Coach Bernard Greene played baseball as a kid growing up in Wyandanch as part of a Police Athletic League program It’s been decades since Wyandanch youth have heard those sounds in their community but Bernard Greene is determined to make the iconic echoes of baseball a fixture there has put together a group of more than 50 kids ages 4 to 14 whom he coaches across four age-based baseball teams They are playing exhibition games with teams in neighboring communities but the goal is to eventually form an official Little League program in Wyandanch “It needs to be revived in our community,” he said of youth baseball controls the establishment of teams and keeps them limited within a geographic area Because there is a Half Hollow Hills league in nearby Dix Hills Efforts can be made to form Wyandanch's own league and prove that it’s sustainable enough to earn its own Little League charter the area’s district administrator for the league and president of the Half Hollow Hills team “There’s a lot of analyzation that goes on before they say we’re ready to make you a chartered Little League,'” Muraco said adding that it could take a few years before the Wyandanch program is established “This is the first time that Wyandanch has really put in a good effort to get one.” played baseball as a kid growing up in Wyandanch as part of a Police Athletic League program which “kept us busy and out of the streets,” he said The couple ended up spending about $53,000 of their own money to build that league forgoing vacations and other personal expenses to get it off the ground “The teams are not going to do so well if they’re not brought up playing these sports,” Greene said “They get to the high school and then they get beat up on and they’re going to quit.” but got help from the Town of Babylon’s Local Development Corp. which donated $30,000 toward team uniforms and equipment and to help keep registration fees low “There’s been a need for a Little League in Wyandanch for years,” said Marlon Marshall deputy commissioner for the town’s parks department who has been helping to establish the league “When you think of Wyandanch sports for youth There is no varsity baseball team at Wyandanch High School The Wyandanch school district has a junior varsity baseball program and has been trying to build a varsity program “It’s kind of tough when you don’t have a Little League in the community,” he said “The kids really aren’t playing organized baseball or learning the skills until they get to middle school or high school.” Davis said he tried to start a middle school baseball team last year but didn’t have enough kids this time with the hope of getting some of Greene’s players Greene hopes his teams become part of a “feeder program” for the school district “They might not make it to play with the professionals but it might get them a scholarship to help them get a college degree,” he said Greene admits that baseball was initially a hard sell to the kids The teams started training in February and have played a handful of exhibition games against other teams such as those from Brentwood and Deer Park Giovannette Greene said the effort is about something more She said she found out some of the kids were dealing with food insecurity when one boy told her his stomach hurt from hunger because he had little food at home even if it’s just a snack and something to drink.” Parents watching a recent practice at Herman Griem Park in Wheatley Heights praised the league and the impact it’s had on their children “I love seeing the improvement in him and he loves to play,” said Jose Corea Corea even made a deal with his son: You can continue to play if you improve your grades is a pitcher and third baseman who said he’s started watching professional baseball videos to improve “I like to get people out and help my team out,” he said of his love of pitching the kids encouraged each other and expressed delight when they connected bat to ball or fielded a hit “It gives them pride to be part of something,” Greene said You never know what’s going to grab your heart.” Coach Bernard Greene watches a play at the plate Updated 44 minutes ago Off-campus gunfire has H.S Get more on these and other NewsdayTV stories The Newsday app makes it easier to access content without having to log in Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months Wright has been named Wyandanch schools' new superintendent Credit: The Wyandanch Union Free School District A new Wyandanch schools superintendent has been named to lead the district which has been overseen by interim chiefs since 2023 Wright was appointed by the school board Tuesday and will take over the role June 1 according to a news release announcing his hire Wright to the Wyandanch family,” school board president James Crawford said in the release “His experience in educational leadership and his student-centered approach makes him the ideal choice to lead our district forward.” Wright has more than 28 years of experience working in public education most recently as associate superintendent for Yonkers Public Schools he oversaw 16 principals and districtwide programs in areas such as English Language Arts The longtime educator has also held leadership positions in the upstate Beacon City School District as assistant superintendent of curriculum and student support executive director of curriculum and instruction and principal of J.V Get the latest updates on how education is changing in your district By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy Wright was a Head Start educator and founding principal of The Academy of the Arts in the Bronx He earned a bachelor's degree in social sciences from Binghamton University a masters in educational administration and supervision from Baruch College in Manhattan and a doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Russell Sage College who was hired on an interim basis last summer to replace another temporary superintendent who came on board after former Superintendent Gina Talbert left to lead the Amityville district Aronstein previously said he would work to stabilize the district as it looked for a permanent superintendent to take over after his one-year term The district has faced challenges in recent years, including grade-fixing allegations that resulted in three administrators being reassigned during the fall of 2023. The district has also had a state fiscal monitor since April 2020 Darwin Yanes is a native Long Islander and Stony Brook University graduate who covers education He previously covered the Town of North Hempstead Taniesha Russell drove more than three hours each way to bring her daughter from Maryland to Wyandanch to see Buster Bunny — an Easter Bunny with brown fur meant to give families options beyond Easter Bunnies with white fur "I’ve been searching for a brown bunny for a few years," says Russell She saw Buster Bunny featured on TikTok and says she decided it was worth the trip "I wanted my daughter to know there were also brown bunnies." Buster Bunny will be indoors at Wyandanch Plaza through Easter Sunday Families are required to make an appointment in advance online for 15-minute sessions with the bunny multicolored tie and colorful light-up eyeglasses "This is what we would call Long Island’s chocolate bunny," says Philana Aiken "Everywhere you go there’s a white bunny I think it’s very important for us to have options and diversity." COST Packages start at $45 for 15 minutes with the bunny and two digital photos INFO 631-578-0097, phenomenalreflectionsstudio.square.site Participants don’t stand in line and take one photo with Buster Buster interacts with the families during their 15-minute sessions A photographer takes a variety of photos with different backgrounds according to the chosen package Packages start at $45 for two hires digital photos taken by a professional photographer Participants can't take their own photos Made for Long Island parents to find local and Buster choose a new pose for their Easter photos had her photo taken with her cousin Jayden Dennis Raine says she likes visiting Buster each year And the pictures always come out beautiful." She says she’ll be urging her son and Raine to return each year let’s continue the tradition until you guys are tired of going.’" Russell says she wound up purchasing the biggest package of photos of Teighan "I’m not going to choose — give me all of them," she says she told Aiken "This is our first year," she says "but we are definitely coming back." Interns involved in one of Starflower Experiences' programs plant potatoes in the garden at Milton L Olive Middle School in Wyandanch last week Two Long Island nonprofits have received state grants for projects ranging from educating the community on "sustainable" living to assessing the impact of various forms of pollution and seeking ways to reduce it The Long Beach Latino Civic Association and Wyandanch-based Starflower Experiences were two Long Island recipients among 21 community-based organizations around the