Long Island briefs

SAGAPONACK

Local winery first

to make top 100 list

Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack is the first Long Island winery to make Wine Spectator's Top 100 List. Every year, the magazine's editors "survey the wines reviewed over the previous 12 months and select our Top 100, based on quality, value, availability and excitement." For 2015, Wolffer's Grapes of Roth Long Island Merlot 2010 is ranked No. 64.

According to Wine Spectator, the wine's "polished texture carries balanced flavors of tart cherry, pomegranate, toasted hazelnut and espresso in this expressive red. Features firm, well-integrated tannins and lively acidity. Elegant." The wine retails for about $44.

In 2013, Newsday's Peter M. Gianotti put the 2006 Grapes of Roth Merlot on his list of the 12 best Long Island wines, calling it an "elegant and refined varietal, full-bodied, with notes of blackberry, plum, chocolate, flowers."

Wolffer Estate Vineyard was founded in 1987 by Christian Wolffer, who died in 2008. It is now run by his children, Joey and Marc Wolffer, and winemaker Roman Roth.

BROOKHAVEN

Town plans toy drive for children in need

The town plans to begin collecting Christmas presents for thousands of needy children as the holiday season rolls around.

The toy drive will start today, and officials have enlisted the help of four local radio stations to broadcast live from Brookhaven Town Hall on Dec. 11 to help promote the effort.

Last year, residents donated thousands of gifts ranging from stuffed animals, board games, dolls, trucks and bicycles.

Supervisor Edward P. Romaine thanked everyone who will donate toys for Brookhaven children. "These coordinated efforts help to ensure a very merry Christmas for so many children. I encourage everyone to come to Town Hall," Romaine said.

The town's youth bureau is sponsoring the toy drive in hopes of providing presents for more than 7,000 needy youths up to age 15. Donations can be dropped off at Town Hall, 1 Independence Hill in Farmingville until Dec. 21.

Other drop-off locations include the Brookhaven Town Highway Department, 1140 Old Town Rd. in Coram; the New Village Recreation Center, 20 Wireless Rd. in Centereach; and Brookhaven Calabro Airport, 135 Dawn Dr. in Shirley.

For more information, call the youth bureau at 631-451-8011 or visit www.brookhaven.org.

BOHEMIA

Model railroad club hosting toy drive

A model railroad club is hosting a holiday toy drive for the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Central Operating Lines will collect new, unwrapped toys from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the club headquarters at 50A Carlough Rd. in Bohemia.

The club will arrange a large model railroad display for toy collection participants to enjoy.

"The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is one of the premier holiday charity drives in our country, and highlights the work that veterans do both abroad and on the homefront. With the support of local organizations like Central Operating Lines, 2015 promises to be another great year for the Toys for Tots Program," Islip Town Councilman John Cochrane said in a news release.

For more information and directions, visit the club's website at www.coltrains.com.

RIVERHEAD

Schumer calls for

upgrades to hospital

Sen. Chuck Schumer urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday to approve $6.4 million for storm-protection upgrades at Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead.

Schumer (D-N.Y.), in a letter to FEMA administrator W. Craig Fugate, said the 200-bed hospital was "at high risk for storm related damage" due to its location on eastern Long Island.

"Flooding, wind damage, and other hazards threaten to interrupt the hospital's ability to provide medical care," especially in the emergency and operating rooms, Schumer wrote.

Center officials have asked FEMA for funds to install two additional generators so the hospital would no longer need to rent generators during an outage. They have also asked for funds to retrofit the roof and upgrade doors and windows to "storm-grade" materials.

During superstorm Sandy in 2012, Schumer wrote, thirteen patients were evacuated to Peconic Bay Medical Center, the largest of the three hospitals on the East End. "If PBMC were shut down due to a power outage or flooding, patients would have to be moved over thirty miles to the nearest hospital," the senator said.

PBMC chief executive Andrew Mitchell said in a news release that the funds would "ensure that PBMC can continue to meet the health and safety needs of the nearly 200,00 men, women and children who rely us every day and even more so in the event of disasters."

Hospital officials made the funding request through FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

LONG BEACH

Cops to test gunfire detection system

City police will be using live gunfire tonight to test its new ShotSpotter gunfire recognition program. Police will be testing gunfire between 7 and 10 p.m. throughout the city, but officials said no bullets will be fired into the air and there is no danger to the public.

The city is adding the ShotSpotter program using a $500,000 grant from Nassau County to track and deter shootings. The audio sensors mounted on poles will report all gunshots fired through the city and relay information to police to respond.

Police are testing the system and sensor calibrations with controlled gunshots before it becomes active to track actual shootings. Police will be on site at multiple test locations during the operation.