Week in Review: Polar Plunge, Rocky Point Drive-In Saved From Big Box Stores

Coram Man Arrested For Stealing Boat Batteries in Mount Sinai

The owner of All Island Marine, located at 466 Route 25A in Mount Sinai, informed the police that someone had been breaking into boats stored at the facility stealing batteries. 

The facility secures the boats using a white shrink-wrap material that is designed to protect the boats from the elements while not in use. After an investigation, officers said they arrested Derek Parian, 23, of Coram for the incident.

According to the report, Parian illegally entered numerous boats removing their batteries and bringing them to a local scrap yard. The scrap yard paid Parian $18 per battery.

Parian has been charged him with seven counts of Petit Larceny and four counts of Criminal Mischief 4th Degree. He will be held overnight at the Sixth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Friday.  

Poll: What Do You Want At The Old Rocky Point Drive-In?

With help from the Town of Brookhaven, Councilwoman Jane Bonner has won a 10-year battle with the New York State Court of Appeals to protect the property where the old Rocky Point Drive-In sign stands from big-box store development. 

Now Bonner is calling for ideas on what should be proposed to the developer in the land next to the Crossroads Plaza East Shopping Center. It's up to the Rocky Point residents to give her ideas. 

Any ideas that fall within the proper zoning, Bonner will be more than happy to bring to the developers attention in hopes to give him accurate feedback from the community. Ultimately the developers will work to make a proposal for the property. 

4th Annual Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach Set For This Saturday

Special Olympics New York and the Town of Brookhaven is still looking for volunteers to join the hundreds of participants already committed to “Freezin’ for a Reason” on Saturday. 

This year marks the 4th Annual Town of Brookhaven Polar Plunge at Cedar Beach in Mount Sinai. Brave souls with warm hearts will run, jump, and dive into the chilly waters of the Long Island Sound to raise funds for the athletes of Special Olympics New York.

According to Kristina Aquilone, director of development, the Special Olympics Polar Plunges have become a common household fundraiser offered countrywide. Aquilone said that last year alone more than 6,000 plungers and 15,000 spectators were part of the Plunge Season raising nearly $1 million statewide.

Sound Beach Music Store Still Going Strong After 30 Years

Thirty years ago, Steve Subject started a small music store in Sound Beach designed to help bring music into people’s lives a little bit easier through rentals and lessons. Since 1979 the store has continued to grow and prosper.

Patch spoke to Brian Chabza, violin instructor at the Sound Beach Music Store. Chabza has been working at the store for 15 years and said it has truly become a staple in the community.

Why did you choose to have a store in the Sound Beach/Miller Place area?

We started in Sound Beach and I think we moved to Miller Place back in 1992. We moved up the street because we needed a bigger location. We started off small, but now we have at least 300 students taking lessons per week with more than 1500 rental instruments out in the community. People from all over come to the store from as far as Shoreham all the way out to Comsewogue.