state that have received the state Department of Environmental Conservation's Environmental Justice Community Impact Grants “DEC’s Community Impact Grants support the crucial work of people on the ground working tirelessly to lift up their communities and provide a healthier more sustainable future,” DEC acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in a statement The Long Beach group was awarded  $100,000 over four years and Starflower Experiences will receive $70,100 "We're working on a community-led project that will test water air and soil," said Helen Dorado Alessi the Long Beach group's executive director She said a section of Long Beach called North Park an "environmental justice area," is where there was once an incinerator and there are concerns about the potential for a higher risk of cancer The Long Beach project also seeks to conduct health screenings and provide support services and education to residents to improve public health "We're going to be doing the testing," Alessi said in an interview "We will have a company come out and test the soils." Some community members will also be trained to conduct testing Alessi said the community "will be involved in the very beginning" and queried about their questions and concerns She said the grant will cover not only the testing but surveying of residents Educating residents is also part of the program called Pollution Mitigation Leads to Health Benefits Educating young people is a goal of Starflower Experiences' Sustainable Wyandanch Interns program "We're an education organization focusing on our relationship with the Earth we'll be meeting with them and putting them in educational workshops about what sustainability is environmental kinds of things," Farber said Farber said the first group comprises 13 young people maybe even some adults." The end goal "was to have a group of trained people to do this community service and take on some tasks we like to see happening in this community," such as establishing more community gardens composting and finding ways to reduce food waste She said Wyandanch is "downwind of a heavy industrial area," citing concerns about pollution affecting asthma rates "Not enough people know how bad it really is — the throwing away of plastics I feel like it's not talked about enough and we're not educated in school about it either." Updated 45 minutes ago Off-campus gunfire has H.S after a monthslong battle with her landlord and a journey through a maze of Long Island red tape While her family celebrates having heat in their Wyandanch home is facing a criminal charge of unlawful eviction An investigation determined that the oil burner in her home had been shut off in December it would be a crime to shut off heat in order to drive out tenants The lack of heat left Mejia’s family of five sleeping near their two space heaters as wind chills made the temperature outside feel like single digits Daytime temperatures inside the home dipped as low as 49 degrees probably like the worst Christmas or the worst New Year's that we've ever had," said Mejia’s son Saul Antonio Paz Mejia a senior at Central Islip Senior High School who plans to study engineering in college "we didn't spend that much time in the house." It took from October until January to restore service other than a nine-day period in mid-December The difficulties faced by Mejia and her family — husband Saul Paz Garcia ages 16 and 21 — highlight hardships renters can encounter despite New York’s strong tenant protections Restoring heat to Mejia’s home involved social workers nonprofit housing counselors and attorneys Town of Babylon code enforcement and Suffolk County health officials The situation remained largely unresolved for months until Newsday made calls to officials in January executive director of the nonprofit Long Island Housing Services in Bohemia Newsday first inquired about the case on Jan Suffolk police charged Samuel with unlawful eviction on Jan "We are very pleased that action has finally been taken," Wilder said But the case demonstrates "systemic failure" by police and other government officials The Suffolk Police Department is reissuing a training memorandum to officers about state law on illegal evictions police spokeswoman Dawn Schob said in an email The police investigation into Mejia's situation showed her landlord was responsible for delivery of heating oil and maintaining the oil burner and tenants were responsible for "all utilities except oil," Schob said Samuel is due in district court in Central Islip in February Samuel said the tenants were responsible for paying for heat "We’re trying to fix the heat," he had told Newsday "We're going through the proper system [to get a court order to evict them] .. but we're still doing everything that we can to help them out." He referred further questions to his attorney in the civil eviction case 14 that his client had been acting lawfully "The parties in good faith agreed to resolve" the civil eviction case "He’s got his own financial issues." Nugent said he was not representing Samuel in the criminal case did not know if Samuel had retained an attorney for the case and could not comment about the charge Samuel declined Newsday's request for comment Mejia’s family moved into the three-bedroom house in June forcing the family to boil water to bathe themselves The situation was especially stressful for their daughters since the 16-year-old has autism and the 21-year-old has disabilities due to a brain tumor the family filed a complaint with the Town of Babylon and officials advised them to contact the county health department and Long Island Housing Services The town gave the landlord a summons for lacking a rental permit Samuel sent Mejia and her husband an eviction notice dated Oct the family started complaining to Suffolk police a police officer came to the house and told them they should call when the landlord was home they called police when the landlord visited the house but by the time the officer arrived the landlord had left a police officer "spoke with the landlord and the landlord told him that he needed a part and that was the reason the heating system was not working and he had to empty the oil tank," Mejia and Garcia said in court papers The couple called that an "excuse" in court papers and wrote "The police officer suggested we bring the landlord to court." and early the next month Samuel filed the eviction case in court The state's new Tenant Dignity and Safe Housing Act gives renters the right to sue landlords over unsafe conditions  Lawmakers left out Long Island because some legislative staffers worried that a technical element of it — having to do with Long Island’s unusual district courts — might violate the state constitution according to a representative for one of the bill’s sponsors Long Island tenants who lose heat have little recourse but to stop paying rent and wait for the landlord to file an eviction case a managing attorney with the Empire Justice Center Landlords "cannot discontinue essential services such as heat or electricity or hot water" to force renters out the family called police at least six times Mejia and Garcia said in a sworn affidavit they filed in the civil eviction case But Suffolk police "did very little to compel the landlord to restore the heat," the couple said but the officer did not ask Samuel to turn on the heat and hot water an officer went to Samuel's address but "found that this was the landlord's brother's address," the couple said The officer contacted the county health department and an inspector visited the home county health inspectors visited at least nine times They recorded inside temperatures as low as 49 degrees referred the case to supervisors and repeatedly ordered next-day re-inspections but the officer told them "nothing could be done and we had to go to court," the couple said in their affidavit 14 court hearing on the civil eviction case in Second District Court in Lindenhurst Samuel agreed to maintain heat and hot water and waive the $2,100 monthly rent from November on Judge Kenneth Lauri approved the settlement because they were charging us a bit over $5,100," Mejia said in Spanish "We were afraid because we don’t have that amount city and district courts issued more than 33,700 civil eviction orders last year including 2,634 in Nassau and 4,304 in Suffolk The numbers do not include courts in towns in which landlords faced criminal charges of unlawful eviction The analysis included cases in which unlawful eviction was the top charge Suffolk police said its officers handled 55 allegedly illegal evictions last year and made 11 arrests Officers are trained to make referrals to landlord-tenant court and mediation services The state's Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act makes it a crime to shut off essential services if it’s intended to force tenants out A 2022 memo from state Attorney General Letitia James urged police to treat such cases as crimes rather than civil landlord-tenant disputes