The views expressed here are the author's own 2 STOPS ON FIRE ISLAND WITH HUGE FUN (21+ EVENT) PLEASE SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA!! ANY DONATIONS FOR RAFFELS ARE MUCH APPRECIATED Please let me know if you have any questions This is an amazing time to enjoy Long Island with great people Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) runs in a touchdown in the second half during a Suffolk flag football game between East Islip and Sayville on Wednesday April 30 Sayville quarterback Olivia Moynihan looked downfield and found no open receivers The East Islip defense had locked down all her options on a fourth-and-18 play The senior needed to make a quick decision: Either throw a Hail Mary pass or tuck it and run Moynihan had burst down the home sideline and raced to a 38-yard touchdown to give Sayville a double-digit lead in its 13-6 win over East Islip in a Suffolk League II flag football game in Islip Terrace “It was a designed pass play,” said Moynihan who has thrown 33 touchdowns and no interceptions this season The win moved first-place Sayville to 12-0 but not without a challenge from East Islip They were forced to stop East Islip inside the red zone twice in the first half to preserve a one-score lead Moynihan opened the scoring when she fired a 10-yard touchdown pass to Trinity Ricevuto with 17:52 left in the first half She added the one-point conversion pass to Ava Vadyak for a 7-0 lead She completed six of seven passes for 60 yards on the TD march “The cornerback bit on the pump fake and I was wide open in the end zone,” Ricevuto said gave the state finalists all they could handle Junior halfback Danika Tidridge torched the Golden Flashes’ defense for 170 all-purpose yards But the defending Long Island champions were resilient and kept East Islip out of the end zone until the final minute of the game Vadyak’s goal-line interception with 10 seconds left in the first half denied East Islip “We were preparing for that run game and contained it,” said Moynihan Sayville coach Reade Sands was impressed with East Islip (9-3) We had to keep our leverage and box her inside and pull our flags.” East Islip avoided the shutout when senior quarterback Lauren Glynn found freshman Bianca Maitre on a third-and-goal pass from the 18-yard line with 48 seconds remaining to make it 13-6 “We really wanted the shutout,” Vadyak said “We had played lockdown defense all game.” “I’m proud of how far we’ve come in our first year We’ll take a lot of positives out of this game The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months The Bread Shed is proving to be no half-baked idea Since opening March 1, the weekends-only bakery has become a West Sayville sensation, with crowds lining up outside the small Main Street shop for a shot at Meggin Hall’s homemade sourdough creations — which are sold from 11 a.m During The Bread Shed’s first two weeks, that took 90 minutes. This past weekend, the Saturday supply of 126 loaves, including Irish soda bread “The line was down the block and I looked at my husband and I went ‘Can you believe this is happening right now?’” said Hall a second-grade teacher during the other days of the week Hall said she began experimenting with baking sourdough bread in 2022 “just by watching videos and going on YouTube and whatever.”  Hall, 48, said she was drawn to sourdough not by the pandemic-era baking craze — “Everyone was doing this during 2020 but I really had no idea” — but by health reasons The mother of two explained that she learned about sourdough while reading author Dan Buettner’s books about “blue zones” around the world where people live extraordinarily long lives.  Among the revelations: that sourdough bread from Ikaria “I was reading about how good it is for you and how good it is for your microbiome and your gut,” she said After Hall’s first attempt at making a starter “completely failed” in 2022,  she said she tried again a few months later and hit on a winner her mother and friends at the school where she works I’d make her sourdough bread and she’d make me meatballs,” Hall recalled In January, Hall and her husband, John, discovered a vacant 650-square-foot storefront in West Sayville and later signed a one-year lease for South Shore Sourdough’s space at 106 Main St The sourdough breads, chocolate-chip cookies and muffins are baked inside the couple’s Oakdale home where a bread oven was installed last month all the baked goods are packaged and driven to the nearby storefront “We got people lining up at 10:40,” she said 48,  is involved in shopping for supplies and serving “He runs the register and the Facebook,” she said. “I do the Instagram.” while their 20-year-old daughter is in college said the family’s new business is providing lessons for the kids “It’s a great thing to show them that you can follow your dreams whether you intended them to be your dreams or not,” she said “Just take a risk and do something different.” Hall conceded that the one-time side hustle has become a lot more than that but said she does not allow it to enter her mind while she’s at school That changes almost as soon as school ends I turn the bread oven on,” she said Monday I was rolling dough this morning before work Now I’m going to go bake the bread while I’m making the corned-beef dinner.” Hall said she has “zero intention” of leaving teaching behind are considering opening the store on Fridays during the summer not in my wildest dreams did I think this would ever happen,” she said “We’re bringing bread to people and it makes them happy.  “And I love making people happy with food.” All photos come courtesy of Bread Shed ownership Tap here to see what’s happening Barry Fitzpatrick throws out the ceremonial first pitch after Sayville renamed its field "Barry Fitzpatrick Field" on Thursday the Salute Our Troops Day game has been of paramount importance to the Sayville baseball program the event’s most-recent installment will hold historic significance to the program forever the Golden Flashes hosted a pregame ceremony an hour before they hosted Mount Sinai for a regular-season game The ceremony honored a Sayville legend: former physical education teacher and baseball coach 78-year-old Barry Fitzpatrick The program decided to rename its baseball field in his honor unveiling a brand-new scoreboard reading “Welcome to Barry Fitzpatrick Field at the Swamp” just 40 minutes before first pitch Fitzpatrick served in the Vietnam War with the U.S Army from 1969 to 1970 before being honorably discharged as a first lieutenant Immediately after returning home from the war Fitzpatrick became a teacher in the Sayville School School district he became the high school’s baseball coach he won a program-record 316 games and five league championships before stepping aside and