Three People Arrested For Bank Robbery In Kings Park

Suffolk County Police today arrested three people for robbing three banks over the past eight days.

A man entered Bank of America, located at 1209 St. Johnland Road, Kings Park, at approximately 12:25 p.m. and demanded cash from a teller. The teller complied with his demands and the man fled the bank to an awaiting vehicle with two female occupants. Witnesses in the area followed the vehicle and were able to provide a description of the vehicle and a license plate number to arriving police officers. A notification was made to area patrol units and shortly thereafter the suspect vehicle was stopped at 190 Middle Country Road, Smithtown, and a man and two women were placed in custody by officers at approximately 12:40 p.m.

Further investigation by Pattern Crime Unit detectives revealed that the suspects were responsible for robbing the Chase Bank, located at 1395 Rt. 25A, Setauket, on October 2, and the Capital One Bank, located at 250 Smithtown Blvd., Nesconset, on October 7.

Robert Oliver, 40, of Mt. Sinai, Alysa Moran, 25, of Selden, and Patricia Oliver, 36, of Selden, were charged with Robbery 3^rd Degree. Moran and Patricia Oliver will be held overnight at the Fourth Precinct. Robert Oliver, will be held overnight at the Sixth Precinct. All three are scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on October 11. Robert and Patricia Oliver are divorced.

 The investigation is continuing. Detectives are asking anyone with information on any of these incidents to call the Pattern Crime Unit at 631-852-6726.

600 + People Attend Caleb Smith Preserve's First Annual Fall Festival

Kalliroi Tetrault becomes a cat through the talents of her face-painter Mom Irene.Jared Tetrault shows a youngster how to play the pinecone/hoop Native American game, as Carole, and Peter Paquette in Revolutionary War dress, watch.Carol Tokosh was busy at the craft table.

by - Carole Paquette

More than 600 visitors attended the Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve’s first annual Fall Festival held at Caleb Smith State Park Preserve in Smithtown on Sunday, October 5. The sun shone brightly as festival-goers enjoyed lunch and ice cream under a big tent while listening to live music, they watched demonstrations by the Long Island Falconers and took nature walks with popular naturalists.  Children fished on the peninsula at Willow Pond, played Colonial and Native American games, made crafts, had their faces painted, photos taken in a poster of a big fish, and went home with free pumpkins. 

Pumpkins at first annual Fall FestivalWith decorated hands, Sara Leavens and Megan O’Haire hold their free pumpkins Michael and Joanne D’Agostino, founders of the Friends group, proclaimed the event “a huge success”. 

Mr. D’Agostino, who is the group’s main photographer, was amazed at the turnout, “The purpose of the event was to make people aware of the park. As far as I can remember, it is the largest number that ever came.”

“It was so heartening to see so many young people coming in and enjoying all the activities we had planned,” said Mrs. D’Agostino. 

Archery Hunting For Deer In Kings Park - Good Idea? Depends On Who You Speak With

(Click on photos to enlarge)

It is called Kings Park Unique Area, it is 67 acres located on Meadow Rd. and archery hunting for deer is permitted. To many who live in the area, the idea that this DEC site which includes a newly constructed foot trail, a bench and is handicapped accessible, is also an active hunting area is ludicrous. 

Oct. 2 - Residents show up at DEC site to check out the new useCompatible is the term the DEC uses. According to the DEC, they have properties throughout the Long Island region where hiking, mountain biking and other recreational activities occur during the archery season without conflict between the uses. Not a good idea for Kings Park say many residents, the Kings Park Civic Association and Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio.  

Phones have been ringing almost non-stop at the offices of NYS Senator Flanagan and Assemblyman Fitzpatrick. They have requested that the DEC revisit its decision. 

The DEC uses hunting as the primary tool to manage deer populations. Until this year the setback for archers was 500 feet in the 2014 budget bill the setback was reduced to 150 feet. According to the DEC there have been no incidents between a bow hunter and another person in all of New York State due to archery hunting over the past decade.  Deer-motor vehicle collisions in NY are estimated to be be around 1,000 per year with a large number of incidents in areas where the 500-ft setback prevented deer management opportunities. The 150 foot setback allowed the DEC to evaluate properties that would benefit by controlling the deer population but could not be considered before the setback was changed. The site according to the DEC is in an area where they have received many questions about the burgeoning deer population. It is the DEC’s position that the cost and danger to motorists outweighs the perceived danger from bowhunting.

