(Long Island, NY) The Third Squad is investigating a Robbery that occurred in Carle Place on Monday, August 10, 2015 at 9:16 am.

According to detectives, a 46 year old female manager at the Dress Barn located at 190 Glen Cove Road was sitting in her parked car about to make bank deposits when an unknown male subject approached and displayed a black handgun demanding cash. The victim complied and handed over a red bag that contained bank deposits.

Nassau County Police are investigating a Robbery that occurred in Carle Place on Monday, August 10. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

The subject then fled on foot with the red bag that contained an unknown amount of US currency. The subject was observed running south on Glen Cove Road possibly entering into a light colored Nissan Pathfinder.

The male subject is described as being black skinned, 5’10’ – 6’0” tall, black shirt / white stripe, average build, black mask, dark clothes. There were no injuries reported.

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.

Money Available for Arts Programs – Application Deadline – October 8, 2015

(Long Island, NY) Queens Council on the Arts (QCA) announces the 2016 Queens Arts Fund (QAF) funding cycle that supports the hard work and contributions of the borough’s creative citizens with grants for their cultural programming. Approximately $180,000 in funds will be awarded for Queens- based artists and organizations, (meeting the guideline eligibility) that work in all disciplines and produce concerts, festivals, exhibitions and other cultural activities in Queens in 2016.

New guidelines and the online grant application for the 2016 grant cycle are now available on the QCA website http://www.queenscouncilarts.org/qaf/.

Deadline for ALL applications is Thursday, October 8, 2015.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST ATTEND an APPLICATION INFORMATION SESSION

This is a competitive application process with applications reviewed by a peer panel process. In order to help each applicant have the most competitive application QCA has scheduled Application Information Sessions in locations throughout the borough through September 30^th.

Here is the schedule of info sessions through the month of August.

• Thursday, August 13, 6 PM              
  Queens Council on the Arts
  37-11 35 Ave, Astoria, 11101, entrance on 36^th Street
  Korean Translation Provided at this Session
• Tuesday, August 18, 6 PM
  Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning
  161-04 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, 11432
• Wednesday, August 26, 6 PM
  Afrikan Poetry Theater
  176-03 Jamaica Ave, Jamaica, NY, 11432
• Monday, August 31, 6 PM                
  South Ozone Park Branch Queens Library
  128-16 Rockaway Blvd, South Ozone Park, NY 11420
  Bengali Translation Provided at this Session

QAF Application Information Session Schedule – Open to Individual Artists and Organizations

Workshops will last approximately 2 hours. Please be on time.

No RSVP is required.

All applicants are welcome to attend any of the application information sessions as well as take advantage of the QAF resources on the QCA website, www.queenscouncilarts.org.

These resources include new guidelines and eligibility, the application tutorials, downloadable resources, and FAQ’s.

ALL applicants are required to complete an application information session in one of three ways:

1. View application tutorials on the QCA website
2. Attend a one-on-one meeting with a QCA staff member (see schedule below)
3. Attend an informational group session (see schedule below)

Meet with a QCA Staff Member

Bring a draft proposal to QCA and ask questions about your grant application. Appointments are 20 minutes long and are open to individuals and organizations.

Registration is required for one-on-one appointments:

• Thursday, September 3, 10:30 AM-4:00 PM
• Tuesday, September 8, 10:30 AM-4:00 PM
• Monday September 21, 10:30 AM-4:00 PM
• Thursday, September 24, 10:30 AM-4:00 PM

To sign up for a one-on-one appointment: http://www.queenscouncilarts.org/qaf/

For more information visit the QCA web site, www.queenscouncilarts.org, or contact Lynn Lobell, Grants and Resource Director, llobell@queenscouncilarts.org or 347.505.3015 or Sam Dalsheimer, QAF Grants Associate, at qcagrants@gmail.com or 347-505-3019.

The Queens Art Fund is made possible in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Queens Council on the Arts is the borough-wide arts council of Queens.

The mission of the Queens Council on the Arts is to foster, and develop the arts in Queens County and to support individual artists and arts organizations in presenting their cultural diversity for the benefit of the community.

Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center — 10:00 am to 1:00 pm

(Long Island, NY) “We owe our veterans and service members a tremendous debt for their sacrifices, and we must do all we can to support them and their families,” said Senator Kemp Hannon (R-Nassau).  “The ‘Hiring Our Heroes’ Job Fair will bring together employers and veterans and help these brave servicemen and women to further their employment and enrich their careers.”

The New York National Guard will host a U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair at the Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center at 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 13. Over 60 employers will be offering more than 300 jobs to veterans and their families.

The event takes place at the Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center (25 Baiting Place Road, Farmingdale) from10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

An employment workshop will be held at 8:30 a.m. prior to the event. The workshop, held by the Manufacturing Institute, will focus on resume writing, interview skills, and job search techniques. Veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserve, and military spouses are invited to interview with companies offering jobs.

“I encourage all veterans, current service members and their families to attend the event,” said Hannon.

Those interested in attending the job fair and employment workshop must sign up here:

http://www.cvent.com/events/hiring-our-heroes-farmingdale-ny/event-summary-94c630a312eb4499b353ff053df200d4.aspx

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Hiring Our Heroes” event sponsored by University of Phoenix is co-sponsored locally by the New York National Guard, Farmingdale Chamber of Commerce, NY National Guard Family Programs, Suffolk County Veteran’s Service Agency, NYS Department of Labor, the Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR), the U. S. Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, The American Legion and NBC News.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Planning Commission Chair, businessman and former federal prosecutor Dave Calone announced today that Brookhaven Town’s two Democratic elected officials —  Councilwoman Valerie Cartright and Councilwoman Connie Kepert — have joined the growing list of Democratic elected officials in the 1^stCongressional District supporting  his campaign for Congress.

Town Councilwoman Valerie Cartright: “I endorse Dave Calone to represent the 1^st Congressional District. He has been an active Democrat in our town, in our county and in our country for many years. As Chair of the Suffolk County Planning Commission, he has been a leader in protecting our environment by working to preserve our drinking water and by promoting renewable energy. I am proud to have worked together with Dave on these issues and I look forward to working with him when he represents our area in Congress.”

Town Councilwoman Connie Kepert: “Dave Calone is the right choice to represent Brookhaven and eastern Suffolk County in Congress. I have worked with him to bring together people of different backgrounds and perspectives to create policies that protect our environment and help create jobs in our area. We need a representative in Washington who can put partisanship aside to get things done as I have seen Dave do here in Suffolk County.”

Councilwomen Cartright and Kepert join other prominent Democratic elected officials in the 1^st Congressional District who are supporting Dave Calone’s campaign for Congress, including:

• State Assemblyman Steve Englebright, the only Democratic member of the State Legislature from the 1^st Congressional District
• County Legislator and Democratic Majority Leader Rob Calarco
• County  Legislator Sarah Anker
• County Legislator Al Krupski
• Calone has also been endorsed by Brookhaven Town Democratic Committee Chair Tony Parlatore.

Dave Calone, Candidate for Congress (NY-1): “I am honored to have the support of the two Democratic elected officials in the Town of Brookhaven – the place where I was born and raised and the place where my wife and I are raising our three young children. I have enjoyed working with Councilwoman Cartright and Councilwoman Kepert on protecting our environment while improving government policy in order to help create local jobs. I look forward to bringing our shared Democratic values to Washington.”

(Long Island, NY) Peconic Landing is excited to announce it will be hosting its annual End of Summer Celebration and fireworks show for the fourth consecutive year.

The much-anticipated event is free to all and attracts more than 700 guests each year.

Join us Sunday, August 30 at 7 p.m. for a live performance by the forty- member Atlantic Wind Symphony, which is comprised of musicians from across Long Island. The performance will take place on the patio at Brecknock Hall and feature popular songs by George Gershwin, John Philip Sousa as well as well-known Broadway hits. It will also include a salute to Veterans and current service members.

The performance is sponsored by the Brecknock Hall Foundation, which has a mission of maintaining the beautification and preservation of the historic mansion.

Fireworks will take off about 8:15, launched over Peconic Landing’s community pond. Guests are asked to bring a blanket and chairs to make the most of the event. The 20-minute fireworks show is sponsored by Peconic Landing.