remaining on the staff as an assistant through the 2024 season he taught in four schools across the district “I’m sort of at a loss for words right now,” Fitzpatrick told Newsday after the ceremony “It’s one of those things that you don’t expect to happen ranging from Sayville alumni who Fitzpatrick coached and/or taught Fitzpatrick was welcomed onto the field with a round of applause from the crowd Bagpipes played while Fitzpatrick was wheeled onto the field by his wife through a tunnel formed by Sayville’s junior varsity baseball and softball teams Before going through the makeshift tunnel toward the pitcher’s mound Fitzpatrick made an announcement to his supporters that showed up for his big day The newly unveiled scoreboard at Sayville’s baseball field featuring the dedication to Barry Fitzpatrick “God bless everybody here,” Fitzpatrick exclaimed Preceding the new field name’s official unveiling was a speech by Sayville athletic director Ryan Cox who played for Fitzpatrick in the mid-1990s and eventually replaced him as baseball coach Town of Islip councilman John Lorenzo presented Fitzpatrick with a citation from the town for his service to both the Sayville community and the country he fought through tears as he spoke about Fitzpatrick you are one of the finest people I have ever met,” Cox said Former Sayville High School baseball coach and U.S Army veteran Barry Fitzpatrick is honored as the school names its baseball field ‘Barry Fitzpatrick Field’ on Thursday Barbara Fitzpatrick thanked the community on her husband’s behalf for showing up Cox and current Sayville coach Joe Esposito presented Fitzpatrick with a plaque listing all of his accomplishments which Barbara Fitzpatrick told Newsday was “all he had wanted to do.” Esposito caught his toss and then hugged his mentor “We’ve been trying to do this for a few years so we were very happy to get the necessary protocols done and make it to where this could happen It couldn’t have been a better day and situation with this crowd Sayville adorned stars-and-stripes-themed uniforms 24 jerseys with Fitzpatrick’s name across the back Sayville continued to honor those who have served by announcing their names between innings Sinai shortstop Bennie Franquiz with a round of applause Franquiz tipped his cap to the Sayville faithful before stepping into the batter’s box “The Sayville community does a great job with this day,” Franquiz said “Veterans are the reason that we get to come here and play everyday Recognizing them for the efforts that they’ve put through since this country’s beginning is awesome and I’m proud to be a part of that one day.” Franquiz pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh inning with two strikeouts to earn the save and secure a 3-2 win for Mt catcher Ralph Passantino lined a go-head two-run single to give the Mustangs (5-8) the lead for good second baseman Brody Tellier hit a home run and shortstop Kyle Messina hit a sacrifice fly Sayville and East Islip faced off in a Suffolk flag football matchup on Wednesday Sayville's Trinity Ricevuto (15) scores a touchdown in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Alex Yacono (21) runs the ball in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) runs between Sayville's Camryn Quinlan (11) and Kiera Lombardo (2) in the first quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) gets by East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) and scores a touchdown in the second quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) runs in a touchdown in the second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Elena Haakonson (6) runs the ball in the second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Bianca Maitre (16) pulls in a pass for a touchdown in the second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) throws a touchdown pass in the second quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Danika Tidridge (1) runs the ball I thinke second half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Ashley Alexander (10) prepares to snap the ball in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Danika Tidridge (1) goes between Sayville's Kyla Kastner (17) and Camryn Quinlan (11) in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Ella Trama (16) runs the ball in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) runs the ball and gets stopped by East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) in the first quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Trinity Ricevuto (15) makes a catch and gets stopped by East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Olivia Moynihan (5) looks to pass in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday East Islip's Danika Tidridge (1) tries to get through Sayville's Kiera Lombardo (2) and Camryn Quinlan (11) in the first quarter during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday Sayville's Trinity Ricevuto (15) stops East Islip's Lauren Glynn (10) in the first half during a Suffolk flag football game on Wednesday The Sayville school district is being sued by former administrator Peter Branscombe after his separation agreement was revoked Sayville school officials said they rescinded a $210,000 agreement to a departing administrator because he led them to believe he was resigning to be with his sick wife when he actually left for a job in another district Former Assistant Superintendent Peter Branscombe 26 in Suffolk Supreme Court that his agreement was revoked after he reported alleged inappropriate remarks made by schools Superintendent Marc Ferris district officials said they agreed to compensate Branscombe for his unused sick and personal time because he told them his wife had cancer and he planned to stop working when they learned several weeks later the Mount Sinai district had appointed him deputy superintendent Branscombe using his wife’s illness to deceive the district and the taxpayers of Sayville in an attempt to fraudulently walk away with over $200,000 that he had no right to receive,” district spokesman Ron Edelson Sayville said it pays unused time only to administrators who are leaving after 20 years The board made an exception for Branscombe because of the “unusual and dire circumstances” he presented to school officials Get the latest updates on how education is changing in your district By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy Branscombe did not return a message seeking comment He denied in court papers that he misrepresented his circumstances He said his wife “has been chronically ill since about 2016” and that he never told Ferris she had cancer In his lawsuit and a notice of claim filed earlier Branscombe alleged the district retaliated against him by rescinding his agreement on Aug hours