police rarely use that law to charge landlords or compel them to restore utilities according to tenant advocates and landlord representatives It’s "very rare" for landlords to face criminal charges for illegal evictions "There are typically conflicting allegations of who is responsible and it's a matter that needs to be determined" in court a former landlord and president of the Coalition of Landlords said when he gets calls from landlords who want to evict tenants "You can’t just take the law into your own hands," he said "and that’s what a lot of landlords have done." Mejia remains troubled it took so long to get help "Many families are going through similar or worse things than me," she said in Spanish "Sometimes they're afraid of retaliation suffering without heat and nobody listening to us From breaking news to special features and documentaries the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you The home the Mejia family rents in Wyandanch the family was forced to boil water to bathe The family received this eviction notice in October Xiomara's name is misspelled in the document The Suffolk County health inspection on Dec 6 noted temperatures in the bedrooms dropped to 49 degrees Long Island landlords faced criminal charges of unlawful eviction 53 times in a five-year period ending in 2024 In a sworn affidavit they filed in the civil eviction case Xiomara Mejia and Saul Paz Garcia said they called police at least six times They gave this account of the police response: 14: An officer "advised me that I must call the police when the landlord was at home so they could speak with him and pressure him to turn on hot water and heating services." 28: The family called police when the landlord was at the house "the landlord had already left." 29: A police officer spoke with the landlord who told them he needed a part for the boiler The officer "suggested we bring the landlord to court." 1: The officer "did not do anything and did not even ask the landlord to put the hot water and the heat on." 4: A police officer "who was kind to us" went to the landlord's address but "found out that this was the landlord's brother's address." The officer contacted the county health department 7: A police officer "advised me that nothing could be done and we had to go to court." 13 sworn affidavit by Saul Paz Garcia and Xiomara Mejia  Maura McDermott is a reporter on the investigations desk she has also covered real estate and the business of health care Unionized beer delivery workers strike outside Manhattan Beer Distributors company in Wyandanch on Tuesday Hundreds of Long Island beer delivery workers in Wyandanch along with their counterparts across New York City went on strike Tuesday against one of the biggest regional beer distributors over alleged unfair labor practices and a pension dispute Distribution and Food Service Joint Board Workers United Manhattan Beer & Beverage Distributors were in the process of negotiating a new three-year contract roughly 600 delivery and warehouse workers at four locations "A small committee of union members has decided to proceed with this strike without putting forth our offer to a vote of the full membership,” Simon Bergson founder and CEO of Manhattan Beer said in a statement Tuesday “It is disappointing that the union has encouraged a strike without presenting this offer to its members.” retail and all things business across Long Island “We are working for a swift resolution and hope for minimal disruption of services," Bergson said is the company’s attempts to move from a pension plan to a 401(k) plan Arroyo said employees are negotiating to increase the company's contribution to pensions by $1.50 an hour the company was speaking to employees about potential changes to the plan without the union's bargaining committee being present giving them information without the union and without the bargaining committee trying to convince them and confuse them to give up their pensions for a 401(k),” Arroyo said the union filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board alleging unfair labor practices on the part of Manhattan Beer The NLRB oversees union elections and adjudicates in matters concerning labor rights Wyandanch workers deliver beer to Long Island grocery stores restaurants and large retailers like Costco a shop steward who has worked at the Wyandanch facility for 17 years said bargaining on the new contract — which began in March — has been stymied by the company's push for a 401(k) system "We’re not willing to let that go." Manhattan Beer & Beverage Distributors has over 350 trucks over 1 million square feet of warehouse space The company distributes well-known beer brands such as Corona Suffolk police respond to a reported shooting in Wyandanch in August New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office has opened an investigation into the death of a man in the custody of Suffolk police last year The Office of Special Investigations launched the investigation into the Aug 1 death of Henry Sanders in Wyandanch after receiving new information about the case the attorney general said in a news release The attorney general’s office declined to discuss Sanders’ cause of death or the new information It also declined to comment when asked if foul play may be involved in Sanders’ death filed a notice of claim in October saying they intend to file a suit against the county and the Suffolk police department Family lawyers said community members saw her son having a medical crisis while the two officers restrained Sanders and used excessive force said in a joint statement it was a “homicidal encounter with law enforcement.” According to the attorney general’s office Suffolk County police responded to a store at North 15th Street and Merritt Avenue following multiple 911 calls at approximately 10:22 a.m the officers found Sanders and took him into custody politics and crime stories in Suffolk County Suffolk police declined to comment on Monday’s announcement or the notice of claim the Office of Special Investigation conducts a preliminary assessment in situations where police officers correction officers and other law enforcement officials may have caused a death If the Office of Special Investigation determines an officer may have caused a death it launches a full investigation of the incident Michael O'Keeffe covers Suffolk County police and other Long Island law enforcement agencies He is an award-winning journalist and the co-author of two books,"The Card" and "American Icon." Jessica Saravia engages her fourth-grade class in a lesson on "re-thinking" at Martin Luther King Jr wanted her fourth-grade students to grasp was “re-thinking.” she wanted them to identify emotions felt by a girl named Annie who was disappointed with a gift from her grandma: a shirt with a cartoon character she liked years ago but no longer “How did she feel?” Saravia asked the fourth-graders on a recent Friday morning Some drew a girl’s face with a frown on their handout paper Saravia’s class was part of a pilot program funded by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports to teach students how to make better choices and hence reduce impulsive Wyandanch was the first district in the state to implement the program The idea of primary prevention is “going in before somebody starts substance use,” said Jaclyn Marro director of clinical services at Hope For Youth an Amityville-based nonprofit that offers training to Wyandanch staff a variety of triggers happen in early childhood,” Marro said “That's why when we're looking at primary prevention going to pre-K The new initiative in Wyandanch comprises four programs in the district’s schools covering students from pre-K through high school There’s also a program for parents and an early intervention program for substance use among students which provides services for Long Island children and families including outpatient therapy and diagnostic and emergency residential services Research has shown that effective social-emotional learning improves students’ academic performance reduces problematic behaviors and decreases emotional distress The idea is that these skills — such as how to manage emotions set goals and appreciate the perspectives of others — help students when they interact with their peers or face obstacles Many of these programs can also help prevent risky behaviors that lead to substance use or bullying The budget for the Wyandanch program is $300,000 for three years associate commissioner for prevention at the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Zuber-Wilson said the state saw the program as “an opportunity” to work with Wyandanch to address some of its challenges About 93% of the district’s 2,600 students were considered economically disadvantaged and the district’s graduation rate is lower than the state average the pilot expanded to Brocton schools in upstate New York Zuber-Wilson said earlier in the fall that the state is still collecting data and monitoring the