“What started out as a commemorative event has now turned in to an annual community celebration,” said Robert J. Syron, President and CEO of Peconic Landing. “We look forward to celebrating with the North Fork community.”

A rain date is scheduled for September 6 at 7 p.m. Peconic Landing is located at 1500 Brecknock Road in Greenport. For more information, visit www.peconiclanding.com.

Peconic Landing is an innovative, not-for-profit CCAC-CARF-accredited continuing care retirement community (CCRC) located on the waterfront in Greenport, N.Y., on the North Fork of Long Island. Among its long list of achievements, Peconic Landing is the only equity-based LifeCare community in the state of New York. It is a member of LeadingAge and LeadingAge New York and embraces a healthy, active lifestyle infused with a sense of exploration, creativity and generosity of spirit.

Larger Per Project Support from Renewable Heat New York to Spur Economic Growth Through Greater Adoption of Cleaner, More Efficient Wood Heating Technologies for Homeowners and Businesses

(Long Island, NY) The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today announced increased levels of support through Renewable Heat NY for high-efficiency, low-emission wood heating systems to improve the return-on-investment for homeowners and businesses.

NYSERDA is increasing the levels of State support per project as part of its ongoing strategy to evaluate and modify programs in response to market changes. The price of oil is down 25 percent since Renewable Heat NY was launched in July 2014. The new support levels are expected to further stimulate adoption of cleaner, more efficient wood heating systems. The new levels of support will be available forapplications received by September 30, 2016 and will then be reassessed in light of market conditions.

Renewable Heat NY is an initiative of Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), which is a strategy to build a clean, resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers. The support being offered through Renewable Heat NY is a bridge to developing a sustainable industry for renewable thermal technologies under the Clean Energy Fund, a strategic pillar of REV that will reshape the State’s energy efficiency, clean energy and energy innovation programs.

“Based on market factors, we are adjusting State support for Renewable Heat NY projects to make them more affordable for homeowners and businesses that want to heat with wood,” said John B. Rhodes. “This will advance Governor Cuomo’s goals to support economic development while preserving the environment and protecting public health.”

The Renewable Heat NY goals are to build a sustainable, high-efficiency, low-emissions wood heating sector in New York; help develop more clean technology manufacturing based in the State; train a skilled installer base; and sustainably harvest wood fuels from State forests.

New high-efficiency wood heating systems are automated and cleaner burning than those previously on the market. Their more efficient combustion means less fuel is required. State support through Renewable Heat NY helps offset the cost of replacing or supplementing existing stoves or systems..

Renewable Heat NY funding support for projects will increase as follows:

• Residential pellet stoves will increase by $500 per new stove.
• Small commercial and residential pellet boilers will increase to 45 percent of total project cost and advancedcordwood boilers will increase to 25 percent  of total project cost.
• Large commercial pellet boilers will increase to cover 40 to 45 percent depending on the system specifications.
• In addition, Renewable Heat NY will provide funding for pollution control on eligible boilers at K-12 schools and healthcare facilities.

See www.nyserda.ny.gov/renewableheatny for program details, including qualified technologies and installers in your region.

Renewable Heat NY is funded through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). RGGI is the first innovative market-based mechanism in the United States to cap and cost-effectively reduce the carbon dioxide emissions that cause climate change. RGGI auctions the emission credits (rather than give them away for free) and participating states invest the auction proceeds in projects that conserve energy, save consumers money and support the transition to cleaner and more efficient production of electricity.

About Reforming the Energy Vision
Under Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), New York State is spurring clean energy innovation and attracting new investment to build a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers. REV encompasses groundbreaking regulatory reform to integrate clean energy into the core of our power grid, redesigned programs and strategies to unlock private capital, and active leadership in deploying innovative energy solutions across the State’s own public facilities and operations. REV will enable a dynamic, clean energy economy operating at a scale that will stimulate opportunities for communities across the state to create jobs and drive local economic growth, while protecting our environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.

Successful initiatives already launched as part of REV include NY Sun, NY Green Bank, NY Prize, K-Solar, and a commitment to improve energy affordability for low-income communities.