after he reported alleged inappropriate remarks by Ferris about female job applicants He is seeking to force the district to abide by the separation agreement approved in July The district said it cleared Ferris of any wrongdoing and board members were not aware of the complaint when they voted to rescind the agreement with the School Administrators Association of New York State in upstate Latham Newsday reviewed dozens of pages of records obtained from Suffolk Supreme Court What has emerged are differing accounts of what occurred in the weeks leading up to the revocation of Branscombe's separation agreement said Branscombe approached him in June and said his wife suffered from a series of health ailments Ferris said Branscombe told him he was too overwhelmed to continue in a top position and that he would “never forgive himself” if something happened to his wife when he wasn’t home Branscombe disputed Ferris’ account in a subsequent affidavit Citing an audio recording of the June 24 conversation with Ferris Branscombe said he never said his wife had cancer Branscombe also stated he did not say he couldn't work he said what he actually told Ferris was: “I don’t have a fully formed plan thought of what I want[ed] to do” and that “I might retire.” Ferris did not know the conversation was taped Ferris did not respond to messages seeking comment the Mount Sinai school board held a special meeting with one item on the agenda — the appointment of Branscombe as the district’s deputy superintendent Newsday obtained Branscombe’s contract and the meeting minutes from the district in response to a Freedom of Information Law request Mount Sinai school board president Paul Staudt said in a statement that Branscombe’s lawsuit is “strictly” between him and Sayville and “is in no way related to his employment” with Mount Sinai Ferris said in his affidavit that he recommended the board give Branscombe the payout “At no time during our meeting or anytime thereafter Branscombe disclose that he was pursuing or considering taking a position as a Deputy Superintendent at Mount Sinai School District,” Ferris said Branscombe said the Mount Sinai job was preferable because the North Shore district is closer to the Port Jefferson hospital his wife goes to for her ongoing ailments also argued in court papers the separation agreement does not bar Branscombe from working elsewhere Jim Baumbach is an award-winning investigative reporter at Newsday He spent two decades in the sports department where he covered every professional team and league including events such as the Super Bowl and World Series she worked for a community newspaper in Maryland and a personal finance magazine in Washington Tommy McCann of Sayville winds up for a third-quarter goal in a Suffolk Division II boys lacrosse game against host Deer Park on Wednesday Christian Doller is thinking that he has a contender to claim a Class C crown in Suffolk Two reasons: “The experience and the quality,” the longtime Sayville boys lacrosse coach said The Golden Flashes have flashed positive signs early on going 4-1 following a 10-6 season that came with no postseason The 2025 highlights so far have included scoring 21 goals three times and beating Smithtown West 14-6 The loss was against Port Washington from Nassau’s power league the coach dating to the program’s first varsity season in 2001 I knew we were returning everyone on offense “… We’re still trying to get our bearings to see exactly where we land I think we’re close to the top and can compete with anybody But these next couple of weeks are going to really tell us where we need to be and what we need to improve on to get to that final game at the end of the year.” Their aggressive midfield certainly is a strength with senior Tommy McCann junior Tristan Vitale and sophomore Javen Taff Doller called them “a three-headed monster when it comes to shooting.” Leo commit who scored 40 times last season also is a standout as a long stick midfielder McCann was the standout named to Newsday’s 2025 Top 100 list “He’s a huge part of [our success],” Doller said he’s probably the most dynamic and fastest kid on the field.” Dominic Passannante has achieved Eagle Scout status the highest rank there is among the scouts So what does this have to do with lacrosse He’s in his third season as Long Island Lutheran’s starting goalie The Wagner commit also is the captain of a team with 18 players who are either sophomores or eighth graders He said he has been in the scouts since age 8 or 9 Long Island Lutheran goalie Dominic Passannante during a non-league boys lacrosse game against Long Beach on Monday “From growing up in Boy Scouts and becoming an Eagle Scout,” Passannante said “it definitely helped me become a better leader by helping me become more of a team player and communicating with my fellow teammates and people inside my group.” After Passannante made 13 saves in an 8-6 home win over Long Beach Monday second-year coach Todd Higgins expressed an appreciation for his leadership skills so we’ve been going all year and Dom’s been the leader from the beginning,” Higgins said “It’s a tight-knit community with this school and he’s been They were off to a 3-2 start after the Long Beach game “The lacrosse program was a little depleted last year,” Higgins said “We’re actively recruiting kids and trying to put LuHi on the map as a lacrosse destination outside of being an excellent educational [school].” gets pressured by Quinn Kennedy #18 of Darien (CT) during the fourth quarter of a non-league girls lacrosse game at Cold Spring Harbor High School on Saturday The Gains for Brains Showcase annually features some of the top girls lacrosse teams in the region and one of the first games of the 2025 showcase was another example of that 4 overall school according to USA Lacrosse as the defending state Class C champions embraced the challenge against a national power Darien (Connecticut) proved to be too much for Sayville though as the Golden Flashes suffered an 11-7 loss at Cold Spring Harbor High School in non-league play on Saturday morning “We knew this would prepare us for the future and we knew it was going to be a challenge but we really wanted it,” junior midfielder Sophia Buffardi said “I think it does show what we need to work on though and we can learn from it.” The Gains for Brains showcase has raised more than $80,000 since 2015 to support the Making Headway Foundation which benefits children with brain and spinal cord tumors The Golden Flashes wanted to not only be a part of this elite showcase but challenge themselves against as tough an opponent as possible “You have to play the good teams to get better and obviously this is the place to do it,” coach Gary Jensen said “It’s a great tournament for a great cause and we’re