Wyandanch program before determining its effectiveness Educators said the program starts with young children so the lessons can build upon one another as students grow Those foundational skills could be delivered through puppet talks with pre-kindergarteners about identifying emotions up through discussing substance use and prevention with high schoolers they can really make those positive decisions,” Quinn said the bilingual teacher reminded her students in English and Spanish that Annie hadn’t seen her grandma in two years and that the older woman probably didn’t know what she likes Because she had to … What was the word that we talked about today?” Saravia asked Jerimiah Webb of Wyandanch puts up a game-winning three-point point buzzer-beater during a Suffolk League V boys basketball game against Amityville on Tuesday at Wyandanch The play broke down and Wyandanch was now scrambling on its home court to get off one last shot with time running out and Amityville clinging to a two-point edge But Wyandanch had something going for it out there amid the chaos so the ball is going to be in my hand,” Jerimiah Webb said The basketball did indeed wind up with the 5-11 senior point guard on the right side He saw the clock and flung the ball toward the basket so he had to adjust,” Wyandanch coach Barry Baker Jr Webb’s buzzer-beating three gave Wyandanch a 57-56 win Tuesday in a Suffolk League V boys basketball thriller that’s that clutchest shot we’ve had all season Clutch scored nine of his game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter in his second season with Wyandanch after moving on from Brentwood had scored his 1,000th varsity point Saturday vs He’s averaging 22 points for a first-place team outstanding job,” Amityville coach Jack Agostino said He’s done an amazing job getting them to play together Webb thinks this group can win a county championship in Class AA after reaching the semis in A last season I don’t think no other team is together like us.” who said he plans on going the junior college route next season Webb fed Tyrie Pinnock for a layup — Wyandanch by one Amityville’s standout junior guard headed down the lane and turned the trip into a three-point play with 31.2 seconds remaining giving him 16 and Amityville the two-point lead “Jerimiah Webb is one of the best players on Long Island,” Agostino said “This is a great motivational booster to be in games like this,” Baker said We’re going to carry this throughout the season.” Tyrie Pinnock of Wyandanch drains a three-pointer to give his team a 41-39 lead with five minutes remaining in the third quarter of a Suffolk League V boys basketball game against host Amityvilleon Thursday Tyrie Pinnock may fly under the radar at times but the Wyandanch boys basketball team knows his true value the 6-3 junior forward loudly put his stamp on Wyandanch’s 72-59 victory Pinnock had a season-high 19 points – including a layup to make it 68-57 with 1:16 left and a dunk to bring it to 70-59 with 30 seconds left – 14 rebounds and two blocks which had already clinched the outright Suffolk League V title finished the regular season with a perfect league record “Tyrie’s been doing this all season,” Wyandanch coach Barry Baker said “He’s just one of those guys that’s doing all the dirty work but tonight he showcased his ability and what he’s capable of doing.” bring me up … consistently telling me keep my head up Junior forward Joshua Presmy had 20 points “[Pinnock’s] kind of a behind-the-scenes guy but he does all the dirty work,” Amityville coach Jack Agostino said Senior forward Taki Mason scored 23 points and junior guard Amir Dickerson scored 16 for Amityville (13-6 DaJon Clinton’s putback cut Amityville’s deficit to 63-57 with 2:04 left Webb answered with a three-point play with 1:45 left and an assist on Pinnock’s layup that made it an 11-point advantage with 1:16 remaining Wyandanch trailed 35-32 at halftime but opened the third quarter on an 11-4 run Pinnock hit a three – just his second of the season – to give Wyandanch a lead it never relinquished at 41-39 with five minutes left in the third quarter Wyandanch is in a strong spot to earn the top seed in the Suffolk Class AA postseason It searches for its first county title since 2019 we’re hanging out with each other outside of school and all of that Olive Middle School in Wyandanch received a letter from the school: Their child was failing two or more core courses and their promotion to the next grade was in jeopardy the students “must attend” a five-week-long program at the school called “Spring Credit Recovery Evening Academy,” the letter said Scores of students in grades 6-8 were enrolled in the program But investigators the Wyandanch school board hired months later found that the program did not comply with state standards and the course grades of at least 47 students who were in the program had been changed according to findings from a report submitted to the board this past April Those changes were made not necessarily based on performance but whatever numerical grade would allow the student to pass the course "It is not clear how many of these 47 students actually demonstrated the proficiency to be advanced to the next course," wrote investigators with the law firm Bond which has offices in Garden City and Melville What’s also unclear is how many of the eighth-graders among the nearly four dozen students went on to attend high school when they may not have demonstrated the proficiency to graduate from middle school sheds light on the details of the investigation into alleged grade-fixing at the middle school problems with the credit recovery program at the heart of the probe and the roles allegedly played by three administrators who were reassigned to work from home last fall Newsday obtained a redacted copy of the report months after filing a Freedom of Information Law request The names of those interviewed by investigators were redacted Schoeneck & King interviewed 27 people and reviewed hundreds of pages of documentation The district paid Bond, Schoeneck & King $151,231 to conduct the investigation. In 2023-24, the three administrators’ pay totaled $549,191, according to a Newsday analysis of educators' pay that district employees inflated Regents exams scores Two of the three reassigned administrators Assistant Principal Kimberly Clinton and Christine Jordan the district’s assistant superintendent for administrative and instructional accountability They were reinstated by a new superintendent in July Interim Superintendent Larry Aronstein said the two are "doing a wonderful job" and he's "very pleased" with their performance The other reassigned administrator, Principal Shannon Burton, was reinstated at the same time as Clinton and Jordan but resigned in September before pleading guilty to disorderly conduct last month in connection to an incident where he allegedly threatened an ex-girlfriend's boyfriend Clinton and Jordan did not respond to multiple requests for comment Investigators determined that the reassigned administrators "participated in the entry of illegitimate course grades for students.” Two interim superintendents in charge of the district reached drastically different decisions on what to do with the three administrators Former interim Superintendent Arlise Carson who led the district for the 2023-24 school year that ended in June the day after he took charge of the district declined to comment on why she recommended termination Carson sent the district a notice of her intent to file a lawsuit against it seeking $1.5 million in damages and citing emotional economical and reputational losses when the board denied her a contract to become permanent superintendent Aronstein said the credit recovery program was well intended but not well developed “It was a concept without a plan,” he said Much of the investigation centered on the program It rose out of the ambition of a new principal who said his goal was to make the district better than “Dix Hills Islip and Manhasset" when he interviewed with the school board for the leadership role according to interview notes included in the report Burton said he intended to do so by “removing the stigma" associated with the Wyandanch community by "raising the bar,” according to the same interview notes Burton was hired in July 2022. In 2022-23, the middle school had about 580 students and 94% of them were considered economically disadvantaged. Students there mostly performed below state averages when it comes to proficiency in tests, according to state assessment data The district itself has been under state monitorship since 2020 had worked in Yonkers public schools from 2000 through 2010 his certificates to work as an administrator and teach math in grades 7-12 were still effective the school was to recruit 18 teachers and an administrator according to budget plans included in the report Each teacher was budgeted for $45 an hour for 30 hours which translated to a five-week program with three days each week and two hours