The Kings Park Civic Association (KPCA) worked closely with the DEC in creating an area at the site for walking, hiking, birding, dog walking etc. According to KPCA President Sean Leahmann “The Kings Park Civic Association is not taking a stand on hunting, or the State’s decision on whether to or how to control the local deer population. This issue is about the safety of the residents that use this particular trail for recreational purposes, and the close proximity of housing and school fields.”

According to KPCA Vice President Linda Henninger the comparison to other DEC sites is unfair because other sites are larger comprising thousands of acres. The Kings Park site is 67 acres, there is a school, athletic fields and there are homes in the immediate area. “DEC’s policies must change as the typography and demographics change. They can not safely treat Kings Park the same way they treat land upstate or out east. The statistics are like comparing apples to oranges and Kings Park should not and will not be a test case for them.” 

KPCA worked with the DEC to improve and promote the site which members call the Meadow Rd. Trail. “We promoted its use, no one ever hinted that there would be the use of firearms at the same site where people push strollers and walk their dogs, we feel manipulated, said Henninger.  

The DEC has posted signs alerting users that hunting may be occurring and posted restricted areas for the sections of the parcels that lie within 150 ft. of a dwelling or public structure. Hunters are limited by the allocation of a single parking space. It is the DEC’s position that the property is far enough from the school to allow safe and legal discharge of a bow.  

Town Supervisor Vecchio is never one to mince words. He is not a fan of the DEC’s decision to allow archery hunting in Kings Park. “A patently stupid idea.  No guns, arrows or any other weapon that could cause harm to people should be permitted.” Said Vecchio.

The DEC is expected to revisit its decision early this week. The archery hunting season began October 1 and ends December 31.

 (updated Oct.6 7:46 am)

George Boyd Of Kings Park Takes 2nd Place In Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off

George BoydGeorge Boyd of Kings Park won second place for his 453 pound pumpkin during the Giant Pumpkin weigh-Off at Hicks Nurseries today. He received a $300 prize as well as a ribbon for participating.

The competition, held each October at the nursery, encourages homeowners and children to bring their pumpkin, no matter what the size, to the nursery to be weighed. It is a fun day for the growers to show off their skills and for families to enjoy hayrides, roasted corn, Otto the Ghost and much more.

First place was awarded to Scott Armstrong of Commack for his 1,059 lb. pumpkin.

Smithtown's 2015 Tentative Budget Online

Supervisor Patrick Vecchio presented his 2015 Tentative Budget to the Town Council on Friday.  Vecchio’s budget message is (as in years before) simple and to the point. “The 2015 budget is unique and different from previous budgets in that it consolidates and integrates blue-collar employees to achieve greater efficiencies and I want to thank Highway Superintendent Glenn Jorgensen for his cooperation in this endeavor. Also, a new method of recycling is introduced (see Appendix I and Appendix II),” Supervisor Patrick Vecchio. When asked for additional comments after the Town Board meeting, the Supervisor said his budget message says it all.

It will take some time to examine the Supervisor’s budget which is available online on the Town’s website. Some highlights include a tax increase around $11.66 for the average assessed ($5,500) house. The Town is restructuring departments and removing 21 employees from the Highway Department and transferring them to the Solid Waste Department. The employees will be available to work with the Highway Department when needed on the removal of snow.

Responsibility for the  collection of leaves and brush has been removed from the Highway department and will now become a function of the Sanitation Department which has historically been responsible for the recycling of the materials.  According to the Supervisors message, “consolidating the collection and recycling of leaves and brush within a single department will improve efficiency by allowing manpower and equipment to be easily shared by the two operation. 

Included in the budget is a major environmental initiative, “single stream recycling”.  The town is facing major expenses ($2-$4 million) to replace outdated equipment used in the recycling of our paper/metal. The explored options and determined that a single stream recycling program would be more convenient for residents and likely to increase participation.  Once a week pick-ups of recyclables will continue, but residents will no longer need to separate the materials.  In addition, there will be an increase in the materials that will collected. The single stream initiative is likely to begin January 1, 2015.

Town Board members will now have the opportunity to examine the budget and to make recommendations and or changes.  The Town Board is expected to vote at the Tuesday, October 7th Town Board meeting to schedule a public hearing for later this month.