definitely happy to be here Buffardi was one of three players to score two goals for Sayville (8-2) Olivia DeSimone had two goals and two assists and Dylan McNamara added two goals Annabell Adams had five goals and two assists for Darien (7-1) Sayville scored four of the game’s first six goals before Darien went on a 7-0 run over 5:42 to take a 9-4 lead with 3:42 left in the second quarter Buffardi scored off an assist from Abby Galaris with 2:46 left in the second quarter and Farrell and DeSimone scored in the third quarter as Savyille cut Darien’s lead to 9-7 entering the final period The Golden Flashes failed to score in the fourth quarter “We want to play the best teams and they are one of the best this is a great experience for us,” Jensen said “I think we needed to be a little bit more efficient on offense Sayville won its first state title in program history last year The players aren’t allowing themselves to look too far ahead toward a repeat but they hope games against elite programs like Darien will help their chances at that possibility “This is only going to push us to be better versions of ourselves because this isn’t the ultimate goal,” DeSimone said “Our goal is to win as much as we can during the playoffs.” Owen O'Brien covers high school and college sports for Newsday He's also covered professional teams such as the Mets Jets and Giants since graduating from the University at Buffalo 2025 at 7:51 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A man was hit and killed by a person driving a Ford Mustang on Saturday night while standing in the road with other people on Long Island NY — A man was hit and killed by a vehicle in Blue Point on Saturday night Adam Polis was driving a 2015 Ford Mustang eastbound in the left lane of Sunrise Highway when he saw three people in the road and swerved to the right to avoid them around 8:35 p.m. The police said the vehicle hit and killed Carlos Villafane of Mastic Beach,who was standing in the center lane and was pronounced dead at the scene and a passenger in the Mustang were not injured The vehicle was impounded for a safety check Anyone with information may call the Fifth Squad at 631-854-8552 Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2024 at 10:25 am ETThe fire broke out on Friday (Courtesy of Ken Bradbury)The West Sayville Fire Department was on the scene within minutes (Courtesy of Ken Bradbury)Multiple fire departments provided mutual aid (Courtesy of Ken Bradbury)An unoccupied vehicle in the driveway also caught fire NY — Firefighters extinguished a fire that broke out in a West Sayville home on Friday the West Sayville Fire Department told Patch West Sayville firefighters responded to a house fire on Colony Drive around 10 a.m. Second Assistant Chief Mike Chiesa arrived first on scene and "quickly upgraded the alarm to a working structure fire as the fire had extended to the house," officials said Suffolk County Police told Patch than an unoccupied 2026 Chevrolet caught fire in the driveway engine 3-10-4 was on scene in four minutes from activation and "started an aggressive attack" followed by ladder 3-10-5 which was tasked with ventilation and Chief of Department Brian D’Onofrio had command of the scene and the Sayville Community Ambulance Company Over 500 donors have contributed more than $57,000 to help a West Sayville family rebuild their lives after a devastating fire destroyed their West Sayville home a week ago who have called West Sayville home for over two decades lived in the Colony Drive house with their three children: Connor a Sayville High School senior headed to college next fall 13 blaze began as a vehicle fire in the driveway in front of home’s garage and quickly spread to the house Despite rapid response from the West Sayville Fire Department and several other fire departments the family lost their home and all of their possessions described the Smalleys as a family “always there for anyone who needs anything.” has drawn an outpouring of support from the community with 533 donors contributing $57,400 as of 12:30 p.m The funds are helping the family begin to rebuild after losing their home and possessions amid the holiday season “We have been overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness shown to the Smalley family during this heartbreaking time,” Carroll shared in a recent update Michelle Smalley expressed her gratitude to the community in a heartfelt Facebook post we are thankful to be together and unbelievably grateful at the outpouring of love and kindness,” she wrote which competes in Suffolk County Division III announced its schedule for the 2025 season The Golden Flashes are coming off a 2024 campaign where they compiled an 11-1 record and captured the Suffolk County Division III title Sayville went on to lose a 31-28 heartbreaker to Garden City in the Long Island Division III championship game The Golden Flashes will kick off the 2025 season against Half Hollow Hills West in a rematch of the county divisional title game Sayville beat the Colts 42-35 in the championship game Sayville will scrimmage against Bayport-Blue Point To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER One of Long Island’s most successful high school football coaches is stepping down who guided Sayville football to four Suffolk Division III titles and three Rutgers Trophies in his eight seasons at the helm has announced he is leaving the post to spend more quality time with his family I have made the difficult decision to step down as the Head Varsity Football Coach at Sayville,” he said in an X (formerly Twitter) post “The memories and relationships I have built within this community will always hold a special place in my heart.” directing the Gold Flashes in 2024 to an undefeated season before losing in the Long Island championship game to Garden City Sands spent nearly 20 years coaching in the Sayville football program including Benny and Mikey who will play college football together next fall at Franklin & Marshall College I have made the difficult decision to step down as the Head Varsity Football Coach at Sayville It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the Head Coach for 8 years and work alongside so many dedicated athletes “Coaching at Sayville for 20 years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of our program,” Sands said in his X post last Tuesday Sayville reached the playoffs in every season with Sands as the team’s head coach He had previously served on the staff as an assistant coach congratulated Sands on an “amazing run.” What an amazing run by an incredible coach Now it’s time for you to enjoy those 4 amazing boys and wife Kerry The Sayville Football Program can’t thank you enough for your dedication and commitment to excellence “Now it’s time for you to