each of those days the letter went out to parents to enroll students in the program The state Education Department does not specify how a makeup credit program should run but stated that it shall ensure students receive “equivalent, intensive” instruction in the subject area The Wyandanch program was to close learning gaps as the school noted in the letter to parents What the parents didn’t know was how it was going to do that teachers said they had no curriculum and minimal guidance from Burton on what students were supposed to accomplish One teacher said it functioned like a “study hall” where he or she did not teach but monitored as students finished their homework from their classroom teachers Others described it as after-school extra help or a tutoring session according to interview notes from the report the sole metric was that students attend the sessions which then conferred to a passing grade for the program according to the same interview notes from the report In an email to teachers sent in May 2023 under the subject of “Have Fun With Credit Recovery,” Burton asked the teachers to provide work for the students to complete according to a copy of the email included in the report was directed to change numerical grades that were part of the overall course grades so that students who passed the credit recovery program would pass the overall course was not based upon a student’s performance but “whatever number would allow the student to receive a passing grade for the overall course,” the report said It took a school staff member to notice that grades had been changed in the system called Infinite Campus The staff member had prepared a chart with students in danger of retainment and discovered the discrepancies when she compared the grades in her chart versus those in Infinite Campus according to interview notes included in the report No parents made any inquiries about the changed grades according to interview notes in the report raised issues when they received conflicting guidance from school officials asked the school why their son was required to attend summer school when the student successfully completed the credit recovery program Gina Talbert was Wyandanch’s superintendent prior to leaving that summer to lead Amityville schools she said she “did not authorize any improprieties by district team members.” “During my tenure I was certain to ensure all students had the opportunities and resources needed to thrive,” her statement read the staff member who noticed the grade changes requested a meeting with the school board to report the discrepancies Carson reassigned the three administrators to home The state Education Department had no comment Friday beyond saying that it takes allegations of misconduct against educators seriously but does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations to "protect the fairness and integrity" of its processes which had only six trustees beginning in June when then-board president Jarod Morris was ousted from his seat State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa last week annulled the board’s action to remove Morris and reinstated him to his position Rosa’s ruling came Monday after Morris filed an appeal The board had voted to remove Morris after a hearing officer found that Morris disclosed confidential information to a district employee Rosa did not weigh in on the alleged misconduct but said in a ruling the hearing officer and the school board erred resulting in a hearing where Morris was absent and could not cross-examine witnesses or introduce evidence in his defense The middle school now has an acting principal who was an assistant principal at Wyandanch Memorial High School and a former middle school principal in the Amityville district The Wyandanch district is still searching for a permanent superintendent But what happened in the spring of 2023 is in the past "We moved on from there," he said Interim Superintendent Larry Aronstein at a Wyandanch school board meeting in July Then-interim Superintendent Arlise Carson at a Wyandanch school board meeting in September 2023 Amityville’s Anayah Hampton sprints into the end zone for the first touchdown of the game against Wyandanch in a Suffolk flag football game at Wyandanch on Tuesday Amityville did not believe it played its best brand of flag football in the frigid But it still made the necessary plays to earn a much-needed victory showing palpable growth in their first win in two weeks Amityville’s defense did not surrender a point Alana Henry threw two touchdown passes – a 3-yard pass to Anayah Hampton and an 8-yard toss to Sydney Carter – and Beverley Polelomon had a timely 59-yard touchdown run in a 20-2 road triumph in a Suffolk League II game “It feels great to get a win because we desperately need a win,” Amityville coach Bill Maisel said We are a 10 times better football team than what we showed today “We got to clean a lot of things up going down the road We still have a possibility to be a playoff contender Amityville (2-4) picked up momentum right before halftime Henry connected with Hampton for both a touchdown and one-point conversion to give Amityville a 7-0 lead with 1:06 left in the first half Wyandanch (0-6) cut it to 7-2 with 16:33 left in the game after Amityville fumbled a handoff exchange in its own end zone including a 38-yard fourth-down pass from Nyasia Murphy to Roselyn Sanchez to get to the Amityville 10 but Imani Brown's  flag pull forced a turnover on downs Polelomon’s touchdown run and a one-point pass from Henry to Hampton gave Amityville a 14-2 edge with 6:27 left “But I felt a little faint because I kept running so much Jaelle Aiken had an interception and 20-yard return to the Wyandanch 5 on the next play Henry’s touchdown pass to Carter brought the score to its final margin with 3:37 left “We're getting better every game,” Maisel said “We're starting to really act like a team … You’re standing out here but you're still here cheering on your team This is a very close-knit and special group.” has reached a tentative deal with unionized delivery workers to end a strike over alleged unfair labor practices and a pension dispute the company and the union confirmed Thursday About 600 delivery and warehouse workers in Wyandanch and across New York City went on a strike Tuesday after contract negotiations between Bronx-based beer distribution company, Manhattan Beer & Beverage Distributors, and Distribution and Food Service Joint Board Workers United, the union representing delivery workers, fell apart, Newsday previously reported The strike slowed beverage delivery to restaurants were picketed across at Wyandanch and Manhattan Beer's other locations in the city The union confirmed that negotiations were completed at around 3:15 a.m Thursday morning and that workers kept their pensions a key sticking point that led to the strike we can accomplish things no one expects," a spokesperson told Newsday "We’re pleased to announce we’ve reached an agreement and the strike is over," Manhattan Beer Distributors said in a statement Neither the company nor the union elaborated on specifics of the agreement Union representatives told Newsday on Tuesday that the union authorized the strike was due to the Manhattan Beer Distributors' attempts after the beer distributor sought to move the employees from a pension plan to a 401(k) plan co-manager of the delivery workers' union said then workers were negotiating to increase the company's contribution to pensions by $1.50 an hour and alleged that Manhattan Beer had been dealing with workers directly to negotiate their pensions without members of the bargaining committee present trying to convince them and confuse them to give up their pensions for a 401(k),” Arroyo said Tuesday Manhattan Beer Distributors has over 350 trucks and facilities in Wyandanch They distribute over 300 brands including Corona Santa James will meet and greet visitors in Wyandanch this holiday season Credit: Philana Aiken of Phenomenal Reflection A very special Santa Claus is coming to town this holiday season as part of the Winter Wonderland at Wyandanch Plaza Santa Your Way of Coram is bringing Black Santa to the village "We are one of the only diverse holiday experiences on Long Island Our goal is to give the Black community an opportunity to have a Santa that looks like them," says Philana Aiken "There are many different ways that Santa was born and in our world we believe he was Black." Santa James will be assisted by the 5 Star Grynch in Wyandanch Santa James is his name and he is 100% authentic He loves all the kids in the community." Wyandanch; Community Tree Lighting: 6 p.m. photo packages $40-$175; The Rinx: $4 (kids 17 & under) $8 (adults) price includes skate rental; Community Tree Lighting: Free MORE INFO wyandanchplaza.org, Santa Your Way appointments: phenomenalreflectionsstudio.square.site Black Santa is known for dressing in style utilizing designers such as Daniel's Leather David Simon’s Natural Born Brand and Malik Dupri "We don’t use the traditional suit because Santa was also known for his fine robes," says Aiken we change his look to bring different styles to the table with grace He has a royal appearance with an olive green tone plus gold and white details as well as some fox fur." The music that plays in Santa’s workshop has more of an R&B flavor "We go from old school Motown like Michael Jackson to Mariah Carey to Chris Brown," says Aiken "It brings a different feel to it so they understand the culture behind Black Santa." Each booking ($25) must be done by appointment in advance only — no walk-ins including both photos and a special encounter with Santa "Everyone gets a chance to interact with Santa and tell him their Christmas list," says Aiken they come with their beautiful smiles and hugs." Professional photos are taken by Aiken who does a variety of poses "We don’t just do the standard sitting on Santa’s lap photos," she says "There are various options such as shots of them telling Santa what they want in his ear or reading a book with Santa." All the photos are digital and packages range from $40-$175 "We give them the copyright to the photos so they can make portraits ornaments or holiday cards," says Aiken Parents can record their child talking to Santa." the Rinx will open for the season offering free  ice-skating sessions for the whole community in the Wyandanch Plaza The oval-shaped rink holds up to 75 people with open benches along the sides and a concession stand selling cups of hot chocolate ($1) "The Rinx will play holiday music through each session," says Falischa Moss Programs and Activity Director for the Wyandanch Plaza Association "It gives off a nice warm holiday feel like an illuminated village." Holiday Productions of Shirley provides the lighting decor that will include up to 50,000 lights LED strobe trees in the center of the ice skating rink 9-foot nutcrackers and more," says Sean Henderson "These are high-end decorations you see in Rockefeller Center that we are bringing out to Wyandanch." Plans are in the works to have 10 little holiday shops outside the rink as well "Our small business owners are able to sell their winter items such as hats free hot chocolate and free photos with Santa (one digital shot each) from noon-4 p.m skating presentations will be made by skater Emmanuel Savary from the 2020 U.S Figure Skating Championships along with twin skaters Andrea and Selena Alphonse who won a gold medal at the 2022 National Solo Dance Finals there will be holiday characters walking around like Olaf the Grinch and Snow Angels on stilts for photo-ops a community tree lighting will take place at George Sims Plaza in Wyandanch "Children’s choirs from the First Church of Wyandanch Ministries Community Nazarene Church and True Life Church of God will each perform holiday carols," says Anne Stewart Site Coordinator for the EOC (Economic Opportunity Council) of Suffolk "The Wyandanch Fire Department brings Santa Claus who distributes candy canes to children." A presentation from Wyandanch High School’s marching band drum line is set to close out the event Amityville defeated Wyandanch in the Suffolk Class AA boys basketball semifinals on Monday Amityville guard Wes Flythe hits the layup for two points against Wyandanch in the Suffolk Class AA semifinals Amityville guard Amir Dickerson hits the game winning three point shot with 10.3 seconds left against Wyandanch in the Suffolk Class AA semifinals Amityville forward Taki Mason hits the layup against Wyandanch in the Suffolk Class AA semifinals Wyandanch guard Jerimiah Webb drives the paint for two points against Amityville in the Suffolk Class AA semifinals Amityville guard Amir Dickerson hits the layup against Wyandanch in the Suffolk Class AA semifinals Wyandanch guard Jayden Mack-Currie drives the baseline for two points against Amityville in the Suffolk Class AA semifinals Amityville forward Taki Mason hits the jump shot against Wyandanch in the Suffolk Class AA semifinals Scenes from a Suffolk League V boys basketball game between Wyandanch and host Amityville on Thursday looks to drive to the net as Christian Jean Charles of Wyandanch tries to stop him during a Suffolk League V boys basketball game at Amityville on Thursday looks score from inside the paint as Jayden Mack Currie of Wyandanch contests his drive during a Suffolk League V boys basketball game at Amityville on Thursday Joshua Presmy of Wyandanch shoots a jumper during a Suffolk League V boys basketball game against host Amityville on Thursday Tyrie Pinnock of Wyandanch drains a three-pointer to give his team a 41-39 lead with five minutes remaining in the third quarter of a Suffolk League V boys basketball game against host Amityville on Thursday Jerimiah Webb of Wyandanch goes up for a slam dunk during the third quarter of a Suffolk League V boys basketball game against host Amityville on Thursday and Wes Flythe of Amityville goes up for a rebound during the third quarter of a Suffolk League V boys basketball game against host Amityville on Thursday Hampton Bays sophomore Michael Single intercepts a pass Hampton Bays senior Hunter Halsey intercepts a pass Hampton Bays sophomore Michael Single had a big game on Friday night Hampton Bays senior Hunter Halsey holds the ball for sophomore Michael Single kicking an extra point after a touchdown Michael Single runs back the interception deep into Wyandanch territory Hampton Bays senior Nate Donahue gets loose Hampton Bays senior Kevin Saa Pacheco pairs up with a teammate for a tackle Hampton Bays head coach Sean Gil walks back to the sideline with a break in the action and his team up big in the second half on Friday night Hampton Bays sophomore Michael Single finds open room to run Hunter Halsey carried the Baymen flag onto the field just prior to the start of Friday night's homecoming game cheerleaders of all ages got to take part in Friday night's festivities Seymore tries to stretch out for a touchdown Junior lineman Peter Scelfo picks up sophomore Michael Single after scoring a touchdown Hampton Bays senior Nate Donahue stiff arms a Wyandanch defender Seymore scores the first touchdown of many for the Baymen on Friday night You've read 4 of your 7 free articles this month Please log in or create an account to continue reading Amityville defeated Wyandanch in a Suffolk flag football matchup on Tuesday Amityville’s Ahjaneake Beauford rushes up field against Wyandanch during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Amityville’s quarterback Alana Henry passes the ball against Wyandanch during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Amityville’s Beverley Polelomon rushes up field against Wyandanch during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Wyandanch’s Nyasia Murphy looks to pass against Amityville during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Amityville’s Anayah Hampton celebrates in the end zone after scoring the first touchdown of the game against Wyandanch during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Amityville’s Anayah Hampton sprints into the end zone for the first touchdown of the game during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Wyandanch’s Mia Hood runs up field against Amityville during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Wyandanch High School’s Mia Hood runs down field against Amityville High School during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Andrea Santos (#22 middle) and her Amityville teammates on the Amityville in the huddle before a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Wyandanch quarterback Nyasia Murphy scrambles down field against Amityville during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Wyandanch's Fatima Cabrera sprints down field against Amityville during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Amityville’s Jaelle Aiken intercepts a pass and runs towards the end zone against Wyandanch during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday Amityville’s Sydney Carter scores on the one point conversion against Wyandanch during a Suffolk flag football game on Tuesday A drive-by shooting left a man in critical condition and a woman with non-life-threatening injuries in Wyandanch on Friday evening one left critically wounded by a shot to the head while sitting inside a parked car in Wyandanch on Friday night took place on Winter Avenue near Washington Avenue at 11:17 p.m A 26-year-old man from Babylon and a 25-year-old woman from East Patchogue were inside the car parked on Winter Avenue when a vehicle pulled up alongside the passenger side and fired striking the man in the head and the woman in her right arm The woman drove to a hospital with the man Police ask anyone with information to contact First Squad detectives at 631-854-8152 or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS Updated 48 minutes ago Off-campus gunfire has H.S Olive Middle School Principal Shannon Burton last year the recently reinstated principal at Milton L was arrested