th – October 3rd, 2015 at Theatre 54 at Shetler Studios

(Long Island, NY) Award Winning Playwright, Paul Buzinskis’ new play, Selection Day, will have its World Premiere at Theatre 54, September 19th – October 3rd. This fast-paced comedy is directed by Schnele Wilson who recently directed the critically acclaimed production of Reading Between the Lies at The New York International Fringe Festival. Selection Day is being produced by UrbanTopaz Multimedia.

Reflecting the nation’s changing demographics, America elects its first female, atheist, openly gay president, who cancels Christmas and institutes Darwin’s birthday as the new national holiday. A farcical comedy with songs, featuring Darwin’s voyage to the Galapagos Islands, and the White House Astral Girls singing family friendly songs of evolution and Big Bang, Selection Day is a smart, fun, take on the age-old battle of belief.

The cast features Jed Dickson (The Twelfth Labor/Loading Dock Theatre), Kristoffer Infante (Elvira: The Immigration Play/FringeNYC), Jackie Jenkins (Catherine in Miss Reardon Drinks A Little), Rita McCann (The Whole Damn Thing/Musical Theatre Factory), Wende O’Reilly (Reading Between The Lies/FringeNYC), Melissa Patterson (Firebird/LaMama Theatre for Kids), Atalanta Siegel (Twelfth Night /Anthology Productions), and Christopher Romero Wilson (Reading Between The Lies/FringeNYC).

The creative team includes vocal coach Viktoriya Papayani, musical director/composer by Jeff Paul (The Winter’s Tale/Workshop Theater Company), choreographed by Meredith Wildford (Brookhaven Dance Festival/Dallas, TX), costume design by Anna Wallace-Deering, production coordinator Kelly Barrett, set design by Mitchell Ost, assistant stage management by So Ry Yun, and lighting design, assistant director and stage management by Melissa Farinelli (Comfort Women: A New Musical/St. Clements).

Performances take place at Theatre 54 at Shetler Studios, 244 West 54th Street, 12th Floor. (Between Broadway & 8th Avenue). Subways: C/E/1 to 50th Street, A/B/C/D/1 to Columbus Circle, N/Q/R to 57th Street.

Tickets are $18.00 and are available at www.selectionday.brownpapertickets.com

Show Dates:

• Saturday, September 19th at 8:00 pm (Preview)
• Monday, September 21st at 8:00 pm (Preview)
• Tuesday, September 22nd at 8:00 pm (Opening Night)
• Wednesday, September 23rd at 8:00 pm
• Thursday, September 24th at 8:00 pm
• Friday, September 25th at 8:00 pm
• Saturday, September 26th at 8:00 pm
• Tuesday, September 29th at 8:00 pm
• Wednesday, September 30th at 8:00 pm
• Thursday, October 1st at 8:00 pm
• Friday, October 2nd at 8:00 pm
• Saturday, October 3rd at 8:00 pm

Running time: 90 minutes

For more info www.urbantopaz.com/selectionday

BIOGRAPHIES

Paul Buzinski (Playwright) is an award winning playwright who has had numerous plays produced in and around New York, including Church Music, Madrid, Dinner Party and Blueberry Pancakes, all of which won awards at the Samuel French One-Act Play Festivals. Madrid was later published as part of The Best Plays of the Strawberry One-Act Festival. His play Pasta Diving Jeter was produced by Algonquin Productions, and now resides in the Archives of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Paul is an Associate Member of the Dramatist Guild.

Schnele Wilson (Director) has directed various projects for film, video, and theater. Recent directing credits include Endangered Artist Sanctuary’s (EAS) production of Reading Between the Lies which received rave reviews at the 2015 New York International Fringe Festival. She also directed EAS productions of Savage in Limbo. Other New York directing credits include Blood Red Roses, Anatol, Baal, Dear Brutus, and Visiting Hours. As an actor, Schnele appeared in EAS productions of Merry Wives of Windsor and The Tempest.

Christopher Romero Wilson (Producer) has been working in film and theatre for more than 20 years. He has produced and directed everything from commercials and music videos to short films and two independent features, The Digital Prophet and The Process of Creative Deception. Christopher served as the Managing Artistic Director of Lexington Ensemble’s CityShow Theatre (New York, NY) from 2010-2013, where he guided the artistic vision of their productions of All Through the Night by Shirley Lauro, The Odd Couple by Neil Simon, Sphinx by Don Nigro, and Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare among others. He is currently half of the UrbanTopaz Multimedia creative team behind Selection Day.

About UrbanTopaz – Producing Company:

UrbanTopaz is a full service multimedia boutique specializing in graphic design, website design and programming, film/video production, social media marketing and theatre production. Creative partners, Schnele Wilson and Christopher Romero Wilson have more than 20 years of experience working in these various mediums. www.urbantopaz.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/selectionday

(Long Island, NY) “Although it’s promising that the Gov. has decided on a review of the Common Core learning standards, the Assembly Republican Conference has worked tirelessly with teachers and education stakeholders and have developed the Achieving Pupil Preparedness and Launching Excellence (APPLE) Plan that addresses the problems stemming from the Common Core system and sets New York’s schools on a path to success. I’m hopeful that the Governor will acknowledge the flaws inherent in the Common Core system and we can work towards a more promising future in the education of New York’s students.”