enjoy those 4 amazing boys and wife Kerry,” Hoss commented on X “The Sayville Football Program can’t thank you enough for your dedication and commitment to excellence!” Before officially stepping away from coaching football Sands will serve as a defensive coach for the Long Island senior all-stars in the upcoming National Football Foundation’s All-Star Classic on June 21 at Hofstra Sands also coaches the girls’ flag football team at Sayville High School It’s unclear if he will continue in that role though his X and Instagram profiles note that he is the “Sayville High School Head Girls Flag Football Coach.” Top photo: Sayville High School football coach Reade Sands is stepping down after eight successful seasons (Credit: Brian Harmon) 2024 at 4:12 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A brutal blaze ravaged multiple businesses on Sayville's Main Street on Friday evening NY — On Friday evening a brutal blaze ripped through Sayville and ravaged multiple beloved local businesses Around 5:30 p.m., a fire broke out in Cafe Joelle that quickly spread to surrounding businesses including Paper Doll Vintage and the Counseling Offices of Adrian Fields & Associates according to the Sayville Chamber of Commerce with the help of others providing mutual aid spent around two hours extinguishing the blaze while heartbroken community members and business owners watched Now, with some establishments damaged and others destroyed, the community is coming together to fund rebuilding efforts, including one organized by the Sayville Chamber of Commerce "Please consider donating to help all the small business owners that have been affected by this devastating fire They will need our help in getting back on their feet Let's show our pride for our beloved Main Street we recently experienced a heartbreaking tragedy on Sayville’s cherished Main Street A devastating fire swept through multiple levels severely damaging several small businesses and shops 100% of the proceeds in a special account will go directly to all the business owners affected by this tragic event." Hammer & Stain and the upstairs offices of Adrian Fields Counseling have all been affected by this devasting fire as the holiday season approaches—a critical time for these businesses—they need our community’s support more than ever to help them recover and endure through the winter months The Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce has created a dedicated fund where 100% of contributions will go directly to the affected business owners with or without a PayPal account (credit and debit cards are accepted) "Checks are also welcomed and can be made out to The Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce with “Main Street Fire Relief Fund” noted in the memo line." Click here to donate to the Main Street Fire Relief Fund Police told Patch that the arson squad is investigating the fire A former Sayville administrator has sued the district alleging his nearly $210,000 payout was revoked after reporting alleged "inappropriate" comments Sayville’s board of education rescinded an agreement to pay a departing administrator nearly $210,000 hours after he had filed a complaint alleging the superintendent had made inappropriate comments about female job applicants 27 action a breach of contract and said it came after he reported Superintendent Marc Ferris for allegedly discussing a candidate’s skirt slit The alleged incident was the latest in a string of what he described as “inappropriate sexual comments,” according to his lawsuit filed Nov 26 in Suffolk County Supreme Court and a notice of claim he filed in September Branscombe called the district’s rescission retaliation A spokesman for the Sayville school district declined to say why the board revoked Branscombe’s separation agreement He said in a statement to Newsday that the district's counsel investigated Branscombe’s claims and cleared Ferris of wrongdoing each time The alleged comments by Ferris concerned two female applicants for a human resources administrator role Branscombe alleges Ferris made the comments following interviews that took place in August after the board approved Branscombe's agreement and before he was set to leave at the end of the month Branscombe was the assistant superintendent of human resources at the time and interviewed both applicants with Ferris Ferris allegedly commented on how high her skirt slit was to Branscombe and Daniel Castellano according to an email Branscombe sent to school board president Thomas Cooley and district counsel Hilary Moreira the next day which was attached to the lawsuit as an exhibit Castellano did not respond to a message seeking comment Ferris' alleged comment made Branscombe uncomfortable especially after it came in the wake of another one he said Ferris made earlier in August toward another female applicant for the same position Ferris commented to me that if he moved her forward in the interview process people will think it's because of how she looks and that she is ‘my type,’ ” Branscombe wrote After thinking about those comments “all night,” Branscombe wrote in his email “not only did I come to the conclusion that I should report them Branscombe’s claims to be without merit and the Board’s action in rescinding his agreement reasonable Ferris said in a statement that he has spent almost 30 years of his life helping students families and educators “in the most genuine way possible.” as this progresses through the court system the truth will come out and it will show how absurd this is and that the district and I acted with integrity honesty and appropriateness in all regards who was named the Mount Sinai school district’s deputy superintendent days before Sayville rescinded his separation agreement When the Sayville board rescinded Branscombe's agreement at a meeting in August Cooley said that the superintendent and the board “have become aware of facts that were not previously known or provided,” without going into detail Cooley said had the board known those facts they would not have approved the agreement a month prior Branscombe declined to comment through his attorney Branscombe wants a judge to force the Sayville district to abide by the terms of his separation agreement signed by Ferris and approved by the board July 23 30 and the district to compensate him for his unused sick and vacation time Such a deal was a break from district policy The district's contract with administrators calls for such a payout only when an employee is retiring after 20 years "All that can be said is that a special circumstance contributed to the Board agreeing to grant Dr Branscombe the privilege prior to serving in the District for 20 years," he said in a statement At the meeting in July when his agreement was approved video