Week in Review: Violent Crime, Soccer Fields, Sandy Recovery Make Headlines

East Moriches Man Charged in Stony Brook Rape. An East Moriches man was arrested Saturday and charged with committing a sexual assault in Stony Brook on Nov. 20. According to Suffolk County Police, Patrick O'Sullivan, 20, was arrested on multiple charges including first-degree rape, first-degree burglary, first-degree criminal sexual act, second-degree kidnapping and first-degree criminal use of a firearm. O'Sullivan is scheduled for arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on Dec. 2. Police said Friday afternoon that an armed, masked white man about 5-foot-10 with a medium build committed a sexual assault in a Stony Brook home between 11 and 11:30 p.m. Cops said he had entered the home through an unlocked door and was in possession of a rifle at the time of the incident.

SBU Students Respond to Soccer Club's Petition. Stressing the importance of their needs, members of the University's club sports teams gathered together to respond to the soccer club's petition. Students said the lack of field space often prevents them from being competitive. The various club teams – 30 of them – play against club teams from other colleges and universities from other areas, including upstate and out-of-state. Stony Brook students pay a recreation fee to have access to recreational amenities on campus. But each of the Stony Brook teams rarely has an adequate practice field all to themselves. The students said Stony Brook lags behind other schools in the facilities available to student athletes who aren't members of NCAA teams.

Parents: Soccer Club's Situation is Unfair. More than 400 parents and kids attended an informational meeting hosted by the Three Village Soccer Club on Monday, airing grievances that added up to one sentiment: they believe that Stony Brook University is being unfair to the club in its negotiations regarding the South P Lot soccer fields. "I just feel the University in this whole episode is being very heavy-handed in negotiations. We've given them a lot and they're not giving back to us," said Jerry McKnight, a seven-year resident of Three Village. "It's going to be a win-lose situation."

Brookhaven Town Welcomes New Supervisor. Fresh off his victory in a Nov. 6 special election, in which he carried every one of the town's six council districts, Ed Romaine was sworn into his office as Brookhaven's 70th supervisor on Monday afternoon. "Today starts a new day in Brookhaven," Romaine said in his address. "A day that marks a new beginning when I begin to fulfill the promises of my campaign to stabilize town finances, reduce debt, eliminate deficit spending, increase transparency and openness in town government, protect and preserve our environment and create jobs."

New Organization Bringing Holiday Cheer to Sandy Victims. A Ward Melville alumna who resides in a neighborhood hit hard by Superstorm Sandy is finding time this holiday season to assist Long Island families that met a far worst fate by the late October natural disaster of epic proportions. Mary Kate Tischler of Seaford, four fellow Ward Melville graduates, and an attorney friend are forming a group called “Sandy Can’t Steal Christmas” that aims to adopt 15 families displaced from their homes by Sandy and arrange for them to receive holiday gifts in their time of need. Tischler, whose Narragansett Avenue neighborhood suffered major flooding from Sandy’s wrath as well as Tropical Storm Irene, said the group’s goal is to adopt 15 families from Seaford, Lindenhurst and Mastic Beach, three waterfront communities that suffered some of the worst devastation from the storm. “We want to make a real impact,” said Tischler, whose home was in the process of being elevated due to flooding incured from Tropical Storm Irene when Sandy hit. “We would really like to help people get through this in any way we can.”

Case of Pertussis Reported at Nassakeag Elementary. A case of the highly contagious bacterial illness pertussis, also known as whooping cough, was recently reported at Nassakeag Elementary, according to a letter dated Nov. 26 on the Three Village school district website. A school spokeswoman said Wednesday that the student has recovered and is back in school. Two other cases of pertussis were reported in Three Village schools in 2012: once at Murphy Junior High in September and once at Gelinas Junior High in the summer during a music program. Dr. Gregson H. Pigott of the Suffolk County Division of Public Health said in the letter that the county has seen an increase in cases of pertussis.