and charged with aggravated harassment in connection with a phone call he made to a woman last month according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office faces one count of second-degree aggravated harassment made a threat and used language that made her “feel annoyed and in fear for her physical safety,” according to a complaint she filed with an officer from the NYPD's 19th Precinct whom the district attorney’s office did not name said she received approximately 15 other telephone calls from Burton from July 25 to 26 a White Plains-based attorney representing Burton “The allegations involve an entirely personal matter Burton expects to be absolved of the charges,” Pappalardo said in a statement to Newsday Larry Aronstein, interim superintendent of Wyandanch schools who reinstated Burton and two other administrators in early July said: “We are investigating the situation.” He declined to comment further Burton was arrested July 26 and arraigned in New York City Criminal Court in Manhattan the next day the Wyandanch district’s assistant superintendent for administrative and instructional accountability were accused last fall of inflating grades The three were reassigned to work from home last September citing an outside investigation that did not find evidence they tampered with Regents scores Other allegations against the administrators pertained to a credit recovery program at the middle school The superintendent said the program’s plan was not in full conformity with state regulations but the educators did not manipulate the grades as a former school board president had recounted Burton is scheduled to return to court on Sept 2024 at 8:15 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The man was pronounced dead in an area hospital NY — A man died in Wyandanch on Thursday after police found him half-naked and acting belligerent police received a 911 call reporting that the man police found the man naked from his waist down banging on a business window while acting irrational and agitated Rescue personnel then performed CPR on him The man was then transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip where he waspronounced dead His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin The New York State Attorney General’s Office was notified and responded to the scene Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives and the Internal Affairs Bureau are investigating Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Olive Middle School Principal Shannon Burton and two other administrators tampered with the scoring process of Regents tests was unfounded according to the district's superintendent Three Wyandanch administrators reassigned to work from home 10 months ago returned to school in July after a new superintendent reinstated them citing an investigation that did not find evidence they tampered with Regents scores Olive Middle School Principal Shannon Burton the district’s assistant superintendent for administrative and instructional accountability were accused last fall of inflating grades Then-interim Superintendent Arlise Carson reassigned them in September, and the school board hired Bond The three administrators worked from home with pay for the rest of the school year The most serious accusation was tampering with the scoring process of the Regents, and that was not supported by evidence, said Larry Aronstein, the district’s new interim superintendent who began working on July 1 Students in seventh and eighth grades can take Regents exams to earn credits as part of the graduation requirement and so they can make room in their schedules for more advanced courses and electives when they are in high school Other allegations against the administrators pertained to a credit recovery program at the middle school Former school board president Jarod Morris who attended a meeting where an investigating attorney reported findings to the school board before he was ousted in June said the three administrators “worked in concert” to change grades for about 48 eighth-graders who participated in the credit recovery program held in spring 2023 “They did not manipulate the grades,” Aronstein said in an interview on Monday “They followed the plan that had been developed thinking that it was in compliance with the state regulations.” Aronstein acknowledged that the plan was not in full conformity with state regulations “They put together a program in terms of credit recovery that went up the line and was approved in the central office at the time,” he said “The principal went and assumed that what he had put together Aronstein said he is writing a counseling memo for each of the three educators including a series of recommendations and an action plan students can make up credit for incomplete or failed coursework through credit recovery programs as long as they demonstrate mastery of the learning outcomes for the subject which could include passing Regents exams or other required assessment Morris told Newsday that the roughly four dozen students did little work in the program which ran after school from late April through late June in 2023 and were given a passing grade as long as they showed up He said students’ grades were changed by Clinton in a grading system He said he got that information from the briefing with the Bond Morris also spoke at a board meeting on July 24 repeating some of his account told to Newsday “Restoring persons who have done wrong to children — that is not the right thing to do,” Morris said in public comment after Aronstein gave his superintendent's report Aronstein said students who participated in the credit recovery program had their “final class grades adjusted to reflect their additional work.” “The investigation into the credit recovery program did not reveal any evidence that any teachers passed a student who had not properly earned credit for the course,” the statement read in part Aronstein clarified that “Not just the teachers either,” referring to the three administrators Aronstein said he reinstated the educators’ positions to work in the district on July 2 after he read the report by Bond Newsday has requested the investigation report under the Freedom of Information Law Clinton did not respond to a request for comment Jordan said in a phone call on July 16 that it’s a relief to be back “It was hard to not to see [my co-workers] everyday,” she said “It’s exciting to be back in a position where you can see them feeling you can make things happen for children Jordan referred questions about the investigation to her Manhattan-based attorney who said his client merely unlocked the grading system “at the directive of a building-level person either principal or an assistant principal.” “She's not a decision-maker in terms of whether grades should be changed the only thing she does with respect to this is to grant access and that granting of access is done pursuant to someone else's directive.” referred questions to Aronstein's statement Walker was elected president last month after three meetings where an evenly split board could not reach a consensus It took a newly composed board multiple tries for the six trustees to reach a compromise to split the one-year term into six-month segments where the opposing two sides have their pick to serve as president but Morris was removed from his seat in June over alleged official misconduct Morris was accused of disclosing confidential information to a district employee Morris filed an appeal with state Education Commissioner Betty A according to a state Education Department spokesman His request to be restored to his seat until the appeal process is completed was denied July 18 During the months the three educators were working from home was hired to fill Pelech's role at the middle school In 2022-23, Burton earned $188,604 a year, according to a Newsday analysis of educators' pay The figures for Clinton and Jordan were $153,919 and $193,366 "They did not manipulate the grades," said Wyandanch Superintendent Larry Aronstein Amityville guard Amir Dickerson hits the game winning three point shot with 10.3 seconds left against Wyandanch in the Suffolk class AA semifinals The scene was set for Amityville boys basketball star Amir Dickerson With 13.9 seconds left and Amityville trailing by two the junior guard received the sideline inbounds pass from Allan Dodson-Isabell just in front of midcourt Dickerson dribbled twice with his left hand “We play end-of-game situations all the time always,” Amityville coach Jack Agostino said “So I kind of was pretty confident at that point.” Dickerson’s shot swished through the net with 10.3 seconds left and proved to be the winning bucket in No 5 Amityville’s 64-63 win over top-seeded Wyandanch in the Suffolk Class AA semifinals at Longwood High School on Monday night Dickerson (27 points) had his 14th 25-point game of the season “Probably one of the greatest moments I’ve ever had,” he said Amityville (15-7) lost both of its regular-season games against