Long Island briefs

ISLIP

Animal shelter urges older pet adoption

The Islip Town animal shelter and Adopt-a-Pet Center is celebrating National Adopt a Senior Pet Month with free adoptions for any shelter animal over the age of 6.

The shelter's nonprofit volunteer group, Live.Love.Bark, will pay for any adoption fees for senior shelter residents as long as the application is filed from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30. Those fees are $105 for dogs and $65 for cats, which cover the cost of spaying or neutering, vaccines and microchips.

The shelter will conduct its standard adoption process, including requiring that applicants who rent their homes provide a notarized letter from the landlord stating they are allowed to have a pet in the household without limits on breed or weight of the animal.

"Dogs and cats at the age of six or older make perfect companions. At this age, they are usually calmer, well behaved, and housebroken," Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter said in a news release.

Visit the shelter's website at facebook.com/islipanimals to see the available animals, or visit the shelter at 210 South Denver Ave. in Bay Shore.

Hearing set on plan to shut LIRR crossing

The state Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing Nov. 17 on a proposed permanent closure of the pedestrian grade crossing at the Islip train station.

The hearing will be at 9 a.m. in Room 6A-8 at the Perry B. Duryea State Office Building at 250 Veterans Memorial Hwy. in Hauppauge. DOT Chief Administrative Law Judge Robert Rybak is scheduled to preside.

The Long Island Rail Road filed a petition with the DOT to close the rail crossing based on what the agency sees as safety hazards -- the crossing traverses the train tracks between two parking lots at the LIRR Islip station. Another grade crossing is available 200 feet away at Nassau Avenue.

Interested participants should contact the state's Office of Proceedings at 518-457-1182 if services such as a sign language interpreter, an assistive listening system or any other accommodations will be necessary for participation in the hearing.

Copies of the final report issued in this case can be obtained by sending a written request to the state's Office of Proceedings, NYSDOT, 50 Wolf Rd., Albany, NY 12232.

MASSAPEQUA/MASSAPEQUA PARK

County to use grant to study drug abuse

If you're a resident of either Massapequa or Massapequa Park between the ages of 18 and 25, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and the YES Community Counseling Center would like your responses to a survey about drug use and abuse in your community.

The anonymous survey is part of a $650,000 state grant initiative underway in Nassau to study, and then design, new drug abuse prevention strategies to tackle the opioid epidemic. It begins in the Massapequas, often referred to as the "epicenter" of the epidemic in Nassau said a Nassau County news release.

"We're hoping to assist in creating new prevention techniques to keep all youth, throughout Nassau, from going down the deadly road of opiate abuse and addiction," Mangano said in the news release. "And we're looking toward our youth in this area for the information needed to do that."

The first component required by this grant is to complete a comprehensive community assessment regarding the consequences of heroin and prescription opiate abuse in the 11758 and 11762 ZIP codes. Information can remain anonymous, and only ZIP codes -- not addresses -- are needed.

YES CCC, a community-based substance abuse treatment provider in Nassau, was the only Long Island agency, and one of only 10 agencies throughout the state, to be awarded a Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Prevention grant.

The grant, awarded to YES in conjunction with the Massapequa Takes Action community coalition, will fund a four-year initiative.

For information about the survey forms, call Suzanne Smoller at 516-659-6477 or email her at ssmoller@yesccc.org or Peggy O'Connell at poconnell@yesccc.org

STONY BROOK

New art center to show Reboli works

Works of well-known Long Island painter Joseph Reboli will be showcased when a center named after him opens next week.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Reboli Center for Arts and History will take place at 64 Main St. in Stony Brook Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.

It will feature a number of his paintings and those of other Long Island artists.

"The mission of The Reboli Center is to promote, educate and inspire the public with an understanding, enjoyment and appreciation of the life and works of Joseph Reboli," Friends of Joseph Reboli said.

The nonprofit organization's mission is to collect, preserve and exhibit artwork, documents and artifacts of his work.

During Reboli's 35 years as an artist, he attained national stature and his work was exhibited from New York to California and was part of private and corporate collections in Europe, the organization said.

Reboli's primary subjects were the sites and structures of eastern Long Island, the organization said.

Some of his best known paintings, including "Bellport Gate," "Sea Pumps," and "The Artist Easel," will be on display at the center.

Reboli died in 2004.

"This is an incredible dream. Something I've been praying about. He was so loved by the community. And he always donated his time and paintings," the painter's wife, Lois Reboli, said in a phone interview. "I wanted his work to be seen in the community for future generations."

Reboli, originally from Stony Brook, was diagnosed with lung cancer in June 2003 and died a year later at age 57.

NASSAU COUNTY

Free golf for vets, active-duty military

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano has announced that the county will honor veterans and active-duty military personnel for their service with a free round of golf at Eisenhower Park's 18-hole Blue Course and the 9-hole courses at Cantiague Park, Christopher Morley Park, Bay Park, and North Woodmere Park, on Veterans Day, Wednesday.

"Nassau County is proud to honor veterans and active duty military personnel for their service to our nation with a free round of golf," Mangano said in a news release.

To play free, golfers must present proof of Nassau County residency and either military identification, discharge papers or a Nassau County Veterans Leisure Passport. Golf cart fees will be discounted for veterans and active-duty military with a Nassau County Leisure Pass.

The golf telephone numbers for the parks are:

Eisenhower Park in East Meadow: 516-572-0327

Bay Park in East Rockaway: 516-571-7242

Cantiague Park in Hicksville: 516-571-7061

Christopher Morley Park in Roslyn-North Hills: 516-571-8120

North Woodmere Park: 516-571-7814/15

ROCKVILLE CENTRE

Bowling fundraiser to help fight autism

A bowling fundraiser for Sensory Beans Children's Gym to help youth with autism and related illnesses will be held Sunday at Rockville Centre Lanes.

The gym, the brainchild of Brett and Rachel Roslow of Merrick, was inspired by their son Ethan, 5, who has autism. The Roslows and others are raising money to open the facility for families to offer their children "a sensory rich environment where they can go to be themselves without feeling judged or excluded," said a news release sent out by the gym's backers.

At the gym, it said, "families can engage their children in a safe and clean environment that promotes socialization and functional play. Families can also build a support system and children will develop relationships."

The suggested donation is $15 per bowler before the event and $20 at the door.

For more information, call 516-308-1462 or 908-670-3348.

The bowling alley is at 100 Maple Ave.

Overdose prevention forum set for today

Assemb. Brian Curran (R-Lynbrook) and Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano have announced that they will host an overdose prevention forum featuring Narcan training Monday at South Side High School in Rockville Centre. Curran said the forum is open to the public.

"This forum is a learning experience for parents, guardians, neighbors or friends of those struggling with substance abuse to know how to recognize and what to do in case of an overdose, and how to administer the lifesaving, overdose-reversal agent called Narcan," Curran said.

Mangano said: "I will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of all Nassau County families to bring them the knowledge and awareness to this dangerous and deadly drug. I am glad to co-sponsor this event with Assemblyman Curran."