shows Ferris thanked Branscombe for his “impeccable record” and wished him well on his future endeavors which was followed by a round of applause from board members Cooley said Branscombe “left his mark” on Sayville schools Another board member said Branscombe “righted the ship” with special education and thanked him for his ongoing contributions saying he had “two decades of opportunities” and it was “tough to leave.” Ferris’ gross pay was $306,739 and Branscombe $256,965 according to a Newsday analysis of educators’ pay Ferris has been the superintendent of the 2,600-student district since 2022 The home belonged to Michelle and DJ Smalley who have been part of the community for around 20 years the community has come together to help the family with a GoFundMe organized by Patricia Carroll On the fundraiser page "Please help support a wonderful Sayville family who is always there for anyone who needs anything Michelle and DJ and their three children Connor lost their home on Colony Drive to a devastating fire on Friday All of their possessions and memories are gone "The Smalley family has been part of the heart of this town since they moved here to raise their beautiful family over 20 years ago Michelle and DJ have raised three wonderful kids who have been standout athletes and citizens who have always demonstrated exceptional sportsmanship and integrity "The two oldest boys Connor and Jack are in college -- Connor is getting his masters -- and Lauren will graduate Sayville High School and head to college this year This is one of the best families I have ever known and they can use our help at this difficult time "Please help make this Christmas a happy one for a family that has been there for so many of us." Click here to help the Smalley family Sayville Plaza’s big comeback continues According to Newsday Italian specialty grocery store Uncle Giuseppe’s is set to open in the Bohemia shopping center along Sunrise Highway The report states that the Melville-based company plans to occupy the former Babies “R” Us space at 5181 Sunrise Highway by late 2025. Greater Long Island has reached out for further comment The space is currently being used for Spirit Christmas, a new seasonal pop-up from the same folks behind Spirit Halloween. Learn more about it here the full-service specialty grocery market first opened at 2330 Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow Long Island is now home to Uncle Giuseppe’s locations in Smithtown Uncle G’s will help bring Sayville Plaza closer to full occupancy after years of vacancies The shopping center was left largely empty following the departure of Kmart in January 2020 the plaza hosted popular retailers such as Kmart bankruptcies and mergers forced these stores to shutter by early 2020 leaving the plaza with vast empty storefronts You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails Top: Photo from Uncle G’s grand opening in North Babylon back in 2021. (Credit: Facebook) Here comes Santa — along with live reindeer trolley rides and a one-of-a-kind gingerbread house competition The holiday season slides into beast mode in Sayville on Nov for the 18th annual Miracle on Main Street festival presented by the Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce Here’s a breakdown of what’s in store at what is arguably Long Island’s best holiday block party prancing reindeer and little marching “toy” soldiers and take in the festive sounds of school marching bands — is Small Business Saturday Winter Wonderland sand art and a craft tent for the kids in the parking lot of Main Street Shopping Plaza (Cornucopia) along with plenty of opportunities in Main Street shops to get a leg up on your holiday gift lists Main Street downtown closes to car traffic from 5 to 9 p.m The nighttime festivities include live reindeer The ceremonial Christmas tree lighting takes place at 6:30 p.m Top: Carolers dressed as Dickens characters added a special charm to “Miracle on Main Street” in Sayville 2025 at 4:47 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Toby was abandoned by his owner without food or water at a Long Island hotel NY — A woman has been charged with animal cruelty after abandoning her dog at a Long Island hotel without food or water in a Bohemia hotel on March 30 without food or water for over 24 hours Gross said SCPA detectives interviewed hotel employees who found the unharmed dog and gave him food and water Cruz turned herself in to SCPA detectives at the Suffolk County Police Department on April 11 and was charged with abandonment misdemeanor animal cruelty and making a false written statement Cruz is slated to appear at First District Court in Central Islip on May 1 2025 at 10:11 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The volleyball tournament is slated for Tuesday evening NY — The Sayville Union Free School District is host a volleyball tournament for a good cause on Tuesday Lincoln Avenue and Sunrise Drive will face off in a fundraiser round-robin volleyball tournament teachers and staff will compete for bragging rights and a highly coveted trophy The winning school will then take on a team of raffle-winning students in the final game of the night with all proceeds benefiting the Sayville School Employees Charitable Foundation to support local families in need attendees may donate a non-perishable food item for the Sayville Food Pantry Over the first five iterations of the event over $7,000 has been raised along with countless food items The tournament will take place at the Sayville High School gymnasium 20 Brook Street in West Sayville Kyle Messina #9 of Sayville scores a touchdown against Half Hollow Hills West during the Suffolk Division III football final game at Stony Brook on Friday Kyle Messina has made play after play for the Sayville football team but the offensive juggernaut’s biggest play of the Suffolk Division III championship game on Friday night came on defense Half Hollow Hills West had a chance to tie the score in the final seconds and send the seesaw thriller into overtime somehow positioned his Colts in a way only a magician of his skills could having driven the Colts from their 6 to the Sayville 39 with 17 seconds left Filardi took the shotgun snap and immediately scrambled away from heavy pressure to fire a pass into the corner of the end zone where Anthony Raio seemingly had worked his way open The strong safety jetted across the end zone and leaped high to barely get his outstretched fingertips on the ball and deflect it from Raio’s grasp with 10 seconds left After a 5-yard illegal procedure penalty on Hills West Filardi threw a 7-yard out to Raio to the 37 with three seconds left Filardi rolled right and then left as he tried to elude a horde of oncoming pass rushers The Sayville bench mobbed Richter