Wyandanch (19-3) “That team is a hell of a team,” Agostino said Coach Barry [Baker] has done an amazing job with that group It’s one of the best Wyandanch teams I’ve ever seen in my life.” Amityville forward Taki Mason (20 points) hit a three-pointer to tie it at 59 with 1:30 left Wyandanch forward Joshua Presmy answered with a three-pointer to make it 62-59 with 37.9 seconds left Dickerson followed with a layup plus the foul on the other end but missed the free throw Webb made a free throw with 21.3 seconds left to give Wyandanch a 63-61 lead Wyandanch missed two free throws with 1.6 seconds left 3 Smithtown West (18-4) in the Suffolk AA final on Friday at 4 p.m So Jack Agostino will be facing Smithtown West coach Mike Agostino Amityville is seeking its first Suffolk title since 2020 A proposed industrial park is planned to be built across from homes in this wooded area off of 28th street in Wyandanch A San Francisco-based developer is offering more than $2 million in givebacks to Wyandanch and Wheatley Heights residents as part of a proposed plan to build a 100-acre industrial park Bristol Group’s "Suffolk Technology Park" community benefits package includes $1 million in scholarship money $350,000 toward renovations at the Family Life Center and turf fields in Wyandanch and nearly $200,000 toward beautification projects in Wyandanch and Wheatley Heights the company will include Wyandanch Memorial High School in its community solar initiative which Bristol claims will create estimated annual savings of $150,000 for the school district Nearby residents will also benefit from solar panels at the park Bristol attorney Bram Weber told residents at a Saturday morning public hearing last month Weber called their offering the "largest community benefits package for a project this size in Long Island history." Community benefits packages are often a component of large-scale apartment and commercial projects serving as an attempt by developers to appease town officials and neighbors The park would be the biggest development in Babylon Town in decades and would require a new zone It would have nine one-story buildings on 100 acres leased from Pinelawn Cemetery The site runs from Little East Neck Road to North 28th Street and from south of Circle Drive to Long Island Avenue Some, including the town historian, have expressed concern for the impact the park may have on a historic cemetery that abuts the site has 375 Black and Indigenous people buried in it Weber said the park will not be a "large logistics center" but instead will offer smaller office Bristol has promised the park would create 767 construction jobs and 1,958 permanent jobs and generate $5.6 million annually in property taxes with $3.6 million going directly to the Wyandanch school district located in Wyandanch but bordering a Wheatley Heights neighborhood has generated some consternation between the two communities over givebacks and input Weber told Newsday that benefits given to the Concerned Taxpayers of Wheatley Heights/Dix Hills civic association Bristol then extended the same benefits to the Concerned Citizens of Wyandanch each civic group would receive $155,000 plus $150,000 for holiday programs and $500,000 in scholarship money residents raised concerns about truck traffic and the environmental impact of the park But the issue of benefits was also front and center Wheatley Heights resident Sandra Thomas said Bristol had been "very very responsive to our needs" but more was warranted "We feel the Wheatley Heights community should have some kind of capital gains benefit such as sewers or even a gas line," she said "Because the impact is going to be tremendous on us." Wheatley Heights civic president Chris Black said Wyandanch was getting the better end of the deal "In Wyandanch you’re getting more tax incentives for the school "Wheatley Heights is not getting anything since we’re taking most of the burden of this project we need to have more than what the others are getting." But Wyandanch residents who would be living across from the industrial park said it was Wheatley Heights that was getting preferential treatment noted that Bristol had met with residents on his street only once compared to multiple meetings with Wheatley Heights He said the site plan was changed to accommodate those residents with a recharge basin moved closer to North 28th Street without residents there being informed Several North 28th Street residents expressed concerns about the basin so it really doesn’t benefit my community," Rodriguez said Weber told Newsday that Bristol met with the Wheatley Heights and Wyandanch civic groups multiple times and met with North 28th street residents "early in the project planning process" where concerns about a truck parking lot led to the lot being moved and the recharge basin put there instead Weber said the basin will collect stormwater and address drainage problems residents had noted He said the changes were "communicated to both civic associations multiple times." Weber said a meeting with North 28th street residents is planned for Nov Comments on the industrial park will be accepted by the town until Nov Updated 49 minutes ago Off-campus gunfire has H.S 2024 at 3:46 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Basheer Vinson faces 25 years to life in prison for second-degree murder (Suffolk County District Attorney)WYANDANCH NY — A Brooklyn man has been found guilty of murdering a Bay Shore man in 2020 Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A first-degree attempted assault and other related charges for an attempted robbery and shooting that Mark Birthwright Vinson went to a house party on Patton Avenue in Wyandanch that Birthwright and Brown were also at When Birthwright and Brown were leaving the party around 2 a.m. Birthwright dropped a roll of cash on the ground Vinson and another unknown person held Birthwright at gunpoint and demanded the money Vinson's purple baseball hat fell onto the ground but Vinson fired a shot that hit him in his side Suffolk County police were called and Vinson and the other person fled Birthwright was pronounced dead at the scene Brown was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries Vinson’s DNA was recovered from the purple baseball cap left at the scene and a partial DNA profile was recovered from one of the spent 9mm cartridge casings which matched his DNA profile “This defendant fatally gunned down Mark Birthwright at a house party in Wyandanch and severely injured Robert Brown,” said Tierney “Every resident in Suffolk County deserves a safe environment free from the fear that gunfire will erupt at random We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to keep dangerous criminals like Basheer Vinson out of our communities.” Vinson was convicted before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P a Class A felony; first-degree attempted assault a Class C violent felony; first-degree attempted robbery a Class C violent felony; second-degree assault a Class D violent felony; and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon Vinson is due back in court on October 24 and faces 25 years to life in prison on the top count He is being represented by John Halverson who was not immediately available for comment 2024 at 11:04 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Patch is recognizing great teachers across Long Island we're fortunate to have teachers like Tara Malone Patch has partnered with T-Mobile to recognize teachers and show them how much they’re valued and appreciated This submission comes from colleague Alison Dassau who nominated Tara Malone of Wyandanch in a co-integrated I.C.T setting within a 7th grade E.L.A classroom She has a number of certifications and challenges herself to learn as much as she can so that she can better help our students She will often help our students during her lunch and prep you can find her working with our students helping them sort through middle school challenges or celebrating them with reward lunches and treats but she also had two resource room classes as well Why do you believe the teacher should be recognized or honored Tara Malone should be recognized and honored because she goes above and beyond to make certain that each student feels seen and heard She is an advocate for all of our students she also makes sure that our students see her outside of the classroom as she cheers them on at athletic events and awards nights at school Tara knows that each student has something unique to offer our classroom and she works tirelessly so that they feel successful within our school community What's one thing you want everyone to know about the teacher I want everyone to know that Tara Malone is an amazing educator supportive colleague and charismatic teacher with our students’ best interests and goals always in the forefront of her mind This content is brought to our community in partnership with T-Mobile Know an outstanding teacher who deserves a shout-out? Nominate them here.