To learn more about REV, please visit www.ny.gov/REV4NY.

About NYSERDA
NYSERDA, a public benefit corporation, offers objective information and analysis, innovative programs, technical expertise, and support to help New Yorkers increase energy efficiency, save money, use renewable energy, and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. NYSERDA professionals work to protect our environment and create clean-energy jobs. NYSERDA has been developing partnerships to advance innovative energy solutions in New York since 1975. To learn more about NYSERDA’s programs and funding opportunities, visit http://nyserda.ny.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Seventh Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who stole items from a Shirley store last month.

A man entered Staples, located at 855 Montauk Highway, and stole an Apple iPad Air on July 20 at 9:54 a.m.

Suffolk County Police are seeking the public’s help to identify the man who stole items from a Shirley store last month. Photo Credit: SCPD.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Second Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a woman who stole clothing from a Melville store last month.

Suffolk County Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a woman who stole clothing from a Melville store last month. Photo Credit: SCPD.

On Wednesday July 8, three black females entered Mystic Boutique, located at 925 Walt Whitman Road in Melville. One of the women took $90 worth of assorted clothing at approximately 2:30 p.m. and left the store without paying for the merchandise. The women fled in a 2008 two-door gray BMW 328IS with New York State license plate GTU4563.

One woman of a group of three took $90 worth of assorted clothing from Mystic Boutique, located in Melville, and left the store without paying. Photo Credit: SCPD.

The woman who stole the items is described as black with short hair. She was wearing a pink tank top, shorts, flip flops and she was holding a black bag.

The women fled in a 2008 two-door gray BMW 328IS with New York State license plate GTU4563. Photo Credit: SCPD.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

(Long Island, NY) Four good Samaritans from West Islip, along with police officers from the Suffolk County Police Department Marine Bureau, rescued a family of five after the boat the victims were traveling in sank in the Great South Bay on Sunday, August 9.

Juan Contreras, 33, of Bellport, was operating his 18 foot Sting Ray in the Great South Bay, ¼ mile south of Gardiner County Park in Bay Shore, when the engine stalled and the boat began taking on water through the engine compartment at approximately 5:30 p.m. The Sting Ray was nearly fully submerged underwater within a short time frame. Contreras and his family members, Maria Contreras, 69, Christine Contreras, 11, Angeline Contreras, 7, and Guadalupe Contreras, 47, held on to the partially submerged hull.

Suffolk County Police Marine Alpha securing sunken the Sting Ray after it sank in the Great South Bay on Sunday, August 9. Photo Credit: SCPD.

William Deak, 46, of West Islip, spotted the victims as he headed toward Bay Shore Marina with his two sons, Jason Deak, 21, Justin Deak, 18, and their friend Michael Laduca, 24, also of West Islip. William called 911 and Jason and Michael jumped into the bay to help the victims. Justin, Jason and Michael are volunteers with the West Islip Fire Department, where Jason is a member of the SCUBA team. While Justin operated the boat, William helped pull the Contreras family out of the water and onto their boat.

Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers responded to the 911 call and dispatched three boats: Marine Juliet, Marine Kilo, and Marine Alpha. Police officers from the Aviation Section also responded as well as members of the Bay Shore Fire Department and West Islip Fire Department who responded in fire boats.

The victims were transferred from the good Samaritan’s boat and onto Marine Juliet. The victims were then taken to shore at Hecksher State Park in East Islip, where they refused medical attention. The sunken Sting Ray was refloated by Police Officers on Marine Kilo and taken to Marine Bureau headquarters at Timber Point in Great River.

(Long Island, NY) The First Squad is investigating a Robbery that occurred on Sunday, August 09, 2015 at 2:20 a.m. in Roosevelt.

According to detectives, a male victim, 45 years of age, was walking on Grenada Avenue when he was attacked by three unknown male black subjects (no further description).

Nassau County Police are investigating a Robbery that occurred on Sunday, August 09 in Roosevelt. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

They punched and kicked the victim while removing his wallet containing an unknown amount of cash and his cell phone. The subjects fled in and unknown direction. The victim was transported to an area hospital where he was admitted for treatment of multiple facial fractures.

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