as the Golden Flashes held on to beat Hills West and capture the Suffolk Division III title at Stony Brook University “That was Clarkson’s first play on defense,” Sayville coach Reade Sands said “I lined up between guard and tackle on the left side of the defense I got through the line and chased Filardi toward our sideline and could envision a sack Richter had three sacks despite a broken middle finger that forced him to miss four games earlier this season Sayville (11-0) will meet Garden City (11-0) for the Long Island Class III championship tentatively scheduled for Saturday at Stony Brook The game was a highlight reel for Hansen Award candidates Messina and Filardi They tried to one-up each other on both sides of the ball Messina rushed 36 times for 264 yards and four touchdowns Filardi completed 21 of 35 passes for 370 yards and the five scores Messina’s third touchdown of the second half came on a 33-yard run with 10:30 left to give Sayville a 42-28 lead Messina credited the offensive line of tackles Javen Taff and Rich Fontenetta guards Mike Caporaso and Alex DelGiorno and center Alex LaBella for getting him into open space Hills West (9-2) got within 42-35 when Filardi threw a 29- yard touchdown pass to Raio (14 catches for 283 yards and three TDs) with 9:50 left it worked the clock in a methodical 13-play 71-yard march to the Colts’ 14 and ate up 7:47 quarterback Patrick Coan converted a fourth-and-3 pass for a first down at the Colts’ 14 but the ball was stripped by the Colts’ Jesse Brooks and returned to the 24 with 2:03 left “It was crazy,” Sayville coach Reade Sands said “We were going to run out the clock in a wild back-and-forth game we were back on defense in the final two minutes.” Facing fourth-and-28 from his own 6 with 54 seconds left  He fired a 34-yard completion to Raio with 46 seconds left and  moved the ball within striking range of a tying touchdown until Messina broke up the last pass “Just got my hand on it,” Messina said with a smile “I know I can’t do it all by myself and I thanked my teammates and the coaches afterward,” Filardi said “I was proud of our guys and the way the group came together We fell short in the semis the past two years Sayville coach Reade Sands awaits the start of the Suffolk Division III football game against Half Hollow Hills West in Dix Hills on Saturday Reade Sands has stepped down as the head coach of the Sayville football program said it was a difficult decision but that his focus has turned toward spending more time with his family He leaves one of Long Island’s winningest programs Sayville won the Suffolk Division III title in 2024 and just missed a perfect season The Golden Flashes lost to four-time defending champion Garden City in the Long Island Class III championship game “I want to have the freedom to spend quality time with my family and that’s just not possible when you pour your life’s work into coaching,” Sands said “I played football right through college and started coaching immediately after I graduated I don’t know what summers and falls look like without football.” has four boys and coached them through youth leagues and high school He’ll be able to watch two sons play college football this fall “We started dating my senior year at college and we’ve never had enough free time,” he said but it demands a commitment to do it right Sands led Sayville to eight consecutive playoff appearances in his eight years at the helm between 2017-24 He directed the Golden Flashes to four Suffolk Division III titles a Long Island Class III championship in 2022 and three Rutgers Trophies (2020 His career record of 74-11 includes a 22-game winning streak spanning the 2022 and 2023 seasons The Golden Flashes’ last regular-season loss came against Miller Place in 2018 “The Sayville athletic department will miss Coach Sands’ unwavering commitment to the student-athletes in our football program,” said Ryan Cox the director of athletics for the Sayville School District “He’s been a dedicated coach for almost 20 years.” a two-time All-American selection and standout linebacker at Pace University in 1995-96 started coaching in 1997 at the Fordham Preparatory School He joined the Sayville varsity staff as defensive coordinator in 2006 He helped the Golden Flashes earn seven divisional titles and five Long Island crowns in the next 11 years before accepting the head-coaching position “And it might be a short hiatus from coaching It’s going to be different in the fall when I’m not in the middle of the grind I just hope the family keeps me so busy that I don’t think about it.” Sands joked about people who find the time to read a book “I see people sitting there reading books and I don’t know what that’s like to have that kind of freedom to relax.” Sands will coach one more time before he hangs up his whistle He’ll serve as a defensive coach for the Long Island senior all-stars when they play New York City in the National Football Foundation’s All-Star Classic on June 21 at Hofstra 2024 at 4:43 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Sayville families are reeling after a former resident made threatening statements mentioning the school district on social media NY — "Threatening content" posted on social media against the Sayville Union Free School District has sparked an outcry for armed guards at Sayville schools amid an investigation led by the Suffolk County Police Department and interstate law enforcement "disturbing comments" mentioning "Sayville public schools" were written in a post on "X" viewed by Patch According to an email from Sayville UFSD Superintendent Marc Ferris to "Sayville Families," the threats were posted by a 34-year-old male and former Sayville UFSD student "whose last known residence was Holbrook." Ferris said the posts included "threats of violence to himself and others" and although they were "not specific" to Sayville schools he was making "general threats of violence" and "mentioned" Sayville schools "Fifth Precinct Crime Section officers are investigating a threatening post on social media There is no direct threat to Sayville or any location in Suffolk County," police told Patch on Wednesday "The department is working with our partners in law enforcement to locate the suspect." Sayville parents are petitioning for armed guards on school campuses and are asking residents to contact school board members "I am writing to update you regarding the individual who posted worrisome and threatening content on social media This evening I met with officers at the 5th precinct and there are two important points for you to know: Regarding the individual: The SCPD has been working with Florida law enforcement and the Port Authority to locate and arrest him police in Florida are actively searching in the Port St which is