LONG ISLAND, NY – Everyone knows bad news travels fast: plummeting stock markets, life threatening hurricanes, and Donald Trump’s campaign, to name a few. But the news isn’t all bad. There is still some good community news out there, such as this New York startup company that transcends the negative stories of the day. It is a new business that offers a fast, easy, and convenient way for people to sell their used car or truck for the most money possible.

Not only has Jerry Alexatos begun to offer New York residents the most professional and hassle free process of selling their used car or truck, but he is also giving back to the communities where his business flourishes. His new company, CashInYourCar.com, has already donated backpacks and school supplies to Long Island Cares, who in turn gives these supplies to school children whose families have fallen on tough financial times. Those backpacks are filled with enough school supplies to help get these kids through at least one semester.

Jerry Alexatos, (right) with his associate Thomas, delivering filled backpacks to the locally run Long Island Cares, at their Nassau County location. Long Island Cares, The Harry Chapin Food Bank, bring together all available resources for the benefit of the hungry on Long Island. Long Island Cares is a Non-Profit Organization.

“A local business, no matter what it is, should help make their community better. I’ve always believed that,” said Mr. Alexatos.

CashInYourCar.com, with locations in Westbury and Hicksville, New York, is comprised of some of the most experienced used car evaluators in the country. They also won’t waste your time, Alexatos insists.

“Those who have used cars to sell can get a check in as little as 15 minutes from the physical vehicle inspection, providing they have receipt of a valid title, lien release and identification. And because everyone is so pressed for time these days, our agents will even come to you, seven days a week. Or if you prefer, you can enter your vehicle information online where our proprietary system will calculate the highest possible value for your car.”

“Giving back to the community is what it’s all about,” said Mr. Alexatos. “And that’s what we’ll always do.”

If you like their offer, you can bring your car to one of their conveniently located buying centers with a certificate of title and quickly complete the transaction.

When someone does business with CashInYourCar.com they’re also helping kids and others in Long Island.

“Giving back to the community is what it’s all about,” said Mr. Alexatos. “And that’s what we’ll always do.”

About Cash In Your Car™
Cash In Your Car is a team of experienced used vehicle appraisers with multiple locations on Long Island. Their team’s combined experience allows them to evaluate a vehicles worth quickly, saving their customers valuable time and hassle. Cash In Your Car also makes the car selling experience even easier by proving mobile service and will arrive on the spot at a home or office and can complete the transaction on site. For more information please visit www.cashinyourcar.com.

September 12 – Two Seatings (4:00 & 6:00 pm), VFW Post 9525

(Long Island, NY) “Serving our country with the utmost courage and honor, the selfless contributions of the Veterans of this great nation are an enduring testament to the values of liberty, justice and freedom that all Americans hold dear,” said Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Nassau)

As a small token of his appreciation, Hannon is inviting all Veterans in the Sixth Senatorial District, along with one guest, to join him for a free “Thank You” dinner, to be held at VFW Post 9592 (55 Hickory Lane, Levittown) on September 12, 2015. There will be two separate seatings, one at 4:00 pm and one at 6:00 pm.
Reservations for this dinner are required. Due to limited seating, preference will be given to residents of the Sixth Senatorial District.

Veterans can sign up for this event directly by visiting Senator Hannon’s website (www.kemphannon.com) and clicking on the 9/12 – Veterans “Thank You” Dinner link under “events,” or  reservations can also be made by contacting Senator Hannon’s Community Office directly, at 516-739-1700.

(Long Island, NY) The Narcotics Vice Squad reports the arrest of a Valley Stream man at 12:15pm on Thursday September 3, 2015 for a Grand Larceny that occurred in Valley Stream between August 1, 2015 and August 25, 2015.

According to Detectives, defendant Muhammad Ahmer Khan, 19, while employed as a clerk at Dale Drugs located at 531 W. Merrick Road without permission or authority to do so, did remove various pharmaceutical drugs valued in an excess of five thousand dollars US currency.

Nassau County Police reports the arrest of Muhammad Ahmer Khan, 19, of Valley Stream on Thursday, September 3 for a Grand Larceny that occurred at a local drug store where he was employed. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

The proceeds are listed as Hydrocodone, Alprazolam, Dexmethylphenidate, Methylphenidate, Dextroamphetamine Salts, Amphetamine Salts and Oxycodone.

Defendant Khan was arrested without incident and is charged with one count of Grand Larceny 3rd degree. He will be arraigned on Friday, September 04, 2015 in First District Court 99 Main Street Hempstead.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.