the most recent identifiable location "The 5th precinct police informed me there is 'No actionable intelligence stating he is targeting Sayville' and it is believed he is not in the State of New York "I would like to be able to provide 100 percent assurance I am confident SCPD is utilizing all available resources and doing all they can to locate this individual and bring him into custody I am grateful for their clear communication and support throughout this ordeal saying that "out of an abundance of caution there will be patrol cars at each of our schools for arrival and dismissal tomorrow." Ferris added that there will be "increased school safety checks by SCPD" and a photo of the man who made the threats would be circulated among staff School representatives told Patch on Wednesday there are no updates since Ferris' Nov 2024 at 10:20 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Sayville's new smoothie bar offers nutrition-packed drinks and meals NY — There's a new health-conscious eatery in Sayville a smoothie bar that serves nutrition-packed drinks and meals Its menu features healthy and decadent smoothies The eatery also sells vitamins and supplements owner Lesli Reinoso hosted a grand opening ceremony attended by the Greater Sayville Chamber of Commerce board and other community members who were treated to samples of the menu's offerings The Sayville Nutrition House is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m Scenes from a Suffolk Division II girls lacrosse game between Sayville and host West Islip on Saturday Sayville's Olivia DeSimone gets around West Islip's Caitlin Messina in the first quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game on Saturday Sayville's Sofia Cangelosi moves the ball in the first quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game against West Islip on Saturday Sayville's Sophia Buffardi looks to pass in the first quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game against West Islip on Saturday Sayville's Sophia Buffardi gets around West Islip's Eva Klimatas in the first quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game on Saturday Sayville's Olivia Razzano and West Islip's Sophia Barba looks to get control of the ball in the third quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game on Saturday Sayville's Morgan Farrell gets around West Islip's Francesca Tofano and scores in the second quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game on Saturday Sayville's Carley Cangelosi moves the ball in the first quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game against West Islip on Saturday Sayville's Dylan McNamara and West Islip's Sam McCormick battle for the ball in the first quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game on Saturday Sayville's Morgan Farrell and Jenna Messina celebrates Farrell’s goal in the first quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game on Saturday Sayville's Olivia Razzano gets around West Islip's Francesca Tofano in the fourth quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game on Saturday Sayville's Julia Lilienthal plays the ball in the second quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game against West Islip on Saturday Sayville's Olivia DeSimone moves the ball in the fourth quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game against West Islip on Saturday Sayville's Dylan McNamara looks to get around West Islip's Alexandra Livingston in the fourth quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game on Saturday Sayville's Sophia Vario looks to get around West Islip's Caitlyn Vail in the third quarter during a Suffolk girls lacrosse game on Saturday 2024 at 6:36 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Find out where you can find real Christmas trees this season NY — If you’re planning to put up a live Christmas tree this year it’s a good idea to scope out what will be available from Sayville and Bayport area tree growers There are more than 16,000 Christmas tree farms in the United States Larger tree farms control about 75 percent of the supply but if you’re interested in supporting a local business this holiday season here are some places to chop or pick out a tree within driving distance of Bay Shore: Recent data from the American Christmas Tree Association’s 2024 Consumer Report shows 99 percent of survey respondents intend to display at least one Christmas tree in their homes this year According to PickYourOwnChristmasTree a typical 7-foot tree would cost about $90.Years of extreme weather — drought conditions in some parts of the country and excess moisture in others — have affected Christmas tree farms where tree farmers are struggling under severe drought conditions that are killing off young trees and could cause future shortages According to the U.S. Drought Monitor about a fourth of the region was in severe to extreme drought It typically takes a tree seven or eight years to grow to the desirable height for decorating “Christmas tree farms in the Northeast have, unfortunately, been hit with drought conditions that will impact the crop for several years to come,” American Christmas Tree Association executive director Jami Warner told CNN “While consumers will be able to find their Christmas trees this season some growers in the Northeast will not be able to harvest as many trees as they have in past non-drought years,” Warner said Executive Circle Awards Uncle Giuseppe’s signs lease for Bohemia space  Sign up for your daily digest of Long Island Business News Listen to this article Long Island Business News has announced that it has chosen this year’s winn[...] The financial landscape of Long Island continues to evolve through the leadership of the remarkable [...] Long Island’s business landscape contains a remarkable tapestry of organizations that have stood t[...] Celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month by showcasing the extraordinary wo[...] Listen to this article Lorraine Gregory Communications will be holding a blood drive at its Edgewood[...] Long Island lost 3,100 construction jobs year-over-year in March ending a 12-month streak of gains,[...] Kids Empire and My Gym are opening at Mayfair Shopping Center in Commack Chick-fil-A opens its 12th Long Island location in East Meadow creating 80 jobs and supporting loca[...] Realty Three plans $120M South Village at Station Crossings with 273 rentals Amazon plans to purchase 26.7 acres of Massapequa’s Sunrise Mall site to build a new South Shore d[...] Our mission at Long Island Business News is to be the vital business news and advertising source to Long Island’s most influential readers Get our free LIBN e-alerts & breaking news notifications Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions